Let's Talk ILF

[RickBarbee]

Okie Dokie. Did some chronograph shooting a bit ago.

I don't know if this is good for these limbs, or not, but I was impressed.

Limbs - DAS Kinetic mediums - 46# @ 28" - 50# at my draw of 29.5"

10 shot average shooting fingers using target form, and shooting for accuracy.

The arrows are as close as I could find to match the bow, and still nowhere near what it needs.

Arrow 1 - 80/85 spine wood hex shaft - 570gr - 11.4gpp - 10 shot average FPS 181.1

Arrow 2 - Goldtip 5575 - 405gr - 8.1gpp - 10 shot average FPS 210.6

Like I said, I don't know if those numbers are good, or not so good for these limbs, but I was impressed.

What really impressed me is how quiet the bow shoots, even with the lighter weight arrow. There was no noticeable difference in noise from one arrow to the other. Both very quiet.

Rick

[Deb]

Okie Dokie. Did some chronograph shooting a bit ago.

I don't know if this is good for these limbs, or not, but I was impressed.

Limbs - DAS Kinetic mediums - 46# @ 28" - 50# at my draw of 29.5"

10 shot average shooting fingers using target form, and shooting for accuracy.

The arrows are as close as I could find to match the bow, and still nowhere near what it needs.

Arrow 1 - 80/85 spine wood hex shaft - 570gr - 11.4gpp - 10 shot average FPS 181.1

Arrow 2 - Goldtip 5575 - 405gr - 8.1gpp - 10 shot average FPS 210.6

Like I said, I don't know if those numbers are good, or not so good for these limbs, but I was impressed.

What really impressed me is how quiet the bow shoots, even with the lighter weight arrow. There was no noticeable difference in noise from one arrow to the other. Both very quiet.

Rick

Rick, this is Arvin. If you have a big open field and need some exercise or use your bicycle.
Shoot those same arrows at 45 degrees at your draw length
and see how far each arrow shoots. For me, in a test like this a 75 gn. lighter arrow shot the same distance.

[RickBarbee]

Rick, this is Arvin. If you have a big open field and need some exercise or use your bicycle.
Shoot those same arrows at 45 degrees at your draw length
and see how far each arrow shoots. For me, in a test like this a 75 gn. lighter arrow shot the same distance.

Hey Ugly.

I just happen to have a place to do that.
Don't know how soon I'll have time, but I'll sure try to get it done.
Been wanting to do a test like that for a while anyway.

I can tell you this - shooting into the hay bale (very tight round bale, that I have a 4" banding strap on pulling it even tighter), from 20 yards the wood arrows buried into it about 3/4 their length. The carbons buried to the fletching. Of course it could have been the finish, and diameter difference, that made the difference.

Rick

[huntinpool]

Okie Dokie. Did some chronograph shooting a bit ago.

I don't know if this is good for these limbs, or not, but I was impressed.

Limbs - DAS Kinetic mediums - 46# @ 28" - 50# at my draw of 29.5"

10 shot average shooting fingers using target form, and shooting for accuracy.

The arrows are as close as I could find to match the bow, and still nowhere near what it needs.

Arrow 1 - 80/85 spine wood hex shaft - 570gr - 11.4gpp - 10 shot average FPS 181.1

Arrow 2 - Goldtip 5575 - 405gr - 8.1gpp - 10 shot average FPS 210.6

Like I said, I don't know if those numbers are good, or not so good for these limbs, but I was impressed.

What really impressed me is how quiet the bow shoots, even with the lighter weight arrow. There was no noticeable difference in noise from one arrow to the other. Both very quiet.

Rick

I would say your getting some good performance out those old things. At 10 gpp you would be around 190 and that is above avg speed compared to most standard bows. I shoot those limbs on my 17" riser (#53) and with a 390 gr arrow have chrono'ed 225fps. Some hog killin suckers for sure.

I love the CC Carbons, quite , fast and stable. Plus you can pick up good limbs for $150-$200 . They are only about 7-10 fps slower than my $675 Sky double carbon/foam limbs at same weight.

[r2h]

Rick, how did you dull down the finish? I like it.

[RickBarbee]

Rick, how did you dull down the finish? I like it.

3 coats of satin clear poly & #0000 steel wool lightly worked over the surface after dry.

Another note to the project:

I found a set of 67# @ 28" Firecat limbs hiding out in my closet.
I am going to modify them with the TradTech ILF Limb Hardware Detent Assembly Kit, so they will work on this riser.

I'm just doing this, so I can shoot a draw weight I want while I wait until the time I can afford to buy a set of Border HEX6S limbs for this thing.

The Martin Firecat limbs are a time proven high performance design from the Damon Howatt era of design, so they should work well for me in the interim.

Basically, when I get done fitting these martin limbs to the bow, I will have a 66" Martin Lynx recurve, but with an ILF limb attachment instead of the old ball bearings.

Rick

[RickBarbee]

I got the ILF conversion done on the Martin limbs, and have them fitted to the riser.
I'll take some pictures of them after I get done with the overlays I am putting on them.

They still make a 66" bow, have a zero tiller, and are 63# at my draw.
I think they are gonna work out pretty good.

Rick

[huntinpool]

Pics and stats. Can't wait to see it.

[RickBarbee]

Well, I guess I'm finished with it now.

These limbs are temporary until I get the ones I want.

Here are the old Martin limbs before I started the ILF mod on them.
They were in pretty sad shape. Camo painted, and pretty beat up.







In the following picture, note the wedge that is on the bottom of the limb
butts. They had to be removed down to the glass.


Here we are with the limbs all cleaned up, refinished, and an overlay on the
limb butts to spruce them up a bit, and offer a counter sink for both the ILF
bolts, and the limbs bolts. It didn't turn out quite as good as I hoped for, but
it's done.










On the riser.



I'll wait a couple of days for the finish to set up well before I shoot it,
and then I'll get some performance data posted.

It is a 66" bow, and is 63# @ my draw of 29"

As said earlier - these limbs are temporary, until I can afford a set of Border HEX6S's

Well, that's it. Other than a little touch up after the finish hardens, she is done.

Hope you enjoyed my build along.

Rick

[CM Sackett]

Well done, Rick... it is a beautiful "custom" weapon.

-Sackett-

[RickBarbee]

Thank ya there Chip.

I'm anxious to see how she shoots with these old rag tag limbs.

Rick

[huntinpool]

I enjoyed very much. You made a fine bow out of a dinosaur. New life to a retired design.

[RickBarbee]

Well, I did a little shooting a few minutes ago with these converted Martin limbs.

They are dogs. Not the kind of performance I expected, and am used to at all.

63.5# at my draw of 29" - 615 gr arrow (9.7 gpp) - 10 shot average - 175 FPS.

Guess she will have to set on the rack, and wait for some good limbs for her.

Rick

[RickBarbee]

Hey Todd.

WhatAyaThink ?????

Started a new project.

The bow on the right is the Martin ILF convert.

The bow on the left is a Mathews machined aluminum riser ILF convert.
I'll be altering it to be shot from the shelf, just like the Martin, and it will be fully adjustable where tiller, draw weight, and center shot are concerned.
Complete with rocker pockets (GASP)

I think it's gonna be pretty sweet.

Rick

[huntinpool]

Sweet! Anything with a Mathews attached to it should shoot pretty good. You'll have a little shorter bow now and some more limb options.