Auger question

[Yote]

I'm looking to buy my first power auger but on a college budget. I think it was eskimo that had one for under 300. Is 33cc enough power?

[matt12]

as long as it is not by hand, its golden.

id rather have a slow light power auger than a fast hand crank in thick ice

[Buckshots]

College budget? Cheap power auger it is then! Any power auger will drill a hole just fine. A 33cc won't be super fast but it's still a power auger and will get the job done. And even the cheapest power auger will have a warranty. So don't worry about it crapping out on ya.

[wipike]

I'm looking to buy my first power auger but on a college budget. I think it was eskimo that had one for under 300. Is 33cc enough power?

I think you're referring to the Stingray - 8" auger with a 33cc engine on it.  Everything I've found on here and in the real world has said they're a great, but slow and heavy, auger for the money.  They can be found for less than 220 if you look around, and were under 200 at the end of the season on closeouts.  If you can make due with an 8" auger, and have a way to move it around, it'll probably work well for you.

[Yote]

Thanks guys. Anybody have another cheap option for power augers?

[Chris338378]

L&M Supply has the Eskimo Mako (43cc - 8 inch model) for $284.99 with free shipping.

 http://www.landmsupply.com/department/sporting-goods/ice-fishing/augers/eskimo-mako-43cc-8-quantum-ice-auger

[jethro]

Craigslist! Get an old Jiffy 30 for $150-200 in great shape- or an Eskimo for that matter. I got a used one and it works flawless! There isn't much to these things and if you are a little handy, if something does go wrong, they usually only need a small diaphragm that acts as a fuel pump.

[3300]

i use lazer brand hand augers of several sizes and drill to auger adapter and a ridgid brand drill w/lifetime warranty including batteries when bought from home depot.
this way you can make different size holes, can always make a hole even if you run out of battery, one time cost with no extra cash getting flushed other than sharpening/replacement blades for the auger, can use the drill for other jobs. easy start, no fumes or dangerous gas near you. my 24 volt makes about 60 holes per battery and comes with two batteries.
200$ for 18V drill
80$ for auger
20$ for adapter
300 bones
last a life time

[wipike]

Will second Dr.G's recommendation of the old Jiffy 30 - those things are tanks, especially the older ones.  Cosmetically ugly is fine as long as everything's in working order - and you can find them around.

I use the drill/hand auger thing too for early ice, but with ND as your location I have a feeling you'll be wanting a power auger for more than the month or two you'd get with skinny ice.


YMMV.

[Redneck Fishfinder]

I was on the "college budget" for a few years and I just kept the hand auger until I had the money to buy a Jiffy Pro4. I'm very happy with that decision because I feel like if I had bought a cheap one I would be stuck with it now and unhappy because I could either keep the crappy auger or spend another couple hundred and have 2 augers, one of which I would not need. Just a thought!

[fishlessman]

for under 300 you could probably get the old jiffey 30 and a new nils handauger. the nils is good for 16 inches or so and after 2 feet i would want the extra power of the jiffy over the little power augers

[jethro]

for under 300 you could probably get the old jiffey 30 and a new nils handauger. the nils is good for 16 inches or so and after 2 feet i would want the extra power of the jiffy over the little power augers

Exactly. That's what I do, and although I am not made of money, I am not on a budget. Hand auger until February and then the $200 Jiffy 30. Truth be told, if I was a college kid, I would have no problem using a Nils for the entire season. Have you ever seen more than 24" of ice here in NH? A Nils chews that much ice up real quick. College kid = lots of energy to burn off!

[Redneck Fishfinder]

especially if you have sharp blades- fresh blades on hand auger and an energetic fisherman can outperform a cheap gas auger any day, especially a 33cc auger. unless you're drilling through 24" of ice- then it might be a different story. I have probably the best auger on the market and I still pull out the hand auger sometimes!

[Redneck Fishfinder]

I have an 8" mora hand auger and I raced my friend's strike master auger and I almost finished 2 holes before he finished 1. That was on about 8" of ice.

[OldSailor]

I have an 8" mora hand auger and I raced my friend's strike master auger and I almost finished 2 holes before he finished 1. That was on about 8" of ice.

