IceShanty.com's Ice Fishing Community
Ice Fishing Tips -Check your local regulations! => Equipment => Ice Augers => Topic started by: saskfishy on Dec 23, 2011, 12:36 PM
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I have seen many jiffy and Eskimo ice augers on the ice. But i have never EVER seen a Husqvarna ice auger. I like Husqvarna because they make good products but i was wondering if anybody has one. Are they any good? can they compair to jiffy or Eskimo? I was also wondering what the price tag on them? If it is a good auger and lasts a long time i think i would get one because i would rather have something that lasts a long time then having something that is only good for 2 or 3 years.
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All three brand you named are good units, I personally have an Eskimo and love it but my advice is to look at the weight of the unit. My Eskimo Barracudo is a beast but weighs a whopping 40 lbs. That my friend gets heavy after a while, yeh it's fast but who cares if it takes an extra minute to dig that hole! :tipup:
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But i have heard problems with both jiffy and eskimo. but i haven't heard anyhting about Husqvarna. i just want something that will last a long time and will not give me problems. and it says that Husqavarna head is around 12lbs and the bit is about 18. so light and really good.
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http://www.husqvarna.com/ca/en/landowner/products/ice-augers/husqvarna-ice-augers-for-landowners
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I'm sure husky makes a good auger, I've got one of their saws and have no complaint. I'm sure it's like most other small engines, do regular maintenance, take care of it and it will take care of you. If I'm not mistaken the price on their augers is north of $700 and they've been making them for years to dig for fence post, stihl also.
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I have one thats going on ten years, and has cut literally thousands of holes and still works like the day I bought it! A little video i did last year
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=416xBQ9J_pI (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=416xBQ9J_pI)
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I think i made up my mind. I will get a Husky if they have them up here in Saskatchewan. That's for nexts years spending money. first comes the camper that me and my buddy are building. The price is quite expensive but when you think about it, it's well worth it. The thing i like most aobut them is that they have a safty switch and they are nice and light. They seem to be ablr to keep up for a long time too :)
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I have one thats going on ten years, and has cut literally thousands of holes and still works like the day I bought it! A little video i did last year
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=416xBQ9J_pI (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=416xBQ9J_pI)
That's a nice unit right there, looks light and manageable compare to my 40+ lb jiffy. I've never seen these in the states... I wonder if we can even get them down here.
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1.2 HP? A little on the weak side, especially if you are drilling through 4 feet of ice, I have a eskimo barracuda its a 3hp beast, just fired her up yeasterday, couple of pulls and she started, its a tank but I dont carry it by hand anywhere.
If I where buying it bould be the big eskimo 71cc beast, I need power for Lake Winnipeg
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1.2 HP? A little on the weak side, especially if you are drilling through 4 feet of ice, I have a eskimo barracuda its a 3hp beast, just fired her up yeasterday, couple of pulls and she started, its a tank but I dont carry it by hand anywhere.
If I where buying it bould be the big eskimo 71cc beast, I need power for Lake Winnipeg
Should you ever be fortunate enough to see one in action or actually drill a few holes with a Husky you would be converted!Killer auger but sadly it's a little overpriced for my budget otherwise i'd dump old faithful(JIFFY) in favor of the Husky
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Should you ever be fortunate enough to see one in action or actually drill a few holes with a Husky you would be converted!Killer auger but sadly it's a little overpriced for my budget otherwise i'd dump old faithful(JIFFY) in favor of the Husky
I would love to see one in action with the larger auger on lake Winnipeg in march, Its just hard to believe that a 24cc 1.2 hp auger has enough power, the smallest Eskimo is a 33cc with the same gear ratio as the husqvarna, I have not seen or used one, so I'm only going by the specs.
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I saw some Husqvarna augers in Manitoba a couple years ago and they were $900. Too much for this kid. :o
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Get a Nils Master. Quiet, Lite, Fast, Cheaper
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Maybe I should add that in the video I was spinning a 10inch bit and the whole thing including the bit weighs in at less than 22lbs! I also have an extension for it and have cut through 3-4ft of ice many times and no problems what so ever! I didn't even have to pull out to clear shavings or anything cuts right through on the first go! ;D Ive never seen a nils in person but I know they can't spin a 10inch bit and anything else out there that can spin one will easily weight double... ;)
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Wish we could get these in the States!
For those doubting the HP being sufficient look at the gear ratio and also look at the gearcase size/design. Looks to be a highly efficient planetary design as I recall. You can have all the HP rating you want, but if it's not geared to run at peak HP rpm it's not going to be fast or powerful. Most of the Tecumseh powerheads while rated at 2HP seldom get any RPM due to gearing and jetting limitations. In other words the HP is rated at 5-6000 RPM and they run at barely 3500 in the cut. As I recall, the Husky is rated to run 9,000 RPM so it is not labored to cut.
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Huskys actually have engineering put them unlike some other ice augers. If you took an Eskimo and a Husky i grantee you that the Husky would do better. I also would look at the weight, an Eskimo barracuda would weight about 35lbs, compaired to 22lbs...... there is a very large difference. It would also out last an Eskimo or Jiffy 10 to 1...... I went boxing day shopping and i bought one ;) Then i took it out on the ice yesterday, AMAZING!!!!!! I have never seen an ice auger drill a 10inch hole so fast through 19inches of ice :o
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I'm still torn between the Tanaka and the Husqvarna. Looks like I can get the Tanaka for much less and easier in the states, but what concerns me is the 24:1 ratio. I'm thinking that I need a 10" laser drill (prefer 9") and with a 59:1 ratio Husqvarna seems like a better choice versus 24:1 for the Nils/Tanaka. I have contacts north of the border who could likely obtain a Husqvarna for me, I just need to find a good vendor with a good price near Red Deer.
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Huskys actually have engineering put them unlike some other ice augers. If you took an Eskimo and a Husky i grantee you that the Husky would do better. I also would look at the weight, an Eskimo barracuda would weight about 35lbs, compaired to 22lbs...... there is a very large difference. It would also out last an Eskimo or Jiffy 10 to 1...... I went boxing day shopping and i bought one ;) Then i took it out on the ice yesterday, AMAZING!!!!!! I have never seen an ice auger drill a 10inch hole so fast through 19inches of ice :o
Hey Saskfishy, ive been looking into husky ice augers for some time now and just cant find very much info on them. Ive come to the conclusion that my next auger will either be a husky or a tanaka with a 10" flighting on it. How fast would say you say the husky is compared to a big jiffy? How hard is it to cut with?(do you have to push on it or does the auger do the work) Does it have ripper or shaver style blades on it? How do you like the handle setup on it? Lastly what did you pay here in SK for one?(feel free to PM me if youd like).
I would really appreciate some answers from another SK guy. I dont want to spend 1000$ on an ice auger that is going to struggle once we get 36"+ inches of ice.
Cheers!
