Sassafras Stave. Now what?

[Chief RID]

The pic of the handle layout shows the top as the split out side. The bottom pencil line is the handle as well as the drawn pencil line that is about 2 inches from the top. This orientation continues with all the pics. To the left is the upper and to the right is the lower limbs in this pic. The center line was drawn by stretching a string from nock to nock, center.

The pics of the upper and lower limbs should give you an idea of the grain. I used the upper split out side as my guide and ran the line on the bottom of the picture at 2 inches from it.

The pictures from the ends just show the little bit of snake involved with the stave.

Please be candid in your responses. I need all the help I can get. I am already being happy with the rasp just smoothing the hatchet marks. Once I get it roughed out I will be committed and happy. This is the tedious part for me.

[Pat B]

Dana, like I said in my PM, you should draw a center line down the stave and measure off that line for your limb width.
 I think that since this is sassafras I'd make the limbs wide most of their length and start tapering to the tips about 10" or 12" from the end. This is an overbuilt design, ideal for woods like sassafras.

[DC]

In the pic on the tailgate it looks to me that your centerline is a straight line. It should follow the shape of the stave. Said another way it should follow the high part of the crown on the back. The only time your centerline is straight is when your stave is perfectly straight. Doesn't happen often..

[Chief RID]

Now, I have to say that was a bit of enlightenment. If I run a center line with the split edge, one inch in to what will be about the top of the crown and then run one measured 1 inch from the center line to the other edge would I be doing what both of you have said? That makes good sense to me and solves a lot of other layout problems I was wrestling with. I will also try to follow a grain line with that center line if I can see what looks like a well defined one. Am I on the right track?

[PEARL DRUMS]

Forget the edges, they don't always split out right. Follow the top dead center of the stave from end to end. You don't need a tape measure or a ruler, just a pencil and a set of eyes.

[DC]

Don't forget to erase the old one first. Saves confusion. Don't ask how I know

[PEARL DRUMS]

Amen to that!

[bradsmith2010]

great advice from above,,make the center line follow the grain, not a straight line lookin good

[Chief RID]

OK. I erased my lines and drew a center line eyeballing the grain down the center of the crown. Now , do I just mark either side of it 1 inch if I want to keep 2 inches for my limb width? I will post another pic of the center line in the morning if I can.

[DC]

Starting at the handle mark every 6" towards the tips. Then at each mark, measure out to establish the width at that point. How far out you go depends on the design route you are taking.

[DC]

This video gives you an idea. Don't follow exactly what he's doing if you don't want but this is the general idea.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XyJ14yeEnI

[bradsmith2010]

yes mark either side of it 1 inch,,

[Chief RID]

OK. Here is a pic from the lower limb to upper with my new center line. I will mark it one inch to either side for a 2 inch stave and get this thing laid out. Then I will shave it out.

[Dean Marlow]

The farthest bend on the stave doesn't look like you followed the bend like you should with your pencil mark. Make sure you are following  the crown  with the bend on the stave. The pencil mark looks a little straight there to me. Might be my old eyes not seeing it well.

[Chief RID]

Well, I shaped it up this afternoon and it sure felt good to be making some shavings with my spoke shave. It even felt familiar, even after 20 years. I guess I am ready to take the belly down some to get a floor tiller but before I jump in, let me ask. What is my next step? Oh, Dean, I hope it is an optical problem. It looks OK in real life but I see what you see from the pic. That is a tough section with the crown angling off on one side a lot more than the other with a flattened are on one side as well.