OT(?): How to patina a tablesaw quickly?

[Tait]

Hi all,

My dad has a new tablesaw with a cast iron table and mentioned that he spends a lot of time cleaning up rust marks (even though it has been waxed).

His old tablesaw had a nice dark brown patina like a well used mill table.

Is there any way to make that happen quickly?

Thanks in advance,

Tait

[dalee100]

Hi,

Quick and cheap - vinegar or lemon juice will patina steel and iron. Gun blue will put a tougher finish.

dalee

[Tait]

Thanks - I think he has an extra segment of table he can try it on to see if he likes it.

[Slick]

I just picked up a bottle of "Plum Brown" barrel finish from Birchwoord Casey. I haven't tried it yet but it's supposed to produce more of a "patina" than a blue-finish.. It's for my Winchester 1897 that I'm fixing up.

[hemmjo]

I always used paste wax on my wood working machine tool surfaces. I was a school Industrial Arts teacher for 35 years. The maintenance people always used the shop in the summer. First few years, every year when I would return there would be rust rings from where they set their pop cans on the machines. I always figured it was a good idea to stay on their good side, so I just asked them to try to put their pop on the bench instead of the machines. But I also started coating the tables with wax before I left. Just rub it on thick and let it set. Come back in, rub it off, and go to work. Parts slide nice also.

Good Luck,

John

[Tait]

The "Plumb Brown" finish just might be what he is looking for - thanks.

I think he has been using Johnson's Paste wax to try and protect the surface; he might be wiping it off too well. I'll check.

Thanks again.

[Willy]

I used a 5" random orbit sander to get most of the deeper machining marks off of the cast iron table.
Afterwords a couple of good coats of paste wax and it's as slick as a politician during an election campaign now. It sure lets the wood slide across the table nicely now.
No patina though.

[lynnl]

I've owned 4 different table saws (Rockwell, Sears, Delta, Grizzly), and 2 bandsaws (Rockwell/Jet) over the years. Every one eventually took on a vastly different surface patina.

Don't know if it's due to metallurgical content or casting process differences.

But if it were me, I'd try to keep it clean and protected, and let the aging take place naturally. You start monkeying around with it and you may get something irreversible, that you're not happy with.

[Rammed]

If you are going to use Plum Brown, Do it with good ventilation. The fumes are toxic. I would not use it on a Winchester. Muzzle loader yes. Blue the Winchester.

[Oldbrock]

To change the subject since you mentioned Winchester, Where can I find a 30 30 rear sight? Peter