I'm "revamping" the R/D longbow I build last winter/spring. It had a little bit of limb twist I was never able to get rid of. The tips were wide (~2/3") and the tip overlays were thick. Figured the exercise will be good for learning. Now that I have some new power tools, I'll be able to make many more bows.
Narrowed the tips... next I'll tackle the limb twist, and then it will be retillering. My tillering tree has a cradle much like the pics of the one Roy has posted, which helps prevent tipping in the tree.
Problem is, my handle now has a slight locator grip cut into it. So it doesn't sit level in the cradle. I build an insert to form fit the grip, exactly where my hand would be (I use pressure on the entire hand, from thumb web to heel). However, since the bow is built symmetrically, and I'm drawing from a split finger location, the bow immediately tips towards the top limb when I start drawing. The pull string is hooked on above the insert on the grip, so it makes total sense why it tips. It doesn't tip in my hand when I draw of course, but I'm sure my brain subconsciously adds pressure where needed on the grip to prevent that from happening.
I'm wondering what the best way will be to set up my tree to accurately mimic my draw hand, but not allow the bow to tip in the tree. Can I strap it down over the center of the grip? Should I just adjust the cradle insert so that it extends above the seesaw tipping point? When I hold the bow steady with one hand and draw the tiller string with the other, the tiller string pulls straight down.