Remotely actuated beveling systems for a miter saw

A method of adjusting and locking the bevel angle of a miter saw comprising the steps of:

• rotating a saw support assembly mounting a saw unit to a desired bevel angle;
• tensioning a pin which extends between the saw support assembly and a base assembly by pulling the pin in the direction of the base assembly;
• and
• using the tension in the pin to create compressive force between the saw support assembly and the base assembly, the compressive force resulting in friction which helps prevent the saw support assembly from rotating relative to the base assembly.

A miter saw comprising:

• a base;
• a turntable rotatably supported by the base;
• a saw unit having a saw blade;
• a saw support assembly rotatably mounted to the turntable, the saw support assembly supporting the saw unit and pivoting the saw unit to plunge the saw blade into a workpiece laying on the turntable, the saw support assembly rotating relative to the turntable to adjust the bevel angle of the saw blade;
• a suite of actuators mounted to the front of the turntable for adjusting the position of the saw unit relative to the base wherein each of the actuators is actuable by the users hand with the user's respective arm in the same general position, the suite of actuators including:
• a bevel angle lock actuator wherein actuation thereof causes the saw support assembly to be locked to the turntable so that the bevel angle of the saw blade cannot be adjusted;
• and a miter angle lock actuator wherein actuation thereof causes the turntable to be locked relative to the base so that the miter angle of the saw blade cannot be adjusted.

A miter saw comprising:

• a base;
• a turntable rotatably mounted on the base to turn about a vertical axis;
• a saw unit having a saw blade;
• a saw support assembly rotatably mounted to the turntable, the saw support assembly supporting the saw unit and pivoting the saw unit to plunge the saw blade into a workpiece laying on the base assembly, the saw support assembly rotating relative to the turntable to adjust the bevel angle of the saw blade;
• a fence mounted to the base and overlapping the turntable;
• a remote actuator for a bevel angle locking system mounted to the turntable on a portion of the turntable forward of the fence.

A miter saw comprising:

• a base assembly;
• a saw unit having a saw blade;
• a saw support assembly rotatably mounted to the base assembly, the saw support assembly supporting the saw unit and pivoting the saw unit to plunge the saw blade into a workpiece laying on the base assembly, the saw support assembly rotating relative to the base assembly to adjust the bevel angle of the saw blade;
• a pin extending between the saw support assembly and the base assembly;
• a lever operatively connected to the pin wherein when the lever is pivoted, the lever pulls on the pin to tension the pin, the tensioned pin causing compressive force to be increased between the saw support assembly and the base assembly to help prevent relative rotation between the saw support assembly and the base assembly.

A miter saw comprising:

• a base assembly;
• a saw unit having a saw blade;
• a saw support assembly rotatably mounted to the base assembly, the saw support assembly supporting the saw unit and pivoting the saw unit to plunge the saw blade into a workpiece laying on the base assembly, the saw support assembly rotating relative to the base assembly to adjust the bevel angle of the saw blade;
• a detent rack mounted to one of the base assembly or the saw support assembly, the detent rack having a plurality of detents formed thereon corresponding to preset saw blade bevel angles;
• a detent finder mounted to the other of the base assembly or the saw support assembly, the detent finder being engageable and disengageable with each of the detents formed in the detent rack;
• and
• wherein the mounting position of at least one of the detent rack or the detent finder can be adjusted to simultaneously fine tune each of the preset saw blade bevel angles.

A miter saw comprising:

• a base assembly;
• a saw unit having a saw blade;
• a saw support assembly rotatably mounted to the base assembly, the saw support assembly supporting the saw unit and pivoting the saw unit to plunge the saw blade into a workpiece laying on the base assembly, the saw support assembly rotating relative to the base assembly to adjust the bevel angle of the saw blade;
• at least one stop surface formed on one of the base assembly or the saw support assembly and a stopping member mounted to the other of the base assembly or the saw support assembly, wherein the stopping member is engageable and disengageable with the at least one stop surface;
• and
• a flexible cable operatively connected at a first end thereof to the stopping member, the flexible cable adapted to move the stopping member to engage and disengage the at least one stop surface.

A miter saw comprising:

• a handle graspable by the user when pivoting a saw unit toward a base assembly to plunge a saw blade into a workpiece laying on the base assembly;
• a power switch mounted on the handle for actuating a motor of the saw unit;
• and
• an override actuator mounted on the handle wherein when the override actuator is actuated, a bevel angle adjustment assistance system is overridden so that the system provides at least diminished assistance in setting the saw unit at a preset bevel angle and the saw unit can be beveled beyond a preset bevel angle to another bevel angle.

A miter saw comprising:

• a base assembly;
• a saw unit having a saw blade;
• a saw support assembly rotatably mounted to the base assembly, the saw support assembly supporting the saw unit and pivoting the saw unit to plunge the saw blade into a workpiece laying on the base assembly, the saw support assembly rotating relative to the base assembly to adjust the bevel angle of the saw blade;
• a detent rack mounted to one of the base assembly or the saw support assembly, the detent rack having a plurality of detents each corresponding to a preset bevel angle, the plurality of detents arranged in a radial pattern around the axis of rotation of the saw support assembly relative to the base assembly;
• a detent finder mounted to the other of the base assembly or the saw support assembly, the detent finder being engageable and disengageable with each of the detents formed on the detent rack, the detent finder being biased toward its engaged position.