Cutting apparatus with workpiece rotation control

In apparatus for cutting a workpiece, the apparatus including a blade having a cutting surface rotatable in a first rotation direction for cutting at least a first surface of the workpiece, the improvement comprising

• workpiece holding means for holding the workpiece, said workpiece holding means being rotatable about an axis of rotation in either of (i) the first rotation direction, so that the first surface of the workpiece moves in a direction substantially opposite that of the cutting surface or (ii) a second rotation direction opposite said first rotation direction, so that the first surface of the workpiece moves in a direction substantially the same as that of the cutting surface,
• pivoting arm means pivotably supporting said workpiece holding means, for pivoting, due to gravity, so that the workpiece is urged into resilient contact with the cutting surface, at least in part due to gravity, wherein radial irregularities of the surface of the workpiece that are sequentially encountered by the blade due to rotation of the workpiece are resiliently tracked by the pivoting arm means during rotation of the workpiece, so that at least a portion of the cutting surface is in contact with the surface of the workpiece at all times during rotation of the workpiece, regardless of radial irregularities of the workpiece that are sequentially encountered by the blade due to rotation of the workpiece, and
• variable rotation control means, mechanically coupled to said workpiece holding means, for selectively and variably controlling rotation of said workpiece holding means so that movement of the surface of the workpiece selectively differs in any of velocity or direction from the movement of the cutting surface of the blade.