RIDGID OCTANE 1300 IN/LB HAMMER DRILL. OVERLOAD PROTECTION TEST

[Captain Happy]

I just got a Milwaukee drill, the side handle do you put it on the right side or the left for auger drilling?

[lefty2053]

I just got a Milwaukee drill, the side handle do you put it on the right side or the left for auger drilling?

I have mine straight out the opposite side.   ---0---

[NateD]

I just got a Milwaukee drill, the side handle do you put it on the right side or the left for auger drilling?

Depends which hand you hold the drill with.

[CO_Dinky]

sounds like you have a grip on it. looking forward to your trial runs and the clutch on the octane with it.

john, you'll be glad you did!

Woke up sick last night, so did not get out fishing today.  So much for plans.   Hopefully in the next few days...

[John_BZ]

so you are able to stop the chuck's rotation while in drill mode? sounds defective.

I'd agree. The entire point of drill mode is to disable the clutch. Functionally the only difference between drill and drive mode is the clutch.

[NateD]

then do what frank said to do if you use strikemaster or buy a nils and hold the drill next to your body.

Do strikemaster augers spin the opposite direction?  The side handles work perfectly fine not sure why anyone wouldn't use them.

[dave_e]

On homedepot.com those links only take me to the 9.0ah battery kit for $169 alone.  How do I get the free drill?

[kayl]

On homedepot.com those links only take me to the 9.0ah battery kit for $169 alone.  How do I get the free drill?

Add the battery kit and this drill to your cart:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-18-Volt-OCTANE-Cordless-Brushless-1-2-in-Hammer-Drill-Driver-Tool-Only-R8611506B/304304102

[FishGut]

I ordered mine new year's eve. It only took two real days for the battery pack to get here, and my drill arrives tomorrow. That's quick!

Too bad around here we're down to less than 3 inches of wet ice, and a 10 day forecast where it'll be 40-50 during the day and barely below freezing at night.

I guess I'm gonna have to buy some masonry bits and eye bolts to make decorative fieldstone kayak anchors while I wait

[river_scum]

got mine this morning. all charged up and no where to go. lol

[dave_e]

Add the battery kit and this drill to your cart:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-18-Volt-OCTANE-Cordless-Brushless-1-2-in-Hammer-Drill-Driver-Tool-Only-R8611506B/304304102

Thanks kayl.

Also thanks to 3300 for the original deal announcement.

[luv2fish2]

So i gotta ask someone with a rigid do the batteries perform the same in the cold or do u have to keep them warm when not in use  ( got mine yesterday)

[DR.SPECKLER]

So i gotta ask someone with a rigid do the batteries perform the same in the cold or do u have to keep them warm when not in use  ( got mine yesterday)

I left mine in the cold to test it.it lost 1 bar pretty quick but stayed at 3 bars after 35  8"holes in 6" of ice.

[PIKE FISHERMAN]

So i gotta ask someone with a rigid do the batteries perform the same in the cold or do u have to keep them warm when not in use  ( got mine yesterday)

I haven't babied my battery once. I charged it fully before the first time I put it on the ice. Havent taken it off the drill since. Ive had it on the ice several times. 2 days were around 10D, little colder with the wind chill. A couple other days around 20D with a wind chill factor. I'm well over 100 hole and still have 1/4 battery. I'm testing it till it dies, then I'll recharge it.

[slipperybob]

So I got the 9AH battery, charged up.  Went to do drilling today.  I have the 8" Strike lite auger.

Ice was between 10-12 inches.   Drilled about 3 dozen holes.  Battery bar checked and it was 50% or two bars.

I'm very surprised at how well the drill worked.  Not once did the Strike lite auger hang up on bottom of ice.  Of course I drill easy and was several times I thought I lost my auger down the hole.  The light set up is amazing.  I think I might not need to bring out the hand auger for early ice anymore.

With hand auger, I wouldn't be doing any more than a dozen holes for the day.

[3300]

they make a 5 volt usb charger if anyone wanted to have one that slips onto the battery. they are 20$.

thanks for saying thanks dave_e! chilly willy told us when they were in stock. so kudos to him too.
we have been watching and waiting for these to get to the states. they have a different name for the rest of the world and knew we would have them soon enough.

thanks for the update slipperybob! did it used to hang up drilling by hand with same auger?

So i gotta ask someone with a rigid do the batteries perform the same in the cold or do u have to keep them warm when not in use  ( got mine yesterday)

you could throw yours in the freezer and see what happens.
i leave all of my power tools and batteries in the garage unheated. i bring in a battery to let it warm up before charging it in the winter, if it needs a charge. the charger will know if it's too cold or too hot and not let it take a charge until it is with in specs to take a charge.
i always charge after going ice fishing.

keeping lithium batteries at max charge stress out the cells. best to keep them at 70/72% or 3 bars until your ready to use them, then either top charge or use them as is. this is why they don't arrive fully charged to your door.

my dji mavic pro drone smart batteries self discharge to 72% after 10 days and that time is adjustable on how long you want to keep them stressing.

you can use your charger unplugged to discharge it.

[CO_Dinky]

Woke up sick last night, so did not get out fishing today.  So much for plans.   Hopefully in the next few days...

