Cordless Drill Auger Chit Chat

[Bigassbassman]

Did a bit of searching here on the forum, and found a ton of info on cordless drill auger setups, but couldn't find specific answers to a few questions I've thought of.

So, I made the jump this year to a M18/Clam/Mora 8", and yesterday I took it out for the first spin.  Cut about 10 holes through 8" of ice as a first outing,and noticed the blades were catching at the bottom of the hole.

To start off the discussion, what are your suggestions for the "method" of cutting:  Full power on the trigger?  Slow near the bottom of the hole?  Power through the bottom, keep running as you pull it up?  How much (if any) downward pressure?

Thanks in advance, hoping to learn the tricks people have already figured out.

Feel free to add other questions for discussion, too!

[lefty2053]

I have another setup but same problem if I go fast through the hole. No downward pressure and pull up a little on the bottom. Sometimes I will punch through and it catches and then I just reverse the drill and holding back spin it again. Not a big deal and it has worked fine. I punched about 30 holes Saturday.

[fishercat]

Just used my Milwaukee mud mixer on a 8” Eskimo bit today. There is a definite learning curve. After about 20 holes I had it down pat. Feel it slow up let off the pressure a bit. It hangs a bit but so did my gas auger.

[Gamalot]

I just used my all new set up today. Milwaukee M18 Fuel with 5 AH battery on a new Clam plate with a new SM Laser 7 inch. Where has this all been all my life??? I can't speak highly enough about this rig. It does like to hang up on the final drive through the hole but just back off a bit by using upward pressure just before the end break through. New blades cut like butter and the drill is a power house. I drilled 10 holes for myself and the guys next to me used it to drill 18 holes for themselves. Back home now and the battery gauge still reads a full charge. This weighs about a quarter of my old SM 2000 gas auger so I ma completely stoked with the set up. $199 plus Shipping for the drill, 2 5 AH batteries and the charger. $75 for the Clam plate deliverd from Fish 307 and I have had the manual auger for about 10 years but never used it and only carried it in case the gas one got finicky.

Gam

[Gills-only]

I just used my all new set up today. Milwaukee M18 Fuel with 5 AH battery on a new Clam plate with a new SM Laser 7 inch. Where has this all been all my life??? I can't speak highly enough about this rig. It does like to hang up on the final drive through the hole but just back off a bit by using upward pressure just before the end break through. New blades cut like butter and the drill is a power house. I drilled 10 holes for myself and the guys next to me used it to drill 18 holes for themselves. Back home now and the battery gauge still reads a full charge. This weighs about a quarter of my old SM 2000 gas auger so I ma completely stoked with the set up. $199 plus Shipping for the drill, 2 5 AH batteries and the charger. $75 for the Clam plate deliverd from Fish 307 and I have had the manual auger for about 10 years but never used it and only carried it in case the gas one got finicky.

Gam

.          Your only mistake was letting someone else use it, u will find out they might bang on ice if has snow or ice on it, better to drill holes for them !! Keep loaning it out and u will see what I mean !!

[Charman03]

Where'd you find the m18 for $200?

[Gills-only]

And which model? 2704-22 is the 1200”# model

[todalake]

I put adapter on my SM 7" but it seems way too short for drilling.   Do I have to get on my knees.   No problem with Nils.

[Gills-only]

I put adapter on my SM 7" but it seems way too short for drilling.   Do I have to get on my knees.   No problem with Nils.

.       U need a extension!

[straightShot]

And which model? 2704-22 is the 1200”# model

2704-22 includes 2 batteries.  2704-20 is the tool only.

[Gills-only]

Hell of a price I’d also like to know where? For that price, bare tool is around $150!!

[Bigassbassman]

Thanks for the replies so far, guys.  Yeah, I figure I'll really work on letting up on the pressure and allowing the blades to do all the work.  Hopefully that will shave through the bottom of the ice much better, without leaving a big chunk to catch on.

I do think I'll add an auger extension though, because the Mora is really short. Have others used clam's extension with a mora?

[Gills-only]

Thanks for the replies so far, guys.  Yeah, I figure I'll really work on letting up on the pressure and allowing the blades to do all the work.  Hopefully that will shave through the bottom of the ice much better, without leaving a big chunk to catch on.

I do think I'll add an auger extension though, because the Mora is really short. Have others used clam's extension with a mora?

.       They are adjustable

[ronco]

I do think I'll add an auger extension though, because the Mora is really short. Have others used clam's extension with a mora?

Nate, a friend made a extension on a lathe, I'll text you a pic.

[Gamalot]

Drill came off Ebay. Brand new 2704-22 with 2 5AH batteries and the charger for $199 plus $29 shipping. I also bought the 3 years square trade extended warranty for another $29. Best drill I have ever seen and the guy ships quick from Florida.

I did instruct the guy on how to use my drill and to not bang it on the ice. What I failed to instruct him on was replacing the cover with the rubber band that he did cut.

Gam

[Bigassbassman]

Nate, a friend made a extension on a lathe, I'll text you a pic.

Thanks, Ron!

[ronco]

Thanks, Ron!

Welcome.

[stinkyfingers]

Nate and Ron, there is a pretty good selection of Clam plate extensions on Ebay that should fulfill that need without resorting to the machine shop. Just make sure you've got a good idea how much additional length you really want and be really clear about what bolts to what. For myself, I pulled the 8" Lazer Mag flights with the ripper teeth off Li'l Pokey, thinking in my innocence that it could just attach to the Clam plate. It won't. Wound up getting a K-drill adaptor from Clam which married everything up and added a little to the overall length. Those drill powered puppies are the way to go. Also, the Clam plate is a big improvement over direct attach with a Kovac adaptor. The leverage is just so much improved and you avoid the sprained wrists we're reading about.
I admire that new bass in your avatar.

