Clam Ice Auger/Cordless Drill Review

[Shack man Shoney]

You are a little low on torque and battery. You will need to keep your battery packs warm to get the most out of your batteries, which have a marginal amp hour rating at best, to adequately run a 7" Mora. It really comes down to what is going to make YOU happy, if you don't mind a 5" or 6" hole it would be much better suited to your Dewalt drill and 3ah batteries. I'm also not too sure the plastic chuck that comes on the DCD777 will be ideal if your planning on using the newer style clam plate that does not require you to remove the chuck??? This drill is Dewalts entry level drill.... But like I always say if you already own it then you might as well give it a try and post the results...

[hardwater diehard]

Burnt up my Dewalt  771 ...now have a 995 brushless hammer SM 6" lazer w/Clam Plate ..

[Ice Scratcher]

A smaller drill might work well with the clam plate and the optional gear box.. It doubles the torque with a 2 to 1 ratio..

<°)))>{

[spoofhoundicefisher]

just out of curiosity why are you running a clam plate as the drill is turning a 6" sm and u have plenty of power.  worried about the break thru and some torque of the wrist problems.  i am just going to run a ridgid and have a 7" sm hand auger and also a 6" sm hand auger and was wondering if the 7" might be too much for the drill. 

[hardwater diehard]

I know w/o the plate my 6" SM Lazer would bind at times at the bottom ...not fun ..the plate offers better stability . Clam recommends 700 in lbs drill and 6" auger ...other IS members have used some 7 in with success ...Clams new add on gear box for gen 3 and 4 (no chuck removal) will allow for 8 in auger drill unit

[spoofhoundicefisher]

gotcha.  i was afraid of that.  i tested the big fuel drill with my 7" last year and it did bind at the bottom of the ice sometimes but as i am 250 and only five foot 8 inches i have a low center of gravity and put the drill on my hip and put no down pressure on the auger and let it do the work.  might look into the clam plate more.  thanks for the feedback.

[hardwater diehard]

Looks like our neighbors to the North have figured a way to adapt the Clam Gear Box to a Gen 1&2 Clam Plate .

[Ice Scratcher]

Looks like our neighbors to the North have figured a way to adapt the Clam Gear Box to a Gen 1&2 Clam Plate .

Looks good to me..

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[Shack man Shoney]

I figured that was coming.....

[hardwater diehard]

I still think it needs some more R&D from our IS members ...but it could be as simple as that video ..wish I could get a hold of a gear box for some hands on fiddling .

[Ice Scratcher]

I still think it needs some more R&D from our IS members ...but it could be as simple as that video ..wish I could get a hold of a gear box for some hands on fiddling .

<°)))>{

[Agronomist_at_IA]

Looks like our neighbors to the North have figured a way to adapt the Clam Gear Box to a Gen 1&2 Clam Plate .

Now for sale on ebay....,the aluminum block to covert the older clam plates.........$29.99.

lol

[hardwater diehard]

(Image removed from quote.)

<°)))>{

Thanks ...any secret math on getting the gear box to open apart ...is it sealed up shut or just bolted together.
So am I getting this right ...on the Gen 4 Plate ..your unbolting what off the plate and totally replacing that with the new gear box ? Pic of bottom of Gen 4 clam Plate would be helpful.

[hardwater diehard]

Now for sale on ebay....,the aluminum block to covert the older clam plates.........$29.99.

lol

Any link to that ?

[Agronomist_at_IA]

Any link to that ?

No was just joking.

[hardwater diehard]

No was just joking.

Got me on that one  .

[Agronomist_at_IA]

I'm sure something will come up eventually. might cost about has much has a new plate and gear box though by the time you buy a block and gear box.

[Ice Scratcher]

Thanks ...any secret math on getting the gear box to open apart ...is it sealed up shut or just bolted together.
So am I getting this right ...on the Gen 4 Plate ..your unbolting what off the plate and totally replacing that with the new gear box ? Pic of bottom of Gen 4 clam Plate would be helpful.

No secret, three bolts is all... Once it's mounted on the plate, there are 4 more bolts that run through it...

There are more pictures here...

http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=333835.msg3536972#msg3536972

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[Rugburn]

 I have the 2nd generation clam plate (dipped handles). The gearbox conversion looks simple enough. You will be ditching the big bearing they came with, just hope the bearing bronze bushings on the gearbox hold up, easy enough to replace if needed. I might have to order a gearbox and try my own conversion.

[hardwater diehard]

Waiting on the real world ice conditions review of the Clam Gear Box...

[Rugburn]

Waiting on the real world ice conditions review of the Clam Gear Box...

Agreed, Scratcher we're waiting for your review. Can you get access to hockey rink? LOL

[Ice Scratcher]

Can you get access to hockey rink? LOL

I know I could once, only once.. lol

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[smelt magnum]

Hello, question about the drill.
Will 500lbs torque be sufficient to drill?
To prepare for the cold season, I was looking at Milwaukee M18 2606 drill on sale for this purpose.
I usually dig less than 10 holes per day.
Thank you all for your advice.

[Ice Scratcher]

Hello, question about the drill.
Will 500lbs torque be sufficient to drill?
To prepare for the cold season, I was looking at Milwaukee M18 2606 drill on sale for this purpose.
I usually dig less than 10 holes per day.
Thank you all for your advice.

With the gear box, 500lbs = 1000lbs

Sounds like it would work..

<°)))>{

[Agronomist_at_IA]

Hello, question about the drill.
Will 500lbs torque be sufficient to drill?
To prepare for the cold season, I was looking at Milwaukee M18 2606 drill on sale for this purpose.
I usually dig less than 10 holes per day.
Thank you all for your advice.

what size auger?

[Ice Scratcher]

what size auger?

Right, that's an important factor...

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[smelt magnum]

what size auger?

I have finbor 8inch

[buz23]

Keep in mind that if your fin-bore has a folding handle you are going to have to get some kind of adapter to use it with a drill.

[Brody44]

Ok for the guy who posted this . You are using a Rigid drill . Nice warrenty only 580 lbs of torque. They will not tell you that on any of there disriptions. The milwakee 18v Fuel is the drill to use over 1080 lbs torque 500lbs more and you can get a 9ah battery For all you guys talking about this convertion to slow the drill down this drill does that for you with speed options . This bad boy drills 60 holes 8 inches of ic With 8 inch Mora and weighs just under 16 lbs .The only other 2 drills with over 1000 lbs torque are makita and Hilti. Neither have speed options or 9Ah batteries . Good luck and good fishing!!

[Spider1]

the ridgid x-4 hyper-lithium-ion hammer drill has 650 in/lbs of torque... says so in the first sentence of the description. The gen5x drill has 780 in/lbs of torque, says so in the description also. The brushless compact has 700 in/lbs. It's in the description also. I have an older Ridgid 18v fuego compact. It's got only 525 in/lbs and I use it to cut 6" holes without a problem.