Former Wood Floor Contractor Patents Combo Power Saw

Former wood flooring installer Lawrence Lacy of Clifton Forge, Va., has patented a power saw that combines functions of miter, table and radial arm saws, according to The Roanoke Times.

Lacy's saw-which still exists only in concept-can also make rip cuts and dado cuts. The saw's height and fences can also be adjusted, allowing it to make safe cuts on various sizes of wood. "The base of the new saw is similar to a conventional miter saw, so it can be set or mounted on any surface where a miter saw is used," Lacy told the Times.

Lacy filed patents with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in October 2004 and September 2009. The second patent included descriptions for a saw for making angled cuts.

A prototype has not been built yet, but Lacy is shopping the saw design to manufacturers and received invitations from companies wiling to help market his invention, the Times reported.