[ronco]

Nate and Ron, there is a pretty good selection of Clam plate extensions on Ebay that should fulfill that need without resorting to the machine shop. Just make sure you've got a good idea how much additional length you really want and be really clear about what bolts to what. For myself, I pulled the 8" Lazer Mag flights with the ripper teeth off Li'l Pokey, thinking in my innocence that it could just attach to the Clam plate. It won't. Wound up getting a K-drill adaptor from Clam which married everything up and added a little to the overall length. Those drill powered puppies are the way to go. Also, the Clam plate is a big improvement over direct attach with a Kovac adaptor. The leverage is just so much improved and you avoid the sprained wrists we're reading about.
I admire that new bass in your avatar.

The guy that made my extension, is a good friend and didn't charge me anything.

[Gills-only]

My brother is a machinist and he says for what u can buy one online for, said he can make one but they are so cheap and adjustable , foolish not to buy one there and free shipping !!

[Gamalot]

I have my Strike Master Laser manual auger bit hooked direct to the new drill and clam plate. It is a bit short but just fine for going through a foot or 18 inches of ice. Sure, a 10 inch extension would be a good option but around these parts where we rarely ever see much more than 15 inches of ice it is not a big necessity.

Gam

[SLAYERFISH]

When I worked for the Railroad, all they had were "short" shovels.  Foreman said long handle-ones were for lazy people.

Bending over is good for you. Keeps you limber!

[RyanW]

I have my Strike Master Laser manual auger bit hooked direct to the new drill and clam plate. It is a bit short but just fine for going through a foot or 18 inches of ice. Sure, a 10 inch extension would be a good option but around these parts where we rarely ever see much more than 15 inches of ice it is not a big necessity.

Gam

I have an 8” Lazer on a clam plate. No extension. It really is the bees knees. I agree, I find that if ice is 12” or so and under, an extension really isn’t needed. I do want to get one though just to have. I like to have options. Being in central mi, I haven’t been on ice over 12”-14” in quite some time. It’s actually rather nice.

[Bigassbassman]

I plan on using my setup for 18+ inches of ice this season up in the CO high country.  I think an extension is definitely in my future! 

[Gamalot]

I plan on using my setup for 18+ inches of ice this season up in the CO high country.  I think an extension is definitely in my future! 

I have not seen 18 inches of ice here in S NY since I was a kid back in the early 60 s. I do agree an extension would be a necessity if drilling through 18-24 inches. We have just shy of 10 inches here and the drill and auger work great.

Gam

[adksmitty]

Has anyone had any problems with being only able to cut a couple of holes?  My  temp when  I went was about 20 deg. And about 8-9 in black ice. My setup is a 8in k drill with clam conversion and a 18v ridgid brushless hammer drill ,battery is a 2.0 amp

[Gamalot]

Has anyone had any problems with being only able to cut a couple of holes?  My  temp when  I went was about 20 deg. And about 8-9 in black ice. My setup is a 8in k drill with clam conversion and a 18v ridgid brushless hammer drill ,battery is a 2.0 amp

Small batteries equal much fewer holes you can drill. Your options are to either spring for a 5 AH battery or carry 2-3 of the ones you are using.

Gam

[Drift Dodger]

DeWalt DCD996 with XR 5AH batteries here.

I had been using a Mora Swede-Bore 8" to drill new holes until this past week; really do need an extension now that the ice is over 2 feet thick. However no problem yet with my K-Drill through 26" ice plus frozen slush/snow as it is several inches longer than the Mora. K-Drill isn't as fast and smooth drilling as the Mora, but there is absolutely no catching at break-through (new holes) and it's great for re-drilling holes ... can't do that with the Mora.

[adksmitty]

Small batteries equal much fewer holes you can drill. Your options are to either spring for a 5 AH battery or carry 2-3 of the ones you are using.

Gam

Thanks, will look into bigger juice for my ridgid setup. Was brand new last year and had a 6in. Finbore attached and did great. Just was to short. And would grab just before going through. Switched to the 8in. K drill,  seems to take a while longer to cut. But does not grab either.  Just need to look into larger battery source .
Thanks.

[Gamalot]

Thanks, will look into bigger juice for my ridgid setup. Was brand new last year and had a 6in. Finbore attached and did great. Just was to short. And would grab just before going through. Switched to the 8in. K drill,  seems to take a while longer to cut. But does not grab either.  Just need to look into larger battery source .
Thanks.

My Rigid X4 impact driver has a 4.0 H hyper lith ion battery and would work perfect except it has a 1/2 inch dive ratchet instead of the drill chuck. I use it for switching back and forth between winter and summer wheels on both of our SUVs and it sure does have the power and heavy duty gears for ice drilling. I can do both SUVs, wheels off and wheels on and the battery still has 75% left. Not sure if my battery fits on your drill and that is one of my pet peeves with all these cordless drills and drivers that all take a different battery. My work drills are all Dewalt 14.4 batteries and not tough enough for ice drilling but also ridiculous with their battery costs. I have 5 drills because I can buy a new drill kit with 2 new batteries and the charger for less than new batteries cost. Ni Cad batteries are pretty much useless out in very cold weather.

Gam