Best Ice Deals!! Lets hear em!

[lefty2053]

I don't know about the rest here but I think the cases on these tools are a waste. YUP! They are a neat place to ship and carry these tools in but if most are like me I have a full shelf of cases that once the tool and accessories get put into service they never again see the case. Good for a working guy who drags his tools all over but most of them don't bother putting them back in the case after a work day. My drills are either on the shelf and ready to go or on the Clam plate with the charger hooked up in a designated spot in my shop and the case is with about 10 other empty cases taking up room.

Got a nice bag with the Ridgid set I got. Use the bag for my Ice fishing jigs lures and some other stuff.

[ship of fools]

Ok folks this has got to be the best deal on a Milwaukee 2803-22 cordless drill..Use code 274607 for an extra $20 off.

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200712404_200712404

Thanks for that one!  I just pulled the trigger on that and the code still works so it was $159.

[Vandal78]

Ok folks this has got to be the best deal on a Milwaukee 2803-22 cordless drill..Use code 274607 for an extra $20 off.

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200712404_200712404

Newby question here. Is the 5AH battery sufficient or is something larger going to work better? I am thinking of pairing this drill combo with an 8" something, haven't decided yet.

[RStock521]

Newby question here. Is the 5AH battery sufficient or is something larger going to work better? I am thinking of pairing this drill combo with an 8" something, haven't decided yet.

5.0ah is sufficient.  I rarely run through one full 5.0 battery in a day.  I use the other one to power my lights if I'm fishing at night.

[muskyon46]

Ok folks this has got to be the best deal on a Milwaukee 2803-22 cordless drill..Use code 274607 for an extra $20 off.

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200712404_200712404

Thanks for the heads up on this deal. $170 delivered, couldn't pass it up to update my gen1 1200lb drill with the weak handle design. I'm sure I can still get $100-150 easily around here on the local classifieds for my old set-up that has 3 years on it.

[Gamalot]

Newby question here. Is the 5AH battery sufficient or is something larger going to work better? I am thinking of pairing this drill combo with an 8" something, haven't decided yet.

I started with a full charge battery, 4 bars, and drilled 35 holes in 9 inches of ice with a very sharp SM Lazer 7 inch auger. When I got home and let the battery warm to room temp it still had 3 bars on the battery charge meter. I am very sure it depends upon the auger you use and how well it cuts. My buddy has the same setup as mine but uses his old 8 Inch SM gas auger with the chipper blades on the drill and it takes him twice as long to drill a hole so his battery gets drained much quicker.

[grizzlyhackle]

For $159 shipped I had to pull the trigger on this deal...my trusty Lazer Mag might be sitting out the early part of the season. Thanks for the heads up hardwater!

[Gamalot]

For $159 shipped I had to pull the trigger on this deal...my trusty Lazer Mag might be sitting out the early part of the season. Thanks for the heads up hardwater!

I bet HD has blown up Northern tools. I passed this on to 3 buddies and they all jumped on it and so did I.

[ship of fools]

Newby question here. Is the 5AH battery sufficient or is something larger going to work better? I am thinking of pairing this drill combo with an 8" something, haven't decided yet.

My neighbor uses a K drill which i believe is actually 7 inches and a single battery lasts all day. I'm going with either a K Drill or an 8 Inch Eskimo Pistol Bit for mine. There are pluses and minuses to both but either will work for me. Now we just need to find a deal on one of those 

[Gamalot]

Amazon Warehouse- 8 inch Lazer- $40

https://www.amazon.com/Strike-Master-Augers-Lazer-8-Inch/dp/B0000DJM11/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&fst=as%3Aoff&m=A2L77EE7U53NWQ&qid=1616602284&rnid=10158976011&s=warehouse-deals&sr=1-3

I would be careful with that one. $40 is for a Used one and it says it is "Synthetic" but I am not aware SM ever made a plastic Lazer auger.

[grizzlyhackle]

I would be careful with that one. $40 is for a Used one and it says it is "Synthetic" but I am not aware SM ever made a plastic Lazer auger.

We'll see - its going back if its not in good shape. $200 for drill and auger bit is hard to beat.

[hardwater diehard]

I bet HD has blown up Northern tools. I passed this on to 3 buddies and they all jumped on it and so did I.

Let some folks I know about this and let their order process before posting on the shanty ..this season alone I have helped three buddies with their cordless drill set ups with deals ..after they used mine .

