Surface scratched up

[Allen levine]

The bed of my saw is getting grooves

i make sure anything I scroll i sand the bottom first but I guess the boatload of hardwoods when a tiny piece comes loose it digs in and goes round and round

any suggestions besides purchasing a new bed?

I have waxed the bed to keep it moving but it's not sliding as free as it did since day one

[preprius]

I am interested in this solution also.

 

here are my thoughts...

1) epoxy resin pour?

2) do you cut metal often?

       I do sometimes and clean up the small steel dust bits.  I run a magnet around it.  But cutting aluminum will just need wiping.

3) Sand down table using a nice flattened counter top with sand paper glued to it,  like granite .

     This probably what I will do.

4) The removable plate blade area does look a bit cut up.  I have found I have pushed too hard and the blade starts rubbing and I get metal dust embedded in my woodenpieces. Metal dust comes from both the blade and the cover plate. 

You have a replaceable metal piece or you can smooth this up to reduce future metal bits.

 

[OCtoolguy]

When I had my Dewalt it came with a very rusty table. I used rust remover and then 220 emery paper. I backed the paper with a good flat wood block. Once it was smooth bit still had swirl marks, I wiped the table down with mineral spirits. Once it was dry, a couple of coats of Johnson's paste wax. A couple of times a year was often enough. 
If I'm doing a lot of fine fret work, I tape a playing card to the area where the blade goes through the table. My saw didn't have the sacrificial throat plate.

[Allen levine]

I never cut metal but I think the hard woods when a tiny piece while cutting sticks out just enough to scratch surface but not hold up motion that's what's doing it

im going to sand down 

I've waxed it a few times already like my planer jointer and table saw with bowling alley wax but that didn't stop the scratching

[preprius]

Another option:

thin steel cover using counter sinks. 

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

If it means that much in your performance than just take a block of wood that is flat and wrap some sandpaper designed for metal  around it and have at it. That is the black sandpaper. And I would use some water or lemon oil to sand to lubricate it. If you want an orbital sander will help too. Then a coat of wood paste wax. Or you can make a auxiliary top from acrylic or BB plywood. 

[DrPete]

I would do as others have suggested and grab something flat and start with higher grits and work your way down till you get a good finish.

The surface looks questionable as to why this is happening. It is steel right?

If you get stuck and it's not working you can look around for a company that has a blanchard grinder and ask them to refinish it for you. 

Might not be worth the money thou, probably costs more than the machine. Just a thought.

[Wichman]

The table is not steel, it is cast aluminum. Care  needs to be taken not to get to aggressive with the abrasives. When my table starts to feel rough I lightly go over the table with a 320 grit sanding sponge, followed by a wipe down with a blue paper towel and a light coating of paste wax.

You're not trying to get a mirror finish or an original table back. Just a nice smooth to the touch finish with a light coat of wax.

[Allen levine]

Thanx for all replies I'll work on it

[scrollerpete]

Go to Amazon and search for magnetic plastic sheet, I have some on both my Excalibur for over 2 years worked great

[Scrappile]

1 hour ago, scrollerpete said:

Go to Amazon and search for magnetic plastic sheet, I have some on both my Excalibur for over 2 years worked great

I don't think magnets work on a Hegner table.

[Wichman]

They do not. Checked last night, sticks to the throat plate not the table.  

[Allen levine]

I took the finest pad I had and after cleaning with mineral spirits I lightly rubbed in the same circular motion as marks

it cleared a lot of it up enough to feel much smoother and then I didn't any bowling alley wax(my fav form tool beds) but I have a can of paste wax so gave it two coats and finished the next project 

will post later 

 

thanx everyone 

[kmmcrafts]

I’m wondering what’s causing this. I have several hundred hours on my saws and they aren’t all scratched like this. It’s not hardwood because that is mostly what I cut besides plywood.

The one saw has a painted surface and has 550 hours of cutting time. Paint is wearing off but not deep scratched like your table is. Are you stack cutting and using pin nails to hold stack together? I did get a few marks like this from doing that once and I solved it by taking a small grinder to make the pins and wood area around the pin recessed lower than the surface. 

[Allen levine]

I never pin nail stacke

 I do use screws but they are never extending past bottom sheet

ive noticed since I stopped using wrapping tape to tape pieces together the scratch marks seemed to stop 

I'm thinking when cutting through packing tape a slight tiny splinter might be getting stuck to tape and scratching up the aluminum surface

tape frays on bottom of the piece is on for a bit with a lot of cuts

incould be wrong but I've never had problems like this with 18 years of bandsaw use and table saw use

some scratches but nothing even close to that but then again none of those surfaces are aluminum 

[Fish]

Kevin told me several years ago to get counter top laminate and cut the shape of the table I did it on my saw and using a razor knife.   Use spray glue to hold it in place. Eventually it will start to come loose so just pull it off and use alcohol to clean it then do it all over again.  Wax the laminate to keep it smooth.   It works perfectly.  I got the laminate from Menards but I don’t remember how big the piece I bought was.  I got three out of it for my EX-21.  I broke one and kept the other two.  I’ve only had to use one so fart and it’s been 5-6 years at least. Hope it helps. 

Edited June 3 by Fish
Forgot my picture