Bo,
Impatience and reflexed staves do NOT go together. It is trickier to tiller a reflexed stave because it is working harder (read bending further) than a straight one is at any given point in the process. The temptation is very great to bend it further than it's ready to bend. Of the bows that have actually broken in my presence, whether I did it or somebody else, over a third were reflexed staves being worked to get a string on. Do yourself a favor and use osage or hickory for your first heavier bow. They will tolerate minor tillering mistakes and still shoot. Given where you live, I'd stick with osage.
Get yourself a day off, jump in the car and drive up here to my place. Normally when I help somebody build a bow it takes them 8-12 hours to get the back prepared and start tillering. If you're really in a hurry I can do most of that part for you in a few minutes while you watch. Then, you can do the rest to get some experience. From that point, it doesn't take long to be tillering and then shooting. The fastest I've ever had somebody with no experience go from stave to bow was 16 hours and most of that was chasing the growth ring. Of course, most of my seasoned wood is crooked and will need bent (and then a day to rehydrate), but even so - believe me, it is the quickest way to a hunting weight bow, and all you'll spend is the time and gas to get here. Since it's hunting season, check with me first.
George
