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Main Boards => The Bowyer's Bench => Topic started by: styksnstryngs on June 16, 2018, 10:24:25 PM

Title: Basic ILF Riser build along
Post by: styksnstryngs on June 16, 2018, 10:24:25 PM

I said I'd do one, so here it is. This is just going to be a very basic ILF riser, what I'm calling my Mark II model, my second prototype.

I started this morning with some pieces of common red oak 1x2 and 1/4x2 from Lowes, as cheap as it gets. Maple would have been nice, but the hardware stores near me don't stock any. One day, I'm going to make the trip up to San Antonio's Woodcraft store and find some better pieces.
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I got the aluminum ILF dovetail inserts from the bay today, too.
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I should mention that I have no real shop to speak of, just a few hand tools and small power tools. I have a circular saw that will be doing the bulk of the work initially, so I build a jig for it that lets me use it like a table saw or a miter saw.
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This took longer than you would think because I had to use a hacksaw and rip down the length of one of those pieces of aluminum, which took me a solid 30 minutes to do.

Then, jig completed, I cut some pieces of my phenolic. I got my phenolic from Amazon, XX grade paper phenolic, 1/4" thick and tan. I wanted black, but there was none. The phenolic will be uses in a 1/2" thick accent strip as well as a partial I-beam.
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Title: Re: Basic ILF Riser build along
Post by: kennym on June 17, 2018, 08:44:41 AM

Pretty innovative sawing!  Will you have the lateral adjustment set screws on the plates?

Title: Re: Basic ILF Riser build along
Post by: styksnstryngs on June 17, 2018, 11:14:05 AM

Yup, or at least I'll try to.

Title: Re: Basic ILF Riser build along
Post by: styksnstryngs on June 17, 2018, 11:33:54 AM

The circular saw uses a fresh 40 tpi carbide blade. After I cut the phenolic, I sanded it down with 80 grit paper on an orbital sander to knock down the releasant and to give me a rougher surface for the epoxy.
I used alcohol to clean the dust off and then used west systems g/flex epoxy to laminate everything together.

Probably not too much work getting done today, gotta wait for the glue to cure. It takes 24 hours to cure fully at 72 degrees, but my garage is 100 degrees, and g/flex cures in half the time for every 18 degree increase. That means the epoxy has probably cured right now, since summer time for a high school senior means 12 hours of sleep. :biglaugh:

Title: Re: Basic ILF Riser build along
Post by: styksnstryngs on June 17, 2018, 04:08:22 PM

Got the riser block unwrapped and squared up with a bench plane.
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I set up a jig to help me cut the 17 degree limb pads.
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Here it is as of now. The phenolic looks better than I thought it would.
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Title: Re: Basic ILF Riser build along
Post by: styksnstryngs on June 17, 2018, 04:11:10 PM

The innovation of this riser design is in me being able to use the ilf plates I have sitting in acetone right now without using a router. I'll show you guys how I plan to do this tomorrow.

Title: Re: Basic ILF Riser build along
Post by: monterey on June 17, 2018, 10:26:37 PM

This is an interesting project.  Very innovative.

Why are the plates in acetone?

Title: Re: Basic ILF Riser build along
Post by: styksnstryngs on June 18, 2018, 01:22:47 AM

Monterey, the plates had a bunch of junk and oil in them, and I didn't want to jam up the dovetails. The acetone cleaned them right up.

Title: Re: Basic ILF Riser build along
Post by: Hoosierarcher88 on June 23, 2018, 01:54:59 PM

In as im very interested in trying to do an ilf build but dont have the big fancy tools or shop

Title: Re: Basic ILF Riser build along
Post by: styksnstryngs on June 23, 2018, 05:26:42 PM

Well, I don't have a lot of tools either, so I used the tools I do have to avoid having to use a router table. [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
I just planed down a piece of 1/2" red oak board to 5/16", then ripped two cuts 3/4" apart from each other on the ends, then used a 3/4" forstner bit to open up the slot.

The angle of the limb pads were a little too steep, being over 17 degrees, but I spent too much time hand sanding everything perfectly to recut.
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So instead, I just used a handsaw to cut two mahogany wedges from some scrap.
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Now everything lines up nicely and is almost ready for glue up.

Title: Re: Basic ILF Riser build along
Post by: Jeff Smith on June 30, 2018, 08:50:03 PM

 :clapper:

Title: Re: Basic ILF Riser build along
Post by: styksnstryngs on June 30, 2018, 09:53:33 PM

Sorry this is going so slowly,but I have a lot of stuff on my hand, like tennis tournaments and practice before varsity tryouts in August. I'm also going to be out of the country until the 11th, but I'll keep y'all updated as I go.