# Tiller tuning for stringwalking



## Hank D Thoreau (Dec 9, 2008)

There are different approaches to setting up a stringwalking bow. You are correct that folks have found negative, positive and even tillers to work. That causes confusion since there is no agreed up formulaic way to do it.

Tiller is determined by measuring from the end of the riser to the string along a line perpendicular to the string. It is the top limb measurement minus to bottom. As such, a negative tiller is when the distance on the bottom is greater, and the limb is weaker.

You can adjust tiller by changing either the top or bottom. It is relative. You can tighten to top to create a relative weakening of the bottom, if you like.

There are two factors that you are trying to control: bow balance and limb timing. Tiller is just one way to do it. You can also achieve it by adjusting your nock point higher.

When you pull from a point below the nature balance point of the bow, the bow will try to drop (point down). You can see this by putting a long rod on your bow and watching what is does when you draw.

For a balanced bow shot with good form, it will stay level. For an unbalanced bow it will go up or down. Since you don't want to fight the bow to keep it level, you need to make an adjustment.

You raise the nock point do that your fingers are near the balance point of the bow. But you have to choose which length crawl to do this for. Usually, you shoot for a middle crawl. You can only balance for one.

Tiller does the same thing. It strengthens or weakens to limbs to help balance the bow. 

Limb timing is another story, and I am not sure I fully understand it. You want the path of your nock to be level so your limbs must track together as they go forward. 

I have taken a different approach with my current stringwalking bow. I shoot field so I need to be able to account for shots from 8 to 80 yards.

Most shots taken stringwalking are going to be with an untuned bow since you can only tune to one crawl.

One thing I found is that my crawls stay pretty consistent as I change bow length, and even poundage to some extent. So my one inch crawl at 20 yards will not change much as I make changes to my bow.

How much you pull a bow out of balance is related to the ratio of the length of the crawl and the length of the string. The longer the string, the less imbalance will be created by a one inch crawl.

So my approach is to build a bow with the longest string possible. To achieve this I have built a 74 inch bow with super recurve limbs. The super recurve limbs take a string about two inches longer than normal.

This bow has a 72 inch string, which is much longer than the 66 1/2 inch string I would use on a conventional 70 inch bow.

The other strategy I use for field is to limit the number of shots that I have to stringwalk. I try to pick a point on the target for as many shots as I can. If I have a 35 yard point on, I can pick a point down to 30 yards since that would put my point on the bottom of the target.

That means I only have to stringwalk for 25 yards and in. That also means I can set up a bow with smaller crawls by reducing weight. I can get the longer distances by aiming with my shelf and/or facewalking.

If all I was doing was shooting indoor 20 yards, I would tune to that one distance. In principle, that is more like a fixed crawl, which I do not consider stringwalking. I think true stringwalking is when you change crawls.

Stringwalking can be very noisy. You are shooting an unbalanced bow. The benefit is that you can startle the person shooting next to you. That can give you a competitive advantage.

Changing tiller is part of tuning the bow. If you change tiller, you need to re-look at all other tuning parameters. It is a multi-variable problem that you have made more complicated by adding another variable to worry about.

You might want to start by setting your bow to even, make a nock adjustment, and learn to shoot the bow. For me, stringwalking is about getting used to the bow. You need to spend time with it. 

Trying to tune it in a single session will not necessarily work. My groups get better the more I shoot the bow.

Bows are pretty strong. I find the limit to how far I can go down is when the bow blocks my vision. You can set a crawl where you are looking down the arrow shaft as long as you can see around the arrow and the bow.

Long crawls like that are difficult to shoot and take a lot of practice. The arrows can come out sideways, but with enough time, you will score well and eliminate the off the target flyers.

Also, consider that you can shorten your crawls by aiming at the bottom of the target rather than the middle.


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## d4rknezz (Oct 15, 2018)

Hi Hank!

Thanks for that in depth explanation. And the whole term negative or positive finally made sense, lol. I was worried i was damaging my bow by not having adjusted the tiller. I am still shooting all over the target face at 20 yards (the only range i have access to until spring when outdoor range is open), so given your explanation, i'll just leave it as is until i am more consistent.


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## MikeWarren (Jun 14, 2016)

Hank,

Thanks.


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## Hank D Thoreau (Dec 9, 2008)

Let me add that learning to shoot an untuned bow will help with stringwalking. If you execute a good shot, you can put an arrow on the center line with an untuned bow. As such, when I do light bow form work I use my normal arrows, which would be way too stiff.

Stiff is not a problem. You need to worry if you are shooting an arrow that is weak. I find that when I start my practice session my group is large and sometime offset. As I get used to the untuned bow my group starts tightening and moving to the center line.

The more I shoot the untuned bow, the better I get with it. Most shots you take with a stringwalking bow will be out of tune so it is good to get proficient shooting an out of tune bow.

This is how I approach it. World class archers may approach it differently, but most of us do not learn the same as world class archers. Our lessons are more hard fought.


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## d4rknezz (Oct 15, 2018)

Hank D Thoreau said:


> Let me add that learning to shoot an untuned bow will help with stringwalking. If you execute a good shot, you can put an arrow on the center line with an untuned bow. As such, when I do light bow form work I use my normal arrows, which would be way too stiff.
> 
> Stiff is not a problem. You need to worry if you are shooting an arrow that is weak. I find that when I start my practice session my group is large and sometime offset. As I get used to the untuned bow my group starts tightening and moving to the center line.
> 
> ...



Thanks. This is all I need to keep going. Its so easy to blame the equipment when the groups are all over the place, etc. As long as I know I am on the same well traveled path everyone else had to go through, i'll just keep training with what I got .


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## T Longstreet (Jun 26, 2016)

Personally in my opinion I believe changing the tiller does not weaken or strengthen the limbs, merely the angle of the riser relative to the string which can affect the knocking point.

Having said that, if you do have two different strength limbs it can be accommodated through adjusting the knocking point and where your fingers are relative to the knocking point.


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## johnny (Jan 10, 2005)

Thanks, Hank


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## 150Archer99 (Aug 15, 2017)

Just getting into string walking with a 27 inch Gillo. Thanks for the info.


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## Paddlepro (Apr 13, 2013)

Thanks Hank,
I have been trying to string walk with my Border Covert Hunter and it is very difficult in adjusting past 12 yds. Any thoughts regarding how the extreme hooks on 
these bows effect string walking.

Chris


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## Addapost (Dec 15, 2019)

Hank D Thoreau said:


> There are different approaches to setting up a stringwalking bow. You are correct that folks have found negative, positive and even tillers to work. That causes confusion since there is no agreed up formulaic way to do it.
> 
> Tiller is determined by measuring from the end of the riser to the string along a line perpendicular to the string. It is the top limb measurement minus to bottom. As such, a negative tiller is when the distance on the bottom is greater, and the limb is weaker.
> 
> ...


This is fantastic for a newbie like me messing around with different finger position techniques. Deserves a bump to stay current.


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## Alanlib (Sep 1, 2011)

Ditto thanks Hank.


Addapost said:


> This is fantastic for a newbie like me messing around with different finger position techniques. Deserves a bump to stay current.


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## nitron125 (Aug 14, 2011)

Get info


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