So i started to get into archery from camp and really want to make my own bow, but from what ive read its complicated.
from the right wood down to the string, i dotn understand all that much, so ive slightly winged it.
im just curious to see how im doign and some questions - here goes (i also couldnt findy anythign in serch)

1 the midlle of the bow is where your arrow will rest, it should be thiker than the rest by maybe double the wood thikness here?

2 how thin is to thin for the ends of the bow ( for lack of the term, where the bow bend to give force, the string ends)

3 im using a shaving plane http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00937742000P?vName=Tools&keyword=plane
well ive forgotten the proper term but it shaves the wood down. mine is yellow and as you pull wood shavings come off of the wood

4 how do you string the bow so that when you pull, the sting wont fall off ( if my bow doesnt blow up, which it will) id like to know the knots to tie, what type of string, etc

5 what im making, the middle is thikest and as i shave to the ends, i make it thinner and skinnier, istead of thick and thick, thin and thin  (im not a good describer so n terms of wood-instead of 2 by 2, 1 by 1)

all the comments for advice is greatly apreciated! please feel free to correct, criticize, or anything, i just want to learn!

Not many Bowyers here.   :-?
Youy may want to go here www.paleoplanet.net and visit their archery forums.
They have a forum for self bows (stick) and a forum for composite bows. There is a lot of god info there.

Some light reading:

http://www.primitiveways.com/sapling_bow.html

http://www.primitiveways.com/bow_and_arrow.html

http://www.primitiveways.com/hatchet_bow.html

http://www.primitiveways.com/bow_tillering.html

http://www.primitivearcher.com/articles/simpledbow.html

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/861009/how_to_build_a_primitive_bow.html?cat=11

http://www.wwmag.net/archery.htm

Check the thread just below, titled "first bow".   We gave many useful resources in addition to the ones furnished by David.

As always, I reccommend obtaining at least the first book of the Primitive Bowyer's Bible series.

primitiveways.com is a great sight! .... Do they have articles on slinging? I don't recall any and it would out date the atlatl for sure.

im far from expert, ive only made a couple bows, but heres what worked for me.  if you start with a good piece of wood, and your patient and go slowly, its hard not to end up with a good bow.  most important thing for me to remember was to simply pay better attention to what i was doing, it sounds simple but its easy to get into it and suddenly find youve removed too much wood or drifted off angle.
heres a page i made on how i make my bows  http://gabushcraft.blogspot.com/2008/11/selfbow.html i think it should answer your questions. let me know if you have anymore ill be happy to help.

Here's what I've done. It's nothing fancy, but it's the only advice/tip I can give.

1. Go in your yard
2. Find a stick
3. Tie a string to each end
4. Voila! A bow!

told you it wasn't much... :-[

OK thanks everyone. ill give it a shot and see if itll work!

Et Cetera-it's a bit more complicated than that, look it up for yourself

Any of the sites we listed, or the books, will give you good reference.   Too complex to explain on a bulletin board like this; wood selection, layout of the bow, tillering...All fairly complex subjects.

Do the research before you start chopping wood.

Here might be a good video, I didn't watch all of it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80527FAa-L0&feature=related

use your imagination, the bow is a springy piece of wood that snaps a piece of string tied to the stick back. the string snaps the arrow forward as well. now think, truly you would only need a piece of wood bent with string. no so complicated. on your first try just use a stick. that's what i did. afterwards you might want to taper it, and such,i have a good video i found somewhere...

A friend of mine built me an eastern woodlands replica bow.He made it of pig nut hickory,and built the string of some twisted sinew.He has been building for 12 years and he insists that it is very difficult.As others mentioned,do the research(I'm sure you're busy with that now).

        Brett