IceShanty.com's Ice Fishing Community
Maine => Ice Fishing Maine => Topic started by: blackduckin on Feb 06, 2016, 12:35 PM
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Hello Folks it's been a while for sure!! Hope everyone is doing well!
Question for you. As I get up there in years my jiffy auger is getting a little on the heavy side. My Nils is fine for shallower ice, but I'm looking at getting a lighter weight Ice auger. I was looking at reviews on YouTube on the Ion electric auger. What can you tell me about them? All feedback is welcome, and thanks you.. Ed
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I think they sell a conversion kit for a nils to electric?
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Re: Ice gator head for nils?
« Reply #1 on: Jan 28, 2016, 09:07 AM »
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I just got a cordless drill adapter for my 8" nils hand auger and am planning to get a Milwaukee fuel 18v to use with it. I will report once I've tried it out.
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Hi, Ed. I have been using the Ion 8" for about a year now. No complaints. Holds a good charge even in cold temps. Always cut all the holes I've needed even in thick ice. Slush on top doesn't hurt its cutting ability either. Got mine Beans to grab the warranty.
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Used my brothers ion today. It is very light! We cut about 25 holes in 12" of ice. Ran great!
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Used my brothers ion today. It is very light! We cut about 25 holes in 12" of ice. Ran great!
How much is very light? My unit weighs about 12# just curious!
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How much is very light? My unit weighs about 12# just curious!
That's quite a unit! haha The Ion site says it comes in at 22 lbs
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22lbs?? Doesn't exactly sound light if that is the main reason for going with battery's. There must be gas options in that weight range
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Mine weighs in at 19 pounds and it's a far cry from any of the propane models or gas jobies that are out there. I've had them all, the ion by far is the best auger ever made no problems what so ever.
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22lbs?? Doesn't exactly sound light if that is the main reason for going with battery's. There must be gas options in that weight range
Strikemaster makes a couple that are certainly in the low-mid 20's.
I've had an Ion for a couple years. It's great for PA ice conditions. Last season we had @ 14" and it worked fine (I drilled north of 40 holes on one outing). I like the fact I don't have mess with gas.
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The ion is super light. Way lighter than any propane or gas auger out there.
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Been using the ion 8" all year and couldn't be happier. No problems at all. Cuts plenty of holes on a charge. Hell, when we get home it's still at full charge. I don't think I could go back to dragging a gas unit around. We fish 6 days a week for 2-3 months so it's getting used.
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Another happy Ion owner, I've had mine two years now and really like it.
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Bought one prior to this season. Haven't got to use it much, several trips to the ice. Drilled a lot of holes and still on full charge. Love it, one of my best ice fishing equipment purchases ever! Glen's outdoors has a good deal on them right now.
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Buy one. Buy an extra battery. Never look back. @)
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I have used a friends Ion, it is an older one and kind of beat up, the batteries don't last as long as they did when they where new, but it does work well and would consider getting one myself. Having said that, I know this isn't what you where asking about, but I'll throw it out there. I met another shanty member out on Sebago last year and spent the day fishing with him, when showed me his Nils with a cordless drill hooked to it, I chuckled at him, and thought yeah right, well he chuckled back and started drilling hole after hole in 2 feet of ice before I could even pick up my jiffy and get it started, I'm not easily impressed, but that did impress me. You already have the Nils, if you have a cordless drill, get an adapter and try it.
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Ion works great! Had mine for a few years now- no problems.
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I bought it the first year available, maybe 4-5 years ago. I have used it exclusively and has never failed. Every condition, you name it.
1- the 10 inch auger bought separately does not receive a high grade, far far less ability
2- the plastic assembly that the battery sits it will break in the cold hitting solid ice or metal. mine has been broken for 2 years and still holds in with the little rubber bra that comes with it. Maybe it's improved with newer models?
There really are so few negatives besides the high price, but unit is worth the extra 150 bucks you'll pay
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Me and my buddy last year with his ION, 3 feet of ice and very cold. I bought one mid winter last year. Never done me wrong. Charge stays for a while and easily rechargeable, I'll never go with anything else again.
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I love mine so far.
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check out the strikemaster lithium while your at it, a nice "other" option
50v of power and a much better blade design than the ion's mora style blades
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light weight, no mess, no smell, quiet, cuts through like butter. i love mine and everyone who has come over to check it out has been impressed by it. you definitely will not be disappointed.
