# Lubricant for table saw gears



## Mike Milam (Mar 3, 2017)

What do you use? My table saw is a lets say 'less than expensive" Craftsman, 10 inch model. I bought it from a friends wife after he passed away. I don't think the gearing to change blade height or angle have ever been done. I would like for me to be able spin the handles with one hand. It did spend it life in a climate controlled space so there is no sign of rust anywhere.


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## joed (Mar 13, 2005)

Llight oil. Grease will just collect sawdust and be worse.


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## Missouri Bound (Apr 9, 2011)

What I do is use compressed air to blow the sawdust off the gears and use WD40.
That seems to be the best solution, at least for me.


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## Drachenfire (Jun 6, 2017)

General purpose WD40 is not a lubricant. It is a penetrant, decontaminant, rust-prevention, solvent and degreaser originally developed for use in the aerospace industry. WD40 was the 40th formula the Rocket Chemical Company (later renamed WD-40 Company) tried. This is why it is such a good product for restoring tool surfaces like table saw and drill press table tops.

To be clear, WD-40 has expanded their product line to include silicone based, gel. white lithium and dry lube. With the exception of the dry lube all the others mentioned are wet lube and will attract dust and debris.

For table saw gears, I use Blaster Dry Lube. It does not attract saw dust and debris like petroleum wet products and at $5 a can (Home Depot) very affordable.

You have to begin by toughly cleaning dust and debris out of the gears and screw threads. Compressed air is not enough, you will need to use a stiff nylon brush in conjunction with a cleaner and compressed air. Ensure all the components are dry and free of cleaner residue. Apply a good coating of dry lube. This goes on wet but dries in a few minutes. Immediately crank the gears to their extent to spread the lube. Repeat the lubing process to ensure complete coverage.


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## Missouri Bound (Apr 9, 2011)

Drachenfire said:


> General purpose WD40 is not a lubricant.


I never said it was.
I said it was the best solution for me.
A lubricant is a substance for minimizing friction. WD40 certainly does that.


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## Mike Milam (Mar 3, 2017)

Well, I flipped it upside down on a couple 2 X 4's. Vacuumed the underside well, had to use a wire brush to get the saw dust out of the threads of the adjustment rods (it was caked in the threads not unlike plastic wood) and put 3 in 1 oil on the threads. Works great now. Thanks everyone!


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## wooleybooger (Feb 23, 2019)

Drachenfire said:


> For table saw gears, I use Blaster Dry Lube. It does not attract saw dust and debris like petroleum wet products and at $5 a can (Home Depot) very affordable.
> 
> You have to begin by toughly cleaning dust and debris out of the gears and screw threads. Compressed air is not enough, you will need to use a stiff nylon brush in conjunction with a cleaner and compressed air. Ensure all the components are dry and free of cleaner residue. Apply a good coating of dry lube. This goes on wet but dries in a few minutes. Immediately crank the gears to their extent to spread the lube. Repeat the lubing process to ensure complete coverage.


Yup dry lube here also.


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## DexterII (Jul 14, 2010)

Those threads don't require a lot of lube, more about cleanliness than anything so you solved better than 80% of it by simply cleaning the crud from them, and a few dribbles of oil won't hurt anything other than that it will hold debris, but going forward the best product to use there, in my opinion, is Boeshield T9. T9 cleans and protects without clinging to unwanted debris.


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## mike44 (Feb 3, 2021)

Mike Milam said:


> What do you use? My table saw is a lets say 'less than expensive" Craftsman, 10 inch model. I bought it from a friends wife after he passed away. I don't think the gearing to change blade height or angle have ever been done. I would like for me to be able spin the handles with one hand. It did spend it life in a climate controlled space so there is no sign of rust anywhere.


DRY COTE, this is a spray lubricant for anything that needs lubrication and it does not hold dust. I use it on table saw , planer elevation chain & sprockets, any thing that grease or oil is not appropriate for.


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## Drachenfire (Jun 6, 2017)

Missouri Bound said:


> I never said it was.
> I said it was the best solution for me.
> A lubricant is a substance for minimizing friction. WD40 certainly does that.


There is no need to take offence. It is your prerogative what you use on your own table saw.

The OP asked for advice and I provided the benefit of my knowledge and experience.


