Building an ILF riser?

[Cootling]

Try as I might, I cannot find good information about installing ILF riser inserts.  Maybe someone can help?

It seems... well, dumb, that ILF riser inserts NOT include both the limb bolt hole and dovetail unless they instead incorporate some lateral adjustability (e.g., like the inserts Bob Morrison puts in his bows).  The ******** inserts with that require separate drilling of the limb bolt hold and machining of a channel to receive the insert seem like the worst of all worlds.  It seems that even the slightest misalignment of the limb bolt and ILF insert would be substantially magnified at the limb tips.

How in the world, short of using a milling machine, does a hobbyist install the darn things so as to insure alignment of the limb bolt and ILF insert?  Would love to see what others have done!

[LittleBen]

I think it can be done with a plunge router attached to a table.

1)True up riser block sides using planer or drum sander

2) Route slot for insert:
a) Set fence on router to center a slot in th limb pad of the riser.
b) Set a stop block on the router table to stop the riser and control the length of the slot cut for the insert.
c) cut slot into riser using the setup you just made.

3) Route hole for limb bolt insert using plunge router.
a) DO NOT ADJUST FENCE FROM PREVIOUS STEP!
b) Adjust stop block to position the desired hole location over the router.
c) Clamp/attach riser to table.
d) Plunge router up into riser block to form limb bolt insert hole.

I highly recommend that you true up some test blocks to the exact thickness of the riser block and test out your fewnce position and stop block positions first to make sure everything is EXACTLY in position.

Disclaimer: I have never attempted any of these steps, this is just the wanderings of the mind of a crazy man. But it just might work.

[Cootling]

Thanks!  I wondered about the plunge router possibility.  If I try it, I'll post results.

Anyone else?  Others surely must have wrestled with this issue!

[LittleBen]

If you do this I'm dying to know if it works out. I don't own a router and I haven't been able to bring myself to buy one just to test this out.

You may find more info about ILF on some other boards ... the bowyers of tradgang do not seem to be big on ILF builds.

[Bobmeister]

Try These


ILF HOW to do it  

 Another Way

[LittleBen]

Bobmeister,

I think the original probelm he presented was that he couldn't find those 1 piece inserts liek are shown in those threads. Where can one aquire those inserts?

[Bobmeister]

Here is a Link  to where you can get in touch with Jim Mann, he can get you some of the full length ILF inserts. I have made a bunch of ILF risers and  the full length inserts are much easer  but precession is still key. If you have a router table it should not be a problem. If you just have a router then make a table by using a hole in your work bench or a piece of plywood.

[LittleBen]

YOU-DA-MAN .... thats what my neighbor used to always say ... seems appropriate

[amazonjim]

Would like to see pictures of the table set up