# Measuring tiller on a compound?



## mitchell

I believe one of the bow companys says (I read this somewhere) that rather than measuring tiller by the distance from the string to the riser, you should crank the limbs all the way down, and then back them out an equal number of turns.

I have also been told that making one limb positive doesn't work on a compound (or maybe a one cam) because the wheels (cams) will equalize the pull on each limb.

Any thought on all this? I don't know enough to know.

Curious minds want to know.

Thanks


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## Arrow

The way I have always measured tiller is to use a bow square against the riser where the limbs attach and measure at a right angle to the string.

This is how I was taught. 

THe only way I believe that you should crank limbs down and then equally back out is if the limbs are matched exactlly. 

Arrow


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## jerrytee

The crank down method is how it works for release aid shooters. They get the spine from On target 2 set the poundage which is usually around the max poundage for those limbs and go from there. 
it's not that simple for finger shooters, getting the right poundage may involve more than just a turn and a half on the limb bolts. So checking the tiller after changing the draw weight can save you moving the nocking point on the string.
If Anyone tells me that I shouldn't have to do that, then my reply is usually that 'shouldn't' doesn't cut it when it comes to finger tuning a bow.
Arrow I use the same method you do for the same reasons. Except when checking my Oneida. That bow is slightly different (Oneidas usually are). I measure from the string to a point on the cam. So that set up involves the cam timing as well.


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## Limey

mitchell said:


> I believe one of the bow companys says (I read this somewhere) that rather than measuring tiller by the distance from the string to the riser, you should crank the limbs all the way down, and then back them out an equal number of turns.
> 
> Thanks


This is Mathews... they say tiller has no effect on a single cam bow.

My personal view is few archers are good enough to tiller tune and consistantly repeat the results.


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## mitchell

Thanks for the answers. 

Here was my reason for asking. With high tech recurves, such as the DAS or some of the Olympic set ups, you can tweak the poundage of each limb. I learned that by tweaking the tiller, you could avoid having to re-tie the nock set and search for the perfect location.

It seems like that makes sense for a 2 cam compound. But would a one cam (such as a Mathews with a long string and an idler wheel) just equalize the distribution somehow? I have tried adjusting my hock high out of my bare shaft with an adjustment to the upper limb, but it didn't seem to work. However, remember that I am still new to compounds.

I don't understand physics well enough to know the answer. I suspect somebody out here does. It sounds like you two guys do.


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## jerrytee

I can't see Mathews being any different from any other bow they all need to have the tiller checked. Mathews is just a recurve with a pulley system between the limbs.


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## Unk Bond

Also might add here.
That some shoot through bows.The tiller is measured from a string that has been streched from axlel shaft to Axle shaft.

Later


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## AKRuss

Catalogs for Hoyt ProTecs and my UltraElite, suggest starting at zero tiller and adjusting it from there only if needed (or words to that affect). The cams, both Cam 1/2 and the C2, are NOT equal length and are engineered for zero tiller. The "tightening the limb bolts all the way down and counting turns" process is only an approximation at best but commonly done by pro shops that really aren't interested in tuning your bow too much. Measuring tiller is very easy and I simply use my kids wood ruler and adjust the limbs until the measurement from the end of the riser to the string is the same on both ends. Only one of my compounds is set at something other than zero tiller and I did that to improve the nock point height from 4/8ths inches to 3/8ths by tightening the lower limb about 1/2 turn, as I recall. Although I have a Mathews Ovation, I've never bothered to look into tuning it precisely and am not sure it needs it but I don't know. I have setup several Olympic style recurves with the Internationl Limb Sockets (or something like that) and generally use zero tiller with good success. I've read some good recurve shooters, I'm certainly not one of them, do the same.


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