Hey, Sailordad
Why don't you try making a bow from a board? A nice, straight, flat, quarter sawn piece of hickory? Or osage. I think making board bows is so much easier for beginners. The wood is cheap, you don't have to deal with knots or twist, and the moisture content is usually perfect. Making bows from staves is kind of like learning to fly in a fighter jet. Boards are still wood!