HOW TO MEASURE DRAW LENGTH ON A TILLERING STICK AND DRAWING THE BOW

[Carl Galvin]

Good morning,

I wanted to know if draw length is measured from the handle of the bow or from the top of the cradle on the tillering stick.  I have a pretty aweful tillering stick I made, and I measured the draw length notched from the top pf the U on my tillering stick cradle, not the handle on my bow, which is 4 inches lower. 

With respect to comments made in response to my last posting that I should not draw the bow with an uneven tiller, I did so because I have been watching Boarrior Bows, and he says he tillers by drawing and looking in the mirror.  Either way, what really is the difference between drawing by hand versus drawing it down on a tillering stick or tree?  Please excuse my lack of knowledge on bow building.  Thanks!

[bushboy]

The draw lenght is measured from the back of the bow.

[Carl Galvin]

Ok so then I have been erroneously thinking the bow has a lower draw weight than it actually does.  I marked the notches as measured from the top of the tall side of the "U" that forms my wacky tillering stick cradle.  I  thought I saw someone measure it that way online.  Thanks!

[Bayou Ben]

Carl,
Most people go by AMO standard for draw length, which is measured from the deepest part of the back of the handle plus 1.75".  So in your case with a flat handle, measure from the back of the handle plus 1.75".

To further explain Pat's point, you mentioned a couple times that one limb was stronger than the other.  So why not fix the limb and make them match?  It's back to the point of as soon as a problem is discovered, fix the problem before proceeding any further.  Balancing the limbs is very important.
I floor tiller the bow to start and at that time I'm looking for an even bend on both limbs and I'm trying to gauge if both limbs are fairly even in strength.  As soon as I put it on the tiller tree and the long string, I'm trying to see if the limbs are balanced.  At that time the limbs are fixed to be of equal strength and they stay that way during the tiller process (if not I fix it).  It's much later in the process when you start to tiller by drawing the bow and looking in a mirror and the limbs should be more or less balanced at that point.
It doesn't matter how you tiller the bow.  In your 1st pic you posted a couple days ago you can see how the bow is tilted badly to one side.  This means that one limb is stronger than the other.  Fix it as soon as you notice it.  If you have a pull string with a hook the hook with sway towards the stronger limb.  If you are drawing the bow in your hand and you feel more pressure pushing against let's say the bottom of your palm, then the bottom limb is stronger.  In any case in needs to be fixed before proceeding.     
I hope this helps. 

[Carl Galvin]

Thank you sir, just posted a pic of the most recent today.  I think they are a little more even, at least.  It seems to have held up for now,  I understand, and hope to do a better job next time.

[George Tsoukalas]

I measure from the back of the bow for draw length and brace height. Jawge

[Stick Bender]

That's a good question to ask early on I made about 8 bows before I figured it out I always used the so called true draw from the belly side of the handle to my anchor point in my case 29 in. so I always called my draw 29 in. Because that's what I was pulling the string to ,but in reality it didn't make any difference as long as my design worked for that length ,but my real draw length was from the back of the bow with a 1 1/2,in. handle would be 30 1/2 in. draw ,in the case making a native D bow where the limb is only 3/4 thick my draw is 29 3/4 in. for that style of bow ,so it was all confusing for me but now days I just consider my draw by AMO standards deepest part of the handle plus 1.75 so I guess I call my draw 30.75 in.  it really makes no difference what it's called to me ,I pull my bows on the tree to 29 in.  because that's what I'm pulling when I shoot them !

[bushboy]

Agreed.but it removed a ton of varitables .so kinda in the ball park within a inch or so.