# Converting Wooden Riser to ILF?



## LuisLeon (Feb 23, 2015)

My name is Luis Leon I’ve been visiting this site and found so many great tips I decided to get back into archery. I started in the early 80s with a Fred Bear compound. I initially had fun, but started fussing with sight pins, peep sight, a release, etc. Then I walked into a local sporting goods store, saw a video of Ben Pearson hunting ducks, pheasants, deer, etc. Sold my compound to a buddy and bought a Bear Hunter takedown (60”L 60 [email protected]”) . Purchased the “Hitting them like Howard Hill” booklet and never looked back. I used that bow for at least 10 years. Then in 1992 I purchased a Martin Hunter $149.99 plus tax (I still have the receipt) 62”L 40 [email protected]”. I can shoot it all day long it is a sweet bow. While I can still shoot the Bear it stays in its case more often than not. I tried unsuccessfully to find lighter limbs for it. I’ve been toying with the idea of converting it to ILF with one of the kits sold by LAS. Then I could attached some lighter limbs to the riser and use it. Would I be wrecking a fine bow? I’ve attached some photos of the bear riser. Comments or advice appreciated. The dimensions for this limb pocket? on riser are:

bare limb pocket area:

1-1/2" wide by 3" long

limb bolt hole is at least 1-1/2" deep

dimples are 3/16" deep x 1/2" wide

plate: 2-29/32" long x 1-11/16" wide OD


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## reddogge (Jul 21, 2009)

I'd do it. The Bear riser isn't super collectable anyway. But I'm not seeing ILF plates unless I'm not looking at the right thing. I just see plates to convert it to a regular bolt down. Correct me if I'm wrong.


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## LuisLeon (Feb 23, 2015)

Redogge,

That's the original hardware. I haven't' decided to take the plunge yet. Wanted to make sure I wasn't wrecking something someone else would like to collect. To me its an old friend who want to be used again.


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## Jim Casto Jr (Aug 20, 2002)

Probably could be done, but... before I made the plunge to convert it to ILF, I'd check to see if Samick Sage limbs could be fitted to the original hardware. Lots of weights, low cost, and very nice limbs.


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## Hank D Thoreau (Dec 9, 2008)

I got some ILF plates for a wood riser off of ebay. They were nicely made. I am now down to the hard part. I need to remove the thread inserts and then route the limb pockets for the plates. Here are some pictures. I am taking it slow since I have not done this sort of wood work before. You have to be careful to ensure everything is straight.


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## 4nolz (Aug 17, 2011)

Is the insert going to be longer than the butt?


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## Hank D Thoreau (Dec 9, 2008)

The insert is slightly shorter than the butt when using the existing limb bolt hole.


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## 4nolz (Aug 17, 2011)

I'd pull the insert and drill one giving you the full length pad.Page 8 of this build along covers routing the donkey I inserts.
http://piratesofarchery.net/bb/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=11721&start=70


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## jakeemt (Oct 25, 2012)

You are gonna run into problems with that riser. Those two holes for the alignment pins are right where the dovetail fitting would go. You could buy a sammick riser from Lancaster (they often have blemished models for sale cheap!) and convert that. That way you can test it out on a bow that doesn't have so many memories attached. Alternatively if you don't mind parting with the bow I bet you could get a good trade for it. Then you'd have a bow already set up for ilf limbs. The problem is if you modify that bear it's value will be seriously diminished. If you modify it and it doesn't work you are out one good bow, if you modify it and it does work but, you aren't satisfied you will never have the resale/trade value that it has now.


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## jakeemt (Oct 25, 2012)

For more information and converting risers to ilf check over on Tradtalk. That's kinda warf central.


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## Bill 2311 (Jun 24, 2005)

The ILF plates you show do not have LLA so once they are in the riser, that is the way the limbs are set. If one limb is off slightly, I don't see a way to adjust it.
I would just sell the Bear and the Martin and buy a decent ILF rig.
The TradTech Pinnacle II is a good package and with medium or long limbs (Depending upon your draw) will feel like a dream compared to the other two bows.


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## 4nolz (Aug 17, 2011)

The inserts will work fine I've used them.As far as lla check the trad talk discussion its not necessary if your riser and limbs are straight.Go for it I doubt the naysayers have built any.


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## LuisLeon (Feb 23, 2015)

Jim Casto Jr said:


> Probably could be done, but... before I made the plunge to convert it to ILF, I'd check to see if Samick Sage limbs could be fitted to the original hardware. Lots of weights, low cost, and very nice limbs.


First, thank you all for the great replies and knowledge. I going to try Jim's route. As that requires less modifications overall. I tried the limbs off of my daughter takedown and they fit fine. I would need to drill out the small holes in the limbs to accept the ball detents that are on the current limbs. Again thank you all, you have made my day.


