New Riser Ordered

[twillgo]

They are definitely armor piercing arrows.

I shoot vanes for 4 reasons:

(1) - They are more durable than feathers by far.

(2) - They are impervious to moisture.
Zero effect from rain, and I can zip them through an animal, then wash them off, and they are ready to go again just as new.

(3) - They are much quieter in flight than feathers.

(4) - I hate building, and rebuilding arrows. #1 & #2 helps me with that.

Rick

Right after I asked that question, I remember, "Hey, Rick has a youtube account...I'll check there!" Lo and behold. LOL!

Great...now something else I have to try. I am on the frugal side and don't like paying high dollar for True Flight turkey feathers, so I might just give them a try.

So, I googled it also. People say they have good results with Flex Fletched over Marco. They say the Marcos get mis-shapened and stay that way, while Flex Fletched straigten out.

Have you compared them?

Thanks for entertaining all my questions, sir!

Todd

[RickBarbee]

I've used the Allan Flex Fletch, and the Marco Soft Vanes mixed in the same quiver.
They are basically the same.

I've never had a problem with either one.

I use the Marco mainly due to their color selection.

Tuning can be tricky if you're going to try to shoot vanes off the shelf, but it's definitely doable.
I've got a pretty good handle on the tuning aspect of them, but still learning new things as I go.

Rick

[twillgo]

I've used the Allan Flex Fletch, and the Marco Soft Vanes mixed in the same quiver.
They are basically the same.

I've never had a problem with either one.

I use the Marco mainly due to their color selection.

Tuning can be tricky if you're going to try to shoot vanes off the shelf, but it's definitely doable.
I've got a pretty good handle on the tuning aspect of them, but still learning new things as I go.

Rick

Thank you, sir. Appreciate the benefit of your knowledge.

I like the color combo of your new string and yarn puffs on the new ILF bow...almost like your Halloween puffs. I lucked upon some camo yarn at WallyWorld that I've been using on all of my bows. That one roll should last a lifetime.

Definitely going to try some vanes next time I build arrows...but I've got so many made up, I need to stump more in this rock country where I live to thin the herd.

I'll be out shooting the next challenge before the big game.

Todd

[huntinfool]

So I'm totally new to traditional archery. I had a Glenn Parker Grey Wolf that was a beautiful bow, but I just couldn't get it to shoot well.

Sadly I sold it.

However I just picked up an ILF bow. I've got to tune it and get everything set. Right now it's about an 8" brace height and noisy.
After reading this, I'll be adjusting that.
Thanks.


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[huntinfool]

BTW here is a pic of her.

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[huntinfool]

So I just read the rest of this thread. I'll be looking for the you tube videos. I've always shot vanes ( compound) and think I'd like to try it with the ILF ( btw it's a Hoyt riser and Black Max II limbs)
Currently it has a flipper rest. Do I need to remove this rest or can vanes be shot out of it?

So many questions since I'm so new.

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[RickBarbee]

I've always shot vanes ( compound) and think I'd like to try it with the ILF ( btw it's a Hoyt riser and Black Max II limbs)
Currently it has a flipper rest. Do I need to remove this rest or can vanes be shot out of it?

So many questions since I'm so new.

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That little Hoyt Excel riser is a darn good riser, especially for the price.
It's what I was shooting prior to getting the new JC Optimus.

If those are medium length limbs, you're likely going to find, that around an 8.75" brace height is going to work best for you, unless you have a short draw (under 28"), then somewhere around 8.25" will work well.

The flipper rest will make it much easier to tune, and shoot if you are going to use vanes.

You can shoot vanes off the shelf just fine if you're willing to work at getting it done, but I don't recommend jumping into tackling that since you're just starting out. Use the rest until you start getting a good handle on things.

The Excel riser really isn't designed to shoot off the shelf, so even if you are going to shoot feathers, and shoot them off the shelf, you will need to add a pretty good bump on it.
Easy to do. Give me a shout if/when you want to try it, and I'll help you out with it if needed.

Rick

[huntinfool]

That little Hoyt Excel riser is a darn good riser, especially for the price.
It's what I was shooting prior to getting the new JC Optimus.

If those are medium length limbs, you're likely going to find, that around an 8.75" brace height is going to work best for you, unless you have a short draw (under 28"), then somewhere around 8.25" will work well.

The flipper rest will make it much easier to tune, and shoot if you are going to use vanes.

You can shoot vanes off the shelf just fine if you're willing to work at getting it done, but I don't recommend jumping into tackling that since you're just starting out. Use the rest until you start getting a good handle on things.

The Excel riser really isn't designed to shoot off the shelf, so even if you are going to shoot feathers, and shoot them off the shelf, you will need to add a pretty good bump on it.
Easy to do. Give me a shout if/when you want to try it, and I'll help you out with it if needed.

Rick

Thank you for the reply. I do have a shorter draw length, in a compound, but don't remember what we said it was in the recurve. I'm certainly going to adjust the brace height. I think I'll start with the flipper rest and go from there. Since I don't get home until after dark, I'm working on setting up a range that I can shoot after dark. Hopefully that will keep me shooting/ practicing.
Thank you for all of your information and guidance. Found your videos on YouTube so I'll be watching them.