NOTE : Today is the last day for this deal based on an Email I received

Ok folks this has got to be the best deal on a Milwaukee 2803-22 cordless drill..Use code 274607 for an extra $20 off.

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200712404_200712404

[Nitro_372]

ordered the drill kit and then separately ordereed a 8.0ah battery and comes with free 3.0 battery and got another $20 off with the promo code 274607.  need to stop checking this thread $$$

[Gamalot]

ordered the drill kit and then separately ordereed a 8.0ah battery and comes with free 3.0 battery and got another $20 off with the promo code 274607.  need to stop checking this thread $$$

I am close enough to Hardwater Diehard and can go over there and shake him up for causing all this economic strife within our community.

Regarding the bigger battery, Keep in mind if you use just a small portion of the charge there is no real need to recharge it until it gets below half charge. I could probably fish an entire month on just the initial charge with an 8AH battery. The more you charge them the less long they will live. Most of us could take the two 5 AH batteries and never even need the second one.

[thinblueline]

I haven’t even ice fished yet so excuse my ignorance, but in reading many threads on the topic, it still seems the total number of inches of ice which can be drilled with a Milwaukee drill and 5amp battery is a fraction of what can be drilled by a dedicated battery operated ice auger. Watching videos of the drill/auger combination, it also appears the drill combo hangs up in deeper ice, requiring a series of lift and drill motions to clear ice, while the dedicated electric auger just plows through continuously no matter the depth. It would sure seem the drill/auger would be the most convenient option for ice less than a foot deep, while a dedicated electric auger is the best option for drilling a heck of a lot more holes on thicker ice. Am I way off? Again, no personal experience here, just trying to learn before buying.

[hardwater diehard]

I haven’t even ice fished yet so excuse my ignorance, but in reading many threads on the topic, it still seems the total number of inches of ice which can be drilled with a Milwaukee drill and 5amp battery is a fraction of what can be drilled by a dedicated battery operated ice auger. Watching videos of the drill/auger combination, it also appears the drill combo hangs up in deeper ice, requiring a series of lift and drill motions to clear ice, while the dedicated electric auger just plows through continuously no matter the depth. It would sure seem the drill/auger would be the most convenient option for ice less than a foot deep, while a dedicated electric auger is the best option for drilling a heck of a lot more holes on thicker ice. Am I way off? Again, no personal experience here, just trying to learn before buying.

thinblueline   PM sent so not to clutter this thread

[badger132]

I haven’t even ice fished yet so excuse my ignorance, but in reading many threads on the topic, it still seems the total number of inches of ice which can be drilled with a Milwaukee drill and 5amp battery is a fraction of what can be drilled by a dedicated battery operated ice auger. Watching videos of the drill/auger combination, it also appears the drill combo hangs up in deeper ice, requiring a series of lift and drill motions to clear ice, while the dedicated electric auger just plows through continuously no matter the depth. It would sure seem the drill/auger would be the most convenient option for ice less than a foot deep, while a dedicated electric auger is the best option for drilling a heck of a lot more holes on thicker ice. Am I way off? Again, no personal experience here, just trying to learn before buying.

There are a lot of combinations of ice, auger bits, and drills, so the question you are asking is not going to have a simple answer. An auger bit can be from 4 to 12 inches, and have a number of configurations- shavers chippers, smooth, serrated,... They are also from very sharp to very dull in all of the videos on Youtube.

A drill, in general, has a faster RPM than most power augers. This can make it cut faster, but also makes it more likely to overload. You will have better luck with an auger that is:

Not too big- the amount of ice you are removing goes up as the square of diameter

SHARP- treat your auger like a precision tool- don't drop it on the ice. Sharpen or change blades as required

Designed to be used with a drill- I say this as someone who has drilled thousands of holes with a 5 inch Lazer bit or a 4.5 inch Nils bit in a 750 in-lb drill. I finally bought a Pistol bit 6 inch this year, and it is far better. The plastic flites don't bind in the hole, and the ring on the Bottom eliminated the jerk at break through. It is a smooth and easy experience. I can drill until my entire bit and 8 inch extension is buried. I have never been able to run out of my 9AH battery, even drilling for multiple people.

If you have problems holding the drill securely, or if you want to use a big bit (which I advise against) you can add a CLAM plate with a 3:1 gear reduction and a set of nice handles. That will give you more than enough torque.

Nothing against a dedicated auger- they work well- just that there are 10 drills for every 1 electric auger everywhere I go. You at least can not say that it is not a solution to drilling holes.

