i would suggest using naval jelly {pink} make sure to be in vented area,use rubber gloves or proctective wear,let set for few mins 1 st coat,clean as much as possible,then re apply.dont use abrasives or grinding devices. when finished to your desire, spray with wd forty for finish touch. also, lemon juice,salt, and wd40 mixture will do the job. when complete,spray with wd40 to proctect. jc

where do I get naval jelly?

Depends on how rusty. Use sandpaper or steel wool to clean it. I use paste wax on mine to keep it from rusting and make the wood slide better.

You can find naval jelly at your home center. My store stocks it by paint and varnish strippers.

Good luck,
Devildog

Hi: I was given a water damaged table saw that had gone through a fire - same problem as you have. I've used a wire brush on my drill to strip the rust off. Worked outside with a mask and eye protection on. I've taken out the elevation and tilt screws and cleaned those the same way.

As one of the prior replys recommended - use Johnson Paste Wax (in their yellow can) to protect the tabletop. The reason being that if you use oil - dust will stick to it and will wear off more quickly. Wax provides non-sticky protection and wears better. I used a toothbrush to brush wax into the tilt/elevation screw threads - no need to shine those up - the extra wax in those areas doesn't need to be removed and won't interfere with operation - though when first installing back - work through the full range of motion a couple of times.

Good luck - I can appreciate what you're going through. I'm also working on a Delta Sanding Center and Craftsman Planer that went through the same fire - still operational but need minor replacement items and rust removal from the water.

thanks for your input. I appreciate it.