Ice Auger

[JigthePig]

Hey everyone!  I wondering if anyone knows of any ice auger deals. I've always borrowed my father-in-laws, but think it's time to get my own. I generally make one long trip to SD, and fish maybe 10x a year locally.  I've been watching craigslist for a used one, but haven't seen anything. 

[fishm_n]

What size hole do you like? And what do you have?  I am self employed tile setter, so I got the brushless hammer drill to mix mud and drill holes, works like a champ

[Chris338378]

Are you looking for a hand cranker or gas?  Glen's had a deal on the Eskimo Mako 43cc 8 inchers for around $285 with free shipping but it's not there now, maybe they'll run it again, now they want $319.99 with free shipping.  Now they have the Eskimo Stingray 33cc 8 incher for $289.95 with free shipping.  Another thing you can do is check the sponsor's sites for Black Friday sales, you might land a good deal on one of them. 

Here's a link to the Stingray at Glen's:

http://www.glensoutdoors.com/eskimo-sting-ray-33cc-8in-power-ice-auger.html

[JigthePig]

Do you have any experience with Eskimo?  I found a site with the 33c for $260 and the 43cc for 290 with free shipping.  Is there much of a difference between the two?

[mlwalleye69]

I have 2 of them and love them. A 10" Mako and the 43cc 8" propane.

[IceDoc]

Don't waste your money on an gas or propane auger.  Auger and Milwaukee fuel drill.  Best investment I ever made especially if you just fish mostly in Nebraska

[Ice Scratcher]

Don't waste your money on an gas or propane auger.  Auger and Milwaukee fuel drill.  Best investment I ever made especially if you just fish mostly in Nebraska

You have a great power auger, and an awesome drill when you aren't fishing...

<°)))>{

[chilly-willy]

X3 on milwaukee fuel and some thing cheap to sharpen like a mora or laser blade.  These can be found from strike master or even eskimo hand augers then adapt them to the milwaukee fuel drill .. I own a nils and no one locally sharpens them ..  an it's around $40 to ship and shape a nils head..  and cost $7.50 or less  at the hardware store to sharpen the laser auger .. if I could do it again I would get a 7 inch mora and convert it to laser blades with a e-bay adaptor kit.. and have the 7 inch laser on my fuel 1200 inch pound drill. 

[Sandbilly]

More support for the fuel drill auger combos, although if running anything other than a K-Drill under it I would highly recommend adding Clam's "drill auger conversion kit" on 6" or larger bits. Save a doctor bill later.







Just another reason for a drill auger. Family destination Christmas 2014 in Colorado. Two days skiing, two days ice fishing with sons, in-laws, nieces, nephews. Small footprint.  A little tackle, rod for everyone, one shelter, one auger,,, big fun!! Wife + 4 in the pickup. Had room for everything wives bring on trips AND gifts. Not one thing smelled of auger fuel so maybe we can do it again.      

dc

[IceDoc]

Clam Plate....yep forgot to mention that.  I also just use a cheap Eskimo hand auger for this (can get blades sharpened locally).  Great investment.  Got my gas auger out once last year and that was to help drill holes for tip-ups at the refuge.  Otherwise it never even left the garage.

[Keith Walters]

Another vote for the Clam Plate auger conversion.  You hold it just like a gas auger to drill.  I never used my gas auger last year after I got my Clam Plate.  I have a Makita 1/2' brushless hammer drill and 6" Lazer auger. With 4 amp hour batteries, I could drill 30 to 40 holes in 12" ice on one battery. Now, I think I might get rid of my gas auger.  No more gas to mix or spill.  No more odor from gas or exhaust. And just a fraction of the weight.  Best ice fishing tool I ever purchased!

Come on ice!
Keith

[Chris338378]

Do you have any experience with Eskimo?  I found a site with the 33c for $260 and the 43cc for 290 with free shipping.  Is there much of a difference between the two?

