Miter saw alignment system

A miter saw with an optical system for projecting an optical alignment marker onto a workpiece, comprising:

• a base;
• a turntable rotatably supported by the base, the turntable having a front and rear portion;
• a fence disposed above the base for supporting the orientation of the workpiece located on the base;
• a support coupled to the rear portion of the turntable
• cutting means including a blade for cutting the workpiece, the cutting means being pivotally coupled to the support for positioning the blade from a raised position above the workpiece to an operational position for engagement with the workpiece, the blade having a radius, a first side, a second side, and a width and the cutting means having a front and rear portion;
• and
• light projection means attached to the cutting means for projecting a planarbeam of light past either the first or the second side of the blade and onto the workpiece in order to form a linear alignment marker on the workpiece along a selected side of the blade, the linear optical alignment marker having a thickness and two sides, the light projection means further comprising adjustment means for selectably adjusting the alignment marker so that the side of the alignment marker facing the selected side of the blade is coincident with a plane defined by the selected side of the blade, whereby the side of the linear optical alignment marker that is coincident with the plane defined by the selected side of the blade will designate the location at which the selected side of the blade will enter the workpiece.

A miter saw with an optical system for projecting an optical alignment marker onto a workpiece, comprising:

• a base;
• a turntable rotatably supported by the base, the turntable having a front and rear portion;
• a fence disposed above the base for supporting the orientation of the workpiece located on the base;
• a support coupled to the rear portion of the turntable;
• cutting means including a blade for cutting the workpiece, the cutting means being pivotally coupled to the support for positioning the blade from a raised position above the workpiece to an operational position for engagement with the workpiece, the blade having a radius, two sides, and a width and the cutting means having a front and rear portion;
• and
• light projection means attached to the cutting means for projecting a beam of light past at least one side of the blade and onto the workpiece in order to form an optical alignment marker on the workpiece, the alignment marker facing the at least one side of the blade, the light projection means further comprising adjustment means for adjusting the beam of light so that a particular portion of the alignment marker is coincident with a plane defined by one side of the blade, whereby the location of the particular portion of the alignment marker that is coincident with the plane defined by the one side of the blade designates the location at which the one side of the blade will enter the workpiece.