Milwaukee drill side handle issues...

[the force]

All, have any of you had issues with the mounting bracket for the side handle on the Milwaukee fuel hammer drills (2704 model with 1200"/lbs tourqe)? I've been out twice with a 6" auger and broken the wing of the mounting bracket off each time (new drill and a warranty replacement)! Not very impressed for a hi-end drill, and really do like using the side handle. I can return again but have no confidence in that piece. Once it is broken off it is basically useless.

[Fishrmn]

Stop using the force.  Or use the force without trying to shove the drill through the ice.  I wonder what people are doing when they say that their Lazer auger binds or catches at the bottom of a hole.  I've never experienced that phenomenon yet.  I've never had the side handle slip or have problems, and I've been using a 20 year old, 8 inch Lazer. 



⫸<{{{{{ ⦇°>

[Ice Scratcher]

Lol, I'm sure I could break my Ridgid, if I choose to...

But hopefully common sense will always prevail..

<°)))>{

[Gills-only]

Get the clam plate, problem solved, also when done drilling, lays up off the ice

[the force]

Lol, no pun intended. Seriously though I've been drilling ice for 20 years and this was a 20 year old 6" normark (nothin excessive). I bought the mill to use it, if I wanted to girlythingfoot then probably would have saved a hundy or two and bought a mastercraft or ryobi.
Just a bit dissapointed... Drill puts out the tourqe but isn't designed to manage it unless I happened to get two lemons in a row.

[3300]

seems off.

your certain the aux handle was on square and proper i'm sure. any chance of being to over tighten it?
hopefully you bought them from homedepot and keep getting free replacements. also, if it keeps happening, maybe get a refund before the 90 days goes by and start over to get another 90 days.

i liked the loop mount for aux handles they used to use much better. had infinite angle adjustments and easy to have it stored on the tool but also out of the way. they need to bring it back.

i always use ridgid tools and it has this type of handle now too and uses a notch in the wedge so it has to sit just right to stay on correctly.

[Ice Scratcher]

seems off.

your certain the aux handle was on square and proper i'm sure. any chance of being to over tighten it?

I think, it being cast aluminum, you probably can over tighten it.. The jaws on the handle are steel...

Squared up and snug is all it needs...

<°)))>{

[the force]

Old style was def better, that's what i had previously. Maybe over tightened the second time as I wanted to make sure it was square and tight... Will try number 3 I guess... 30 day over the counter exchange, no questions asked, not sure what happens after 30 days.

[Huntindave]

Old style was def better, that's what i had previously. Maybe over tightened the second time as I wanted to make sure it was square and tight... Will try number 3 I guess... 30 day over the counter exchange, no questions asked, not sure what happens after 30 days.

Not trying to start a Dewalt/Milwalkee debate but I had heard of the handle issues before I made my purchase.  I went with the Dewalt because of the side handle design of the Dewalt.   Might not be too late to return the Milwalkee and get a Dewalt?  Just throwing it out there as a possible option.

[Damn Yankee]

All, have any of you had issues with the mounting bracket for the side handle on the Milwaukee fuel hammer drills (2704 model with 1200"/lbs tourqe)? I've been out twice with a 6" auger and broken the wing of the mounting bracket off each time (new drill and a warranty replacement)! Not very impressed for a hi-end drill, and really do like using the side handle. I can return again but have no confidence in that piece. Once it is broken off it is basically useless.

It is the shock caused when the auger bit breaks thru. A few years ago I went round and round with Milwaukee about this same issue. They replaced 3 in a row before I finally bought a Clam plate. End of problem.

[CHM]

Yankee - looks like yours is in hammer mode.  You don't drill ice in that position, correct?

[Damn Yankee]

Correct. You drill in the drill mode.
My adapter goes on in place of the chuck. Returning the drill to stock condition for return to Milwaukee the ring no-doubt got rotated.
Someone there knows that using the drill with a Lazer auger bit causes great shock to the auxiliary arm at break through because I was told my 3rd replacement was the last. The k-drill does not beat-up the drill like the Lazer does but slower drilling is the end result.
March 5, 2013 (dated picture) I drilled 51 holes, 16" of ice, 6" Nils auger bit, Milwaukee 720"# hammer drill.  I ran out of gas before the Milwaukee.
the Nils auger bit cuts the fastest with not much shock at breakthrough but maintaining the edge is too costly. One place I fish the ice can be sandy and 10 holes can ruin the Nils edge.



There were more holes behind me when I took the picture.

[George_B]

I have not been out to use my setup with this drill. Now having second thoughts about purchase and taking along a back up out which will defeat the purpose of less weight and space.
George in Throop PA

[3300]

so after three times your out? doesn't sound like a good warranty to me either. how do they get away with this?

the mud mixer sounds better for the job, but it will have the same warranty behind it. bare tool is 200$ new on home depot.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwaukee-M18-FUEL-18-Volt-Lithium-Ion-Brushless-Cordless-1-2-in-Mud-Mixer-Tool-Only-2810-20/302677799

sounds like clam plates are NEEDED even if you didn't want one to keep them going. i wounder how job sites work this problem out. no clam plates there. it is designed to drill 6" holes in petrified wood with a basket saw or even steel.

they should just go back to the clamp ring aux. handle design. ridgid and milwaukee (and ryobi) have the same parent company and both made this dumb move. i haven't broke the casing on any of my ridgid drills (yet). i also use lazer bits. probably a design change to make them more compact.

[CHM]

Just wanted to note that the Milwaukee isn't designed for an ice auger.   

