Bed

[cowboy682]

what is the best way or product to clean the bed of the table saw?
thanks Graham

 

[marcros]

what is it made of?

If cast iron, I have used sc0tchbrite and wd40. Spray on, scrub, mop up with a rag. then wax

 

[cowboy682]

marcros
the bed is cast aluminum it seems to have little scratches on around the blade area where wood as been spun around if that makes sense

thanks Graham

 

[Chippygeoff]

What Marcros has suggested is a good idea and then use Liberon lubricating wax, sadly with aluminium tables you will never stop the swirl marks. I have cast iron tables on my saws so don't have this problem. When I first got my Hegner it had an aluminium table and after an hours use I saw the swirl marks. The saw had to go back to Hegner so I had the table changed, it was only £45 but it made a huge difference.

 

[cowboy682]

thanks for that will give it a try
Graham

 

[ChrisR]

Polish table with a very fine wet & dry paper at least 1200 grit or above, using Brasso as the wet component, use only light pressure, wipe clean and apply Liboron lubrication wax and give a final polish.

I have been using the wet & dry/Brasso method for many years, but have only just started using the Liboron wax, following advice from this forum, sorry I cant credit the person that gave the advice on Liberon, as I can’t remember who it was, but it certainly gives the table of my Hegner a very low friction surface.


Take care.

Chris R.

Take care.

Chris R.

 

[martinka]

Much the same as has already been said, especially the Liberon lubricating wax. I have noticed my alloy table can leave a black mark on wood sometimes, so the Liberon helps stop that as well as making the surface nice and slippy.

Chippiegeoff, which Hegner do you have and how long since you had the table changed for a cast iron one? I have a Multicut 2S from 2008 and all I can find on Hegner's website is another alloy table for 142 quid. I'd be tempted to change to a cast iron one if I could get it for the same price as you got it. What I might do instead is keep an eye out for a nice piece of wood to fit on top of the original table, although that's maybe not a good idea for anyone who uses reverse blades a lot.

Martin.

 

[Chippygeoff]

Martin. I bought the same Hegner as you just after Christmas but there was a problem with the table, where the split is for the blade one side was higher that the other, which meant lifting the wood over the lip when using the saw. I sorted the cast iron table out before Hegner picked it up with their tec dept, they rang me and said they would have to wait for a new cast iron table to come from Germany, which could take weeks, as they only had one in stock from an old model, my heart nearly missed a beat and I asked them to e-mail me a photo of it, which they did ten minutes later. I was over the moon as it did not have an insert, just a small rectangular slot for the blade movement. They only had the one table and it fitted my saw, they also increased the spped to 1650 for me. A formica coated piece of MDF would make a nice sub-table but as you say, you would lose the benefit of the reverse blades.

 

[John51]

A formica coated piece of MDF would make a nice sub-table but as you say, you would lose the benefit of the reverse blades.

What about a sub table with a thickness designed to use the top of the reversing blade with the most commonly used stock thickness? Could double blade life.

 

[cowboy682]

how about a thin sheet of perspex could also be used as a zero clearance table as well
Graham

 

[martinka]

Chippiegeoff, sounds like you dropped on there, though they were probably wanting to make amends for the distorted table too. I'm always on the lookout for old cast iron, but my mill is too small to machine a table for the Hegner, so I'll look out for the formica coated MDF. Regarding the insert, I wonder why anyone would want anything other than a slot for the blade? It's not like there is provision for turning the blade 90 degrees like on some cheap scroll saws. I made an alloy insert to replace the plastic one and made it a very tight fit so it's difficult to remove.

Graham, I think perspex is probably too soft and would mark very easy, though if I find a piece big enough I might give it a try.
I spent an hour yesterday polishing the table with 480 and then 800 wet and dry, I would have gone finer but didn't have any in stock. Then I polished the table with Solvol Autosol using a Scotchbrite clone and buffing with a soft cloth. It got most of the milling marks out of the table and made a big difference to the feel.

John51, I am sure I read, probably on Steve Good's forum, about using a sub-table to extend blade life. I suppose it depends on how easy it is to fit whether it would be worth doing. Knowing my patience, or lack of it, after the second time of fitting it I would say "to hell with the expense, buy more blades." :mrgreen:

Martin.