IceShanty.com's Ice Fishing Community
Montana => Ice Fishing Montana => Topic started by: Mizayikaa on Jul 15, 2018, 07:53 PM
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Looking for some input from ones who own and know. I decided to take the plunge this year and go lithium. I have two Jiffy's that I will never accept as obsolete as they both have never failed me for many years, however, as Zimmerman put it, the times they are a changin. As of now I am leaning towards the Eskimo ION X. any rating/review from actual fisherman would be greatly appreciated. And please feel free to turn me in a different direction if there is better gear out there. I hope the open water season is treating everyone well. Looking forward to your comments. Tight lines.
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What about the clam plate and a cordless drill?? Or even just a cordless drill ?? Attached to auger?? Have not seen much about the ion x yet?? I know the ion has a lot of mixed reviews about it .. for one the Ion is a brace bit style auger with chipper blades.. not ment for cutting holes fast as say a curved blade style auger like a nils or laser.. if looking at a 8 inch avoid the laser auger. ..
but it all depends on price on a good drill like the millwaukee m18 fuel model 2704-20 with 1200 inch pounds of torque... or even the dewalt dcd996 with 835 uwo.. or even the ridgid r86116 with 700 inch pounds and life time warranty.. life time warranty on ridgid even on batteries and charger if bought as kit..
all these will push a nils auger in a 8 inch no problem .. but if looking at a 10 inch that leaves the bigger companies like eskimo and strike master.. also look at the weight and battery charging..
like how long charging takes and compared to smaller ion batteries I know my ridgid take about 1 hour to charge a 2 amp battery.. and compare that of the ion to a millwaukee fuel and a nils set up?? I think you will like the cordless drill and auger better my self then say the ion x it's self?? But maybe that's just me
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Also try finding a ion x battery in the offseason like when you figure out its toasted .. I know those drills I said have batteries all over the Internet cheap some expensive .. also try finding a ion x battery during peak season when not on sale?? They are limited production so it's going to be tough unlike ridgid, millWaukee , or dewault .. same with nils heads like a 10 inch or a nils head on sale..
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All very good points to consider. I have done the drill powered thing before and wont go that route again. I burned up a $200 dewalt doing this and now have the mind set that I should use the right tool for the job. I will think about all your other points though. Thank you.
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if looking at a 8 inch avoid the laser auger. ..
C-W I am curious why you have this opinion? Thanks.
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All very good points to consider. I have done the drill powered thing before and wont go that route again. I burned up a $200 dewalt doing this and now have the mind set that I should use the right tool for the job. I will think about all your other points though. Thank you.
What size auger and wich dewalt drill?? Out of curiosity? Some of those dewalt drills just don't have the power to turn a auger and many of them cost $200.00 only one I know of that will turn a auger had 835 uwo and is only 600 or 700 inch pounds if that.. this is why most suggest the milwaukee and ridgid drills.. I think the biggest auger Is a 6 inch auger you can turn with the 835 uwo drill but not sure??
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Without looking at it right now I can't give you model number but it was the top of the line 20v as of about three years ago. I am a contractor and don't buy junk tools but I need my screw guns to work on the job and my augers to work on the ice so I wont mix business and pleasure so to speak again.
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I forgot to mention that it was a six inch auger.
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Without looking at it right now I can't give you model number but it was the top of the line 20v as of about three years ago. I am a contractor and don't buy junk tools but I need my screw guns to work on the job and my augers to work on the ice so I wont mix business and pleasure so to speak again.
This drill is the one that's rated for 820 uwo wich is aprox 766 inch pounds of torque and this is the biggest one they make
Speed in rpm x inch pounds tq /560 constant k =uwo
600x766/560=820.7142857 uwo aprox
This drill link below is about what a ridgid
drill out puts.. this is why every one is going for the milwaukee fuel drills cause they can drill with big bits with the milwaukee 1200 inch pounds
https://m.lowes.com/pd/DEWALT-XR-1-2-in-20-Volt-Max-Volt-Lithium-Ion-Variable-Speed-Brushless-Cordless-Hammer-Drill/1000039891 (https://m.lowes.com/pd/DEWALT-XR-1-2-in-20-Volt-Max-Volt-Lithium-Ion-Variable-Speed-Brushless-Cordless-Hammer-Drill/1000039891)
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There are a few dewalt that are rated 535 uwo wich is about 500 inch pounds and a 6 inch auger will fry it really easily and that's a $250 drill with 535 uwo..
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I appreciate the info but with all due respect I am shopping for an auger not a drill. It may just be my opinion but they are two different tools for two different jobs and my mind wont be changed on that after what I have witnessed with my own eyes/tools. If you have anymore info on some of the lithium ice augers I would love to here it. Thanks.
