Marking tillering board...

[MaceG]

When marking your tillering board, you measure from the back of the bow, right?

[kylerprochaska]

I measured mine from where the belly of the handle sits...your draw length is measured from the belly of the handle...i think...

-Ky

[HoBow]

I measure from the back. Handle sizes can change depth depending on how you make it, while the back is the constant variable. I also measure brace height from the back. 

[George Tsoukalas]

Most selfbowyers measure to the back  of the bow  so  that's what I  do on  my rope and pulley. My t stick broke about 18 years ago. Rope and pulleys are better for the bow and the bowyer and are easier to make. Jawge

[MaceG]

Thanks guys. Just wanted to make sure.

[Pat B]

You measure your draw length from the back of the bow.   Like George said a tiller tree is a lot safer to use for the builder and the bow. Holding a wood bow at any draw length for more than a few seconds can be detrimental to the bow...especially while you are tillering. With the tiller tree you can not only exercise the bow between wood removals but also stand back to get a better view of the overall bow without over stressing it or without holding it statically while viewing it.

[radius]

on my tiller tree, my marks come from the belly, because i'm always using staves of different thicknesses.  So I just do the math every time.  Easy peasy.  If the stave is 1" thick, like the white oak holmegaards i'm building now, then when i pull it to 23" i know it's 24".  If the stave is 1.5, and i draw it to 22.5", then i know it's 24".   No problem.  Seemed to make more sense while i was making it to measure off the belly.

[medicinewheel]

on my tiller tree, my marks come from the belly, because i'm always using staves of different thicknesses.  So I just do the math every time.  Easy peasy.  If the stave is 1" thick, like the white oak holmegaards i'm building now, then when i pull it to 23" i know it's 24".  If the stave is 1.5, and i draw it to 22.5", then i know it's 24".   No problem.  Seemed to make more sense while i was making it to measure off the belly.

That's how I do it, too: from the belly side of the handle PLUS the thickness of the handle.

[radius]

do it any other way and you're cracked

[George Tsoukalas]

So what do you do if you stave is 3/4 inch thick,  1 3/8 inches thick or some other odd measurement? I actually don't mark my t tree but run a strip of masking down and mark it off. That way I can adjust of the odd measurements my bows take almost invariably. jawge

[radius]

i just don't sweat the 1/4 inch, Jawge...gotta be flexible and relaxed about things like this

[Del the cat]

I measure from the back.
My rule is screwed to the wall with slots so that I can adjust it for different bows, but I usually just spot check it and make a mental note of the difference.
Suplementary question for a bonus point...if you are tilling to 28" how far do you come back to allow a safety factor, for different strings etc?
I usually go back to 29, maybe even 30 brifly, if I intend shortening increasing the BH at all.
Dell

[Pat B]

It depends on the length of the bow but generally an inch past the intended full draw.

[Barrage]

I always measure from the belly myself.  I figure I draw from the belly side of the handle, so might as well measure from there...

[sailordad]

I always measure from the belly myself.  I figure I draw from the belly side of the handle, so might as well measure from there...

ok,  but draw length is actually the drawn length of the arrow,so measuring from the belly would mean you would have short(too short) arrows.
if you measure from the bqck of the bow then ya know how long your arrow should be