Milwaukee Fuel 18/clam plate/eskimo 7" shaver auger review

[Dan J]

Would you trust that little  bit of pool noodle to keep your auger from turning into a submarine, Not me. And why take a chance n braking your drill handle or putting undue stress on your drill. I think this thead will be still going strong way after the ice is gone. Tomorrow I'm taking my Milwaukee Clam fishing. BaitBucket enjoy your noodle.

[Gills-only]

Agron, whats that whole setup weigh with the battery?

            It weighs 16# with the 4ah battery I have one just like it, if your worried about another 5# you better start working out!!!!!!!!    You like yours, we like ours, end of story!!

[Agronomist_at_IA]

Agron, whats that whole setup weigh with the battery?

Not sure i'll check it.

[VTWoodchuck]

My Clam Plate set up with a 6" Strikemaster Lazer, the 6"-16" extension rod, and my old 18v NiCad Porter Cable drill weighs about 12lbs.  If I hadn't already had the 6" Lazer, the extra inch of that 7" auger would definitively be worth another 4lbs to me.

I still think the pool noodle on BaitBucket's rig is a nice touch even if it is lacking duct tape.  ; - )

[masoneddie]

Your Dewalt should work great.  I used my 6" Lazer on a Clam Plate with my old 18v Porter Cable that has been my shop drill for a few years.  It cuts like a hot knife through butter and I was getting 30+- holes per battery in almost 3' of ice.   As long as you have at least 400 lbs of torque the drill will work fine any hammer drill should have more than that.

Thanks for the reply VTW....I checked the torque last night and it's listed at 490 in the specs...today I'm searching for an adapter/extension. Thinking I'll try the handle I have to start off on early ice and see how it works, but I like the looks of the Clam Plate....hopefully catch one on sale next Friday.

[VTWoodchuck]

Thanks for the reply VTW....I checked the torque last night and it's listed at 490 in the specs...today I'm searching for an adapter/extension. Thinking I'll try the handle I have to start off on early ice and see how it works, but I like the looks of the Clam Plate....hopefully catch one on sale next Friday.

Sounds like your drill will work fine.  It will be a judgment call of price/value on the adapter vs the Clam plate.   I looked at adapters and found them to sell between $20 and $30+ and I found the clam plate last year in the fall for $50 so for me I decided that for just a bit more I'd like the bearing and trigger assembly on the Clam Plate.  I think you can google them and find them for about $59 now and probably less after Thanksgiving.  Good luck and good fishing.

[BaitBucket]

I still think the pool noodle on BaitBucket's rig is a nice touch even if it is lacking duct tape.  ; - )

Hahah thx,

I dont think Dan J is "quick" enough to realize its not the piece preventing my auger from going splash lol
Oh well...

            It weighs 16# with the 4ah battery I have one just like it, if your worried about another 5# you better start working out!!!!!!!! 

All the guys using the clam plate claim to use it because they are to weak to handle the side arm. And i need to work out? When the idea is to go lightweight, 5lbs more is alot.. For another 4-5lbs u could just use an Ion Auger..

[VTWoodchuck]

5lbs more is alot.. For another 4-5lbs u could just use an Ion Auger..

You should change that to "for another $500 you could use and ION Auger...

I think his extra 4-5 lbs is coming form using the 7" Eskimo Auger rather than the 6" lazer like I have.  The Eskimos augers are nice but not the lightest out there and it is an inch bigger for the entire flute length.  My set-up weighs just under 12lbs with my Clam Plate, 6"-16" extension rod, and 18v Porter Cable NiCad drill.  That is only a few ounces more that your rig.  If I took the extension rod off it would be less.  The plate is all aluminum and is very light.  Every combination of different drills and augers will be different.

[BaitBucket]

I think his extra 4-5 lbs is coming form using the 7" Eskimo Auger rather than the 6" lazer like I have.  The Eskimos augers are nice but not the lightest out there and it is an inch bigger for the entire flute length.  My set-up weighs just under 12lbs with my Clam Plate, 6"-16" extension rod, and 18v Porter Cable NiCad drill.  That is only a few ounces more that your rig.  If I took the extension rod off it would be less.  The plate is all aluminum and is very light.  Every combination of different drills and augers will be different.