Who was the more tired?? You or him?? Just sayin'!!! Do that all day hole hopping and give me a power auger any day!! But I'm almost 70 and have arthritis in my shoulders, plus I had a heart attack and bypass surgery along with a stent put in!! I'm not about to push myself anymore!! I also have an 8" Mora, and I'm going to set it up with a drill adapter to use my 20 V li-ion drill! A 6" auger would be even easier on the drill! I wish I could afford a Nils 6" or 8" hand auger!! Then you can get a Tanaka power head for it later! They even make a Nils setup for a cordless drill! I bet that cuts sweet!!

[diesel2012]

Got an old Jiffy 30 for $150 last year. One pull start 90% of the time. Runs like a dream yet. Keep an eye out for used ones, you can find a steal sometimes.

[Redneck Fishfinder]

At 70 with arthritis I would never drill a hole by hand! But at 30 as a recently removed college athlete I don't mind it- I suppose this is a sort of thing that is not the same for everyone.

[CrappieGuy]

HT Enterprises has a new auger this year 43 cc under $300 also as mention earlier Eskimo..  Get them here, no tax and free shipping.  HT is on sale for $259, two year warranty to boot.

http://www.glensoutdoors.com/fishing/ice-fishing/ice-augers/eskimo-mako-43cc-8in-power-ice-auger.html

http://www.glensoutdoors.com/fishing/ice-fishing/ice-augers/ht-enterprises-polar-fire-43cc-8-power-ice-auger.html

[da man cave shack]

Look around craigslist al little and you can usually find some.

[neveruminda]

We're cutting through 20-30" of ice every year with a 33cc MO (Eskimo Stingray).

As far as I'm concerned, it isn't a race and the 33cc has never let me down (-32 temp)
Picked up a spare for $75 on CL had to replace the fuel line $4 and fix the tank(tried $6 sealant and then it was free --> I used a soldering iron to blend the plastic back together)

If global warming continues (as we've seen in the Arctic Circle this year) and the ice keeps thickening in the lower 48 as a result, I'll need an auger extension pretty soon; an envious problem to have!

Good luck Yote!

[eriksat1]

Last April I was touching the ice with my knuckels on my jiffy model 30, almost needed an extension. Ice fished into May.

[slymer83]

some also use a power drill with an adaptor which works well and is well under 300 $ ...just saying

[DR.SPECKLER]

jiffy sd60i is under 300.the only prob with mine is the bit is getting a little rusty where the paint chipped of the flighting but running strong after 3 years.

[gearheart]

I have an old Eskimo Sportsman 20 years old at least. I can't remember when I bought it. Still works like a charm. I won't replace it until it breaks and can't be fixed.  That's not likely to happen in my lifetime. SWMBO does not like me to upgrade stuff that is not broken. 

[gofish33]

If you already have a hand auger, find a used tree-tapper on Cl and hook it to your hand auger with a drill-adapter.  I have an Echo tree-tapper mounted to a 6" Finbore auger,  the whole rig weighs about 16 lbs.


gofish33

[jiggenfrogs]

I haven't priced augers lately, but I have seen a few on craigslist and you should have no problem finding one under $300.  As mentioned above you can buy the Eskimo 43cc new in your price range.  I have one and love it.  I'm drilling through ice up to 5' in no time with it.  The Jiffy's are more money and we have had problems with the blades/teeth plugging up with slush/ice and need to be cleaned more often.  The Eskimo has a simple blade, doesn't get clogged up nearly as bad or often and the blades are way cheaper.  Good luck

[RWD12]

Save up a couple more of your pennies and get a Strikemaster. They have the Magnum for anywhere from $330-400$ depending where you go. Yea, it is an 8.25" bit but you have the chipper blade which you can re-open holes nice and easy, it is a 2-stroke so it cuts through ice FAST like all Strikemaster augers do or your next step up would be the Lazer Mag. They are all amazing augers! You can never go wrong with a Strikemaster. Don't waste your money on an Eskimo that you'll be getting rid of in a few years... save your money a little longer and get a Strikemaster, you won't regret it!

[boder]

for under 300 you could probably get the old jiffey 30 and a new nils handauger. the nils is good for 16 inches or so and after 2 feet i would want the extra power of the jiffy over the little power augers

I also really like this option. i used my nils exclusively last year and never got the jiffy out. of course it depends on the ice thickness. i did around 8 consecutive holes in 8'' of ice with an 8'' nils hand auger before tiring. i am really impressed with the nils and will b a fan for life. the jiffy may not see the ice again this year.