How do you go about finding center on a crooked osage stave. I have no problem on a nice straight stave, i chalk line it but most osage you cant do that.  Thanks  Dave

If its a snakey stave I'll measure across it and find the center.  Then I'll go a couple of inches and mark the center again.  I'll do that all the way down the stave.  Then I'll start connecting the dots and make sure I'm following the grain of the wood as I go.

Or you can use a gizmo with pegs on the side and run it down it Or follow the grain. I have done both and the gizmo is faster unless you are DVS.

Kelly's got it. I made one of those according to PatB's discription and call it my "center-finder-outer". Works great.

Just read the grain. All else is pointless.  Start at the handle, find the center of the stave from side to side and then trace the grain to each tip.  You can fudge a bit here and there just make sure your layout doesn't cut the grain at too great of an angle.

Let me add to Johns suggestions, as I go about the same as he. Not only use your eyes to follow the grain but also study the crown of the stave, most all have one. It as well the grain should be your centerline. I use a dashed line every 2-3" on the highspot and in line with the grain. Then come back with a circle making stencil and lay my bow out per that dashed center line.

I have had wayyyy too many staves not split the same way the grain runs full length and any tool that lays a line out according to that split profile wont be right every time.

What John and PD said is the way to do it. Check this too. Jawge
http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/layout.html

Thanks guys.