Has anyone heard of this side handle issue when using a K-Drill?

[RyanW]

Every Milwaukee setup I’ve seen has had the handle on the left side of the drill with the drill being operated by the users right hand. I wonder....if the handle were on the right side of the drill, would the torque/twist have a different pressure point? Or would the damage just happen on the other side of the drill?

[Northern_MN Outdoorsan]

Just wanted to note that the Milwaukee isn't designed for an ice auger.   

Has anyone heard of this side handle issue when using a K-Drill?

I run the Milwaukee and K Drill using the side handle w/out clam plate. I've drilled hundreds of holes like this. I always put the side handle on the left side of the drill and operate the drill with my right hand. I never put much pressure on the side handle but just use it for stability. I never use the side handle to rotate or twist the position of the auger while drilling a hole in the ice. If I need to do that I use my right hand and the drill to keep it where I want it to be while drilling. You should be using the drill to account for the torque caused while drilling to keep the drill in the position you want while drilling. Not the side handle.

[the force]

I went with the drill option for the b
enifits of weight savings and size and will not be adding a clam plate for that reason. I did try it off the right hand side yesterday which seemed to hold up better though may need to switch it out for a Dewalt. Can drill holes without the handle but I much prefer the option of having it there.
I haven't looked at the dewalts, what kind of torque are they putting out?

[Mancaveburnett]

Stick with the Milwaukee and get the clam plate. Once you own one you will like it plus it saves the drill. The torque is absorbed  by the plate plus you can sit it on the ice and the drill doesn't touch the ice. It doesn't add much more weight neither. Although this weekend im not using my machine on the ice yet so ill be dragging about 230 lbs lol.

[Shack man Shoney]

Clam plate solves the problem.

[Gills-only]

Clam plate solves the problem.

.       Sure does, and I like it not “laying” on the ice , it stands up !!

[jakefetch]

Same problem here, using a Nils auger. I've broken two off. The system for attaching the handle sucks.  Bought the clam plate. Just can't find an adapter to use it.

[RuttNutt]

I'm going on the second year with my M-18 fuel, side handle and mora strikemaster 8" auger. No issues with the side handle. I don't want the Clam Plate due to the increased weight, as well as being more complicated to take the drill off the clam plate. ANd I like keeping it in the case for transport to protect it before and after use.

[dairyman]

I had the same thing happen to me ,  I took it back and changed it out for the Dewalt because of the better set up on the side handle.  I also got a $100 credit to my account because Dewalt was running a special on their hammer drill set-up.

[hnd]

i'm not surprised this hasn't happened more.   quite frankly, (not sayng this is what you are doing)  i see tons of guys with their drills out on the ice putting lots of pressure on that little handle either unnecessarily or because they've got crappy auger bits. 

that handle is for stabilization only.  not as a lever. 

i've been using dewalt/milwaukee drills for 20 years and usually when i've seen those lips break off the milwaukee or the ring break on the dwealt (i think the dewalt system is a better design) its been because of too much pressure being put on them.  not because of defects. 

[RyanW]

i'm not surprised this hasn't happened more.   quite frankly, (not sayng this is what you are doing)  i see tons of guys with their drills out on the ice putting lots of pressure on that little handle either unnecessarily or because they've got crappy auger bits. 

that handle is for stabilization only.  not as a lever. 

i've been using dewalt/milwaukee drills for 20 years and usually when i've seen those lips break off the milwaukee or the ring break on the dwealt (i think the dewalt system is a better design) its been because of too much pressure being put on them.  not because of defects.

Nail on the head man. I took out my M18 w/8” Lazer for its first time yesterday. After my first hole, I came to the conclusion of pretty much exactly what you said. The auxiliary handle is not a lever. Use the drill as the lever if you have too or better yet just brace it against your leg or use your wrist strength. No need to go past halfway on the trigger either. I see a lot of guys just dogging on these drill setups that after using mine yesterday, I can see where guys are having issues. Like you said though, not saying that that’s what the OP is doing, but it can definitely contribute to unnecessary damage to the handle clamping area.

If I learned anything from yesterday, it’s to let the drill and auger do the job that we intended it to do. Drill the hole for us. About the only pressure I applied was just in keeping everything upright and square and that was very little, the drill and auger did the rest of the work very well. It took very little effort on my end.

Just like hand drilling holes, if your auger is in proper working condition, very very little pressure is needed to cut ice. When I see guys putting their body weight on their augers struggling to drill a hole, again like you said, it’s usually either not knowing how to properly use an auger (which is surprisingly a lot of guys I see) or they desperately need new blades. I can hear those poor augers screaming in agony lol.

[NateD]

This is my second year with an m18 and an 8 inch k drill, I drill with my left hand.  No problems with the side handle at all, never even worried or thought about it all.

[straightShot]

The mounting provision on my M18 broke this weekend where the side handle attached.  Probably about 25 holes total. Did not put force on my Nils.

[Gills-only]

I know there are a lot of guy saying u don’t need the “plate” but it eliminates the whole problem. Sure it’s another $60-70 but your worries will be over, I didn’t want any problems and bought one 3 years ago and would do it again

[RStock521]

I know there are a lot of guy saying u don’t need the “plate” but it eliminates the whole problem. Sure it’s another $60-70 but your worries will be over, I didn’t want any problems and bought one 3 years ago and would do it again

  With the plate, I can't easily remove the auger to use the Eskimo ice anchor adapter...Otherwise, I'd get it.