[hardwater diehard]

Let some folks I know about this and let their order process before posting on the shanty ..this season alone I have helped three buddies with their cordless drill set ups with deals ..after they used mine .

NOTE : Today is the last day for this deal based on an Email I received

Ok folks this has got to be the best deal on a Milwaukee 2803-22 cordless drill..Use code 274607 for an extra $20 off.

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200712404_200712404

Mine has shipped be here on Friday via FedEx from NC

[Papa Sly]

I haven’t even ice fished yet so excuse my ignorance, but in reading many threads on the topic, it still seems the total number of inches of ice which can be drilled with a Milwaukee drill and 5amp battery is a fraction of what can be drilled by a dedicated battery operated ice auger. Watching videos of the drill/auger combination, it also appears the drill combo hangs up in deeper ice, requiring a series of lift and drill motions to clear ice, while the dedicated electric auger just plows through continuously no matter the depth. It would sure seem the drill/auger would be the most convenient option for ice less than a foot deep, while a dedicated electric auger is the best option for drilling a heck of a lot more holes on thicker ice. Am I way off? Again, no personal experience here, just trying to learn before buying.

honestly I drilled through over 16 inches in upstate New York this year with a milwaukee 2804, 5amp battery, and 8" Cabellas ezrill. I drilled over 40 holes which was all we needed for the day.

[Baetis62]

Same here...1000's of holes over the last 4 years with the 2804 on a 6" Nils.  I also have an Octane on a 7" Nero.   I've never blinked out once when drilling with either rig nor have I used up a 5ah battery in a day. 

[mushroom_capd_1]

Let some folks I know about this and let their order process before posting on the shanty ..this season alone I have helped three buddies with their cordless drill set ups with deals ..after they used mine .

NOTE : Today is the last day for this deal based on an Email I received

Ok folks this has got to be the best deal on a Milwaukee 2803-22 cordless drill..Use code 274607 for an extra $20 off.

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200712404_200712404

Thanks HD! I almost thought I wouldn't get in on this as Northern Tool would not ship here to my house but I had it shipped to my work. Now I'll have a backup just in case. Too good of a deal to pass up!

[Nitro_372]

I am close enough to Hardwater Diehard and can go over there and shake him up for causing all this economic strife within our community.

Regarding the bigger battery, Keep in mind if you use just a small portion of the charge there is no real need to recharge it until it gets below half charge. I could probably fish an entire month on just the initial charge with an 8AH battery. The more you charge them the less long they will live. Most of us could take the two 5 AH batteries and never even need the second one.

I bought the bigger battery for my impact. I agree the 5.0ah battery is plenty big enough for using on the auger 

[bigal409]

I would be careful with that one. $40 is for a Used one and it says it is "Synthetic" but I am not aware SM ever made a plastic Lazer auger.

Yes they make a synthetic one. Ran into a guy this winter who had one. It's much lighter and cuts just as good.

[billybob851]

FYI still works today, I just ordered one. Thanks for the heads up

[ship of fools]

So with all of these new drill purchases we all need to make an effort to find a good deal on an auger/bit. I have friends using the Strike Master Lite Flite or something like that, the K Drill and the Eskimo Pistol Bit and I would buy any of those. Does anyone else have good or bad things to say about other options?

I hope since ice season is done for most of us and there are so many of us looking for a drill it's okay to have a discussion on this thread?

[hardwater diehard]

So with all of these new drill purchases we all need to make an effort to find a good deal on an auger/bit. I have friends using the Strike Master Lite Flite or something like that, the K Drill and the Eskimo Pistol Bit and I would buy any of those. Does anyone else have good or bad things to say about other options?

I hope since ice season is done for most of us and there are so many of us looking for a drill it's okay to have a discussion on this thread?

 Features that are nice ...center point(for glare ice) ..outer Ring(for break through) ...Then blade style ..and price


All about the blades .1).K-Drill has Chipper style great for dirty ice Slowest and uses more battery ..2)Shaver style blade or Mora type ..Pistol Bit ..HT E-Drill ..Cableas Eze ..pretty fast and can be hand sharpen with some practice ..replacement blades fairly inexpensive . 3) Lazer/curved style blades or  ..Lite flight .. ..fastest but if used on dirty ice game over ..ie paper weight..replacement blades lil pricey.. I am not familar with the Razr ..but believe they have Lazer style blades .. next is weight ..metal heavier ..composite lighter . Having a center point is a great option ..most hand augers do not ..so skipping on glare ice is quite possible/dangerous . As for the Drill you will be using ..Brushless 725 in/lbs or better with 5ah battery or better..IF YOU GO WITH A UNDER POWERED UNDERTORQUED PICTURE HANGING /SHE SHED DRILL SET UP IT WILL BE AN EPIC FAIL EVENTUALLY..Buy the right drill and battery set up .