Drill - 5lb (According to porter cable site)
6" Auger - 5lb (According to strikemaster site)
Ext Rod - 1lb
Clam Plate - 6lb  (According to clam site)
Total - 17lb

[VTWoodchuck]

Drill - 5lb (According to porter cable site)
6" Auger - 5lb (According to strikemaster site)
Ext Rod - 1lb
Clam Plate - 6lb  (According to clam site)
Total - 17lb

Those are shipping weights that include the packaging and the drill weight you cited also includes the plastic case that comes with it and the charger and the extra battery.  They publish those weights so the sellers know how much to estimate for shipping charges.  If the drill alone weighed 5lbs by itself I never would have used it for driving 1000+ sheetrock screws into my garage ceiling this summer.  I do know that this years Clam plate is slightly heavier than last years because they added padding to the handles and a longer vertical mount bar, probably not more that a quarter pound.  Next time I take my drill and auger off I'll weigh the Clam plate separately but the whole thing assembled is 11 3/4 lbs.  Here are pictures of it on my Rapala scale.  I'm am old guy so my scale is analog but I've also had it on my sons digital scale and it weighs the same.  Why are you arguing with one of the only guys on this thread that has said he likes your rig?

[Agronomist_at_IA]

Those are shipping weights that include the packaging and the drill weight you cited also includes the plastic case that comes with it and the charger and the extra battery.  They publish those weights so the sellers know how much to estimate for shipping charges.  If the drill alone weighed 5lbs by itself I never would have used it for driving 1000+ sheetrock screws into my garage ceiling this summer.  I do know that this years Clam plate is slightly heavier than last years because they added padding to the handles and a longer vertical mount bar, probably not more that a quarter pound.  Next time I take my drill and auger off I'll weigh the Clam plate separately but the whole thing assembled is 11 3/4 lbs.  Here are pictures of it on my Rapala scale.  I'm am old guy so my scale is analog but I've also had it on my sons digital scale and it weighs the same.  Why are you arguing with one of the only guys on this thread that has said he likes your rig?

I have that same scale.......I prefer it vs a digital one that needs batteries.

[BaitBucket]

Is that the hammer drill?

I was looks at this one, where it says just the drill with battery weighs 5lbs.

http://www.portercable.com/Products/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=25717

[VTWoodchuck]

Is that the hammer drill?

I was looks at this one, where it says just the drill with battery weighs 5lbs.

http://www.portercable.com/Products/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=25717

Again, that would be the shipping weight for whatever comes with it and the packaging. 


Mine is not the hammer drill, just the plain old 2 speed 18v NiCad Drill that generates 440 lbs of torque.  I'm sure it is a bit lighter than the hammer drill.  Porter Cable, like Ridgid, has always had the reputation of making good sturdy stuff at more affordable prices than the big names.  I don't know if they are still making it as Lowes is only selling the new LiIon version now.  This summer our local Aubuchon Hardware store put them on clearance sale for $69 for the whole package that includes the drill, case, 2 batteries and charger.  This was a good deal and I really liked the one that I've had for a few years so I bought one on sale to have extra batteries and another shop drill.  Now I have one dedicated to my auger, the other one in my shop, 4 matching batteries and a spare charger if one ever craps out.  It has been a great drill that has taken years of abuse from me.  I used it through building my daughter's house, remodeling my garage, screwing slats on hundred of feet of fence, etc.  I've left it out in the rain, dropped it off my roof, it's like a cat with nine lives, a great drill.

With that said, I think it performs as well as it does on the ice auger because of the power transfer through the bearing on the Clam plate.  I don't know if it would be as good in a set up like yours.  I think to go direct from the chuck you need the extra torque of a hammer drill like yours and the side handle as well to get a broader hold on it.   Like I've said before both types of rigs are fine.  If I had already had a hammer drill I might have gone in the same direction that you did.  My goal is to have effective tools at the lowest cost possible.  I already had the auger and drill and I got my Clam drill plate on sale from Bass Pro Shops online for $49 during last years Thanksgiving sale, so I have very little invested in my rig, especially compared to an ION at $500+.  As it turns out it works even better than I expected and I'm very happy with it.