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## Windrover (Jan 6, 2012)

I have the same bow and I have been thinking the same thing. I need to get lighter limbs or get young again. Guess I better start shopping. I now there are better bows than the Bear Hunter TD but when you have carried it many a mile it just feels right. Could you tell us how the transfer of ball detents goes?


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## Doofy_13 (Jan 2, 2012)

LuisLeon said:


> First, thank you all for the great replies and knowledge. I going to try Jim's route. As that requires less modifications overall. I tried the limbs off of my daughter takedown and they fit fine. I would need to drill out the small holes in the limbs to accept the ball detents that are on the current limbs. Again thank you all, you have made my day.


Those ball detents come on the Black Bear risers which people warf all the time. I've made a couple using the ball detent plate thingys with sage limbs. Just grind the nubs off the plates that go into the limb and put a piece of moleskin there instead. The limbs bolted down will hold the plate in place. That way you never have to drill into your limbs. Another route is to just not use the ball plates. That will give your limbs less of an angle and work just as good. If you need to align the limbs because they are wide enough for the pockets, build up the pocket walls with furniture felt or cork. Check out the below link. Practically the same thing just metal and not wood. I can provide pics of the limb pockets later if you want. 
http://tradtalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38569


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## Hank D Thoreau (Dec 9, 2008)

Bill 2311 said:


> The ILF plates you show do not have LLA so once they are in the riser, that is the way the limbs are set. If one limb is off slightly, I don't see a way to adjust it.
> I would just sell the Bear and the Martin and buy a decent ILF rig.
> The TradTech Pinnacle II is a good package and with medium or long limbs (Depending upon your draw) will feel like a dream compared to the other two bows.


You have to adjust, shim, whatever it takes, to get them straight. That is the key to making it work. I have a buddy that makes bolt down bows. Drilling, filling and redrilling is the approach he uses.


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## LuisLeon (Feb 23, 2015)

Doofy, 

Thanks for the link. It gets better in that I won't even have to modify the limbs. Again thanks to all who replied. I will be shopping for new limbs tonight. And will post an update when I get the rig assembled.


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## rock74 (Jan 8, 2012)

Sage limbs are 1-1/2" wide you may be able to bolt right on with out shimming or using the detents. I don't use the detents I did a black bear riser and an old golden eagle recently but i did line the pockets and put a plate in the bottom also.


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## Windrover (Jan 6, 2012)

Hank D Thoreau said:


> I got some ILF plates for a wood riser off of ebay. They were nicely made. I am now down to the hard part. I need to remove the thread inserts and then route the limb pockets for the plates. Here are some pictures. I am taking it slow since I have not done this sort of wood work before. You have to be careful to ensure everything is straight.


That looks good already. Post a picture when it's done. Wood risers are not just for looks. Up in the north metal risers suck in December and zero degrees. Guess that's not an issue in California but looking good never hurts.


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## LuisLeon (Feb 23, 2015)

*Update*

Thank you Jim Casto Jr., for first suggesting the Sage limbs. And Doofy for posting images of your Black Bear riser conversion. Rock74, you were right the Sage limbs fit in perfectly. Windrover, no mods to the limbs bolted right on. I got the 40 lbs. limbs. Put on AMO 64" bowstring, and took her out today to a local indoor range. I love the way it shoots had the weight checked on a bow scale and it comes in at 39 lbs. @28". My Martin Hunter pulled the same on the scale, but the arrows seem to have a little more zip out of it than the bear. I've attached some images to show the "after" photos. The Bear riser is 1-7/8" longer than the Sage riser specs I found posted online. So my bow is now 63.5" to 64" long. I couldn't get an exact length measure the brace height with the 64" bowstring is 8".

Thanks again to all who helped me revive and old bow that was no longer fun to shoot.










Luis Leon


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## JPR79 (May 18, 2010)

Good thread... nice to see the flexibility of the Sage limbs. I work as an archery tech at a box store, and we normally carry the Sage, and we got some Bear Sonoma takedowns in that I really like but was worried about finding limbs. I'll try next time I'm at work to see if the Sage limbs will crossfit.

Since I've been looking into picking up my first takedown, I do want a wood riser cut to center as I love shooting off the shelf and like the simplicity, and I'm still debating on going the ILF route or not. I'm looking hard at the Pinnacle II and Apex but I'm on a tight budget and don't know if I can swing it. I've debated just getting a cheap blemish riser and trying an ILF conversion myself since all the ILF parts are available through Lancaster, but maybe I'll just spend the money and get it done right. If the Samick limbs are pretty solid, I'll just stick to the basics and see what I can get that takes Sage limbs.


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## Doofy_13 (Jan 2, 2012)

Awesome! Super happy the sage limbs worked out for you.


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