Propane Auger?

[jiggenfrogs]

Does any one up this way run Jiffy or eskimo propane auger?  I may buy a new auger and was thinking about buying propane, but not sure about the cold and if they can take the abuse it will be put through.  I have always used gas augers and when something works I'm reluctant to change...and i'm not sold on the propane augers.  Any input would be appreciated.

[bowhunter68]

Everything i have read has been they are good until it gets below zero then they have freeze up issues etc...well its 42 degrees out in January so your good to go lol. I would look hard at the strikemaster Pro with the 3 HP Solo engine...i have one and its bullet proof and cuts circles around jiffy and eskimo. I had a Z71 eskimo and my buddy cut 2 holes to my 1 he had the Solo strikemaster...i was sold that was 4 years ago.

[Akhardwater]

I like my z71, it's got the power I need when the ice gets real thick and if you shim the blades it cuts like a tornado. I don't think I would trust the propane think about when you have a buddy heater and the tank gets cold, next to impossible to keep the heater running.  I don't like the cheap throttle lever on the z71, after a couple holes in the cold the trigger broke off now I have a push button throttle trigger.  No biggie it still works. 

[jiggenfrogs]

YA, I'm weary of the propane due to cold weather.  The way winters have been up here the last few years thought we may not need to worry about the -40 days.  I was thinking the z71 or the jiffy, but I will look into the strike master too.  I'm leaning towards the Eskimo because I have about 6 sets of replacement blades or it.  Thanks

[bighof]

I have the Jiffy Pro-4 9".  I havent had any issues with it not starting in the cold, and acually I would say it has started easier in the cold than any of the gas augers I have owned.  I was skeptical as well.  My brother bought one last year, he lives in North Dakota and never had any issues either (his 2 buddies also are running pro-4's.)  I have previously owned an EskimoZ71, an older Jiffy with a tecumseh, and a new Jiffy 30.  I left mine out in the yard when we got our cold snap this fall.... granted it was only about -10 or so, but it started right up.  The only real issue that I have had with it was having one bottle leak because it wasnt tight. 

I am by no means saying that this is the end all be all of Ice augers but it works really well and not dealing with gas tanks is really nice.  I always have an extra propane bottle or two along with us anyways for th buddy heater.

I would be more than willing to meet up if you wanted to fish sometime and let you try it out.  I would not dump that kind of money without trying it out myself first either.

Shane

[jiggenfrogs]

I have the Jiffy Pro-4 9".  I havent had any issues with it not starting in the cold, and acually I would say it has started easier in the cold than any of the gas augers I have owned.  I was skeptical as well.  My brother bought one last year, he lives in North Dakota and never had any issues either (his 2 buddies also are running pro-4's.)  I have previously owned an EskimoZ71, an older Jiffy with a tecumseh, and a new Jiffy 30.  I left mine out in the yard when we got our cold snap this fall.... granted it was only about -10 or so, but it started right up.  The only real issue that I have had with it was having one bottle leak because it wasnt tight. 
 I am by no means saying that this is the end all be all of Ice augers but it works really well and not dealing with gas tanks is really nice.  I always have an extra propane bottle or two along with us anyways for th buddy heater.

I would be more than willing to meet up if you wanted to fish sometime and let you try it out.  I would not dump that kind of money without trying it out myself first either.

Shane

Thanks for the info.  What is the coldest temp you have run the propane auger in?  I'm getting soft, so if it is much below -25 Im fishing from the shack.

[jiggenfrogs]

I have been reading reviews on the Eskimo HC40 propane auger and am hard pressed to find a bad review.  I may take a chance and try the Eskimo propane auger.

[bighof]

Coldest I have used mine so far was about -10.  My brother and his buddies have used them to -30ish without an issue (he sent me a pic of the console in his truck because I was concerned about the propane not working also.)  I still just kept an extra bottle in the truck or inside the shanty that would be warm just in case mine ever doesnt start.  I really dont think it will be an issue though. 

[APJ]

As long as you have a warm bottle they will work fine.. We was up north couple of years ago -22 At Ross Lake and propane would not start well  about 100 pulls to start. But it was a cold bottle too. My gas auger started but took some cranks..

[jacksmelt71]

i know this is a old post but ill comment anyway. propanes are a warm weather auger. buddy of mine has the jiffy. -0 the thing freezes up and it takes awhile to warm the tank to get it to work again. when its that -25f morning he brings his old jiffy and she fires right up. and they're heavier than the old jiffys. as far as picking a new gas job, I'm not sure one brand is better than the next. if you can find a older jiffy that some old man had id go w/ that. at least you can work on the thing and theres no plastic to break.

[Drifter_016]

One thing you can try with your equipment that runs on those 1# bottles is to use a neoprene tank cover and put a few hand warmers between the bottle and cover. Should help to keep the freezing issues down.

[jiggenfrogs]

I did get a propane auger, it was a birthday gift and so far so good.  First trip with it was -15, let it sit out side the shack all night and it fired up on 7 pulls.  The way the weather has been im not sure if we will be having -40 winters for a while.  I never saw more than -20 while fishing this winter.

[jacksmelt71]

which one did you get? yeah our winter was warmer than normal this year but the 2 yrs. before we had -30f all jan. and feb. and wind about everyday!  was brutal! glad we were able to fish out of the truck or we wouldn't have fished much! glad the propane worked for you! we'll see how it works on the 29th!

[icefishdoug]

We were out in -21 temps, my Z-71 sat out side all night and so did my friends propane auger in our shacks. I think it was a strike master. My Z-71 started hard but started, his propane auger would not start, shoot even our shanty heaters would not take off right away, all he did was to take the propane bottle and put it inside his bibs for about 15 min and then put it on the auger and it started right up. The high for the day was -10  so it was a bear all day. the next day it was -16 so before we left cabin he took a warm propane tank and put in his bibs and put it on his auger when we got out and it started right up.