Badly rusted table saw

[rick carpenter]

I have a badly rusted '50s(?) Craftsman 103 table saw. "Badly" is bad, the underneath is rusted too. I can clean off the top surface just fine, and I could get the bottom sandblasted, but the miter gauge slots are rusted too. How do I derustify them and keep from wallowing them out?

 

[the king crew]

I have had good results with electrolysis. Using a battery charger to remove the rust. Others sware by liquid removers like evaporust.
Here is a primer on the the electrolysis process:
http://wiki.vintagemachinery.org/RustRemovalByElectrolysis.ashx

 

[thehazmatguy]

I suggest giving "Naval Jelly" a try. It's got Phosphoric Acid in it. The phosphoric acid turns the rust into a black oxide.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naval_jelly

From the above link:

Rust removal

Phosphoric acid may be used as a "rust converter", by direct application to rusted iron, steel tools, or surfaces. The phosphoric acid converts reddish-brown iron(III) oxide, Fe2O3 (rust) to black ferric phosphate, FePO4.

"Rust converter" is sometimes a greenish liquid suitable for dipping (in the same sort of acid bath as is used for pickling metal), but it is more often formulated as a gel, commonly called naval jelly. It is sometimes sold under other names, such as "rust remover" or "rust killer". As a thick gel, it may be applied to sloping, vertical, or even overhead surfaces.

After treatment, the black ferric-phosphate coating can be scrubbed off, leaving a fresh metal surface. Multiple applications of phosphoric acid may be required to remove all rust. The black phosphate coating can also be left in place, where it will provide moderate further corrosion resistance (such protection is also provided by the superficially similar Parkerizing and blued electrochemical conversion coating processes).

 

[hammertime1]

I was shocked at how well evapo rust works. I curently have a project going on where I did heavily rusted precision tools n parts by buffer, evapo rust and next set gets electrolysis. Hoping to do the electroylis by Monday or Tuesday but after using Evapo rust and seeing how well it works I will always have a jug on hand for misc rust issues. Defiantely seems like some steels it rocks T and others it's so/so. Seems like the metals that had another playing over gave it the hardest time but still beats by hand.

 

[spongerich]

I've done some smaller drill press / scroll saw tables with electrolysis and they turned out great. I avoid acid based rust removers because they can attack some of the good metal underneath if you're not careful. Evaporust works pretty well, but you're looking at $50.00 worth to fill a container large enough to do a table saw top. You could try soaking some towels and wrapping in plastic. Electrolysis can get messy, but it's essentially free. $.50 worth of washing soda (give the rest to your wife for the laundry, it works great) and some electricity is all you need.