Yesterday’s plan to back the limbs with Dacron fiber went bust when I actually tried  to implement it this afternoon.   For better or worse,  I used the Kevlar webbing instead and must admit,  it did make a neat job of it.  I will just have to assuage my ballista fashion sense with the clear knowledge that our mighty limbs now at least have a safety strap laminated onto them.   I should be able to install these Mk VIII limbs tomorrow.  Groovy.

Also:  Weight on these Mk VIII’s is an eye watering 10 1/4 lbs each.  This is exactly 2 lbs. more than the previous set that failed.   Almost all of this increase is situated close to the fulcrum.  (In exact terms: the limbs are 28″ OAL and their CG is 5″ out from the theoretical fulcrum at the center of the spring bundle.)    In a game of trade offs,  this type of weight increase seems a reasonable price to pay for the new muscle it brings into play.

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