Layne
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my dads got one and he loves it and its really nice its the same motor as our weed wacker and leafblower, its runs good and cuts good we have had it for two years now and havent sharpened the blades yet, the only problem we have had is the rubber on the handles rotted off and we had to get some grip tape for tenis rackets and re wrap them, and i just got a new ESKIMO stingray s33 for xmas havent got a chance to drill a hole yet : (
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Hey Layne. It will do twice the holes a jiffy will (me and my dad were on the ice this weekend and he has a jiffy model 30 and we had a race, i did 4 and he was still on his 2nd). It is INSANE easy to cut with!!!!! all you have to do is put a little downforce on it and then it will do all the work for you..... I was compairing my dads to mine and i pretty much had to put all my whole body into it, with my husky it's like night and day :) I also really like the handle setup on it, what i like most is the safety trigger so the throttle won't get stuck open and spin out of control. I kinda got a deal on it.... my neighbor works at the husky dealership and he owed me a few (i replaced the whole engine in his loader) so he got me the employee discount so that took a good 400 off. But it would work out to about $1100 with taxes if i didn't get the discount (that is with the 10inch flighting) best 700 dollars i have ever spent. But i think I'm going to need to get an extention for it because you will be right up to the gear case if you have to drill 36inches of ice..... but the wife might get mad if i spend anymore money ::) No ice auger will ever EVER compair to a husky ;D
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1100 dollars is crazy, my cousin priced out a the 10 "Eskimo with the 71cc motor for 425 plus taxes yesterday. My augers always in the sleigh or truck so weight doesn't matter. Wouldn't the 59:1 ratio make it a slow driller? Sorry just trying to understand why this thing is so expensive, and if it is the same motor as the weed whacker and leaf blower is that not the same motor sold in the big box stores, and possible made in china? Just asking, not sure, because if it is you paid about 800 dollars too much.
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OK found some info, looks like only the higher end chainsaws are manufactured in Sweden, everything else made in the USA just like Tecumseh.
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1100 dollars is crazy, my cousin priced out a the 10 "Eskimo with the 71cc motor for 425 plus taxes yesterday. My augers always in the sleigh or truck so weight doesn't matter. Wouldn't the 59:1 ratio make it a slow driller? Sorry just trying to understand why this thing is so expensive, and if it is the same motor as the weed whacker and leaf blower is that not the same motor sold in the big box stores, and possible made in china? Just asking, not sure, because if it is you paid about 800 dollars too much.
I dont really think you can compare an eskimo to a husky or a tanaka. While I do think the eskimo z71 is the best bang for your buck 10" out there I just dont think they will hold up like the tanaka or husky will. Most of my friends have bought eskimos over the last 5 years and while they all ran good for the first year or so it didnt take very long before they started having problems, not to mention all the plastic on the them. Last trip out my friends m43 fell out of the sled and smashed to peices. The auger im retiring has given me 15 good years(tecumseh jiffy) and I expect the same from my next purchase so Im willing to spend a bit more money on it.
Saskfishy, thank you very much for your input. I was really leaning towards the tanaka but you've got me re-thinking that now, I just want to get the best for my money and I like the fact that you can use the husky as a post hole auger with a different bit on it. Take some videos of your auger in action if you get a chance! Does the husky use ripper style blades like the jiffy? Or shaver styled blades like the eskimos? How is it at reopening old holes?
Cheers
Layne
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I dont really think you can compare an eskimo to a husky or a tanaka. While I do think the eskimo z71 is the best bang for your buck 10" out there I just dont think they will hold up like the tanaka or husky will. Most of my friends have bought eskimos over the last 5 years and while they all ran good for the first year or so it didnt take very long before they started having problems, not to mention all the plastic on the them. Last trip out my friends m43 fell out of the sled and smashed to peices. The auger im retiring has given me 15 good years(tecumseh jiffy) and I expect the same from my next purchase so Im willing to spend a bit more money on it.
Saskfishy, thank you very much for your input. I was really leaning towards the tanaka but you've got me re-thinking that now, I just want to get the best for my money and I like the fact that you can use the husky as a post hole auger with a different bit on it. Take some videos of your auger in action if you get a chance! Does the husky use ripper style blades like the jiffy? Or shaver styled blades like the eskimos? How is it at reopening old holes?
Cheers
Layne
I'm not sure how they would compare either? I would like to see how it compares to my Eskimo 3hp barracuda Tecumseh out on lake Winnipeg in march with 4 feet of ice, I have not seen the 71cc Eskimo in action either, I need a tough auger as like my barracuda the bounce around in the back of the sleigh, it looks like it 15 years old when its only 5 years old. I still can't get my head around how these small displacement augers are any good for thick ice
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I'm not sure how they would compare either? I would like to see how it compares to my Eskimo 3hp barracuda Tecumseh out on lake Winnipeg in march with 4 feet of ice, I have not seen the 71cc Eskimo in action either, I need a tough auger as like my barracuda the bounce around in the back of the sleigh, it looks like it 15 years old when its only 5 years old. I still can't get my head around how these small displacement augers are any good for thick ice
I should have specified new eskimos, not eskimos in general. I was really leaning towards the Z71 but theres just too much plastic on the darn thing, sadly the new strikemasters are no better at all.
As far as thick ice goes, I would say its a safe bet that we get about as much ice as you guys do here in Saskatchewan so I need something that can muscle through that late march ice as well. My old 2hp Jiffy with an 8" will drill circles around my uncles new 10" 3hp jiffy stealth, blades/gearing/operator are all things to factor in besides just power. If these small displacement augers are capable of drilling through soil im sure ice would be no challenge at all.
So all this being said I went and looked at a new Husqvarna 326AI25 yesterday, very nice machine. Even after sitting on the shelf since september it started up first pull.. on its side! I really like the ergonomics of the handle setup, feels really nice to hold. The powerhead is super lightweight, roughly 12 pounds and the flighting doesent weigh much more.
They have normark twin ripper blade flightings on them, very impressive looking. I believe the way the blades are configured that it would drill very easily compared to your standard jiffy but I havent had a chance to get one out on the ice yet, not sure if your local tool sharpener would be able to resharpen them or not as they are not flat. I was told new blades are roughly 60$ for the 10" model.
Ive been doing alot of research the last couple nights and I think im ready to pull the trigger on a new husky. Found a good deal on a brand new auger with brand new 8" and 10" flightings and its calling my name. Already have a buyer lined up for the old jiffy if the new auger is everything I think it will be... What to do, what to do.
:-\
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See i have about 150 cattle and i hate pushing in the cornor posts with my small little Kabota.... so this husky will get the job done 10 times faster. That also was a must, but the jiffys and eskimos have plastic or white metal gears so if you hit a rock or a root when your drilling in the ground you will screw the gears right over. Iv seen that done many times..... and that happend to my brother-inlaw. The blades though might be expensive but i know they will last at least five years and you won't have to buy another peice of plasctic every 5 years.... Huskys will last and last. The heads on huskys are built in sweden and they know how to build engines!!! If you take care of it, it'll last your whole life!!!!
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Well I bought the husky today, got a sick deal on it so im pretty pumped. Got the 8" normark flighting and the 10" is on the way which will be nice for pike, lakers and shallow water perch.
Really nice unit, I'll post pictures/video/review after this weekend.
:tipup:
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I spotted one of the older style models on sale for $629 yesterday here in ottawa if anyone is looking for a deal!
