How do you know exactly where to cut the arrow shelf?  

How do you keep from getting the dreaded propeller twist?

I make the center of the handle the center of the bow. I grip the handle and mark the top on my hand for the arrow pass.
 You shouldn't get prop twist with a board bow. If the bow twist when braced and/or when drawn it means that one side of the twisted limb is thicker than the other.
 You get prop twist from trees that grow in a spiral so when you split out the stave it will be twisted. You can remove twist with hear or you can tiller it out or in most cases you can leave it in the bow. It won't hurt anything if not too much twist.

As a general rule I set up my board bows so that the most inset portion of the grip is exactly at the bows center. Then I cut the shelf an inch above center. That's what I used to do until I realized I was too lazy to measure the shelf exactly. I just cut it about an inch above center.

Good luck.

Board bow or not, I would start my design at the center of the bow.  In the end though, I have found that 1-1-1/2" above center is the sweet spot for the bows I build and see others build.  I like to shoot a bow and find the best spot to put the rest, whether I cut it in or glue it on.

On my board bow I built the shelf using a wedge of wood.  I glued it on and then wrapped my handle.  I intially built it without a shelf.  Just a thought...

-Jeremy  

I've gotten to where I don't cut arrow passes into my bows. I like the arrow shelf glued on these days.

I don't cut in shelves. I use leather pieces. Here's my site. Jawge
http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/leatherhandle.html

i used to cut in, now i prefer glue on rests , but am using floppy rests more and more

Hmmm...wonder if I could take a piece of the red oak and shape it into a nice little rest and glue it to the bow?

Yes Flyboy you can do that. I have done it on my bows which works well. I form them to almost look like a half golf tee but you want it to have a radius from front to back so that there is minimal contact with the arrow. Then slap a piece of velcro (the fluffy side) to it and it will be dead nut quiet when you draw on an animal. Just figure I throw it out there. I am new as well... listen to these salty dawgs on here. they won't steer you wrong

Justin

Hey!  A golf tea aint a bad idea come to think of it...I bet I can find an oversize tee and trim it up and crown it.