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A hand-held band saw for cutting a workpiece. The hand-held band saw includes a deck, first and second wheels coupled to the deck for receiving a continuous blade thereabout, a motor coupled to the deck for driving at least one of the first or second wheels, and a handle providing a grip for a user

A hand-held band saw for cutting a workpiece. The hand-held band saw includes a deck, first and second wheels coupled to the deck for receiving a continuous blade thereabout, a motor coupled to the deck for driving at least one of the first or second wheels, and a handle providing a grip for a user to hold the band saw. The band saw also includes 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. A joint couples the first, second, and third portions to the deck for simultaneous movement of the first, second, and third portions with respect to the deck.

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1. A method of manufacturing a band saw comprising: providing a deck;coupling first and second wheels to the deck for rotation about respective first and second wheel axes and for receiving a continuous blade thereabout;coupling a motor to the deck for driving at least one of the first or second whe

1. A method of manufacturing a band saw comprising: providing a deck;coupling first and second wheels to the deck for rotation about respective first and second wheel axes and for receiving a continuous blade thereabout;coupling a motor to the deck for driving at least one of the first or second wheels;providing a handle for a user to hold the band saw;providing a blade guard having a first portion adjacent the first wheel and a second portion adjacent the second wheel, wherein the blade guard is movable with respect to the deck between a closed position and an open position;fixing the first and second portions to each other;hingedly coupling the first and second portions to the deck for simultaneous movement with respect to the deck;providing a first deck lip extending from the deck proximate the first wheel, and providing a second deck lip extending from the deck proximate the second wheel, the first and second deck lips projecting away from the deck;providing a first guard lip extending from the blade guard proximate the first portion, and providing 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, such that the first guard lip is generally parallel and adjacent to the first deck lip in the closed position, and such that the second guard lip is generally parallel and adjacent to the second deck lip in the closed position; andproviding 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 providing 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. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a first latch coupling the first portion to the deck and a second latch coupling the second portion to the deck for coordinated latching of the first and second portions with respect to the deck. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein providing the first latch includes providing the first cantilevered spring arm and wherein providing the second latch includes providing the second cantilevered spring arm. 4. The method of claim 2, wherein providing the first and second latches includes providing a first member and a second member each overlapping a respective one of the first and second guard lips on the blade guard. 5. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a latch coupling at least one of the first or second portions to the deck. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein hingedly coupling includes providing substantially coaxial barrel sections between the first portion and the deck and between the second portion and the deck, respectively. 7. The method of claim 1, further comprising: providing the blade guard with a substantially straight edge extending from the first portion to the second portion; andforming the substantially straight edge to extend across at least a portion of the first portion, across substantially an entire length of an intermediate portion between the first and second portions, and across at least a portion of the second portion;wherein hingedly coupling includes coupling the blade guard to the deck at the substantially straight edge such that the first, second, and intermediate portions are hinged along a single axis. 8. The method of claim 7, further comprising forming a generally semi-circular edge on each of the first and second portions, wherein the substantially straight edge extends between the generally semi-circular edges. 9. 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; anda 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. 10. The hand-held band saw of claim 9, further comprising a first latch coupling the first portion to the deck and a second latch coupling the second portion to the deck for coordinated latching of the first and second portions with respect to the deck. 11. The hand-held band saw of claim 10, wherein the first latch includes the first cantilevered spring arm and the second latch includes the second cantilevered spring arm. 12. The hand-held band saw of claim 10, wherein each of the first and second latches includes a member that overlaps a respective one of the first and second guard lips on the blade guard. 13. The hand-held band saw of claim 9, further comprising a latch coupling at least one of the first or second portions to the deck. 14. The hand-held band saw of claim 9, wherein the joint further comprises substantially coaxial barrel sections between the first portion and the deck and between the second portion and the deck, respectively. 15. The hand-held band saw of claim 9, further comprising: a substantially straight edge extending from the first portion to the second portion;wherein the substantially straight edge extends across at least a portion of the first portion, across substantially an entire length of an intermediate portion between the first and second portions, and across at least a portion of the second portion;wherein the blade guard is coupled to the deck at the substantially straight edge such that the first, second, and intermediate portions are hinged along a single axis. 16. The hand-held band saw of claim 15, further comprising a generally semi-circular edge on each of the first and second portions, wherein the substantially straight edge extends between the generally semi-circular edges. 17. 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; anda 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; anda 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. 18. The hand-held band saw of claim 17, wherein the joint is disposed at the rear. 19. The hand-held band saw of claim 17, further comprising: a substantially straight edge extending from the first portion to the second portion;wherein the substantially straight edge extends across at least a portion of the first portion, across substantially an entire length of the third portion, and across at least a portion of the second portion;wherein the joint is coupled to the substantially straight edge such that the first, second, and third portions are hinged along a single axis. 20. The hand-held band saw of claim 19, wherein the first and second portions each include a generally semi-circular edge, wherein the substantially straight edge extends between the generally semi-circular edges.