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A lot of the “beginner” books tend to be more band/ensemble focused. Are there recommendations for a solid book of tuba studies for a self-led tuba “beginner”, who has experience on brass and reading in multiple clefs?

Possibly something in the public domain, that might be downloadable, so a guy could save a buck?

I'm pretty sure you can find the rubank intermediate and advanced books as PDFs online, whether or not they are legal. That stuff is really pretty good for people who can play but need to step their game up a little bit before they really jump into some more difficult books.

Agreed -- I'm in your boat, OP. Multi-clef and multi-brass player. It took me a while for the embouchure to loosen up enough to play tuba, but it is entirely doable with just a bit of structure. Bloke's advice is good.
I used the Canadian Brass intermediate quintet book, playing along with the CD, as a major means of practice. It got me where I needed to be. You already know all the scales and arpeggios etc.

Play alongs are good. I've never played along using an etude book, but playing along with an accompaniment for a solo that's at my preferred tempo has helped me perform those solos with more confidence, and completely be ready when I performed in front of an orchestra, or something like that. It also helps keep my tuning honest.

I'm not referring to students who aren't ready for prime time and - sadly - don't know it, but when some particularly fine players record Bordogni/Rochut vocalises and put them on YouTube, I think it would be more instructive were they to perform them with the accompaniments - which were originally written to go with them.

With adult students and older students who have switched instruments, I use the Rubank.

Music education wasn’t as prominent in schools until after WWII. These books were written in the 1930s. I find with the way they progress and as fast as they do, while incorporating some more famous melodies, it leans towards independent study as was likely its original intent.

You'll need to be able to listen to yourself and evaluate yourself with constructive criticism.

"Being so busy playing" that you aren't able to completely ALSO listen to yourself AND/OR getting pissed off at repeated mistakes isn't going to get you very far down the road...but you already know these things...

What you play doesn't have to say Tuba on it to be valuable for your development. Admittedly, I'm a trumpet/french Horn/baritone/euphonium convert and only play treble clef. But when I got to Tuba, I pulled out books and solos for any of those instruments and got to work. It really doesn't matter what is on the page, just play it.