Workpiece guard and blade guard for band saw

A hand-held band saw for cutting a workpiece, the hand-held band saw comprising:

• a deck;
• first and second wheels coupled to the deck for receiving a continuous blade thereabout, the first and second wheels being rotatably mounted about first and second wheel axes respectively;
• a motor coupled to the deck for driving at least one of the first or second wheels;
• a handle providing a grip for a user to hold the band saw;
• a blade guard having a first portion adjacent the first wheel, a second portion adjacent the second wheel, and a third portion adjoining the first and second portions, wherein the blade guard is movable with respect to the deck between a closed position and an open position;
• a joint coupling the first, second, and third portions to the deck for simultaneous movement of the first, second, and third portions with respect to the deck;
• a first deck lip extending from the deck proximate the first wheel, and a second deck lip extending from the deck proximate the second wheel, the first and second deck lips projecting away from the deck;
• a first guard lip extending from the blade guard proximate the first portion, and a second guard lip extending from the blade guard proximate the second portion, the first and second guard lips projecting away from the blade guard in a direction substantially perpendicular to at least one of the first or second wheel axes;
• and
• a first cantilevered spring arm configured to couple the first portion to the deck in the closed position, and a second cantilevered spring arm configured to couple the second portion to the deck in the closed position;
• wherein the first guard lip is generally parallel and adjacent to the first deck lip in the closed position, and wherein the second guard lip is generally parallel and adjacent to the second deck lip in the closed position.

A hand-held band saw for cutting a workpiece, the hand-held band saw comprising:

• a deck defining a front and a rear, the deck having an opening in the front defining a cut zone and a first deck portion generally located on a first side of the opening and a second deck portion generally located on a second side of the opening;
• a first wheel supported by the first deck portion;
• a second wheel supported by the second deck portion, the first and second wheels for supporting a blade and being mounted rotatably about respective first and second wheel axes;
• a motor operably coupled to the first wheel;
• a handle providing a grip for a user to hold the band saw;
• a blade guard configured to provide a barrier between the blade and an exterior of the band saw, wherein the blade guard is movable with respect to the deck between a closed position and an open position;
• and
• a joint between the blade guard and the deck such that the blade guard is movable with respect to the deck;
• wherein the blade guard includes a first portion adjacent the first wheel, a second portion adjacent the second wheel, and a third portion adjoining the first and second portions such that the first, second, and third portions move as one piece with respect to the deck;
• a first deck lip extending from the deck proximate the first wheel, and a second deck lip extending from the deck proximate the second wheel, the first and second deck lips projecting away from the deck;
• a first guard lip extending from the blade guard proximate the first portion, and a second guard lip extending from the blade guard proximate the second portion, the first and second guard lips projecting away from the blade guard in a direction substantially perpendicular to at least one of the first or second wheel axes, wherein the first guard lip is generally parallel and adjacent to the first deck lip in the closed position, and wherein the second guard lip is generally parallel and adjacent to the second deck lip in the closed position;
• and
• a first cantilevered spring arm configured to couple the first portion to the deck when the first guard lip is generally parallel and adjacent to the first deck lip, and a second cantilevered spring arm configured to couple the second portion to the deck when the second guard lip is generally parallel and adjacent to the second deck lip.