Cleaning cast iron

[jscott2]

Got some rust on a cast iron table saw top and couldn't get to it right away.  When I finally was able to attack it with steel wool and Scotch Brite pads, the rust came off with not much trouble.  The surface is smooth but there are stains where the rust was.  The stains are only cosmetic but I would like to get rid of, or at least reduce them, if I can do it without too much effort.

Does anybody have any suggestions on how to get rid of the stains?

Thanks,
Jim

[busco]

If they are just cosmetic stains you might try some Navel Jelly or WD-40 and then get a good wood or car wax and wax your table top.  I have used Navel Jelly with good luck that I had picked up at the hardware store.  Good Luck

Bill

[jscott2]

Bill, thanks for the reply.  I have used WD-40 with steel wool and with the Scotch Brite pads. The table is nice and smooth, only the stains remain.  If I can't get the stains off, so be it, it's just something I would like to do before I put the wax on.

I'm wondering if the Naval Jelly would be too strong to just remove stains.  It does contains acid so I'm wondering if it could remove some of the good cast iron while I was getting the stain out.

Thanks for your comments,
Jim

[Hawkdave]

G'Day Jim....Here in Aussie, we have a product called 'Rustkill' I put some on a Bobbin Sander that had a totally rusty table and it cleaned pretty much all of it off. The rest I cleaned with a Random Orbital sander and at the end, there were no stains in sight.

I am not sure what the product would be called in America, but there would have to be something of a similar nature over there.

Dave.

[jscott2]

Dave, is this http://cotec.co.nz/product/rust-kill/ what you suggested?  If so, it contains phosphoric acid (10 to 30%) as does Rustkill (20%) so I suspect they would be similar products.

How did you get the Rustkill off the table after you treated it?  Water is suggested for Naval Jelly but it would be hard to take a hose to a large cast iron table saw top - it's in the basement.   

Thanks for the comment.
Jim   

[Hawkdave]

G'Day Jim...Yes, that is the product. I recommend you download the MSDS sheet and read it before using rust-kill. When I mentioned it to start with, I was talking about a company here in Australia (Wattyl) I am unsure how far they spread their products, but they have been taken over by an American paint company (Valspar) so you may be lucky to see if Valspar have it in their product range.

Cheers mate.

Dave.

[busco]

Jim as far as the Navel Jelly, unless you have a large area to clean go sparingly with the jelly and give it time to work.  Then wipe it off with some old rags.  I had good luck with it but only have used it a couple of times.  I wouldn't use any water to clean your table off with otherwise you might be starting over removing new rust.  But anyway I am sure you know to wax it right away to keep anymore rust forming.

Bill

[Hawkdave]

Dave, is this http://cotec.co.nz/product/rust-kill/ what you suggested?  If so, it contains phosphoric acid (10 to 30%) as does Rustkill (20%) so I suspect they would be similar products.

How did you get the Rustkill off the table after you treated it?  Water is suggested for Naval Jelly but it would be hard to take a hose to a large cast iron table saw top - it's in the basement.   

Thanks for the comment.
Jim

Sorry Jim...I missed the second part where you asked how to remove it. I used a rag and wiped off the excess, then cleaned with another rag and used mineral turps. After drying the rags completely, i disposed of them with the rubbish.
I then sanded the table after which, I put a coat of wax on.

Hope this helps

Dave.

[jscott2]

Bill and Dave, thanks for your help. I might just leave the stains as I have all the rust off and the tabel is nice and smooth.  And yes, the wax is ready to go but in my basement the rust seems to form very, very slowly so I have some time. 

I thought there might be a simple solution but things are very busy right now so I'll just live with the stains for now.  Perhaps one day I'll strip off the wax and try the Naval Jelly (it seems similar to rust-kill). 

Thanks again for your help.
Jim