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jiggy,
Have you seen any decent deals on the newer units? I have a contact near Ottawa who could secure one for me, but I'm thinking if I am going to go through the hassle I should get the latest and greatest. One thing that he has found is that "most Hardware stores can get these as special order and price is dictated by mfr"
Could you remind me again what changes were made between this one and the current units please?
What size cutter is with this sale unit?
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jiggy,
Have you seen any decent deals on the newer units? I have a contact near Ottawa who could secure one for me, but I'm thinking if I am going to go through the hassle I should get the latest and greatest. One thing that he has found is that "most Hardware stores can get these as special order and price is dictated by mfr"
Could you remind me again what changes were made between this one and the current units please?
What size cutter is with this sale unit?
Hey there Hesperus, got your PM. The reason I got such a good deal is because the place I got mine from is an artic cat/rv/boat dealer and they wanted to get out of the husky stuff as they just had too much stuff on the go. They had one auger left on the shelves and sold it to me at a great price.
Really liking my husky so far, im so used to my hard starting jiffy that I keep over priming it/flooding it. Usually just closing the choke and a quick pull is enough to get it started, only need to prime it if it hasent been running that day.
I was really worried about the low horsepower of the unit but let me tell you this thing will rip your arms off if you arent holding on tight, it has LOADS of torque and would spin the 10" flighting no problem. It rips fast with my 8" and you dont even have to put any weight on it, simply hold it straight up and let it suck itself down. At half the weight of my jiffy and not having to fight it on every hole makes drilling a breeze, especially on thoses 50+ hole days.
:tipup:
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jiggy,
Have you seen any decent deals on the newer units? I have a contact near Ottawa who could secure one for me, but I'm thinking if I am going to go through the hassle I should get the latest and greatest. One thing that he has found is that "most Hardware stores can get these as special order and price is dictated by mfr"
Could you remind me again what changes were made between this one and the current units please?
What size cutter is with this sale unit?
I just checked lebarons and the new ones are going for $813.94 for the 8inch and $845.94 for the 10inch! I don't remember what size bit that was on the older one that was on sale. The one on sale is the same as mine in the video I posted with the wrap around handle! The new ones have a funny handle bar style handle. The powerhead is a little differant but I think its just the plastic and other than that the bit and gear case are the same!http://www.lebaron.ca/pdf_files_fall11/normark_icedrill.pdf (http://www.lebaron.ca/pdf_files_fall11/normark_icedrill.pdf)
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I just checked lebarons and the new ones are going for $813.94 for the 8inch and $845.94 for the 10inch! I don't remember what size bit that was on the older one that was on sale. The one on sale is the same as mine in the video I posted with the wrap around handle! The new ones have a funny handle bar style handle. The powerhead is a little differant but I think its just the plastic and other than that the bit and gear case are the same!http://www.lebaron.ca/pdf_files_fall11/normark_icedrill.pdf (http://www.lebaron.ca/pdf_files_fall11/normark_icedrill.pdf)
Still alot of money for a 24.5cc low power unit, I will be keeping my 85cc 3hp barracuda that will spin the lake around of need be, sorry but I watched a video of the husqvarna on youtube and I am not impressed at the speed, think I could hand drill faster. LOL, that said I'm sure these unit will last 2 lifetimes and they are quality units, but there is no replacement for displacement.
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I just checked lebarons and the new ones are going for $813.94 for the 8inch and $845.94 for the 10inch! I don't remember what size bit that was on the older one that was on sale. The one on sale is the same as mine in the video I posted with the wrap around handle! The new ones have a funny handle bar style handle. The powerhead is a little differant but I think its just the plastic and other than that the bit and gear case are the same!http://www.lebaron.ca/pdf_files_fall11/normark_icedrill.pdf (http://www.lebaron.ca/pdf_files_fall11/normark_icedrill.pdf)
Having seen both do you have a preference?
Is your fuel cap green like the new ones? Do they call teh engine E tech? The new ones are said to have a catalyst muffler. Probably not much of a big deal for ice drilling, but in the chainsaw world they are pretty much hated.
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Still alot of money for a 24.5cc low power unit, I will be keeping my 85cc 3hp barracuda that will spin the lake around of need be, sorry but I watched a video of the husqvarna on youtube and I am not impressed at the speed, think I could hand drill faster. LOL, that said I'm sure these unit will last 2 lifetimes and they are quality units, but there is no replacement for displacement.
Its a bit small for a 10" flighting I agree but I think speedwise it would be much closer than you would think not to mention its only 1/4 of the effort. You might save 3 seconds a hole but the husky will likely have 5+ holes drilled before you get yours started anyways if its anything like my buddies eskimos.
With an 8" flighting it drills just a hair faster than my jiffy does which is fine by me, im not out there to race augers im out there to fish. Reliability and ease of drilling is what sets theses apart from the older/bigger augers.
Not gonna lie though, I wouldnt sell an 85cc auger if I had one either. They will likely never make another unit that big, and I love the simplicity of the old machines. I doubt I will ever sell my jiffy, its been too good to me.
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Still alot of money for a 24.5cc low power unit, I will be keeping my 85cc 3hp barracuda that will spin the lake around of need be, sorry but I watched a video of the husqvarna on youtube and I am not impressed at the speed, think I could hand drill faster. LOL, that said I'm sure these unit will last 2 lifetimes and they are quality units, but there is no replacement for displacement.
Its all about the gearing! Just to compare Ive seen little Suzuki samurai's turning 36+ inch tires that full sized v8 powered trucks couldn't turn! If it's geared properly it will spin them all day long!
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Having seen both do you have a preference?
Is your fuel cap green like the new ones? Do they call teh engine E tech? The new ones are said to have a catalyst muffler. Probably not much of a big deal for ice drilling, but in the chainsaw world they are pretty much hated.
Better act fast, only 1x 8" auger left @ $629. There were two this aft but one followed me home... ;)
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You will be happy with your purchase Bud. Let me know if you want a little extra hp and I can show you a couple of mods you can do! All you need now is an ATV!
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You will be happy with your purchase Bud. Let me know if you want a little extra hp and I can show you a couple of mods you can do! All you need now is an ATV!
I'd assume the carb has adjustable needles (cap limited) for both Low and High speed?
If you don't have one already I might suggest an inductive tach for setting up the carb.
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Yes it has adjustable needles. I'll look into the inductive tach! Thanks ;D
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Check out Arborist site under chainsaws for lots of great tuning and modification info. Muffler mods are about the first thing to do. I don't mess with the intakes much, just clean up some of the burrs/flashing. I'd be quite certain that this is a clamshell engine so no base gasket to remove and increase compression. Good info there about tuniung carbs though.
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Better act fast, only 1x 8" auger left @ $629. There were two this aft but one followed me home... ;)
I have my contact from Ottawa checking to see what they have left. So i assume that all they have left is the old style handles?
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I have my contact from Ottawa checking to see what they have left. So i assume that all they have left is the old style handles?
They seem to have had a few of the new style in both 8" and 10" @ ~$820 (a little more for the 10") but only 1x of the older style @ $629.
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Sounds good thanks!
