Ever try...

[crooketarrow]

  I must be a little slow BUT I LIKE IT THAT WAY.  I had a good friend (CROOKETARROW) a half iroqouis indain that build bows for over 50 years. That I met on a mountain trail draging a buck. About 2 miles back. He looked at my selfbow and I his and we became instance friend. By the time we reached the truck our friendship was sealed.
    He as me only use our eyes I don't even lay the bow out with a pencil. To me self bows aren't supposed to be made manuley can't see and indain setting around the camp fire.  Passing the stave over saying take is over to the band saw stay on the lines take that gismo along. This is primitive archery right.
  I'm only stateing a point build your bows as you like. I DO

[randman]

I agree Crooketarrow. I mostly like working the wood without layout of any kind. Using arm lengths and hand widths for measuring. Just using the eye, sighting down the curve as the limb is bending slightly. You can see all the flat spots in the arc that way. Just need a little assistance occasionally training the eye to see a consistent taper on gnarly wood.  Those old ones setting around the campfire would be extremely amused or appalled at the twisty, snakey, roller coaster sticks some of us are so fond of these days. They would probably wonder how we expected to feed our families when we can't pick bow wood any better than that!