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I'm a gas auger guy who also believes you should have the tool made for the job but i can give you some info. I have seen complaints of broken blades/area where the blade attaches on ions. Seems like their customer service is great at getting things fixed for you at least. Not much complaints on the newer strikemaster but they seem to be less popular. Last year strikemaster was giving you two batteries with one of their electrics. IMO I'd give it another year let them work the kinks out some more and improve the technology. should be plenty of threads on here about all the options if you do some searching
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Currently I use the original Ion 8" w/reverse. No complaints whatsoever. It does what it was built to do. It's not the fastest auger, but I could really care less how fast it punches a hole. I have a friend that uses the Ion X & he loves it. So with that being said, I certainly would not shy away from the Ion X if I was making the jump to a lithium auger. They do come with a pretty hefty price tag, but I'm sure you noticed that !!
Now.....Since I've been using the lithium auger for a few years now & know they are for real, this one has really had my interest peeked !!
>>>>> https://trophystrike.com/product/120v-8in-ice-auger-kit-trophy-strike/
Good luck in your search & keep us posted !!
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I have a Clam Plate w/Dewalt 995 atop a 8 in Kdrill ….this season I am going with a Milwaukee 2704 to replace the 995 as better in/ibs ...note both drills are refurbished ..I love the cordless drill option ...for its light weight . If I were to go with dedicated electric auger I would lean toward Strikemaster lithium many options for drill units chipper/lazer 6/8/10 ...but I really haven't researched Trophy Strike (site sponser) at great length though so they also be a great option .
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Thanks guys. Good things to consider.
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I was in the same boat thinking drills could not preform till I got my ridgid last year for christmas that's when I found drill do work to auger holes and they do it really well..
I suggest talking to a few people and see how there work and figure out why your did not?? I am guessing it did not have enough toqure to turn auger?? But the weight alone of the set up along with the blades used to me is enough just to look at the drill augers..
But any way if I was looking at lithium augers look at strike master augers that's what I would do.. the blade bit options are a big plus .. along with customers bought them meaming parts in 15 to 20 years. From those auger they bought if needed??
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My screw gun had plenty of power to turn the auger. I probably drilled over a hundred holes with that set up but in the end it got the best of that gun. I quite literally have thousands of hours running screw guns and probably hundreds running augers. I did not stand there like a clueless monkey with the trigger pulled on a gun that wouldn't turn. I know how to operate tools, I know (for the most part) what I want and would like any advise on that alone. Thanks again for all the helpful information.
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I made the plunge with the original Ion last year and couldn't have been happier. I've read all about the horror stories of blades chipping to the point of not cutting, batteries not holding a charge, or the thing dying in cold weather. I did not experience any of this at all. Even surprised a few buddies of mine who heard the same stuff. While it's not the fastest auger in the world, saving the 20 lbs hauling this thing compared to my old Jiffy was nice. It also worked like a charm in cold weather, had it out when it was -15 on holter. My blades still cut as good as they did after 4 months of solid use, and the battery held a charge like brand new. I also took this thing out at a minimum off once a week from Thanksgiving to March so it had some miles put on it in a variety of lakes. The key is just taking care of it. I emailed ardisam asking what the recommended on care. After a half day they responded, dont soak it in water, only charge the battery after each use, as soon as the battery is charged take it off the charging dock, and in extreme cold (below zero) keep the battery out of elements. All I did was keep the battery in my shanty and it did fine. If you go with the Ion you won't be disappointed. The Ion X is pretty much the same with just a few changes and beefed up battery. The downside is the price. Good luck on the decision.
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Thanks a lot. I appreciate the info.
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(https://s8.postimg.cc/ptg5v241d/Capture_2.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/image/ptg5v241d/)
not a lithium, but I just had to tell someone :-)
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I bought a 120V Trophy Strike toward the end of last season. I only got to use it twice but couldn't be happier. It's only 23 pounds and had over half a battery left after drilling a ton of holes. Zipped right through the ice.
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All very good points to consider. I have done the drill powered thing before and wont go that route again. I burned up a $200 dewalt doing this and now have the mind set that I should use the right tool for the job. I will think about all your other points though. Thank you.
. You had the wrong drill
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. You had the wrong drill
I have tried to tell him to but it's not worth it..
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I have tried to tell him to but it's not worth it..
Glad to see you have that figured out.
