The table saw is one of the most useful tools a wood worker can have in his workshop. It is the tool that rips and crosscuts all your sheet materials such as MDF, particleboard, melamine and plywood and solid timbers straight, square and with ease. Like a best friend, you look after each other - you keep the table saw well maintained, it will keep performing well for years.

Hopefully, your table saw is already hooked up to some type of dust extraction unit. The dust extraction unit helps eliminate the bulk of dust being spewed out when materials are being cut. This in turn, makes your saw safer to use as your vision will not be obscured and also makes maintenance easier.

Of course some dust will still settle in gears and build up in crevices, so this is when your heavy duty workshop vacuum will come in handy.

Always make sure the saw is turned off then get down underneath the table and vacuum out the interior surfaces of the saw. The trunnion area is where sawdust will collect and gum up the gears. Also the area around the blade shroud should be cleaned out. Waste debris often settles there and will eventually get kicked back up by the blade which can be dangerous.

Make sure you vacuum all the dust out from under the throat plate so it keeps sitting flat and from around the dust collection port. It doesn't take much to reduce the draw through that port and if this happens you will be shoveling dust out from under the table.

It is important not to forget get the miter gauge slots and the fence guide rails. These components are critical for alignment and ease of movement and dust accumulation will soon hinder that.

The table saw should now be dust-free. The next maintenance step is to ensure the workings and tabletop operates smoothly and remains rust-free.

You don't need to grease the gears every time you clean, but greasing them periodically will keep things running smoother. Standard grease is fine to apply, but collects saw dust easily, and after time will add grit to the motion. To avoid this, it is best to use a spray on lubricant such as White Lithium grease, this enables grease to penetrate into all those hard to get to places.

The table top needs to be kept in good working order as well. For safety and optimum efficiency, it is important that your saw top is frictionless enough for your work to move freely past the blade. To ensure this happens the tabletop should be slightly lubricated. This is achieved by using a product that does not stain or mark the finish of your project. So don't use silicon sprays.

What many woodworkers use is paraffin, or canning wax which gives a good surface and some protection against rust and can be readily bought from your local supermarket. Simply rub this dry wax across the surfaces of the saw that wood will be rubbing against, including the fence face. There are other products formulated to remove surface rust, such as TopSaver and then should be followed with a sealant and lubricant such as TopCote.

Remember to keep your blades sharp and your table saw free of saw dust, debris and rust by following a regular maintenance routine and in return it will give you years of production.

Learn more about this author, Janette Peel.
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