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[stickbowcoop]

Nice bow huntinfool. I agree with Rick, if you want to shoot vanes I would leave the rest on.

[huntinfool]

So, I took your advice Rick and adjusted my brace height to just a tick over 8.25" ( meant to get it exact, but I was rushing to use the daylight I had). That definitely made a difference in how it sounds. However I have a buzzing sound from the top limb. It kind of sounds like a washer rattling.
So I see there are two bolts on the limbs. What are these for? Adjusting poundage? Taking out the rattle? Or something else?
BTW, I shot two arrows at 5 yards and 10 yards. Both arrows were touching.
I guess I did good?

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[huntinfool]

So I decided to try turning the larger bolts and the top one turned almost one complete turn and the bottom didn't move at all.
Haven't gotten to shoot it since I moved it, but I thought I'd wait for some input.
Also, I put a scale on the bow and Drew to my draw length and I'm not even getting 40#.
These are 45# limbs.
So I guess I need to look for heavier limbs.

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[RickBarbee]

Damian,

the small bolts are the retainers for the ILF fittings in the limbs.
The rattle you are hearing could be those fittings.
Remove those small bolts, and under them you will find a spring, and a pin.
Do not try to remove the ILF insert itself.
After you get the springs, and pins out, stuff some vaseline in the bolt holes,
then reinstall everything.
Don't over tighten the bolts.
That should fix the rattle problem, unless it's the limb bolts backed off to far.

The large head bolt are the limb bolts, and they are what you use to adjust tiller & draw weight.
They have locking screws in holes on the belly side of the riser, and they have to be loosened before you can turn the limb bolts.

Unstring the bow, loosen the locking screws (back them up pretty good), then turn the limb bolts all the way down.
After you have that done, string the bow back up, and check the tiller. Just measure from the string to the belly side of the limbs right at the riser.

Since you are just getting started with it, "IF" the tiller measurements are anywhere from even to 1/4" more on the top limb, tighten those locking screws down, and get back to shooting.

Do that, lets see where it goes, and we'll go from there after we see.

Rick

Edit for a P.S.
Those limbs are rated for draw weight on a 19" riser.
On a 21" riser they will usually be lower in draw weight,
BUT
Check the draw weight again after you do the bolt adjusting.
If those limb bolts were backed off much, that could be why the draw weight is lower than expected.

[Briar Friar]

Current draw weight is 69.5# at my 29.5" draw.

Arrows are:

Widowmaker Smash .300's. Company out of Australia.

These shafts use hard aluminum Outserts weighing 40 gr, that are tapered to the shaft from the mid point back.

The outsert weight gets spit between the point, and the shaft.
25 gr to the point.
15 gr (tapered half) to the shaft.
This is due to the outsert being 1" longer than the spot where the shaft bottoms out inside of it.

The actual shaft length is 30.25", and they have to be calculated that way for dynamic spine, and FOC due to the extra 1" / 20 gr of outsert added to the point weight, which makes them measure 31.25" to back of the actual point.

175 gr points with two 5 gr brass washers,
plus the 25 gr of outsert = 210 gr of actual out front weight.

6" wraps with 3 X 4" Marco Soft Vanes.

.166 GTO Goldtip nocks.

Total weight 640 gr / 9.3 GPP.

FOC = 14.4%.

These are a little on the weak side in dynamic spine, but I need them that way to help get vane clearance, and they shoot great.

I don't cant unless I have to.

Rick

Fantastic! Thanks for the breakdown Rick.

Byron

[huntinfool]

Rick,
Yes I believe the limb bolts are turned way out. I can stick my pinky finger between the limbs and riser. So I think that's where I need to start. I was measuring the brace height from the string to the belly of the handle ( grip).

What I need to do is measure the brace height from the string to the limb at the riser? That measurement should be the 8.25"?
Or I should just measure both top and bottom and get the top 1/4" more than the bottom?

I really appreciate your help. This has been a long time coming and I'm finally going to put some serious effort into shooting a recurve proficiently enough to hunt with it.
( Mind you I have killed two rabbits with a recurve that my dad and I ate on a hunt)
But I think y'all know what I'm talking about.
Thanks again.
Damian

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[RickBarbee]

I was measuring the brace height from the string to the belly of the handle ( grip).

That is correct for brace height measurement.

What I need to do is measure the brace height from the string to the limb at the riser? That measurement should be the 8.25"?
Or I should just measure both top and bottom and get the top 1/4" more than the bottom?

This is correct for measuring for tiller, but the measurements will probably be somewhere in the vicinity of 6.25 to 6.5 inches at these points, and yes, if the top is more it should be no more than 1/4" more than the bottom.

I really appreciate your help. This has been a long time coming and I'm finally going to put some serious effort into shooting a recurve proficiently enough to hunt with it.
( Mind you I have killed two rabbits with a recurve that my dad and I ate on a hunt)
But I think y'all know what I'm talking about.
Thanks again.
Damian

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You're quite welcome.
I'll help all I can, as will many others here.

Rick