My bow was built using the guidelines in the book "Traditional Bowyers Bible" number one... really good book tells how to build bow out of Osage, and white woods hickory and such!it also tells about selection of trees and cutting and curing staves. for your first bow I suggest purchasing a stave from a noted stave supplier. you will see what you are looking for in a stave when ya go to cut them your self.
I shoot a long bow built of Osage hince the nick Hedgeapple, it is 65# at 29 inches of draw, I shoot cedar arrows fletched with 5in parobolic feathers, and magnus journeyman broadheads. The whole shootin match cost me less then $200 and I had a lot of fun building them. I even sew my own shooting gloves!
If your not a Patient man... buy a bow!! it takes time to make a good one.