got a stave....what next?

[Boreal Boy]

I have never done this before and have no idea what I am doing so....please help...
I came across a nice piece of knot free maple measuring 3"x2"x69". I was about to get the supplies I need to make a "kids oak board bow" from the tutorial I found on this site when I came across this piece. Once I clean it up it up I was thinking I would draw the profile out and use a band saw to cut it out then shape it by hand.
I was just wondering....
-How thick should the limbs be to get a bow around #40?
-I was thinking of tapering the tips to about 3/4"-1/2 wide at the tips?
-Tapper would start about 3" after riser ends?
-Riser; how long should the rise be at start of tapper to finish of tapper?

Sorry I am not up to speed on the lingo! Got this stave figure I would give it a go.

Haven't even started thinking about what I am going to do about the shelf.

links to tutorials?
Thanks

[SportHunter]

Read some build alongs, there are a few in the how to section of this forum. Also use your favorite search engine to search for other how to build a bow type posts. You will find many resources that will help with your quest. Good luck on the build.

I would say start with a longer bow 68-70" nock to nock. Grain is very important in board bows so even though your board is knot free you may want to back it with another material i.e. silk, rawhide, fiberglass, thin hickory etc.

TBB or traditional bowyers bible 1 recommends using a design 1 3/4 wide for maple, I would use 2" wide for a safety margin since it's your first try.  

Read, read, read some more then dive in, you'll learn more by doing than anything else.

[SportHunter]

Here's a good simple how to build a bow post.

http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=000043

[SportHunter]

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[SportHunter]

Is your maple an actual stave or a board?

[George Tsoukalas]

Check my site. Jawge
http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/