Laying out a bow on a snakey stave

[onemississipp]

Here is something I came up with last night.
It is probably not a new idea but here it is.

When I was trying to lay out my taper from fade to tip, I thought why not use the staves profile for a crooked straight edge.

Lay down some kind of thick paper, I had contruction paper, then trace the stave profile.
Cut this out and use it as a crooked straight edge.

   
   
   
   

Here is the crooked straight edge laying out from the fade to mid-limb. 1 1/2" at fade to 1" at the mid-limb.

   

Here is the taper laid out. Of course you use the corresponding side of your pattern to lay out the tapers. UNLESS your taper are running to one side of the center of the stave. Meaning if your tip is going to be to the left of center of the stave. Then you would use the left side of your pattern to lay out the tapers from mid-limb to tip. hope you can make since of that.

   

[dannyvp]

I love those wavy bows. They look more instinctive or primitive to me.

[Flesner]

Thanks for that tip. That is a great idea!