Tillering and Set?

[stuckinthemud]

I know I'm still a novice but for me, the stave seems to go from being dead in the hand to kind-of 'alive', sort of wriggly and springy when I'm floor-tillering, and that's the point where I put a long string on it, as long as the bend is close that is

[bradsmith2010]

the more evenly you have the bow bending before brace the better,,
better to get it bending even before bracing following the taper and grain best you can,,,
no so good to string it early and have alot of evening up to do,, I think that is when the damage and excessive set can come from,,