To mill, or not to mill.....

[woodmannie]

I got the top of the exacta saw almost rust free. But there is some piting. So, would it benefit me to send the top and wings to a machine shop and have them mill them .005"? Cost?
Also, the cabinet base has some rust on it. Thought about blasting it and getting it powder coated. If I do, new Jet color or old blue?

Tom

[Beamer]

tough call ... performance-wise if the tables are already flat enough, i don't think it'd gain you much of anything to have 'em re-ground.

Aesthetically, sure ... but that's something only you can decide.

When i have rust, i break out the wd40 and an old beater ryobi vibrating sander and just go at it. Super flatness isn't a huge deal for me - i'm not a "to a half a thou" kinda woodworker so it doesn't affect me much.

If the pits are real deep, though, you could stand a grinding to help reduce the drag of all those pits and such if they're sharp-edged.

[TDHofstetter]

I don't think I'd have 'em milled, or ground, either. Well, Ok... I wouldn't do it myself on my own machine.

While a fully-shiny top is pretty, it's not any more practical than a somewhat-pitted top. In fact, the iron AFTER RUSTING a little will hold wax better, therewith to help prevent more rust later. A fully shiny top won't hold wax nearly as well.

Now, the CABINET... that I'd blast (or brush, with a 4" angle grinder) and paint - whether "ordinary" paint or powdercoat. Powdercoat tends to go on a lot thicker, and looks globbier for it (like the Navy got hold of it & painted thirteenty-dozen times). That may or may not be a good thing, depending on how rough the rusted areas are.

The color... I like to go with original colors (or near them) where it's reasonable to do that. The Jet-blue paint may add an air of distinction, possibly even extra resale value 50 years hence.

[dcarter636]

I sure wouldn't bother for .005" deep pitting.

Blanchard grinding is the appropriate process for such a large iron surface and the wings should be attached to assure the best results. As you can guess this requires a pretty good sized but relatively simple machine, and buying time on it isn't very cheap, assuming that you can find one nearby.

[Ruffnek]

I agree with Tim. Don't be concerned about the pitting but do remove the rust from the cabinet. Sandblasting is probably the easiest way to do that.

As for paint, I sorta like the new Jet color but the original would probably preserve the value better.

[rrich]

Can you take a piece of melamine that has been cut square and slide it across the table without feeling a snag? If you can, you don't need to mill the table top or wings.

1/256" is less than 0.004". We don't work to that close of a tolerance with wood. A seasonal change will expand or shrink more than that.

If you put a true straight edge across the table top and you can see significant undulations in the table top, then milling may be worth while.

[Leo Voisine]

NO,

Wood is not worth that close of a tolerance.

In any given day wood will shrink and swell more than that, doing absolutely nothing to it.

NO, not for asthetics either.
The new shiny iron will rust real fast and easy. Given a few years and coats of wax and use - the iron will "weather" and oxidize(not rust). It will naturally for it's own protective barrier.

a little pitting? Heck, that is nothing. I would not even worry about a gouge 1" long and 1/8 deep, as long as it were not raised around the edges. Even then, a flat shooth file will fix that.

Your TS top is fine - don't mill it. Oh yeah, and milling is not what you would do anyway, it would need to be ground, which is even more costly.

[woodmannie]

Ok, well see what happens as I've saved the worst for last.
If it comes out as smooth as it has been, I'll let it go and wax it up.
Could just use some touch up paint since the rust is only at the bottom, most under the wings and rear. Kinda outa sight, outa mind. Maybe the grinder idea would be best. Kinda spot shoot it.
Going to get a new measure tape for the rail.
This was one of the first exacta's with the hd plastic fence faces. Kinda cool.
Thanks fellers

Tom

[dicklaxt]

I had one of those grill cleaning stones(short order cooks use them)that I used on my often rusted saw ,,,,,,,,,,,that will eventually mill it itself,bacon and eggs wouldn't stick to it either ;D ;D

dick

[sawduster]

One other thing that might be worth mentioning. Killed rust actually inhibits the formation of new rust, so, while shiny looks nice, that dull grey from killed rust acts similarly to bluing on a gun and inhibits rust. Add some wax on top of that, and you're pretty protected against that ugly bright red stuff.

[sachbvn]

I don't think it would be worth it to have the top milled, unless you have gapping craters in the top - which you obviously don't.

The cabinet.... I'd try and stick with the original colors, just because that's what came on it. Whats the fun of restoring an "old" saw if you make it look like a BRAND NEW saw? I'd have it sand blasted and look for some way to paint it that is very very strong, but not globby like powder coat can be.... well - powder coat may be totally fine if done with care and on a small scale.....the stuff that is powder coated from any major power tool manufacturer , is done dozes or hundreds at a time, and it looks a little thick.


Zac