Well, you really can't wind up with even tiller if you actually think about it a bit. On most bows the grip is below center on the riser. The old lever and fulcrum thing. The riser is the lever and your hand is the fulcrum. If the grip is on the exact centerline of the riser, then you'll wind up with even tiller. If it's not, you won't have even tiller.

If you want the lever to balance, the longer end of the lever takes less force than the short end. Most current bows are made with the arrow pass set at the vertical center of the riser, with the grip about 2" below that. So the fulcrum on our bows is closer to the bottom limb. To make the load balance around the fulcrum, draw weight has to be set slightly higher on the bottom limb. The bottom limb usually winds up measuring 1/8 - 1/4" closer than the top limb.

Some people - unfortunately the ones who get repeated the most - think since the arrow pass is close to the center of the bow, the tiller should be set even, to balance the load over the arrow. Sounds good doesn't it? BUT, the arrow pass is above the fulcrum. When the limbs start moving back to brace they are not returning with the same timing or the same force.

Draw the bow slowly with the tiller set even and watch what it does. Keep in mind that the bow is going to react the same way when you turn the string loose. I can almost guarantee that, with an even tiller, the bow will rock backward in your hand making your pin insist on pulling up off the target. It will continue to insist on that while you are trying to aim. It will still insist on doing that when you release the string.

No big deal, really. The bow can be tuned to shoot accurately either way. BUT...

With tiller balanced over the grip, the bow will hold steadier in your hand as you aim, which will make that pin not move around as much. The limbs will return to brace at the same time (we're timing the limbs, if that helps you visualize it better) so the bow will be quieter with less shock and vibration.

Not to mention the bow will be easier to tune when the limbs are working together to keep the riser from rocking back and forth over the fulcrum during the shot.

GMMAT posted on the bowhunting forum a link to a video that shows what I'm talking about. It's perfect!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=fwTizMtvKwI&mode=related&search