This discussion reminds me of the hornets nets I inadvertently kicked up on another forum when I innocently posted that I had bought a used Humminbird Fishing Buddy 110 portable fish finder for $35 on Craigslist to use on my pond boat and also had crafted a home made ice hole mount to use it for ice fishing.  As long as you use LiIon rechargeable batteries instead of the alkaline kind that drain fast in the cold it works pretty good to find your depth and see fish under the hole.  Well the board went nuts, especially the Marcum guys.  You would have thought that I just said there was no God on a religious forum, the litany of technical specs, itemized lists of all the things you cant do with a finder vs. a flasher, and accusations harrissey erupted into a multi page thread where almost everyone missed the fact that I was just trying to make a cheap ice fishing sounder for $35 instead of $350+.  Of course it wasn't as good as a Marcum but it was good enough for me ; - )

Cheers

[VTWoodchuck]

I have that same scale.......I prefer it vs a digital one that needs batteries.

Me too.  I've had this one for a long time.  It is nice because it fits in my tackle bag easily, is very accurate, and like you said no batteries to worry about.  Especially when you put it away for a few months and don't have to worry about forgetting to take the batteries out so they don't corrode and ruin it.

[Dan J]

Thought u said you never tried it with the side handle?

Anyway, I have had ZERO issue controlling the drill with just the side handle. In fact last season my 5yr old daughter punched a hole with it lol

I tried it when I first got the drill and didn't like it. To much torque and loss of control for me. The Clam Plate is much easier to control for us older guys, I'm 65 and don't need any more medical problems.

[buz23]

Let's say your auger weighs 10#.  You would need a hollow float somewhat bigger than a milk carton to float it, since a gallon of water weighs 8.3#.  That noodle section just won't do it.

[BaitBucket]

Let's say your auger weighs 10#.  You would need a hollow float somewhat bigger than a milk carton to float it, since a gallon of water weighs 8.3#.  That noodle section just won't do it.

Cool story, the auger section weighs 3#. I have tested it, it floats...

[Retiredbum]

I tried it when I first got the drill and didn't like it. To much torque and loss of control for me. The Clam Plate is much easier to control for us older guys, I'm 65 and don't need any more medical problems.
[/quote       Dan I agree with you!    I am 64 ,last year I used my Milwaukee 18 and A screw in adaptor and almost ripped my arm and wrist off, tore the skin off my finger, and would not stop bleeding, The plate will give more support. A part of getting older, is knowing what you can and cant not do, And believe this WE WILL ALL BE THERE, in time. This year I will sell that app. to a young buck.

[TipUpTom]

Can someone send some dimensions on the Clam drill plate? I am chomping at the bit to make one of these things... 

[bigbuck326]

Got it from Xmas One Question i have DeWalt 20v max DCD780 with 1.5ah battery and want to upgrade to 5.0 ah it will cause burn out or will run fine.... let me know thank

[VTWoodchuck]

Can someone send some dimensions on the Clam drill plate? I am chomping at the bit to make one of these things... 

I applaud your creativity but I don't think you could buy the materials for what you can buy one for, especially with the heavy duty floating swivel bearing for the drive shaft?  In another week or so they'll be on sale.  I got mine last year from Bass Pro Shop website for $49 with free shipping.

[Agronomist_at_IA]

Got it from Xmas One Question i have DeWalt 20v max DCD780 with 1.5ah battery and want to upgrade to 5.0 ah it will cause burn out or will run fine.... let me know thank

should run fine.

[Agronomist_at_IA]

I applaud your creativity but I don't think you could buy the materials for what you can buy one for, especially with the heavy duty floating swivel bearing for the drive shaft?  In another week or so they'll be on sale.  I got mine last year from Bass Pro Shop website for $49 with free shipping.

Depemds if he works or has his own machine shop he might have scrap metal laying around to make one.