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So now I'm a little nervous...all this talk about burned up drills. I have read the "reviews" here on just about all of them except the one I just bought...Bosch...600in .lbs, 4.0ah. Anyone have/tried this brand? Sorry to be a thread stealer :-\
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Can't speak on behalf of the Bosch drill, Ice, but this will be my 4th seaon running a DeWalt 985 hammer drill, 20Vmax with slightly more torque, around 700in.lbs. I retired it from pounding holes in concrete for a few years and matched it up with a Clam Plate, extension, and 6" Lazer auger. That said, its got a lot of hard miles on it, and still drills more holes than I can use in a day....effortlessly. Believe I drilled 37 holes non stop in 12-14" of ice with older 4ah batteries and used blades once just to see what it could do.
I think you'll be fine depending on what size/type auger you'll be turning.
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Without looking at it right now I can't give you model number but it was the top of the line 20v as of about three years ago. I am a contractor and don't buy junk tools but I need my screw guns to work on the job and my augers to work on the ice so I wont mix business and pleasure so to speak again.
If the drill burned up it was one of these things.
1.The drill was underpowered
2.The settings on the drill were wrong
3.The drill was brushed and not brushless causing it to burn up.
I've ran the Milwaukee drills on my augers. My 1st drill was with 725in/lbs, then the drill with 1200in/lbs. Both turned my 8in nils augers. Neither of them have had issues doing the job. In fact my 1200in lb turns a 10in mora auger.
Today I keep my 1200in/lb on my clam plate for the 8in nils and 10in mora. The 725in/lb I use for a drill to crank my wheel house up and will put it on my 6in lazer when I take out my Eskimo wide one.
Over all you messed up something when using the drill on an auger. If you get the correct drill & settings for the job you'll be fine.
Here is a video of my 1st setup. A milwaukee 725in/lb drill, clam plate, and 7in Eskimo mora style auger.
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So now I'm a little nervous...all this talk about burned up drills. I have read the "reviews" here on just about all of them except the one I just bought...Bosch...600in .lbs, 4.0ah. Anyone have/tried this brand? Sorry to be a thread stealer :-\
I'd go with the 1200in/# Milwaukee or 1300in/# Ridgid with 9aH batteries if possible.
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Can't speak on behalf of the Bosch drill, Ice, but this will be my 4th seaon running a DeWalt 985 hammer drill, 20Vmax with slightly more torque, around 700in.lbs. I retired it from pounding holes in concrete for a few years and matched it up with a Clam Plate, extension, and 6" Lazer auger. That said, its got a lot of hard miles on it, and still drills more holes than I can use in a day....effortlessly. Believe I drilled 37 holes non stop in 12-14" of ice with older 4ah batteries and used blades once just to see what it could do.
I think you'll be fine depending on what size/type auger you'll be turning.
4" Laser and the drill is brushless with some type of protection to prevent over heating. And from what I have read, it should be ran on the lowest (#1 drill...not screw or hammer) setting and to tighten chuck by hand;not pulling trigger...and by your name I trust you know a little bit about drills ;)...Thanks M.E.
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You're very welcome...just my 2cents with what has worked so far here.... :thumbsup:
Believe you'll be impressed with a 4" auger....hope to read about that! :icefish:
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So now I'm a little nervous...all this talk about burned up drills. I have read the "reviews" here on just about all of them except the one I just bought...Bosch...600in .lbs, 4.0ah. Anyone have/tried this brand? Sorry to be a thread stealer :-\
I'd have to look at the recomendations on 600in/lbs.....you can probably run a 6,5,or 4in and be ok. With only 600in/lbs an 8in would burn it up.......and I don't think I would try a 7in either.
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I'd have to look at the recomendations on 600in/lbs.....you can probably run a 6,5,or 4in and be ok. With only 600in/lbs an 8in would burn it up.......and I don't think I would try a 7in either.
New drill + New 4" laser = Good to go ;D
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Any picture hanger will prolly run a 4” !!
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after trying several drills and augers i came to a conclusion that a good ratio for drill inch pounds to auger bits size is 100 inch pounds per inch of auger provided you have a high capacity battery and sharp blades with no added down pressure and maintain angle of bit.
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Miz,
I personally have made the switch to a Milw Drill paired with a 6" Nils auger and am VERY happy. I also have experince using an Ion and think that you would be very pleased as well. It does what it says it does, as mentioned below it isn't the fastest, but it does get the job done! One other thing to consider is Jiffy has now entered the electric auger market: https://www.jiffyonice.com/Shop/Power-Ice-Drills/Electric/E6-Lightning,-Model-56
Whatever you choose I'm sure you will enjoy it!!! Good luck!