Yes, I have a Mako with the 43cc motor and it cuts through the ice like a torch through butter.  I can tell you the 43cc motor is more powerful and will cut through the ice faster with less effort than the 33cc motor.  Beyond that the Mako and Stingray use the same blades so that's the only difference between the Mako and Stingrays.

[marknpanfish]

I got a 6"Nils and Milwaukee 18volt fuel with 4amp batteries. Fished the Valentine Refuge Sunday ice up to 7" drilled about 50plus holes on battery. I love it so far. I have Cold Snap blade cover on the way. By the my doubting Thomas fishing buddy also liked it,because I didn't hear gas auger run much.

[vcorys]

Love my Nils and Makita.

[Fryinpan]

The Nils is nice!  with or without a drill.   

Milwaukee 18 FUEL 18-Volt Lithium-Ion seems to be ahead of the pack in my estimation.. with  5.0 amp battery. 
I Like the Makita 18v brushless also.  4.0 amp battery.
The AmpHr rating of the battery makes a big difference in the number of holes.
 
Tight lines everyone.... 

[Hardwater Problem]

Is there something about the fuel drill by Milwaukee???  I only see it offered in the 18 volt model.  I was thinking that they offer a 28 volt model, would that be better or is there something special about the 18?

[JigthePig]

I went looking online and the only auger I saw was a Clam 6" bit auger with a handle. Can I covert any hand auger to fit an 18v drill?  The Clam seemed like the only thing specifically made to be put on a drill.  Or would I need something to convert the other hand augers?  I love the idea of using a drill instead of a gas auger.

[Shack man Shoney]

Is there something about the fuel drill by Milwaukee???  I only see it offered in the 18 volt model.  I was thinking that they offer a 28 volt model, would that be better or is there something special about the 18?

Yes, its my understanding that the M28 will soon be mothballed and some people online are saying Milwaukee is putting all of their eggs in the M18 basket... Who knows for sure but i have the M18 1200 in/lb....

[swoab47]

I went looking online and the only auger I saw was a Clam 6" bit auger with a handle. Can I covert any hand auger to fit an 18v drill?  The Clam seemed like the only thing specifically made to be put on a drill.  Or would I need something to convert the other hand augers?  I love the idea of using a drill instead of a gas auger.

Check out the K-Drill.  6 or 8 inch.  No need for the Clam Drill Plate.  Just need a good high torque drill, Like the M-18 Fuel.  I have both and they are awesome. 

With the Clam Drill Plate you can convert any hand auger to use with a high torque drill.

[Hardwater Problem]

Check out the K-Drill.  6 or 8 inch.  No need for the Clam Drill Plate.  Just need a good high torque drill, Like the M-18 Fuel.  I have both and they are awesome. 

With the Clam Drill Plate you can convert any hand auger to use with a high torque drill.

Thanks for the info.  I would like to not use the plate but a lot of guys are recommending it.

[ford_jake]

I have ran the clam plate for 3 years and will never go back to a gas auger. I dont agree that you need a milwaukee fuel drill, I grabbed my 18v dewalt lithium batteried drill off my shelf and I can get about 30 holes in 6" of ice on one battery. I will be damned if I ever drill more then 15 holes in an outing. I take two batteries in case. But never ran out of juice. BTW I'm using an 8" auger. I run the laser auger, never tried a nils.

[Showdown56]

I have ran the clam plate for 3 years and will never go back to a gas auger. I dont agree that you need a milwaukee fuel drill, I grabbed my 18v dewalt lithium batteried drill off my shelf and I can get about 30 holes in 6" of ice on one battery. I will be damned if I ever drill more then 15 holes in an outing. I take two batteries in case. But never ran out of juice. BTW I'm using an 8" auger. I run the laser auger, never tried a nils.

Now, I know what "my problem is"!      HA!

