"RonB" wrote in message

Kinda Interesting:

I was unpacking my new Powermatic 54A Jointer yesterday evening and
noticed
Powermatic's suggestion for table rust protection. Sprinkle talcum powder
on the table and rub it in with a blackboard eraser. They say the fine
powder fills pores in the metal and blocks moisture intrusion. Should be
done weekly.

Anyone else heard of or tried this?

An old-timer once told me that he used talc on his cast iron saw table, so I
tried some pool cue talc. And with good results. Talc repels moisture, but
without the potential residue of oil. I've used it on all my cast iron saw
tables and on my drill press table for years. It helps materials to slide
on the table, it allows my cutoff sled to slide more easily in the groove of
my table saw, and it has prevented corrosion. I replenish about every two
months or so. I haven't tried it on the ways of the lathe, mostly because
the headstock, tailstock, and banjo all slide on them. For those I use
medium machine oil with good success, aside from the oil/wood dust residue
that builds up. FWIW.

Max