On Sep 24, 9:12*am, "Leon" wrote:

FYI in a HUMID environment I prefer TopCote for protecting the TS top. *I
can get rust over night, actually in a matter of hours if my top is not
protected. *I tried Boeshield from the recommendation of others on my new
saw 10 years ago however it was not effective unless I sprayed a coat that
was so thick that it had to be removed before use. *I have been using a form
of TopCote for 20+ years going back to when the Empire Top Savers guys
originally marketed it as a top lubricant. *Just so happened it prevented
rust too. *Any way I went back to the TopCote and I don't give rust a second
thought. *If Boeshield works for you, great. *If you want something that
works better with less input from you, try TopCote, you spray it on and do
not have to wipe off any residue.

For that matter, many people have luck with [insert your favorite
brand] paste wax ... provided it does NOT contain silicons (which mess
with whatever finish you'd later apply).

I have pretty good luck on the CI surfaces with WD-40, applied with a
green ScotchBrite pad, and -- rather than elbow grease -- my random
orbit sander.

I top it off with a couple layers of paste wax.

That said, I think the critical range, for cast iron, is staying below
45-50% humidity. If you can do that, you're usually okay with minor
maintenance.

I'm in Northern Colorado, so I actually *humidify* my whole house and
shop, but stay in the 42% range, and see no signs of rust.

Above 50% RH, you may want to consider de-humidifying, whether via a/c
or a dedicated (and, preferably, plumbed) de-humidifier.