S Shaped stave

[Don Case]

I have a Pacific Ninebark stave that is almost perfectly straight viewed from one direction. Turn it 90 degrees and it has a slight S bend. If I make it so the front view is the straight one I would have to heat one of the limbs so the bow would have a little reflex. If I turn it so the S bend is the front view I wouldn't have to heat and bend it. The S bend is nice in that the tips line up with the center of the handle so there is no issue there. Is there a preferred way of deciding this?
Thanks
Don

[Zion]

I would make the S shaped side the front profile. If you did it the other way around it would be more difficult to tiller because of the different planes the limbs would ride.

[bow101]

You have pic Don..?

[Badly Bent]

From your description of the stave I'd be inclined to agree with Zion, especially if the tips already line up with the handle. Less manipulation of the bows original shape always works better for me and is less work.

[Blaflair2]

By stave are u talking sapling or branch? That's the only way I can see orienting the bow with way. It's its split u gotta go with the way the rings are

[Don Case]

You have pic Don..?

I do now! The second pic is to show the bark. It's a branch, 1 1/8" at the thin end and 1 1/2" at the handle. I can just barely(if at all) bend it as is

[bow101]

Tend to agree with Bent.

[Don Case]

Well I think I may have screwed that up. It felt so stiff I cut it like I've cut OS. Now it's bending quite easy, maybe too easy. It's still very green so it might stiffen up. I has a large pith. Just roughed out it's starting to look like one of Simons bows.

[lostarrow]

If it's still green it will bend very easily. But don't bend it! It will  compress the belly very easily. Rough it out and let it dry. It may need to be sealed and clamped if it wants to twist and  split on you . Keep a close eye on it.