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I had the opportunity to use my buddys ion last weekend. My jiffys are gonna go up for sale. I have had 3 shoulder reconstrctions and in april I had a lumbar fusion, this auger was a dream to operate.
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sincityrednek
I hear yuh. I have decided that I am going to sell my Jiffy mod 30 with a 10" bit with two sharp blades
for 2 bills, and then another 10" bit with two sharp blades, for 80 next fall. i intend to buy a Ion
with 8", then the following year get a 10" for backup. I am 73 now and still ice fishing hard as I
did when I was 30. The Auger is starting to get to be heavy for me, and cutting holes harder. I will
say that I did see the Strikemaster Lithium electric reviews, and they are impressive as well. 22 and
24 lbs each, no gas.
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Thank you everybody for your responses! I see that everyone likes theirs which is good to hear. I'm going to sell my Jiffy model 30 and buy a Ion. I like the idea of no gas and the lighter weight. If anyone is looking for a great running Jiffy model 30 pm me.. Thanks again Ed
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What you going to think 5 years from now when you have to buy batteries that are as much as the auger. My jiify will still be like new.. And will have drilled 500 holes or better. :-\
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What you going to think 5 years from now when you have to buy batteries that are as much as the auger. My jiify will still be like new.. And will have drilled 500 holes or better. :-\
carbs and jiffy clutches go bad at inopportune times. Less moving parts on an electric auger means less things to go wrong. Your jiffy will still weigh nearly 40lbs.
In the last 30 years I've gone from my dads old one-armed bandit, to an eskimo, then to a nils...finally ditched gas altogether last year and went with a strikemaster lithium, and it just happened to our coldest and thickest ice year....I will never go back to gas.
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Thats why you buy it at beans ;D
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Another jiffy owner jumping ship! :o
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Another jiffy owner jumping ship! :o
Hahha, I haven't made the jump yet.
I'm thinking about the weight. I like the idea of no gas. It's the battery life is what I'm concerned about. I have a Lawn mover that is battery powered and it's 6 years old and the batteries still hold a charge. The mower is great, quiet, light weight, so glad I bought it.
I priced the batteries for the Ion. I see some places selling them for 134.00 bucks. I bet over the life of a battery you'd spend that much in gas, oil and stabile.
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Bought my Ion this year (8 in.) and absolutely love it. Always has plenty of power and it's QUIET. No gas and oil to mess with either. At 22 lbs. it's not too much for this 64 iceaholic to haul around.
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On my first year with an Ion. Love it. My buddy timed me while I drilled through 8 inches of ice in 7 seconds. Can't wait to try it on 2 feet of ice. :tipup:
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I was also looking at IceGators new 42v Auger called the Annihilator with the 9 1/2 bit.
It is very light weight and can cut 80 holes on a charge, through 3 ft of ice. It can be
left outside in the cold unlike the ION. It cuts holes so fast it is unreal. Downside is it
cost almost 7 bills, and there doesn't seem to be a lot of places to get one.
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Why not get a Milwaukee drill and Nils or Mora augur ? Much lighter.
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Hahha, I haven't made the jump yet.
I'm thinking about the weight. I like the idea of no gas. It's the battery life is what I'm concerned about. I have a Lawn mover that is battery powered and it's 6 years old and the batteries still hold a charge. The mower is great, quiet, light weight, so glad I bought it.
I priced the batteries for the Ion. I see some places selling them for 134.00 bucks. I bet over the life of a battery you'd spend that much in gas, oil and stabile.
Cabelas has back up ion batteries for $85 right now, great deal
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I sold the Jiffy yesterday... So I went to Kittery Trading Post and took advantage of their 20% off ice fishing sale.. Now the proud owner of a Ion!
Took the wife along... Valentines Day and Wife @ Kittery Trading post = bye bye $$$$$.
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congrats! i just bought a 8in. this fall. so far so good! they ardisam says the battery is good for 200hrs. of drilling per year for 7 years before you see a reduction in the amount of holes. i don't fish 200hrs. on the ice in a season and definitely don't drill that much so id think the battery would last over the 7yrs w/ less holes drilled and kept charged throughout the year. so i wouldn't worry about battery longevity.