A chop saw, grinding wheel, or like apparatus is disclosed herein also incorporated to an easily portable dust collection system. In a preferred embodiment, a worktable is provided with a center slot for receiving a circular saw blade. A negative pressure and resulting air flow is provided at the center slot to capture particulate matter as a byproduct of cutting the workpiece. Side slots are also disclosed to assist in particulate collection. A unique filter chamber having a cylindrical filter is additionally provided to remove dust from air and discharge the filtered air at a lateral side of the apparatus. A filter cleaning knob is additionally disclosed to assist in cleaning the filter. Of the beneficial aspects of the chop saw with dust collection system is its portability being one integral unit and the dust filter being easily cleaned and maintained.

A circular saw with a moving mechanism includes a base, a moving unit and a cutting unit. The base has a worktable which has a front side and an opposite rear side, and defines a first plane which extends substantially horizontally from the rear side toward the front side. The moving unit is disposed above the worktable and includes a supporting frame disposed on the worktable. A first sliding shaft and a second sliding shaft are located parallel to each other and disposed at an interval relative to each other on the supporting frame. A moving member is also disposed on the first and second sliding shafts. A second plane is defined as a plane extending through an axis of the first sliding shaft and an axis of the second sliding shaft. Moreover, an included angle is formed between the first plane and the second plane and ranges from greater than zero degrees to smaller than 90 degrees. The cutting unit is pivotally mounted on the moving member and is linearly movable along the worktable in a horizontal direction.

A desk-top cutting machine including: a base configured to support a workpiece; a cutting part including, a motor configured to rotary drive a cutting tool, a main cover covering an upper portion of the cutting tool, and a protective cover covering a portion of the cutting tool that is not covered by the main cover, the protective cover configured to move in a direction of exposing the cutting tool when the cutting part swings toward a bottom dead point from a top dead point; and a cutting part support mechanism configured to swingably support the cutting part, characterized in that: the motor is configured to be rotated at a first rotational speed slower than a maximum rotational speed thereof when the cutting part is positioned at the top dead point.

Table saws are disclosed. The table saws can include a blade, an arbor, an arbor block, an elevation carriage, and a latch that connects the arbor block and the elevation carriage. The arbor block can have a first position in which the latch connects the arbor block and the elevation carriage, and a second position in which the latch does not connect the arbor block and the elevation carriage. The arbor block can pivot from the first position to the second position upon the occurrence of a retraction force. The table saw can include an actuator to cause the occurrence of the retraction force, and detection electronics to detect contact between the blade and a person. Woodworking machines with detection and reaction systems are also disclosed. A reaction system can include an explosive that causes retraction of a cutting tool.

A leaning grid device, also referred to as a fence assembly, for a miter saw includes at least one upper leaning grid which is a movable leaning grid having an upper support surface for a work piece and at least one lower leaning grid having a lower support surface for the work piece. The lower leaning grid is also a movable leaning grid and may move between two support positions. The lower support surface and the upper support surface are in a same plane when the lower leaning grid is located at the support positions and the lower support surface and the upper support surface are in different planes when the lower leaning grid is located at a position that is between the support positions.

Throat plates for table saws and table saws including the same are disclosed. In some embodiments, the throat plates and/or saws include at least one securement mechanism adapted to secure and prevent inadvertent removal of the throat plate from the throat of the saw. In some embodiments, at least one of the securement mechanisms also provides a height adjustment mechanism and/or prevents vertical removal of the throat plate. In some embodiments, the throat plate includes an accessory mounting port that provides a portal for accessories, including safety accessories, to extend through the plate from beneath the table of the saw. In some embodiments, the port extends from the plate's outer perimeter to divide the plate's rear end portion into a pair of spaced-apart members. In some embodiments, these members are independently secured to the table saw and retained apart from each other by one or more of the securement mechanisms.

Woodworking machines and safety methods for use with those machines are disclosed. The machines include a detection system adapted to detect one or more dangerous conditions and a reaction system associated with the detection system. The reaction system can include an explosive to trigger the system, and also can be configured to retract a cutting tool at least partially away from a cutting region upon detection of a dangerous condition by the detection system.

A miter saw includes a base, a turntable, a support assembly, and a cutting arm. The turntable is rotatably connected to the base, and the support assembly fixedly extends from the turntable. The cutting arm is pivotally connected to the support assembly. The miter saw further includes an arbor assembly, a gear assembly, a first belt member, and a second belt member. The arbor assembly is rotatably supported by the cutting arm. The gear assembly is supported by the cutting arm and positioned outside of a nominal blade space of the miter saw. The first belt member is operatively connected to the arbor assembly and the gear assembly. The second belt member is operatively connected to the gear assembly and to a motor shaft.

Various aspects of an apparatus are disclosed. In a particular aspect, an apparatus comprising a cylindrical filter, a filter cleaning knob, and a filter cleaning flap is disclosed. Within such embodiment, the filter cleaning knob is configured to rotate the cylindrical filter. The filter cleaning flap is coupled to the cylindrical filter and configured to sequentially make contact with a plurality of pleated segments of the cylindrical filter as the filter cleaning knob is rotated.