Dewalt table

[crusty59]

I was wondering if anyone knew what the material is that is put on the saw table when it's made. Mine is etching away and the raw steal under neath is turning my hands black, which in  turn is turning all my work black. I've tried waxing over it but not much help.
Thank you

[dgman]

Hey Crusty, the table on the DeWALT saw Is cast iron. It does not have a coating on it. Are you talking about the Excalibur saw?

[budprine]

Hi Crusty

As dgman said its cast iron.  I've been cleaning up several cast iron tables lately and really like the results.

Its turning out that the black you are seeing is basically rust.  Apparently black first then it browns up. 

To do my cleaning I've been using Boeshield Rust Free followed up with a coating of Boeshield T-9.  It ain't cheap but it sure looks nice.  Boeshield was developed by Boeing Aircraft to prevent rust.  Its available at most wood working shops and online.

I bought an older Ridgid table saw on Craig's list.  It had been neglected.  After cleaning with Rust Free then polishing with Scotch Brite and coating with T-9 it looks like a fresh new saw.  Now my other cast iron tables are getting the treatment to preserve them.

[crusty59]

Thanks,I did know it was cast iron, i'm not sure why I called it steal. Silly me. But there is a coating on it, I can scratch it off with a knife, it's clear, almost a plastic coating, very strange to me, I never knew it was there till I scratched it one day. The Dewalt 788 is about 3-4 years old now. I would have to sand it all off I guess to treat it for rust. Thanks for the advice about the Boeshield. I will look into it

[dgman]

Hey Crusty, I have had two DeWALT saws and neither had any coating on it. On my current saw the machining was pretty rough on the table so before I used it I sanded it down with 220 grit sand paper on a sanding block. I used WD40 as a lubricant till it was nice and smooth. Clean it off with mineral spirits, then I waxed with a paste wax. that should take care of your problem. Re-apply the wax once a month or so, and you should be fine, or as Bud suggested, use the T9 instead of wax.

[Mainewoods]

Crusty, did you buy the DeWalt new?  If not, maybe the previous owner put a few coats of something on it to protect it.  Just a guess. 

[Russ C]

That is the first time I have ever heard of a coating on a Dewalt 788 table top. Very interesting indeed.

[Rapid Roger]

Some people will put a coat or two of clear polyurethane on anything to make it look shinny.
I'm guessing that if it is a used saw, that is what happened here.

Rog