ELB Tiller Problem

[bigcountry]

Ok, I have a pacific yew stave that is almost a bow.  I am trying to duplicate the design in Trad bible volumn 1.  Its 70" long and like in the book, I have made the top limb 1" longer than the bottom.  

When I put this bow on my tiller stick, should I center the bow in the tiller stick by the center of the handle?  Or center the entire bow at 35"?  

They say in the TBB vol1 that top limb should tiller 1/4" longer. But I shoot 3 under.  So figured I would have the limbs equal tiller distance 1/4 from the tips to the string.

I have it tillered pretty nice at 20".  And she is 55lbs at 22".  

Figured before I go further, I might want to rethink this.

[Pat B]

On self bows I don't use the distance between the string and stave to measure tiller. With an irregular stave that distance could be false. I look at the tip movement and bent limb shape.

You want the center of the handle at the center of the cradle for the tiller tree, like your hand will be when you hold the bow. With 3 under you'll want the bottom limb stiffer to compensate, as measured by tip movement.

[Shaun]

Yew tends to be a more uniform material and I do use tiller measure. I like about 3/16" pos tiller for my split finger shooting. I made a bow that felt just right to me and gave it to a friend who shoots 3 under. He could not shoot it well with that tiller. Some say that the tiller should be equal for 3 under. That would make the bottom limb stronger as Pat said.

Shoot the bow in with short draw as you go. Try to "feel" the tiller you like.

[bigcountry]

Shaun, I make my tiller even for bows I make both limbs same length.  But I was just following the design in TBB1.  Looking back, I wish, I just made them same length.  

Thanks Pat.

[Roy Steele]

It dos'nt matter about if one limbs lenght.As long as it's tillered from the same spot.make since.I make my handles to where my hand right up under shelf so I use the web of my hand.So I tiller from spot.I have my tilling board cut out to match that type of handle.If the bow I'm working has a differnt style handle.I take my handle board off my jig and replace it with what I need.I've been useing this method for 18 years and it works great.Four different handle jigs.