Fortunately my health is going downhill with age and soon I'll find salvation as I won't be able to drill more than 15 holes in an outing with my 4 stroke Honda Lite gas drill.

Showdown56

(Jes funnin' witchya, Jake!)

[Hardwater Problem]

I have ran the clam plate for 3 years and will never go back to a gas auger. I dont agree that you need a milwaukee fuel drill, I grabbed my 18v dewalt lithium batteried drill off my shelf and I can get about 30 holes in 6" of ice on one battery. I will be damned if I ever drill more then 15 holes in an outing. I take two batteries in case. But never ran out of juice. BTW I'm using an 8" auger. I run the laser auger, never tried a nils.

thanks...  you may have saved me a ton of money.  I have a Dewalt, and the Mora hand auger...  there is a 17.00 adapter for a drill, but I think the clam plate is the answer.  I don't want to pay 67.00 for the plate when the 17.00 adapter would work but I hear a bunch of guys saying that the drill alone will snap your wrists off!  Spend the money on the plate and not the drill!!!

[ford_jake]

Now, I know what "my problem is"!      HA!

Fortunately my health is going downhill with age and soon I'll find salvation as I won't be able to drill more than 15 holes in an outing with my 4 stroke Honda Lite gas drill.

Showdown56

(Jes funnin' witchya, Jake!)

I'm just not a fan of drilling a lot of holes:) I use my flasher to find depth thru the ice and then i fish!!!

[ford_jake]

thanks...  you may have saved me a ton of money.  I have a Dewalt, and the Mora hand auger...  there is a 17.00 adapter for a drill, but I think the clam plate is the answer.  I don't want to pay 67.00 for the plate when the 17.00 adapter would work but I hear a bunch of guys saying that the drill alone will snap your wrists off!  Spend the money on the plate and not the drill!!!

I get why everyone uses the milwaukee drills, but I have had no problems with my good ole dewalt. Just put it on speed 1 and drill!!! I have never used it without the clam plate so I have no experience with my wrist being broken:) the plate makes it to easy. I had my 8 yr old nephew drilling holes with it. The portability and light weight are what sold it for me. And not mixing gas, or spilling gas in the back of my truck. Just several good things about it. Now if your fishing SD or like 18" of ice I would guess the gas to be better. But around nebraska we rarely see 12" of ice let alone 18. in 3 years I have never doubted if it would work for me.

[HuskerPike]

thanks...  you may have saved me a ton of money.  I have a Dewalt, and the Mora hand auger...  there is a 17.00 adapter for a drill, but I think the clam plate is the answer.  I don't want to pay 67.00 for the plate when the 17.00 adapter would work but I hear a bunch of guys saying that the drill alone will snap your wrists off!  Spend the money on the plate and not the drill!!!

Yes, I suggest the clam plate. Last year I had that little Strikemaster drill adapter for $15, rigged it up on my dewalt and it is true, it'll darn near break your wrist. I bought the clam plate this year and it really is the ticket. I'm all about being safe the older I get which is why I purchased the clam plate. One ER visit will be more than that plate cost along with down time of no ice fishing.

[FishSpike]

The guy in this youtube video Clam made is using a DeWalt. He also says to put it to 'Drill'. I've read you should use an impact and select it to 'hammer'. Idk, either way, this guy is using a DeWalt. He goes through 3 feet of ice too. I need to buy this Plate already...

https://youtu.be/KkJzz5Qo2HY

[chilly-willy]

Could be worst then that!!


https://youtu.be/IMaAtCtkB4A

[Ice Scratcher]

Could be worst then that!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RZ3MIXMbya4

You see his glove get torn off lol !!!

<°)))>{


https://youtu.be/IMaAtCtkB4A

[chilly-willy]

Guys lucky he did not get stiche's same with the guy with the clam plate I am bad enough wit a hand auger getting stiche's!!!  just from changing blades lol's!!!  just thinking of powering a auger blade faster gives me chills of what going to pop up on the web!!!