Most popular width bandsaw blades?

[LookMomNoSights]

Hey everyone,  what size blades are you running on your saws for cutting out riser profiles,  sight windows.....limb profiles if you use your saw for that.
My 1/4 and my 1/8 blades are a real pain in the @$$ to get to track and tension properly....just sayin'   I'm running a Griz G0555X 14".  Had to call them this morning and speak with a tech guy in regards to getting the skinny blades to track and tension up right.  He gave me some tips....said the scale for tension adjustment on the back of the mechanism is "antiquated" and to not go by it!  He told me to loosen a set screw in the collar that goes over the tensioning rod and slide the collar down....and then loosen another to lower the whole mechanism.  Anyone else deal with this?
Thanks for all the info in advance!

[Mad Max]

Get you a 1/2" blade and try it before you do anything.

Mine was a pain in the back side when it was new to get that screw/collar adjusted.

so try the 1/2" blade first.

[Roy from Pa]

I use 1/2" blades at 6 tpi for all my bow work. For larger staves I use 3/4" with 3 tpi.

[LookMomNoSights]

Is half inch tricky for the cutting curvy stuff?  I've only used 3/8 as of yet..........

[PEARL DRUMS]

I was a 1/2" guy for a long time. I broke my last one and tossed a 1/4" 10 tpi on. It lasted longer than the 1/2" did, cut better and was more quiet. I was surprised. For the record, 95% of my band saw work is roughing out self bow blanks.

[Mad Max]

Use the 1/2" most of the time and have a 1/4" for curvey stuff

I only use 1/2"

[Bowjunkie]

I use 3/4" blades for 95% of my work. I mostly use them for selfbow staves, but also use them for bamboo backed bows and laminated bows, cutting out risers and such. I also cut glass bow lams with them. I have never used anything less than a 1/2" blade on my 14" Craftsman saw, and haven't used one of them in years.

If I was making curvy riser details like some of the more intricate laminated takedown recurve risers, I'd buy 1/2" blades. But for what I'm doing, 3/4" blades stay cooler, and so stay sharp longer. They're thicker and stronger and allow for greater tension, less twisting, aggressive sawing of thick hard, wet wood, and more contact with guide blocks/bearings which maintains alignment and straight cuts.

1/8" blade for bow work? Holy CRAP! Man, now I feel sad for you. For serious bow work, get yourself a serious blade.

[wood carver 2]

I have a 19 inch Grizzly and my go to blade is a 1/4 inch, 4 tpi blade. I also have a 3/8, 3/4, and a 1 1/4 inch beast for splitting large pieces of wood. you can do most any kind of bow work with blades up to 3/4 inch. I like the narrow blade because I do a lot more than bow building with my saw, and I have found that it will track and cut perfectly for me. I even used it to cut a 1/8 inch veneer from an 8 inch board.
Dave.

[mikkekeswick]

Different jobs different blades. There is no one blade that will do everything well.
Veneers and straight cuts - bi-metal m42 3/4 and 4 tpi.
Glass,carbon etc bi-metal m42 1/2 10/12 varitooth.
Accurate radius cuts - 3/8 10tpi
Selfbow roughing out 3/8 6tpi.

[LookMomNoSights]

Well after trying what the Grizzly guy told me,  I was able to get the 1/4 to track and tension with ease.  He did say the 1/4 was "notoriously difficult to track".  I guess I just didn't know you could or should move that collar with the set screw....and that the graduated scale on the tensioning mechanism was of no use.  Problem solved though easily enough.....took literally 30 seconds to get the piece adjusted,  tensioned and the blade tracking.  
I did also purchase another 3/8 blade to replace the one I used up.  The new blade is a TimberWolf 3/8 that is 4 TPI.   I'll see how I like that one.  If I do,  Ill get another in 1/2 to have on hand.
thanks for the advice everyone!