Tiller and bow hand placement?

[RyanY]

So I was in a heated discussion about archery with my friends step dad and we started talking about bow hand placement. When I make a bow I keep both limbs equal length and tiller from the exact center of the bow. But when I draw the bow I go an inch or two above center. I've never had any problems but I was wondering what you guys thought about it. I understand both limbs have to bend evenly but do you make one longer than the other or just tiller from where the arrow is going to rest or something else?

[Pappy]

I always tiller about  1/4 to 3/8 lighter on the top limb,but the last of my tillering is done with me drawing the bow.
   Pappy

[Kegan]

I always tiller about  1/4 to 3/8 lighter on the top limb,but the last of my tillering is done with me drawing the bow.
   Pappy

Same here.

[DCM4]

What was the other fellar's pov?

Fold your string in half at the nock point and compare the two segments.  I'd argue the upper limb is effectively shorter, if you place the arrow pass above dimensional center.  As I understand it, positive tiller has the purpose to balance this inherent asymetry.  Otherwise the bow would tend to rotate upper limb toward archer as the draw increases. 

For my shooting style (more or less 2 under) and arrow pass placement (1" to 1 1/2" above) I can usually get by with 1/16" to 1/8" positive tiller and a modesst 1/8" to 1/4" nock point.  But I don't use an arbitrary choice for any of that, rather I settle on one component, say arrow pass, then trial and error to get the best shooting manners with the least set.  And I'm liable to jiggle around on the parameters (tiller, nock point, arrow pass) hunting a sweet spot as the project progesses to shot-in, ie. finished bow.

[George Tsoukalas]

I tiller from the center too but make corrections with a digi cam or in front of a window at night. I like the bottom limb 1/4 inh stiffer at full draw. I don't loose too much sleep about brace tiller with the crooked stave bows. With the crooked staves you can flip the bow at brace and see the other side. Straight staves and board bows are another matter. I eye ball the brace tiller. But again full draw is the ticket for the happy tiller train. Jawge

[adb]

ahhh, and the age-old debate rages on... 

[Pappy]

I do the same thing David,you can move up and down while shooting it in and fine just where you want the arrow pass and nockpoint to be.Then I mark it on the bow and finish the grip.

   Pappy

[crooketarrow]

    I also tiller from the center.Tiller my limbs the same.Putting my shelf around 1/2 to 3/4's above center.If you shoot split finger.the shelf above center and your 2 fingers below even this out durning draw.Some tiller their bottom limb a little stiffer or make it longer.I don't think you need to do this if you shoot split finger.I could see this with three under.I know of no  production glass bowyers that do this.TheyTRIVE FOR EVEN TILLERING.Matter of fact UNEVEN timeing of your limbs is one of the things that causes hand shock.
   I or most other don't shoot well enough to tell the differents.If there is a difference.Not that my way is right.This is just the way I was taught and learned through biulding bows.And it works best for my wat of building bows.

[Jude]

I tiller from the center, then hunt for the sweet spot on the string for the nock point, which always seems to be a little higher than the arrow pass.  Because I grip center and shoot off the finger, that might essentially make my bottom limb longer.  I've always found that nocking a bit above square off the arrow pass seems to reduce paradox as the arrow leaves the bow. JMO

[Del the cat]

Tiller it supported the way your are going to hold it., pulling the string from the place you will be pulling it. Obviously there are compromises and fine tuneing to be done in exact arrow/finger placement later, but the closer you get at the start, the closer you'll be at the finish. Or maybe just support it 12" from one end and try to fix it when it's finished
Plenty of reasons why it's a good idea...the ony reason I heard for it being a bad one is that it can be difficult to support the bow in the same maner as you hold it...
Harumph...I didn't think we did 'easy' ?
Del