Make/Model                                          Price

HT Enterprise E Drill..   Mora/Straight    $$$
Eskimo Pistol Bit/ION.. Mora/Straight     $$$$
Strikemaster Lite Flite.  Lazer/Curved    $$$$
K Drill...                      Chipper             $$$$
Cabelas Eze Drill..........Mora/Straight    $$$
Nils.................. ..........                       $$$$$
Razr S                                                 $$$
Mora hand auger....     Mora/Straight      $$

[Gamalot]

I adapted my 7 inch SM Lazer hand auger to fit on my Clam plate with an extension. It has the Swedish curved blades, no point, that are now on their 3rd season and still cuts ice like it is butter. I never had any issue with glare ice skipping but I am very careful to never bang the blades down onto the ice which could bend the auger spiral itself. This auger is metal and it is developing some wear and surface rust around the edges which I will repaint soon. My complete set up weighs easily less than half of what my gas SM weighed. I love it. I do wish I had bought the 8 inch hand lazer but 7 does work for me here. The only real drawback with this drill is in opening older frozen over holes and the final last half inch of breakthrough. I love the Clam plate and Milwaukee drill with 1200 in/lbs of torque and the 5 AH battery is more than I have ever needed even when drilling for 4 guys.
My buddy has the identical setup up top but bought the K drill auger in 8 inch. He hates it with the chipper blades. Another buddy has an auger with the ring at the bottom and it works great for breakthrough and for opening old holes, think it has a point as well.
I did hit an embedded rock once that dulled my curved blades and sent the curved blades to our sponsor Fish307 for sharpening. They came back quick and as sharp as new. Fools in the early ice tend to toss out rocks that end up buried so I always bring the spare blades and wrench just to be safe. Mora and SM hand auger bits seem to work great with the drill setups IMO. I have not yet seen any of the plastic augers other than the K drill which I don't like at all.
Yes, This is a great place to have this extended discussion.

[hardwater diehard]

I have used several types of augers .. in order that I used them SM 6" lazer cuts well but wanted a bigger hole and did not like the skipping on glare ice and hang up on break through...7.5 K-drill ..works as advertised..opens old holes with ease.. HT 8" E-Drill  cuts well faster then the K-drill and will open old holes great on break through and has a center point...also tried the Mora 8" hand auger ..did not like the skipping and some break through issues . This season I was able to try both an 8" Eskimo Pistol Bit and the 8" ION  Ultralight Auger Bit( same auger drill unit branded/color difference) ...Both cut fast and remove appox 80 percent of the ice chips from the hole..very similar to a power head auger .Note the fights on the Eskimo/ION are space further apart then the HT E-Drill about 2:1.  and the HT tended to leave more chips in the hole. My order of preference/performance ..would be ... if price wasnt a factor ..1)Eskimo/ION...2) HT E-Drill /Cabelas EZE Drill..3) K-Drill followed by the SM Lite Flight( although I did not use this version I am basing it on the steal  version I used) followed by a Mora style hand auger.

Once again ..the feature of a center point is important to me ..as well a break through ring ..and I simply love the Clam Plate ..no leaning curve .. and keeps the drill/battery off the ice.

Hopes this helps some folks out there ..not a lot of deals on drill units out there based on depleted stock ..but one could kick across one eventually

[hardwater diehard]

NOTE :  Apparently I was wrong about the last day of this deal Today is the last day for this deal based on an Email I received

Ok folks this has got to be the best deal on a Milwaukee 2803-22 cordless drill..Use code 274607 for an extra $20 off.

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200712404_200712404

[Gamalot]

NOTE :  Apparently I was wrong about the last day of this deal Today is the last day for this deal based on an Email I received

Ok folks this has got to be the best deal on a Milwaukee 2803-22 cordless drill..Use code 274607 for an extra $20 off.

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200712404_200712404

I hope Northern bought a full pallet of these drill kits. Nearest I can count is you probably sold at least 20 of them and deserve a Kick Back from the company.

You get the Golden Finger Award!