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in 20 inches of ice or more i use a lazer 4" for scouting. some times i just try to fish from it and got into some trouble one time landing a crappie that wouldn't fit thru it. one of us had to hold the fish by it's lip while the other made an adjacent hole to create a figure 8 to be able to get the fish out. it was 18.5 inches. hands gets really really cold doing this btw. also you have to be good at drilling holes. so depending on targets, you may want to make figure 8 holes before fishing from them. you could even make a triangle pattern.
my normal auger size is 6". always get fish thru this size, no problem yet.
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after trying several drills and augers i came to a conclusion that a good ratio for drill inch pounds to auger bits size is 100 inch pounds per inch of auger provided you have a high capacity battery and sharp blades with no added down pressure and maintain angle of bit.
I like it...makes sense to me
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I think its funny how a guy asks for advice on a certain item and the entire thread gets changed to what works best on a cordless drill. That's not what the guy asked people. He knows what he wants and now just wamts input on those few items. Not my drill is better then your drill.
So on with it. I have an ion x. Love it. Really nice for those days of big thick ice and not a lot of walking. Battery does really well in all conditions just don't be a dummy and leave it out in the elements. My augers tend to stay in my shack with me. Prefer the clam plate if I'm out on a search mission for fish. I'm the type of guy if I dont see or mark fish in the first 5 minutes I move till I get on the fish. Have no complaints of any of the setups out. They all do what they are supppse to. I have an entire fleet of augers. From 4in to 11in. Gas to electric. All depends on the day and what I'm out to do and fish for.
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What about the clam plate and a cordless drill?? Or even just a cordless drill ?? Attached to auger?? Have not seen much about the ion x yet?? I know the ion has a lot of mixed reviews about it .. for one the Ion is a brace bit style auger with chipper blades.. not ment for cutting holes fast as say a curved blade style auger like a nils or laser.. if looking at a 8 inch avoid the laser auger. ..
but it all depends on price on a good drill like the millwaukee m18 fuel model 2704-20 with 1200 inch pounds of torque... or even the dewalt dcd996 with 835 uwo.. or even the ridgid r86116 with 700 inch pounds and life time warranty.. life time warranty on ridgid even on batteries and charger if bought as kit..
all these will push a nils auger in a 8 inch no problem .. but if looking at a 10 inch that leaves the bigger companies like eskimo and strike master.. also look at the weight and battery charging..
like how long charging takes and compared to smaller ion batteries I know my ridgid take about 1 hour to charge a 2 amp battery.. and compare that of the ion to a millwaukee fuel and a nils set up?? I think you will like the cordless drill and auger better my self then say the ion x it's self?? But maybe that's just me
My Ion has shaver blades. It is the older model but the ION X has chipper blades that is another positive. The shaver blades that came with my Ion are garbage but its the only complaint that I have.
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I think its funny how a guy asks for advice on a certain item and the entire thread gets changed to what works best on a cordless drill. That's not what the guy asked people. He knows what he wants and now just wamts input on those few items. Not my drill is better then your drill.
So on with it. I have an ion x. Love it. Really nice for those days of big thick ice and not a lot of walking. Battery does really well in all conditions just don't be a dummy and leave it out in the elements. My augers tend to stay in my shack with me. Prefer the clam plate if I'm out on a search mission for fish. I'm the type of guy if I dont see or mark fish in the first 5 minutes I move till I get on the fish. Have no complaints of any of the setups out. They all do what they are supppse to. I have an entire fleet of augers. From 4in to 11in. Gas to electric. All depends on the day and what I'm out to do and fish for.
Excellent points. If you want to run and gun then I'd suggest the drill setup due to weight alone. However, I have the first or second generation Ion (no reverse) and outside of the blades I don't have a complaint. The battery issues in the cold are overrated. You can put the battery in a bag with hand warmers if it is that cold or just keep it off the ice and elements in normal conditions. I drilled over 20 holes on 20+ inches of ice on Champlain and it was the only day I drained the battery. The trophy strike is very interesting but also seems to have shaver style blades. The battery, reverse, 8 inches and especially the centering pin are very appealing.
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Has anyone checked out the Jiffy e6 Lightning? It looks like it has a 6mAh battery and brushless motor. I'm thinking about that auger myself. It also has a USB port to charge a phone or something as well. I Believe it uses the ripper style blades. Jiffy's been making augers for a long time.
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This will be the third year with the X. Had the bit replaced after they put the wrong paint on it, they swapped it out ez pz. Its a great tool. HAve had zero battery issues and I drill a lot of holes. Have given up keeping the battery warm as I haven't found it necessary. I do like the idea of extra USb ports though Steve. Always handy.
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I do like the idea of extra USb ports though Steve. Always handy.
The brushless motor is a big deal too. I know from my Dewalt tools that brushless motor is a lot more efficient with the battery also. I don't know what the other manufacturers have for a motor, they might be brushless too?
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Very good point !
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