What is your opinion/preference between the two handle styles? If the cost difference was less (say $50-100) would you opt for the newer one?
Lebaron seems to be a low tech/disorganized company. Store told me to call mail order. Mail order said email Customer Service. Customer Service said they were sold out for season. Then when I said that I heard Ottawa had some they said:
Good Day
Sorry I don’t know what Ottawa has, best to contact them for product availability, code and price.
Ottawa tel 1-613-596-4415
Thank you for thinking Le Baron
I hate to be critical, but in this day and age a little bit of inventory control will go a long way towards profitability.
My hope was to mail order one to the States and avoid the harmonized tax, but it looks like I'll have to send my guy in to purchase then forward...
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Sounds good thanks!
What is your opinion/preference between the two handle styles? If the cost difference was less (say $50-100) would you opt for the newer one?
Lebaron seems to be a low tech/disorganized company. Store told me to call mail order. Mail order said email Customer Service. Customer Service said they were sold out for season. Then when I said that I heard Ottawa had some they said:
Good Day
Sorry I don’t know what Ottawa has, best to contact them for product availability, code and price.
Ottawa tel 1-613-596-4415
Thank you for thinking Le Baron
I hate to be critical, but in this day and age a little bit of inventory control will go a long way towards profitability.
My hope was to mail order one to the States and avoid the harmonized tax, but it looks like I'll have to send my guy in to purchase then forward...
I personally prefer the older style handle. The new style just looks ackward. The nice thing about the "old style"they have is that the Lazer drill assembly was produced by Mora of Sweden. Apparently strikemaster has since shifted production to china . Eorth keeping that in mind.
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I have one thats going on ten years, and has cut literally thousands of holes and still works like the day I bought it! A little video i did last year
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=416xBQ9J_pI (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=416xBQ9J_pI)
Hey just bought a 8 inch 225AI25 and am curious what mods you did to get the HP gains?
Thanks,
Mike
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The main thing alot of people do is to remove the spark arrester screen, although it may be differrant on the newer ones! Next on mine is I enlarged the exhaust exit a little with a small file! On the intake side there is large gray cap, and under the cap are two holes where the air comes in. I simply added a third hole making sure its completely covered by the cap. I then added a small washer behind the cap so it sits a little farther away from the housing! I have a friend who also has similar mods to his auger and no problems so far!
Cheers
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On the handle thing I wondered about the new looking "goofy" but then I thought about the ergonomics of the "common" design handles. The angled design really does make sense. Just put your hands out like you were riding a bicycle with the old style flat pullback bars. Simulate the range of motion starting a hole and you'll see what I mean. Flat is really only comfortable when the wrists are below the shoulders. Husqvarna also angles the top hoop on their saw handles and if you think about it that makes sense as well.
On the muffler mod: The latest units come with a green fuel cap and catalyst muffler. This muffler is pretty restrictive. There may well be an old style muffler w/o cat which would be the simplest solution. The alternative is to gut the internal baffling. On my Husqvarna saws I leve the spark screen in place for safety, but enlarge the exit hole substantially. With the nature of an ice dril a spark arrestor is not necessary with the exception i supose if you were drilling inside a shack lined with straw or shredded newspaper. On the intake I have not seen this yet to know what it all entails. I have 3 Husqvarna saws and all have muffler mods as well as a bit of intake elbow cleanup. All but my newest one is "woods ported" by myself and also runs w/o a cylinder base gasket. They really rip.
For more on the concept of a muffler mod check out the Arborist Site and look at variuous muffler mod posts. Lots of pics and while I'm sure it is quite different, the concept is the same.
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Ive got the new model and I really like the handles, Ive still got some tweaking to do with the carb but I was super impressed with how the husky cut this weekend. Starts in 1 or 2 pulls if you have the choke set correctly and the drilling is almost effortless if you know how to handle it. There is definitely a bit of a technique to drilling with it as I watched all my friends struggle right off the bat, but once you get it figured out its a breeze.
Im going to look into the muffler mods, its got plenty of power but more never hurt. ;D
The way this thing is geared if it was 85 cc's it would rip your arms off.
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Well I bought the husky today, got a sick deal on it so im pretty pumped. Got the 8" normark flighting and the 10" is on the way which will be nice for pike, lakers and shallow water perch.
Really nice unit, I'll post pictures/video/review after this weekend.
:tipup:
Hay could you comment on how much the 10" flighting cost as well as a weight of both the 8 and 10" please?
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Well it looks like I will soon be the owner of a 10" Husqvarna. Considered the 8" and may well ad a 8" drill later if the price is right. I think 9" is a nice compromise but not avail. I'll probably keep my 9" Jiffy for a while.
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I just wanted to add for the "hater" among us here: The HP mods are not necessary by any stretch of the imagination. These mods are done because we CAN and because the engine responds and will live unlike the lesser engines from China even US. As for the plastic, Husqvarna chainsaws have plastic handles that are also the gas tank. Gas tank caps are sealed and do not leak The recoil covers are also plastic. Heck they even have some consumer model saws with composite crankcases and they too hold up well for their intended purposes. This is not your average china plastic. I've seen $1000 and even $1100 thrown around here for prices. I'm not sure how you get there. I might hit $950+ after all the hassle with getting one to the US, but from what I've seen anyone could walk out the door at under $900 for a 10"
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Hey there just curious what blades you guys are using ..... Just bought a used 8 inch and the auger has an issue going through the final bit of ice ( really grabs ).
My thought was that the blades are possibly not right ..... Maybe to steep of an angle? The previous owner replaced the blades with mora blades (napa cross referenced apparently.) The auger cuts like a hot damn otherwise.
Nothing else makes sense to me so I was gonna call and order some right from the dealer.
Thoughts?
Mike
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Hey there just curious what blades you guys are using ..... Just bought a used 8 inch and the auger has an issue going through the final bit of ice ( really grabs ).
My thought was that the blades are possibly not right ..... Maybe to steep of an angle? The previous owner replaced the blades with mora blades (napa cross referenced apparently.) The auger cuts like a hot damn otherwise.
Nothing else makes sense to me so I was gonna call and order some right from the dealer.
Thoughts?
Mike
check the roundbar support on the bottom of the auger, this diagonal support bar broke at the weld on my Strikemaster (same lower drill unit) and it really grabbed in the hole, now it is bent up a bit, and dont drill right anymore,
I have a question, will strikemasters 10 inch laser blades fit on these Husky 10 inch augers?
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check the roundbar support on the bottom of the auger, this diagonal support bar broke at the weld on my Strikemaster (same lower drill unit) and it really grabbed in the hole, now it is bent up a bit, and dont drill right anymore,
I have a question, will strikemasters 10 inch laser blades fit on these Husky 10 inch augers?
Just ran out and checked the round bar..... welds look great and round bar is straight all the flighting appears to be in perfect condition.
Called my local husky dealer and they said that the blades I have are the right ones (husky doesnt make there own). I asked them about the cause of my issue and they asked that I bring it down and they could look over the flighting for me.....I am getting stumped now.
Any other suggestions guys?
Thanks
Mike
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Just ran out and checked the round bar..... welds look great and round bar is straight all the flighting appears to be in perfect condition.
