I don't have much experience with ILF bows,but can that system handle heavier weights ....say 70+ #'s?? seems like more target weights are used but i don't know if it's because of the choice of the archer or the limitations of the ILF attachment strength.thanks for the input.
One with little experience here.
ILF's have been used by target archers mainly, not hunters. Limb weights have been made accordingly.
Time will tell now that more are adopting the ILF connection in their hunting bows. I've not heard of an issue with limb weight though.
just wondering if it's a "strength" issue with the limb attachment or...no issue at all???
WHen the ILF started getting popular for hunting a few years back, the folks making the risers weren't making the limbs so you had to use what was available in the FITA market mainly. As more and more folks are tossing their hats into the ring and many are full blown bowyers, you are seeing heavier limbs become available. The DAS connection system will handle the heavier stuff well and I trust it more than the standard aluminum ILF bushing personally. But as the hunting market for these risers grows I am sure we'll see some more innovative stuff come along.
I know of one guy that's shooting an 80lb DAS.
Not exactly ILF,but very close.
Morrison has some 62# ILF longbow limbs on the stock page,I not sure how heavy he can make them,you might want to give Bob a call.
QuoteOriginally posted by vermonster13:
WHen the ILF started getting popular for hunting a few years back, the folks making the risers weren't making the limbs so you had to use what was available in the FITA market mainly. As more and more folks are tossing their hats into the ring and many are full blown bowyers, you are seeing heavier limbs become available. The DAS connection system will handle the heavier stuff well and I trust it more than the standard aluminum ILF bushing personally. But as the hunting market for these risers grows I am sure we'll see some more innovative stuff come along.
Going to have to disagree with that assessment. Whether DAS or ILF the fitting has nothing to do with limb stress. The rocker of the limb lies on the riser and is held in place by the limb bolt. The pressure points are not on the fittings, unless you're referring to the extreme ends of the preload spectrum.
It's not the limbs that can't take the stress if designed properly Jim. I've seen the ILF bushings tear apart, haven't seen a DAS bushing fail, at least not yet.
I'd be interested to learn more about that failure David. Unless those fittings were stressed to the extreme preload, there shouldn't be any pressure on them at all. The only purpose the dovetail slot and fitting serve is for alignment.
A string broke and the flat bottom of the dovetail horse shoed right through the slot.
Gotcha. I can see that happening for sure.
btw... I got curious and checked the TradTech Extreme BF and their Black Max Carbon limbs. They are available in 65# and 60# respectively. We should probably assume, for whatever reason, as of now, 65# is the highest weight that's comfortably being made. Unless of course, Mr. Morrison sees this thread and weighs in... he may be offering more weight. I know that Border will make limbs in heavy weights, but I haven't heard about any warranty issues with regards to risers, etc.
Maybe it's because most people figure with the modern hight performance ilf limbs and hight performance strings available today, that a 50# bow drawn to 28" or more, is more than adequate for hunting. I think Bob Morrison makes some limbs that are 60# and heavier and I haven't herd of any failures. I do hear of some shoulder failures in some shooters though.
vermonster13 hit it I believe.
If there is a limitation, most likely it is in the fitting.
I don't know SteveB, it looks like it was the string in this case.
The limbs won't be a problem for heavier weights. It will be the risers. For the big boys I would look at the DAS and Dalaa risers. The limb alignment and attachment are positive and will not be a failure point.
And all you need to do is change the bushing out to make any ILF limb set work. Less then a minutes work.
Dang I bet you pucked big time when the string broke. However, I would not blame anything beyond the string in a failure of that sort. Would you bad mouth the bowyer if a tip had broken when your string blew at full draw?
Mike
All I am saying is when the string broke, it showed a potential weakness. A place where the stress of heavier limbs may need to be addressed.
soooo...consensus is ...probably?ILF just as "strong" as conventional bolt and pin attachment?
I have some c+ 55lbs on my das riser(close to 65 on that riser). Ive shot those for several years without a problem. Course it isn't a true ILF. The limb and riser are taken it fine so far though.
SL
I'm of the opinion that ILF connection has no bearing on the weight. If the limbs and riser are built for the weight--not an issue.
I beleive I'll try to pick up titan riser also. I hear good things about those- then I can put my heavy limbs on and try it out.
Im with jim though- I cant see how the ILF connection carries weight.
SL
thanks for the input
The Winex limbs I have on my DAS are 60#. I have a number of other high performance recurves in the 66-70# range and my 60# limbs out shoot all my other heavier bows. One of the beauties of the ILF limbs, expecially the high end of the spectrum, is that they are unbelievable shooters. You don't need 70# when a 60# bow will get you the same results.
QuoteOriginally posted by Jim Casto Jr:
I'm of the opinion that ILF connection has no bearing on the weight. If the limbs and riser are built for the weight--not an issue.
I agree; the ILF fitting itself is not load bearing. The load points are the limb bolt and the rocker portion of the limb wedge...not the ILF fitting. For all intents and purposes, the ILF fitting is nothing more than a large alignment pin.
QuoteOriginally posted by Jim Casto Jr:
I'm of the opinion that ILF connection has no bearing on the weight. If the limbs and riser are built for the weight--not an issue.
Absolutely correct. No different than a single bolt takedown with an alignment pin. I have seen nasty things happen to them when strings break or even just a dryfire. That in no way suggests they are not capable of handling heavier weights. There have been many misconceptions about the ILF connection that have been proven not to be true and this is one of them.
The only reason ILF limbs have not been made in heavier weights (until now) is because target archers don't shoot heavier weights. Now that they are being utilized by hunters, that is (and will be even more as demand increases) changing.
SO long as the riser is made to deal with the stress, it shouldn't be an issue. I just think the DAS connection system is stronger than the ILF and better suited for when things "happen" as they will in the woods as opposed to the target set.
I've also had a limb bolt strip out on an ILF bow and that had nothing to do with the ILF bushing. Now that one was a severe pucker, but that's why stuff gets field tested to find issues before stuff gets out there. (No it wasn't a Swan and the bowyer made excellent corrections to prevent it from happening again)
QuoteOriginally posted by vermonster13:
SO long as the riser is made to deal with the stress, it shouldn't be an issue.
Good point. Now here's something to think about. What riser would you feel is more apt to
"deal with the stress," one that is designed to shoot thousands and thousands of arrows at 5, 6, and 7 gpp, or one that the warranty is void if less than 9 gpp is used, like many traditional hunting bows?