Well, since I received my bow already from Brad, I figured I had better get a move on with building my trade bow. Here's a few pictures of the process. My brother-in-law (the one in the picture) and I cut and split this osage log about a few springs ago:
It yielded a nice little stash of staves:
Here's the one I selected for the trade. I can heat that bend out with no trouble.
Reduced it to a rough 2" width with my hatchet:
Here it is after rough-profiling it. Limbs (especially tips) are left wide at this point:
Making a nice pile of kindling!