Called my local husky dealer and they said that the blades I have are the right ones (husky doesnt make there own). I asked them about the cause of my issue and they asked that I bring it down and they could look over the flighting for me.....I am getting stumped now.
Any other suggestions guys?
Thanks
Mike
Mike - I had the same issue with mine the first time I took it out, its all in how you use it.
When you get to the bottom of the hole, you actually need to pull up a little bit and not let it suck through as fast. Once it gets to that softer ice at the bottom it wants to try and grab too much at once and it will bind so you just need to pull up and make it slow down as it bites through the last couple inches so it doesent bite too much at once. Once you get the technique down it drills like a dream, im loving mine so far.
Took me about 3 trips with it to get the technique down.
Good luck and enjoy, cheers. :tipup:
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It's kind of like driling a piece of steel and horsing it through. When the bit starts to poke through it can bind.
A single cutter ripper blade like Jiffy uses seems less prone to do this.
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Mike - I had the same issue with mine the first time I took it out, its all in how you use it.
When you get to the bottom of the hole, you actually need to pull up a little bit and not let it suck through as fast. Once it gets to that softer ice at the bottom it wants to try and grab too much at once and it will bind so you just need to pull up and make it slow down as it bites through the last couple inches so it doesent bite too much at once. Once you get the technique down it drills like a dream, im loving mine so far.
Took me about 3 trips with it to get the technique down.
Good luck and enjoy, cheers. :tipup:
Ill have to give that a whirl. I was "feathering" as much as possible. I actually bent the mounting bar on the bottom of the head unit where the hadle mounts attach.
I will have to have a shop double check it over before I hit the ice again.....just watching some videos it doesnt apprear any others have issue like I do........ its a real PITA!!
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Ill have to give that a whirl. I was "feathering" as much as possible. I actually bent the mounting bar on the bottom of the head unit where the hadle mounts attach.I will have to have a shop double check it over before I hit the ice again.....just watching some videos it doesnt apprear any others have issue like I do........ its a real PITA!!
Yikes! You mean the TQ from when it snagged bent it? Is yours the full loop handle or individuals?
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I just ordered one of these units in the 10 inch bit, it comes in 2 days, I hope it lives up to the hype, what oils are you running in these things? and at what ratios?
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Yikes! You mean the TQ from when it snagged bent it? Is yours the full loop handle or individuals?
Yes and full loop
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I just ordered one of these units in the 10 inch bit, it comes in 2 days, I hope it lives up to the hype, what oils are you running in these things? and at what ratios?
They suggest the Husqvarna 2 stroke oil for small engines (I use the same in all my saws)The oil comes in small containers that is perfect for a 5 liter can mixed 50:1
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I just ordered one of these units in the 10 inch bit, it comes in 2 days, I hope it lives up to the hype, what oils are you running in these things? and at what ratios?
Break it in with regular dino oil at the recomended ratio and after you have run a tank of gas through it run Opti2 or Amsoil at 100:1.
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I just ordered one of these units in the 10 inch bit, it comes in 2 days, I hope it lives up to the hype, what oils are you running in these things? and at what ratios?
First tank break in I always mix a bit heavy on the oil. Add a teaspoon or so of extra oil to the tank before filling. I run Klotz super techniplate at 50:1 in all of my 2 strokes including 4 Husqvarna saws and a Lawn Boy mower that calls for 32:1.
Synthetics are fine for break in contrary to popular belief. In fact many engines these days are delivered with synthetic as factory fill.
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Well just got back in from the shop and had them look the flighting and blades over and we compared side by side with a brand new flighting.
Everything looks perfect!!
Like I said the handle mounting bar and brackets were bent so maybe somehow thats throwing it off a bit?
I like the auger in every aspect except this issue so far!!
Total weight including gas is under 22lbs ;D big differnce from my 10 inch Jiffy that weighs 39 lbs.
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Do they make an extension for the normark cutters?
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Total weight including gas is under 22lbs ;D big differnce from my 10 inch Jiffy that weighs 39 lbs.
Funny, In Fisherman Ice says the Strikemaster Strike Lite is lightest.
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Funny, In Fisherman Ice says the Strikemaster Strike Lite is lightest.
What are they listed at?
I weighed my power head with half a tank of gas on a digital scale at 12lbs 8oz's and the flighting with bolts and blades at 8lbs 9oz's for a total weight of 21lbs 1 oz.
Again this is a 225AI25 with an 8 inch flighting.
Mike
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Strikemaster published spec is 23#
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Strikemaster published spec is 23#
Strike lite is a sweet drill but looks like the husky has it beat..... In fisherman pfft! Lol
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Strike lite is a sweet drill but looks like the husky has it beat..... In fisherman pfft! Lol
Yeah, and Strike Lite cant cut a 10 inch hole ;D
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Sorry guys, when I have more time I'll provide all the info and answer any questions I can. For now I'll just say I have a Husky and I'm pleased with it to this point (it's on it's fourth tank). I bought it because all my research on this site suggested that the old brands aren't what they once were and I wanted a reliable auger. Huskys are made by Normark in Sweden and the are unchanged for the last 20 years. More later and I'll reply to any PMs, either individually or in my next post to this thread.
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Hey there just curious what blades you guys are using ..... Just bought a used 8 inch and the auger has an issue going through the final bit of ice ( really grabs ).
My thought was that the blades are possibly not right ..... Maybe to steep of an angle? The previous owner replaced the blades with mora blades (napa cross referenced apparently.) The auger cuts like a hot damn otherwise.
Nothing else makes sense to me so I was gonna call and order some right from the dealer.
Thoughts?
About 7 years ago I bought the smallest eskimo and it did the same thing when the ice was thick, it would bind at the bottom of the hole, this is called lack of power, 1.2 hp is on the weak side, so I sold it and got the 3 hp 85cc eskimo with the techumseh head and its just a beast, never bogs or binds just blasts through. You need to feather it and clean the hole out often with these little augers.
Mike
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Trust me, it has nothing to do with lack of power. Despite what you may believe the 85cc eskimo was far from the king of ice augers, theres a reason it was only made for a very short time(not to mention its days are numbered due to lack of parts). You couldnt hold on to a husky or tanaka if they had 3 horsepower, it would break your arms as the gearing is totally different. I have yet to be impressed by the speed of any eskimo so im willing to bet that 40 pound thing of yours in no faster, you said it yourself its hard starting and only you can start it. I can start mine on its side in 1 pull and will liikely have 5+holes done before yours is started. I would be surprised if it was any faster than my 15 year old jiffy or my husky, but like I said in an earlier post im not there to auger race im there to fish so reliability is key. Huskys and tanakas are in a league of their own and dont require the kind of power jiffys and mo's do to cut efficiently. All my friends bought eskimos because they were cheap, entry-level augers and now most of them are upgrading or wanting to upgrade.. im sure your 40 pound, hard starting auger is the exception though. ::)
Please quit trolliing this thread and get back to the eskimo thread so you can remain convinced you have the best auger out there, ever, period.
