measure draw length/weight methods

[Shaun]

I set up my tiller tree draw length marks zeroed to the industry AMO standard 1.75 inches from the belly side of the handle (the bracket the bow rests on). This works OK with a thick handled bow but this is about full inch above some thin ELB's.

So do you use the following or do you measure from the actual back of the bow when you figure and mark draw weight on your bows?

"AMO DRAW LENGTH STANDARD
For Manufacturers
Draw length is a specified distance, or the distance at the archer’s full draw, from
the nocking point on the string to the pivot point of the bow grip (or the theoretical
vertical projection of a tangency line to the pivot point parallel to the string)
plus 1 3/4”. Draw length from pivot point shall be designed at DLPP and shall be
called TRUE DRAW LENGTH.
EXAMPLE: 26 1/4” DLPP plus 1 3/4” is the equivalent of 28” draw.
For Dealers and General Use
For practical reasons not requiring precise terms, draw length is the distance, at
the archer’s full draw, from the nocking point on the string to the back of the bow
at the arrow rest.
EXPLANATION: The standard Manufacturers is consistent with the Bow
Weight Standard as related to the pivot point. The DLPP plus 1 3/4” is compatible
to previous concepts of draw length. (See handle illustration.) Draw length
for Dealers and General Use relieves the burden of preciseness not required for
general use and facilitates determining arrow length. THIS STANDARD SUPERSEDES
THE PREVIOUS STANDARD."

[bubby]

back of the bow, i dont much care for industry standards, dont useually use a rest or have one of those big, deep handles like on a glass bow, Bub

[osage outlaw]

There are no industry standards when it comes to selfbows 

[Del the cat]

There are no industry standards when it comes to selfbows 

Dang, you beat me to it
"Industry standard" RAOFPMSL
Standards, timescales, budgets project plans, progress meetings, risk assessments, flowcharts.
These are the very things we make bows to get away from.
If you had to do all that cr4p you'd never get round to sawing or splitting a log
Draw length is simply measured from the back of the bow to the string.

You've given me the cold shivers now... I had a horrible Halloween vision of some European Inspector with a clip board coming to test my bows so they could be CE marked.
"Ah, Mr Cat ve see you have not been to our test facility for ze authorization and approval of your archery equipment. I sink you need two days of testing, we can accomodate you in 2015 at 5000 Euro a day".

I think you should go and sit on the naughty step with a beer until you get such daft notions out of your head.
Heck we should all sit with a beer for a while
Del

[Pappy]

When I set up my tiller tree I measured form the belly side where the bow sets
in the saddle an added 1 1/2 inches for handle thickness,not prefect for thicker or thinner handle bows ,but as they say close enough for government work. 
I measure brace height from the belly side to the string and draw length from the back of the bow to the string. that's my AMO. 
   Pappy

[lostarrow]

Hey Del, I've never seen that one before (RAOFPMSL). Sounds nasty! Does it come with a rash and fever?

[George Tsoukalas]

I measure from string to back. My handles are not consistent. After I rough out the bow and get the handle thickness established, I put it on my rope and pulley, I put down a strip of wide masking tape and with a tape measure from the back of the bow every 2 inches to my draw length. Takes a couple of minutes and is pretty simple. Jawge

[osage outlaw]

If you want to get exact, mount a magnet on your tiller tree and get a metal yardstick.  Adjust it up or down depending on your handle thickness.

[RBLusthaus]

I do as Pappy says.  Nothing with these bows is exact anyway.

Russ

[bubby]

if your trying to figure out how long someones draw is, put closepin on the arrow and draw, then measure, Bub

[Shaun]

I agree the actual draw is from the bow hand to the string. This is the personal variable. The problem is there are several ways to measure the marked "draw weight" and draw length. Makes no difference for my personal bows, but trying to communicate with a bow buyer becomes a problem if they have been using factory bows with marked draw length and weight measured by AMO method (deepest part of the grip plus 1 3/4"). Thanks for the input, more opinions/methods please...

[lesken2011]

I have always used the distance between the back of the bow and the string at full draw since that is also the length of my arrows from the nock to the point where the back of the broadhead or field point is.  This can result in it changing slightly from bow to bow where the handles are much thicker from your grip (or the deepest point of the handle if dished) and the back of the bow.

[H Rhodes]

I think like Scott D on this.  I am sure what I do has nothing to do with an industry standard, but I use a tiller tree when I measure.  Mine involves setting the bow in the notch and pulling the string downward across my yard stick which is placed flush with the cradle where the bow handle sits.  My handle thickness varies from bow to bow, but the length from the webb of my hand to my anchor point does not.  Measuring like that I think I am duplicating the distance that I am actually pulling when I shoot.  I measure from string to belly.