Nils question

[Jiveturkey3]

I am thinking about pulling the trigger on a Nills 6". I have always fished 8" augers and love them. Last winter I hated my lazer because of the effort it took to punch 4-6 holes. I have thought heavily about a power auger but don't want to pull the weight around. So I am seriously looking at a 6" nils. My question is why not buy the drill ready one? Aren't they the same as the normal blue nils? They are basicly the same price. It's gives me the option of putting my drill on later if I so wish. So is there any difference in the two?

[Perch Sniper]

There is absolutely no difference between the two. If you can spring a few extra bucks get the new ice trekker package that includes an extension, drill adapter and powerhead adapter. I picked up a factory refurb 33cc eskimo powerhead last season for $175 on eBay and that Nils is now a drilling machine.

[river rat78]

I don't own a nils but did get to use a friends 6". He had the orange one with the drill adaptor. It drilled through the ice much smoother than my 5" lazer. I did this with a cordless drill not by hand. I would go with the one that is drill ready. If you don't and down the line you want to attach it to a cordless drill you will end up spending more or an adaptor that works on a nils.

[Jiveturkey3]

Now you make it even harder because of I was to make it a power auger I would want an 8" as that's my favorite size. Now what do I do. Lol

[river rat78]

They also make an 8" nils with the drill adaptor already attached. Don't know how well they drill though.

[Jiveturkey3]

I doubt a cordless drill even 24v will be happy with a 8" ice auger on it. I'm thinking I will go 6" sell the 8" lazer and down the road buy a 8-10" power auger.

[bigfish54]

I have the nils 8in hand auger and drill a lot of holes when I'm out (20 or 30 when I'm looking for fish)There is very little effort used when drilling with a sharp Nils auger. Buy the hand auger and leave the cordless drill and batteries at home( less weight to pull with you). Good luck and tight lines

[fish-kabob]

I doubt a cordless drill even 24v will be happy with a 8" ice auger on it. I'm thinking I will go 6" sell the 8" lazer and down the road buy a 8-10" power auger.

you would be surprised you don't need that much effort behind that auger  even though it is a 8 inch nils they cut effortlessly...  but i am not totally for nils i have issues with my 8 inch auger the blade goes dull very quick. and there is onlyu two places as far as i know that sharpens them none are were i live so i got to ship them out  i think it cost $30 shipping included to sharpen a blade. i still at a loss that no one else sharpens them? most of all around here... the 6 inch lazer and 5 inch lazer cuts similar to the nills but not quite as lovely fast.. like said i would not get the 6 inch nils truth fully the holes are small and if we get that much ice again your going to want the 8 inch... i was knocking crappie off the line on a 5 inch hole at 18 inches down most likely because the ice tube from top of ice to bottom of the hole was so long. could not get the right angle on the line to bring them up the hole plus having the flasher and your line down it is a must for 8 inch holes... i got a lazer and the extra work killed me to last year...cause the blade on mine is dull and i have not sharpened it yet. any how just some free advise but the choice is yours..       

[IceinKzoo]

I have the 6 inch Nils hand auger and love it. Gave my Strikemaster away to a friend.  The Nils is so much better.  I mostly pan fish and never had a problem getting fish out of the 6 inch hole. 

[Jiveturkey3]

My 8" has sucked from day one. It's hard to crank and it hangs up the last 1/4 to 1/2 a crank. I have felt with it for years and I'm sick of it.

[fish-kabob]

My 8" has sucked from day one. It's hard to crank and it hangs up the last 1/4 to 1/2 a crank. I have felt with it for years and I'm sick of it.

why not cut the ice breaking bars off if it is a lazer? once you hit the bottom half of the hole that were the ice brakers don't cut threw cause you punch threw with the blades..  i cut mine off my polar fire auger my 5 inch lazer don't got them neither does the finbore 3 auger sold in canada but it has a off set handle too...   

but i do agree the nils is that much better in a 8 inch...then a lazer is in any model!   

[Jiveturkey3]

Mainly because I'm dead set on not having an auger I dread using anymore. I'm 26 and in pretty darn good shape. I can bail 400+ bails of hay alone on a wagon and 4 holes kicks my butt. New blades. I wish I could use an 8 Nills. I was planning on a 6" to help make it that much easier. I want like half the effort or I'll just buy a power auger.

[fish-kabob]

Mainly because I'm dead set on not having an auger I dread using anymore. I'm 26 and in pretty darn good shape. I can bail 400+ bails of hay alone on a wagon and 4 holes kicks my butt. New blades. I wish I could use an 8 Nills. I was planning on a 6" to help make it that much easier. I want like half the effort or I'll just buy a power auger.

the 5 inch laser is a quarter the effort of the 8 inch lazer the 6 inch nills i think is even easier then the 6 inch laser to use . the 8 inch nils is not quite as hard as my five in laser auger to use.

 the problem i am having is finding blade sharpening  for the auger  with out shipping it for the 8 inch nils. that is nils only down fall.. mite want to consider extra blades if you buy one so you have a spare till you can send it in to be sharpened....   

  i was thinking of buying two new blades for the nils after i try the polar fire auger out this year  i just bought. i cut the ice breaking bars off it and it has the same offset handle the nils has.  so basically it is a fin bore 3 auger in a 8 inch model.  i dont want to send 99.99 x 3 to some to have it sharpened and have to shipped them back and forth..i hope my polar fire works out for me if not i am back to the nils auger..  i am hoping with out the ice breaking bars it work like the nils.... 

[Tipup Master]

I have a 6 and 8 inch Nils.  While the 8 does take more power, it still is easy to cut 2-3 holes in a row without getting winded.  The 8 is much easier then my old 7 inch Mora.