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To put this into perspective, a Husqvarna or Tanaka engine is more of a commercial grade product. It's like Comparing a Tecumseh or Briggs to a Honda. Or a Homelite Super 2 saw to a Stihl or Husqvarna of similar displacement. The Tec and Briggs units carried over most of their technology from the '60's.
Don't get me wrong I'm a made in USA kind of guy, but sometimes you have to buy what is best.
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:clap: T minus 55 minutes before I pick up my new Husky Auger :woot: I cant wait :clap:
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Trust me, it has nothing to do with lack of power. Despite what you may believe the 85cc eskimo was far from the king of ice augers, theres a reason it was only made for a very short time(not to mention its days are numbered due to lack of parts). You couldnt hold on to a husky or tanaka if they had 3 horsepower, it would break your arms as the gearing is totally different. I have yet to be impressed by the speed of any eskimo so im willing to bet that 40 pound thing of yours in no faster, you said it yourself its hard starting and only you can start it. I can start mine on its side in 1 pull and will liikely have 5+holes done before yours is started. I would be surprised if it was any faster than my 15 year old jiffy or my husky, but like I said in an earlier post im not there to auger race im there to fish so reliability is key. Huskys and tanakas are in a league of their own and dont require the kind of power jiffys and mo's do to cut efficiently. All my friends bought eskimos because they were cheap, entry-level augers and now most of them are upgrading or wanting to upgrade.. im sure your 40 pound, hard starting auger is the exception though. ::)
Please quit trolliing this thread and get back to the eskimo thread so you can remain convinced you have the best auger out there, ever, period.
No always looking for a better auger, if that does exist, cost not an issue, I have not used the husky so I am only looking at specs, I have had one in my hands in the store and I would be Leary putting this thing in my sleigh like I do with my all steel barracuda with all the plastic on it, but it may be made of the higher quality stronger plastic. Sorry guys I will shut up until I try one. Layne if your ever interested in fishing Lake Winnipeg PM me, I will take you out, bring your husky, make a believer out of me! Cheers
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No always looking for a better auger, if that does exist, cost not an issue, I have not used the husky so I am only looking at specs, I have had one in my hands in the store and I would be Leary putting this thing in my sleigh like I do with my all steel barracuda with all the plastic on it, but it may be made of the higher quality stronger plastic. Sorry guys I will shut up until I try one. Layne if your ever interested in fishing Lake Winnipeg PM me, I will take you out, bring your husky, make a believer out of me! Cheers
If all goes according to plan I hope to make it down there in march and would be happy to let you give it a whirl. I would also be happy to do a side by side comparison on video then we can settle this debate once and for all, haha. I will definitely take you up on your offer if you know where the big girls are hiding, been wanting to fish LW for a looong time.
:tipup:
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:clap: T - 55 minutes before I pick up my new Husky Auger :woot: I cant wait :clap:
Lucky Dog!
I won't have mine until next weekend. Then again I do have one of the better running Jiffy 2hp pro models around so I'm not lacking in drilling capability...
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Lucky Dog!
I won't have mine until next weekend. Then again I do have one of the better running Jiffy 2hp pro models around so I'm not lacking in drilling capability...
I picked up a brand new Strikemaster Magnum yesterday too ( I know I know, its a long story ;) ) and I have an Icegator Attacker II and an eskimo Mako, as a backup, as well as a whole selection of hand augers if I ever get stuck, I think I have an addiction :'( I wont even gas up the Strikemaster this season I dont think, I will save it as a backup
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If all goes according to plan I hope to make it down there in march and would be happy to let you give it a whirl. I would also be happy to do a side by side comparison on video then we can settle this debate once and for all, haha. I will definitely take you up on your offer if you know where the big girls are hiding, been wanting to fish LW for a looong time.
:tipup:
I live 12 miles from the south basin, I fish it at least once a week and have a snowmobile and a atv with tracks, so I get around the lake and have some good spots. I will have to sharpen the blades for the demonstration! LOL
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I have one thats going on ten years, and has cut literally thousands of holes and still works like the day I bought it! A little video i did last year
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=416xBQ9J_pI (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=416xBQ9J_pI)
Did you happen to measure how thick the ice was when you did this video?
It may not seem overly fast at first glance, but I have it at 7-8 seconds which is pretty darn quick and I'd guess that puts it over 2" per second if the ice is as thick as I think it looks.
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I got the new Husky Auger out on the ice tonight to try it out, it works slicker than snot on a roosters lip ;D The auger bit is exactly the same as the 10 inch unit Strikemaster uses, with just 1 exception, it mounts to the powerhead shaft with 2 bolts instead of the 1 bolt that strikemaster uses. These drill units are made by MORA of Sweden. The power head is small, and looks well constructed, it started like a dream, purrs like a kitten, one thing I noticed was its almost like it has a brake like an actual drill, as soon as I get off the throttle it stops spinning almost instantly, it might be just that its totally new and not broken in yet, but my Strikemaster would continue to spin a little when you get off the throttle. no big deal. I like the feel of the handles and it cuts about the same as the strikemaster did, considering its the same auger, I found I had to apply a little bit of down pressure to cut faster, and that may be attributed to the lightweight on this auger. But I'm sure this powerhead will outlast the drill unit. So far so good I'll post pics and vids after this weekend
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Did you happen to measure how thick the ice was when you did this video?
It may not seem overly fast at first glance, but I have it at 7-8 seconds which is pretty darn quick and I'd guess that puts it over 2" per second if the ice is as thick as I think it looks.
I don't remember measuring the thickness but my best guess would be 18-22inches
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I don't remember measuring the thickness but my best guess would be 18-22inches
I'd like to see this auger against the Z71 shark in this vid:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwtlPkUSEj8
I have it at 15-16 seconds and they say just over 24" of ice
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Hard to say what would win but if they were side by side and I had a choice to take one home and bet on it.....it would be the Husky!!
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My buddy had a brand new 10" Z71 out last weekend and im sure the husky had it beat with the 8" flighting, im going to mount the 10" and next time he's out I will try and make a video comparison.
Just a word of caution.. I bought my auger with the flighting all assembled, I assumed everything would be tight but when I was drilling this weekend I had 2 of 4 of the bolts holding my blades on come loose. Of course I lost the two little bolts so now I need to track some down, Im just glad I caught it before I wrecked my blades. Lucky for me I brought the jiffy for my buddies to use or we would have been SOL. Having to use that old thing for half a day made me appreciate my husky that much more, amazing how much easier drilling it is.
Make sure everything is tight and if you are doing the assembly yourself it wouldnt hurt to use a little dab of locktite.
:tipup:
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I think these are mod'ed but damn is this fast!!
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I think these are mod'ed but damn is this fast!!
Piped chainsaw engines. I was thinking it would be cool to run my little 346XP on a drill as it's only about 12# powerhead only and plenty of power, RPM, and responsiveness. I wonder how they did the transmission gearing?
It's obvious theat the one with 2 engines is just too big and clumsy. They both look like they try to pull through faster that a person can keep a grip.
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Thats freaking badass, im going to build me one of thoses.
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I'll have to wait another weekend to try my Husq as ice storms kept it from being shipped in time for this weekend.
On the mod augers if those guys would make a gearbox kit...
