I don’t necessarily use the same method or a fixed procedure for every bow I build, because they’re not all the same design or made from the same material (staves, saplings, boards, etc.). But here’s a little insight that may help some of the newer bowyers avoid mistakes I’ve made (some of them more than once…or twice).
First – Don’t be misled by the two pictures of Ron Hardcastle in TBB-1, pg. 258. He is apparently only demonstrating the form or stance he uses for flood tillering. The bow he is holding is a “finished” bow; nowhere near the stiffness of a fresh stave. Those pictures have cost me six bows! I stayed with the floor tillering process until I had the limbs bending as much as he did. By the time I did everything else to make them right, they were too weak for my purposes.
Second – If you are holding the bow tip on a fairly solid anchor point (notch in the floor, rubber mat, carpet, etc.), it is very easy to apply too much force on the limbs, and over stress a hinge or other weak spot. You should only push hard enough to see a flaw in the bend, and not go beyond 3 to 5 inches of tip movement, depending on the desired poundage.
Third - Several folks have suggested (and published) that a similar weight “finished” bow be used to compare relative poundage during floor tillering. To be on the safe side, I think you would be better served by using a finished bow that’s about 10 pounds heavier.
Lastly – When you’re new at floor tillering, it’s difficult to hold the bow in an awkward position, push the thing hard enough to get it to bend, try to sight down the limb looking for something wrong, and at the same time, compare it to the other limb! Again, I found out the hard way, just worry about one limb at a time – get it bending smoothly ASAP, and don’t try for floor tillering symmetry until you’ve made about 100 bows – or at least a bunch.
Most people do what works for them, and they learn that by doing different things and trying different methods. I think Ken Villars holds the bow in front of his body, supports the tip with the end of his boot, and pulls towards himself. He might have a little better view of the limb curvature, but he cautions about the possibility of personal injury.
I hope this helps…
H