Excellent advise. This is also the advise I recommend. Making an osage selfbow has been one of the hardest things I have done. Its little tiny mistakes that turn the bow into a childrens bow. I want to come to this also.
Pat is a good guy, and a dang good selfbowyer.
If you can swing it, plan for the TN Classic at Twin Oaks near Clarkesville, TN (Pat usually comes--maybe you can split the ride?).
Besides being one of the best traditional tournaments ever, one of the things they do is have a selfbow clinic going on all weekend--it actually starts several days before the tournament. Everything you need is there, including staves (for sale). All the equipment and advice is free to use. Along with Pat there's usually several very accomplished selfbowyers there, including Gary Davis of Rattlestick bows and the owner of the property Mark "Pappy" Bagget. Mark has had several bows featured in Primitive Archer magazine. Well worth the trip, just for the bows--besides great people and a great time to be had. Shooting the course isn't required, but it is reccomended (you don't have to score if you don't want). Also lots of great vendors there. It's the first weekend in May--I'll be posting when it gets closer.
Chad