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My buddy had a brand new 10" Z71 out last weekend and im sure the husky had it beat with the 8" flighting, im going to mount the 10" and next time he's out I will try and make a video comparison.
Just a word of caution.. I bought my auger with the flighting all assembled, I assumed everything would be tight but when I was drilling this weekend I had 2 of 4 of the bolts holding my blades on come loose. Of course I lost the two little bolts so now I need to track some down, Im just glad I caught it before I wrecked my blades. Lucky for me I brought the jiffy for my buddies to use or we would have been SOL. Having to use that old thing for half a day made me appreciate my husky that much more, amazing how much easier drilling it is.
Make sure everything is tight and if you are doing the assembly yourself it wouldnt hurt to use a little dab of locktite.
:tipup:
If that little husky will keep up with the z71 I will be buying one for next season, I tried a 71 last weekend and it has alot of power, I think more than my 3hp barracuda , but all the cheap plastic parts made in china does not impress me, you guys may make a believer out of my yet.
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Well it's here! I'm showing 13# for powerhead and 11# for the 10" drill with blade cover. And yes the blades are Swedish built.
Crappy part is I might not get out this weekend...
BTW my Jiffy Pro in 9" (lightest of the Jiffy's at the time) comes in at 30.5#
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Enjoy, theres no going back now. Ive run 3 tanks of fuel through mine now, 150-200+ holes for sure and it just gets better every trip out. Easiest drilling auger there is out there, let the drill do all the work.
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I gave mine the initial once over like I do with my saws when new. Husqvarna is very good about using consistent fastener size so a 4mm allen (or the tip of the scrench) takes it all apart. True to Husqvarna fashion the plastic panels are bushed with brass so they can be tightened without crushing, cracking, or loosening. I used a hot blade and snipped the limiting cams off of the carb screws and pulled the muffler to check out the exhaust outlet size. The exhaust exit was at best just under 1/4" so I step drilled it to about 1/2". I put the spark screen back in and left the outlet hood as it was. I left the catalyst junk in the muffler as it isn't much more than just a wad of lathe shaving looking spirals captured in the opening in the partition wall. Nothing to do on the intake side on these. Carb screws were prety much spot on.
This unit has a rev limiting coil so a guy has to watch how you adjust the High speed mix. It will sound as if it is still fat and burbly when on this limiter. It limits somewhere around 11,500 RPM. I doubt there is an unlimited coil for these like we use on our saws. To me it sounds as if I could stand to lean it just a touch, but won't mess with it until I get some break in time on it.
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I gave mine the initial once over like I do with my saws when new. Husqvarna is very good about using consistent fastener size so a 4mm allen (or the tip of the scrench) takes it all apart. True to Husqvarna fashion the plastic panels are bushed with brass so they can be tightened without crushing, cracking, or loosening. I used a hot blade and snipped the limiting cams off of the carb screws and pulled the muffler to check out the exhaust outlet size. The exhaust exit was at best just under 1/4" so I step drilled it to about 1/2". I put the spark screen back in and left the outlet hood as it was. I left the catalyst junk in the muffler as it isn't much more than just a wad of lathe shaving looking spirals captured in the opening in the partition wall. Nothing to do on the intake side on these. Carb screws were prety much spot on.
This unit has a rev limiting coil so a guy has to watch how you adjust the High speed mix. It will sound as if it is still fat and burbly when on this limiter. It limits somewhere around 11,500 RPM. I doubt there is an unlimited coil for these like we use on our saws. To me it sounds as if I could stand to lean it just a touch, but won't mess with it until I get some break in time on it.
Im quite happy with mine so far
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I gave mine the initial once over like I do with my saws when new. Husqvarna is very good about using consistent fastener size so a 4mm allen (or the tip of the scrench) takes it all apart. True to Husqvarna fashion the plastic panels are bushed with brass so they can be tightened without crushing, cracking, or loosening. I used a hot blade and snipped the limiting cams off of the carb screws and pulled the muffler to check out the exhaust outlet size. The exhaust exit was at best just under 1/4" so I step drilled it to about 1/2". I put the spark screen back in and left the outlet hood as it was. I left the catalyst junk in the muffler as it isn't much more than just a wad of lathe shaving looking spirals captured in the opening in the partition wall. Nothing to do on the intake side on these. Carb screws were prety much spot on.
This unit has a rev limiting coil so a guy has to watch how you adjust the High speed mix. It will sound as if it is still fat and burbly when on this limiter. It limits somewhere around 11,500 RPM. I doubt there is an unlimited coil for these like we use on our saws. To me it sounds as if I could stand to lean it just a touch, but won't mess with it until I get some break in time on it.
Any noticable increase in power? Did it make the auger louder?
I love how quiet my auger is but more power never hurt. ;D
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Well I got a bit ahead of myself. I started out with the simple intent to trim the limiter tabs so that I could adjust the carb properly should there be a need to. I got caught up in he moment and went after the muffler as well. I have yet to cut a hole with it or place under any sort of load, but past experience tells me that the muffler outlet was WAY too small for it to breathe. The majority of the noise output is intake noise and while it is definitely still "fresh" the intake sounds are a bit "boggy" as is. Opening up the muffler outlet definitely increased the exhaust note, but I think it tends to match the intake sound level now.
In hindsight I probably should have left it until I had a chance to break it in a bit and evaluate the need. Then again I can always just get a different muffler for it to put it back to stock.
I guess the turning point for me was when I folded open the deflector which is welded on one side and held down by a mudffler mounting screw on the other. I figured the less I had to bend this back and forth the better.
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Well I got out late Sunday and did not hit the ice until after 2pm. Brisk and windy anyhow and still early enough to drill some holes and catch a lone keeper walleye.
Drill cuts nice. I still need to get the hang of working the choke which could stand to have a much larger tab. Cold starts are quick and easy, but when I take off teh choke it eventually stalls. I'll figure out a rhythm and carb adjustment I'm sure.
Purrs like a kitten, runs smooth and strong. Spiral has a fair bit of wobble feel as it cuts, but this may just be no big deal. My Jiffy spins twice as fast with half the cutter and I'm thinking it wobbles a bit too only faster. Might try to get both drills on the ice for a comparison.
Best part is light weight and once running and warmed justa few seconds it just stays running. No more opening gas cap vent either and clear tank tells me what I have left.
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Make sure your flighting is very tight and if you are still getting the shakes its mostly from not drilling straight. I know when I start to get the wobbles its only when I start to get angled while drilling, as soon as I straighten out it goes away. As far as the choke goes im still going through the same process, im so used to my jiffy that I often overchoke the husky or flood it. Most times it just needs a pull without the choke and its ready to go, especially if it has run in the last hour or if it rode in the cab of the truck.
Does anyone know where to get a husky/normark extension? Im pretty much limited out in the shack right now and I would prefer not to have to get one machined if I dont have to.