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## chandler48 (Jun 5, 2017)

I use Dry Lube, also. One important thing to do with table saws and miter saws it to blow out the vents on the motor every time you put it up. Saw dust will collect on the armature and brushes just like it did on the gears and will render the tool useless until it is cleaned. BTDT with both on a jobsite, and both failed the same day.


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## Mike Milam (Mar 3, 2017)

chandler48 said:


> I use Dry Lube, also. One important thing to do with table saws and miter saws it to blow out the vents on the motor every time you put it up. Saw dust will collect on the armature and brushes just like it did on the gears and will render the tool useless until it is cleaned. BTDT with both on a jobsite, and both failed the same day.


This one is direct drive as well. All the saw dust hits the motor when it falls.


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## ront02769 (Nov 28, 2008)

Drachenfire said:


> General purpose WD40 is not a lubricant. It is a penetrant, decontaminant, rust-prevention, solvent and degreaser originally developed for use in the aerospace industry. WD40 was the 40th formula the Rocket Chemical Company (later renamed WD-40 Company) tried. This is why it is such a good product for restoring tool surfaces like table saw and drill press table tops.
> 
> To be clear, WD-40 has expanded their product line to include silicone based, gel. white lithium and dry lube. With the exception of the dry lube all the others mentioned are wet lube and will attract dust and debris.
> 
> ...


It is great that you have experience, but you are unfortunately incorrect, given that wd40 IS a lubricant. And yes, I am speaking from my OWN experience.....but ALSO direct from the mfgrs. Myths and facts Web site. 
_Myth:_ WD-40® Multi-Use Product is not really a lubricant.

_Fact:_ While the “W-D” in WD-40® stands for Water Displacement, WD-40® Multi-Use Product is a unique, special blend of lubricants. The product’s formulation also contains anti-corrosion agents and ingredients for penetration, water displacement and soil removal.


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## Drachenfire (Jun 6, 2017)

While WD40 has some lubricating properties, by the company's own admission it is made up 50% mineral spirits. Mineral spirits is a solvent mixture of paraffin (aliphatic) and cyclo-propane (alicyclic). It contains less than 35% petroleum based oil. Among its uses is the removal of grease and grime, again by WD40s own claim. There are reported uses of graffiti removal from auto paint.

While WD40 has the properties of both a solvent and a lubricant, like most multi-use products it excels as neither. As such it is always better to use dedicated products for these tasks.


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## jeffnc (Apr 1, 2011)

Drachenfire said:


> General purpose WD40 is not a lubricant.


It's not _designed _as a lubricant. The problem is, it actually does lubricate somewhat, and that's why it gets used so often as a lubricant, and that's why it keeps getting used and recommended, even though there are things that work better. It's also not designed as a solvent, it's only designed as a water displacer, but it works well as a solvent too sometimes.


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## jeffnc (Apr 1, 2011)

Drachenfire said:


> While WD40 has the properties of both a solvent and a lubricant, like most multi-use products it excels as neither. As such it is always better to use dedicated products for these tasks.


Right.


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## jeffnc (Apr 1, 2011)

I have not personally used this stuff, but I've read in multiple places it's very good for the task. I'll be using it on my table saw when I get around to it.






ProGold Penetrating Lubricant







www.woodmagazine.com


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## Missouri Bound (Apr 9, 2011)

Amazing.
7mo ago the OP cleans and lubricated his saw and thanked everyone.
And we are still arguing over lubricants.
No wonder some people never come back.


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## jeffnc (Apr 1, 2011)

Missouri Bound said:


> Amazing.
> 7mo ago the OP cleans and lubricated his saw and thanked everyone.
> And we are still arguing over lubricants.
> No wonder some people never come back.


Wow, did you ever miss the point. It's been mentioned many times.

First of all, an "argument" that is actually an exchange of ideas isn't what you're calling an argument. And second, this is a database of information that people look up for years to come, so the information is useful to people lurking now that you don't know about, and looking up later that you don't know about. And finally, if this were just about our answers to the OP, then everything could be done in PM, but it isn't, can you figure out why?


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## A. Danger Powers (Aug 13, 2021)

White lithium grease. Clean & lubricate every 6 months. Boom!


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## jeffnc (Apr 1, 2011)

The problem with grease is that it will attract dirt and sawdust, which will stick to it like glue, as mentioned above.


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