First step is to get the wood as thin as you can. Get it close to the size/thickness its going to be. For side bending my bow for lining up tips i do not like the weight method. You will have more precise line ups if you heat ,place in vice and just use your hands to bend it straight. I heat the spot to be bent,i then clamp a string to my center line on one side of the stave. I then place in vice and stand at end of stave looking down towards the other end where string is attached. I hold the string on my center line where i am standing and pull the bow side ways until your string runs down center as close as possible. I do all this with the back facing up so i can see my lines on shape lay out.