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Went out yesterday to do a drilling project for an aerator. Essentially 28 holes at diffferent locations spread out over about 40+ acres of ice. Auger worked awesome. I really came to appreciate the momentary engine stop switch right on the control handle. Also the no vent gas cap and easy starting. After drilling the first hole I stopped the engine, set the auger in the carrier on my ATV, picked up the marker flag and moved on to the next one. Single pull starting no complaints, cut smooth and steady and an hour later we were done so I loaded up and moved to our normal fishing area and drilled 7 more holes. So with 35 holes on the tank I'd say that I have at least 2-3x that many holes left on this tank. Since I'm not one to drill more than a dozen or so holes per outing, and typically get out less than a dozen or so times I'm thinking a single tank full will last me the season. Then again this years ice is only 14" versus typical 24".
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Awesome, it only gets better. Slowly all my friends are being converted, everybody likes it but there is a bit of a sticker shock when you compare the price to other augers out there.
Did you end up getting the 10" hesperus? I havent taken my 8 off yet but I really should go give it a shot. Also, I need to find an extension as im pretty much at the max while drilling in the shack.
Your fuel consumption sounds about right, I figure im getting about 50+ holes/tank @ roughly 24 inches of ice. I love the fuel cap, way nicer than the jiffy caps.
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I went 10" and I'm quite happy with it. I was initially concerned about the size as my Jiffy is 9" which I think is prefect and I considered adding an 8" bit. I find that contrary to ratings where Strikemaster is referred to as 10.25" it seems to give me a closer to a 9.75" hole so my Ice 55 won't fit down the hole. 250mm is 9.8x" so my observations seem accurate. I guess the 10.25" is the old single cutter chipper blade.
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Well I am happy to say that I officially love my Husky auger.
I bought it used for $300 with new auger blades installed and a spare new set it is a 225AI25.
The seller did a run test for me and I could tell the engine was in great condition little dusty and in need of some fresh gas but all in all I couldnt go wrong so I took it.
On my very first hole it drilled like a dream except when I came to the last bit of ice it would grab and twist the head unit almost breaking my wrist (crazy amount of torque on these 1.2 HP augers) So then I began checking blades did a clean and tune up but still had the issue I went to a dealership and a side but side comparison showed that my auger bit had a slight bend in it. With the dealership staff not convinced that was my issue and a new flighting costing about $210 I was hesitant to purchase a new flighting. I then came across a wicked deal at my local wholesale sports ($109) and picked one up, first hole drilled and punched through like a dream.
Including the parts I used and replaced in the tuneup the purchase of the auger and the bit I am into this unit for $500. It runs like a top, drills like a dream and I also have three sets of new blades now.
I am happy that I can now enjoy the drilling that I expected and was jelous about that all you guys were able to experience.
If anyone has any suggestions on what to do with the old bit let me know!!
Cheers
Mike
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Glad to hear you got it all sorted out! Congrats, you now have a wicked auger for about half the price of new.
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I'd definitely call that one a score!
Funny I was just going through my Camera and downloading pics I took when I trimed the limiter tabs and enlarged the muffler exit port on mine.
I do think if I had it to do over I would leave the muffler stock. In fact I might just order a new one so I can make a direct comparison.
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How do you guys keep your auger while fishing ive noticed that on a near full tank if I lay my auger on its side handles down it will leak some gas out of the breather port? While I am not a big fan of storing an auger in a half drilled hole I know this would eliminate this.
Anyone else have this issue....also keep in mind I have a 225Ai25 gas cap is on the top.
I just never fill it! Half a tank tops and never leaks! Even bouncing around on the front of my ATV! ;)
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How do you guys keep your auger while fishing ive noticed that on a near full tank if I lay my auger on its side handles down it will leak some gas out of the breather port? While I am not a big fan of storing an auger in a half drilled hole I know this would eliminate this.
Anyone else have this issue....also keep in mind I have a 225Ai25 gas cap is on the top.
just drill a hole 3 or 4'' in the ice. I do that all the time, it works well and you never have the problem of it falling over and breaking the plastic. My buddy leaned his strikemaster up against his truck and now he a broken handle. It may take a few extra seconds but you won't have broken parts in the end.
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How do you guys keep your auger while fishing ive noticed that on a near full tank if I lay my auger on its side handles down it will leak some gas out of the breather port? While I am not a big fan of storing an auger in a half drilled hole I know this would eliminate this.
Anyone else have this issue....also keep in mind I have a 225Ai25 gas cap is on the top.
My 225AI25 had this issue as well, I replaced the cap (part # 196 503 82 80-04, about $15) and no more leaks. I left the auger with a full tank laying on its side all night, and the paper towel I placed under it showed not a drop of gas leaked. Easy fix! Good Luck!
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How is everybody storing their husky's for the summer?
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I'm going to run ASPEN fuel through it first, (fuel that wont go bad) then bead-blast the plug, put a bit of 2 stroke oil down the hole. put a touch of oil on the blades, and I'm done
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I don't normally fog mine, but I have some fogging oil here and this thread motivated me. I just took off the air cleaner and shot some in while running. I spritzed it so it stayed running then shot it to kill it. Put it back together and put in the garage behind the boat.
I also topped up the fuel tank with Sta-bil treated ethanol free gas.
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I kept stabilized fuel in mine and ran it once a month this summer.. still fires up on the second pull every time.
Cant wait to let the husky DO WORK.
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just stumbled across this thread , just to let you know that i too had the same problem with the auger biting at the bottom of the hole .. this was after changing blades.. i used the identicle strikemaster blades,(or so i thought)
I went and bought another set of strikemaster ones and the same thing was happening.. went to the dealership
and bought the husky ones and no prob ... is you put the blades side by side there almost identicle , but the angle of the blades is just a touch different...
oh and if you ever have the problem of it sticking at the bottom after that, check that the blade screws are tight ,cause
you'll probably be missing a blade after a few more holes if you don't..
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Just a note on Husqvarna augers. I was lucky enough to find one in a business shutting the doors in summer of ‘17. Just talked to Normark Rep yesterday looking for flighting. Mary told me they quit manufacturing them 12 years ago. I had the auger into for a tune up the service tech was pretty tickled to see the nearly new condition it was in. He said that Husqvarna was considering to start making again but it would be in the near future. When they went out of production they were at aprrrox $1200 can. They are a very nice auger. Light at 22.4lb with half a tank of fuel. The jiffy30 stealth I have is 12 yrs old from the Brian @ Fishin’hole the head alone is 23.35lbs and flighting is 8”-11lbs 10”-13.75 lbs. Hasqvarna is great on new ice. Haven’t trying to redrill with hasqvarna. Still like the sound of the jiffy on a early morning alone on the ice starting it having it warm up, popping along. Then start drilling and getting in to the next gear sound of freedom. Good luck in finding a Husqvarna , it’s worth the journey.
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I actually have a Husqvarna X-series 326AI25 with the 10” Mora bit I bought new in 2009 and drilled a whopping total of around 25 holes with. I changed jobs and didn’t really have a chance to use it over the last several years. Super sweet auger when I did use it. I’ve decided to try selling it If anyone is interested. Pretty much showroom condition. Did someone here say they are Strikemaster blades on it? I thought they looked familiar. Mora owns Strikemaster, so I guess that makes sense.
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Holy bump. This was originally active 7 years ago!
Never heard of or saw one of these augers, I hope you find the info you are looking for.