Worm drive lubrication for table saw

**rev** · 9th June 2004, 09:54 AM

Last night I cut a number of parafin wax candles on my tablesaw. I noticed that the rise and fall mechanism seemed to work more smoothly afterward. On inspection I found a considerable deposit of "candle dust" was deposited on the thread of the worm drive and some of the teeth for raising the arbor and tilting the trunion. I applied some more of the "dust" around the mechanism and worked it in by running the blade up and down and tilting it through its range of movement. It now feels like its running on ball bearings in comparison to before! The nice thing about this lubrication is that it is dry and shouldn't attract sawdust deposits to the mechanism as grease often does.

**DarrylF** · 9th June 2004, 09:21 PM

Nice one - might have to try that. My saw currently feels like the whole lot's full of brickies sand or something

One question though - what on earth were you doing cutting candles with a tablesaw :confused:

**bitingmidge** · 9th June 2004, 09:41 PM

If you promise not to laugh....I use a really flash bike chain lube called "White Lightning"... a "self cleaning wax lubricant".

Among other things on bikes, it is the "industries only self cleaning lubricant. If used properly you may never have to clean your chain again"

It is some sort of wax suspended in a solvent....works a treat on the bike and on the machines! At $18.00 for 120 ml of which most is solvent, it'd want to, but it lasts a long, long time.

Cheers,

P

**Wayne Davy** · 9th June 2004, 09:42 PM

Cool!! And I also want to known why you were cutting candles on the TS

**bsrlee** · 9th June 2004, 09:54 PM

Wait until summer - the wax will soften in the heat then every-#^%-thing will stick to it.

If you can get to a candle making supplier, ask for 'Steartin Wax' or 'Stearic Acid' - its the hardener for parrafin candles and can be used by itself & won't soften in the summer heat. It should be just about as good a lube as parrafin too.

**rev** · 9th June 2004, 09:57 PM

[QUOTE=
One question though - what on earth were you doing cutting candles with a tablesaw :confused:[/QUOTE]
Trying to fit 3" diam candles into 2 5/8" candle holder for SWMBO!

**rev** · 9th June 2004, 10:11 PM

Originally Posted by bsrlee

Wait until summer - the wax will soften in the heat then every-#^%-thing will stick to it.

.

I never thought of that! Guess I can melt it off with the heat gun if it becomes necessary.

BTW, to do the job I simply set the mitre guage square to the blade and fixed it so that the apex of the saw blade lined up with the centreline of the candle. Then set the sawfence to the depth od the ferrule into which the candle needed to fit; then routed the wax away by pushing the candle along the miter gauge until it reached the fence; rotated candle and repeated until I got a nice rebate all the way around.

**AlexS** · 9th June 2004, 10:47 PM

Re 'White lightning'...It is an excellent lubricant for bike chains & is water repellant, but does it contain silicon? I can't remember for sure, but something rings a bell...

**bitingmidge** · 9th June 2004, 10:56 PM

Re 'White lightning'...It is an excellent lubricant for bike chains & is water repellant, but does it contain silicon? I can't remember for sure, but something rings a bell...

I don't think so, but even then I use it only on gears, and the threads of the clamps on the Drill Presses...nowhere I am going to touch or spread lubricant around...everywhere else I use silverglide! (I live in a salt-rich environment, so stuff rusts in about half an hour if I don't watch it.)

Cheers,

P

**Iain** · 11th June 2004, 08:23 AM

Theres also motorcycle chain lubricant which sticks to the chain and doesn't fly off at speed.
About $12 for a 500ml can (aerosol)
Assuming this is not the same as Bitingmidge attractor.
Still having problems comprehending candles on a TS :confused:

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