Tiller

[Bertie]

Tillering is to dynamically balance the two limbs so that you get the same power from each. I don't claim to be an expert on tillering but this is what I found with tiller adjustments on mine and my daughters bows. I set mine at 3mm positive. This worked fine because the limbs worked identically. However when we experimented by turning my daughters limbs upside down, ie we put the top limb at the bottom and visa versa, the tiller measurements differed by 3mm. This indicated that the top limb was already 3mm weaker than the bottom limb. After taking this in to consideration and setting zero tiller, her scores improved markedly.

[Mick]

Nice one Bertie, hadn't thought of checking with the limbs reversed.

[WhitehartFB]

The tiller can also be affected by the archers current bow hand and nocking point position, how the stabilisers are set up and the pressure of the holding fingers on the string at full draw. So it is quite possible that some archers can shoot with zero tiller and others need to adjust the limbs and or nocking point.

With regards to swapping limbs over and assuming international fit limbs why would there be a physical difference in the tiller measurement and what make of limbs were used?

[Desert Archer]

I am a barebow recurve shooter and a face walker. As such I shoot both three under for the closest targets on the field course and split finger with several anchors for longer targets. I have all my bows set for Zero tiller and just don't worry about it anymore. YMMV!

Dave

[exziit]

what do you mean by zero tiller? tillering is when you increase the poundage right?

[joetapley]

Originally Posted by exziit

what do you mean by zero tiller? tillering is when you increase the poundage right?

Exactly right - but increasing draw weight with one limb bolt only changes the angle of the riser with respect to the string. "Zero Tiller" is having the riser parallel to the string at brace height (it assumes both limbs are of equal strength).

[exziit]

ok, i just wanted to make sure my thoughts were right,

anyways before we have our bows tillered we usually know how much pounds were pulling using a bow scale, my limbs are 68" 40 lbs. im pulling 46 lbs. a friend told me that there was a general rule to tillering your bow, 1/4 twist clockwise increases your poundage by 2 ( i think ) as for my bow it hasnt been tillered yet... we always tiller both limbs

[joetapley]

a friend told me that there was a general rule to tillering your bow, 1/4 twist clockwise increases your poundage by 2 ( i think )

Depends on the bow (limb strength and string length). With my Samick you have two bolts in each limb pocket with the tiller bolts changing draw weight about half the poundage of the alignment (main) bolts.