Finally got out on the ice this afternoon/evening!  I am seriously impressed by this setup! 

I'm running a 7" Lazer on an adjustable homemade auger adapter (which also had its maiden voyage and performed quite well if I do say so myself ).  7" of clear, solid ice, and it cut through in under 3 seconds! 



I cut about 20 holes for me and my buddies, and it is still showing 4 bars on the battery.  I did not experience any hang up at the bottom of the hole.  I generally pressed down a little bit to keep it steady, but even when backing off and lifting up on the drill head when close to breaking through, I did not have any issues.  Pretty d@mn impressed!!! 



(Apologies for the vertical video.  )

[3300]

nice, threw ice 3 feet out at least! looks like your extension works well too.

[CO_Dinky]

nice, threw ice 3 feet out at least! looks like your extension works well too.

Yeah, it's a friggin' beast!    Can easily flood the ice with a LOT of water quickly if you continue to run it after breakthrough.  Tempted to get an 8" head now. 

The 3/8" gas pipe extension was flawless.  I'll detail the build later, but suffice to say I'm quite pleased with the $9 I spent and the ~90 minutes it took me to make.  I still want to spray paint it with some good high temp grill enamel to help prevent rust for the long term, but that isn't a huge rush.

[slipperybob]

thanks for the update slipperybob! did it used to hang up drilling by hand with same auger?

I'm not using my hand auger.  Now that I think about it, I should've bought the drill adapter for that one too.

It's a powerhead auger from the Strikelite.  Even with my Strike Lite Robin Engine, brand new when I bought the auger, It hanged up quite often as I'm punching through.  It was, sort of aggressive.  If paying attention, a little lifting to ease up on the punch through worked out better.

I was kind of worry about auger walk during the drill process too, since I always remember the wobble.  Testing the empty drill at home with the ice auger, there was some slight wobble.  As the connection has some space to prevent the adapter from plugging up, so there's always some movement.

I am very surprised at how smooth and straight this set up worked out on actual ice.  Not once did I had to worry of auger bite or bind during the drill process.  The sides of my ice holes were very smooth.  Smoother than I had ever seen, but maybe it was just the ice.  It was 40F air temps today.  I will see how -10F temps will do one of these days.  Best of all is weight reduction.  That composite strike lite auger...wow.  Strikemaster needs to rebuild that composite auger.

I think I should've added more pipe insulation to the shaft, cuz grabbing it by the insulation with bare hands...wow...such difference without touching cold steel.  I also lost the glue part of the fighting.  I got too complacent drilling and it fell off into the ice hole.

I will say that while drilling and moving the unit, the auxilary handle may loosen up.  So I am almost always double checking it.  I also really like setting the handle 180 degrees on opposing the drill handle ---0--- method.  Way better than the standard left/right at 90 degree set up.

[river_scum]

Anyone else have where the handle connects to the drill strip off? Those little metal tabs are gone off my drill after a few uses where the auger caught and twisted the handle causing them to strip off.  Pretty poor design if you ask me, needs more to grab onto.

are you sure you didn't tighten it too much?  after playing with mine, I can see where that could come into play.  it feels like I could just keep cranking it down and completely break off those ears on the drill!!!!!!  anyone else feel that this is a weak spot?

[Iceicemike]

Haven't drilled yet. Hooked mine to 8 inch lazer. When stops abruptly from the drill makes loud clang. Which is vibration from auger? Hopefully won't do that under load. Anyone have that spinning and stopping on air? Nothing loose either

[3300]

has electric brakes. need to let off the trigger slower. it's just doing what your telling it to do.

[3300]

slipperybob, thanks for the update! so you like the aux handle that way, does it feel off balance much? that's what i was saying to the guy that broke his ear off to try.

[Iceicemike]

Tried letting off very very touchy! Maybe it will wear in a little after use

[PIKE FISHERMAN]

Finally got out on the ice this afternoon/evening!  I am seriously impressed by this setup! 

I'm running a 7" Lazer on an adjustable homemade auger adapter (which also had its maiden voyage and performed quite well if I do say so myself ).  7" of clear, solid ice, and it cut through in under 3 seconds! 

Awesome. Glad you like the set up. Your definitely ripped as well!

[PIKE FISHERMAN]

Finally ran the battery down. Heres my cutting totals!!

First day: +\- 50 holes in 7-8” of ice.
Second day: +\- 30 holes through 10” of ice.
Third day: +\-30 holes in 12” of ice.
Fourth Day. +/- 20 holes in 12" of ice.
Fifth Day: 6 holes in 14" of ice.

All ice was hard, solid ice. The last 3 times I used this set up was below freezing.

The battery still had a little juice today, but was cutting out every second or two. Id say thats pretty good.

Have to say I chuckle every time I see/hear someone cranking on an old jiffy/eskimo.

[kayl]

Tried letting off very very touchy! Maybe it will wear in a little after use

It might have a defective brake. I had one like that and exchanged it out for another one that is much better.

[3300]

still waiting for someone to try the clutch out.

[Iceicemike]

It was way better drilling! Tried first time today zipped right thru. Using clam plate. Is little wobble with it but no issues.
The clutch? Heck I didn't know it was a stick shift 😬