I do practically none of the things mentioned so far. I don't want either limb to act stronger, or look stronger at brace, necessarily.
Usually I place the handle center 3/4" or 7/8" below bow center, because that balances the bow in my hand where I want while carrying it. Then I put it on the tillering tree, pull the string from where my string hand fulcrum will be, and balance the limbs. But I do this the exact same way regardless of degree of (a)symmetry.
There are two methods I use to balance the limbs. One holds the handle so the bow can NOT tilt in the tree. The other allows the bow to tilt freely, with no restriction. I have a vertical line drawn on the wall at the location of my string hand fulcrum. It is perpendicular to the handle, and if the limbs are balanced in strength relative to my holds, the hook on the string will perfectly follow the line down the wall. If however, the hook moves toward a limb, it's strong, so I weaken it until the hook follows the line. It's that simple. That is dynamic balance.
Every bow I make, regardless of limb shape differences, or differences in symmetry, or resulting brace heights(they differ), is equally balanced. Balanced by the same method. Balanced to my same fulcrums. Balanced to the same degree. Yet the tiller measurements often differ. That should cause many folks to start asking themselves some questions.
So, which ones would be balanced if I had made them all measure the same at brace? Any of them?
By using predetermined measurements, we are guessing. We're making a bow 'look' a certain way at brace and hoping it acts the way we want, rather than making it 'act' balanced in our hands while drawn. A bow's tiller measurements at brace height doesn't mean what folks think it does. Hardly, if ever.
For instance, a bow's bottom limb doesn't have to 'look stronger' at brace height in order for it to 'act stronger' while being drawn. Many bows with even tillers have stronger acting bottom limbs. Much depends on how the grip is held and bow center location.
You think by building limb strength to a predetermined measurement at brace, that you have the bow balanced for you? Ok great. Now place a free pivot point under the handle where you want your bow to balance in your hand during the draw, and pull it from your fulcrum on the string and see what happens. Odds are you'll be quite surprised... then maybe feel an urge to scratch yer head
My thing is... why don't folks tiller their bows so they're NOT surprised. So they KNOW exactly where and how their bows balance, rather than guess, assume, or hope.
I don't know what the tiller measurements are going to be on the bow's I make, and I don't care. They are merely a result of balancing the bow... not a beacon for me, and nothing predictive. In fact, I usually don't even measure them anymore.
Last thing then I'll shut up... bow center location is a sizable factor in how the tiller profile will present itself after balancing. In other words, all else equal, 1/8" positive tiller on a symmetrical bow and 1/8" positive tiller on an asymmetrical bow means they will balance differently for the same shooter. Just some things to think about...
