drill auger issues

[Papa Sly]

This is kinda what I was wondering about with the drill augers. Especially if you use them year round. I think I'll keep my ice fishing things for ice fishing and my tools for my tools! My Ion will last me for a long time and have already had it longer than this guys electric drill and now he's out both a auger and his drill. Some guys talk about using it year round but oh oh look now your without both year round.

http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=341448.0

[BaitBucket]

For every post there is about a drill failing, there are 30 for people asking how to tune up their gas auger that wont run..

This drill is easily 5yrs old, not brushless, running on NiCad, drilling 150 holes per trip.... Old tech in a drill thas has been used and abused. Most guys on this site dont drill 150 holes per season, never mind in one trip..

Lucky for him, he can buy a new one for 100$ since hes got the batteries. About the same cost of a gas auger tuneup and fuel every year.

[NateD]

He didn't have a Milwaukee, and not many people (at least that i know) cut 150 holes per day.  My average is around 30 probably.  If my m18 fuel were to crap out for some reason, the bare tool will cost me 80 bucks, less than your replacement battery I believe.  One persons story doesn't make something the norm.

[NateD]

For every post there is about a drill failing, there are 30 for people asking how to tune up their gas auger that wont run..

This drill is easily 5yrs old, not brushless, running on NiCad, drilling 150 holes per trip.... Old tech in a drill thas has been used and abused. Most guys on this site dont drill 150 holes per season, never mind in one trip..

Lucky for him, he can buy a new one for 100$ since hes got the batteries. About the same cost of a gas auger tuneup and fuel every year.

Beat me to it, spot on.

[BaitBucket]

He didn't have a Milwaukee, and not many people (at least that i know) cut 150 holes per day.  My average is around 30 probably.  If my m18 fuel were to crap out for some reason, the bare tool will cost me 80 bucks, less than your replacement battery I believe.  One persons story doesn't make something the norm.

Indeed, I have a Rigid, going on my 4th season with over 4000 holes drilled. I took it in for service just to get checked out since it has lifetime warranty. Guy pulled it apart and said everything looks and tested great. 4 years, 4000 holes, still going..

[Papa Sly]

I've really been thinking about the drill auger but then I read something like this or the other post where a guy bought the Clam plate and 2nd or 3rd time out he ended up with the gears in his hand. Wil,do you have to use the clam plate? Can you really get a lot of 8" or 10 " holes on those batteries? I got over 120 holes through 16" leaving my battery on the Ion on the ice over three days without charging.
Since both my brother and I have an Ion I was thinking of selling mine and getting the drill and we could have the best of both worlds...what do you think?
Maybe could use the drill when fishing by myself with less ice and then the Ion when fishing big bass and pike. I lost the biggest bass of my life in upstate NY last year trying to pull it up through an 8" hole and it wouldn't fit...way to wide. Guessing it may have been 9 or 10 lbs.

[BaitBucket]

Wil,do you have to use the clam plate? Can you really get a lot of 8" or 10 " holes on those batteries? I got over 120 holes through 16" leaving my battery on the Ion on the ice over three days without charging.
Since both my brother and I have an Ion I was thinking of selling mine and getting the drill and we could have the best of both worlds...what do you think?

The new 1200lb torque Milwaukee with 9ah Batteries are pushing 8in augers all day for alot of guys. I dont think you could kill the two batteries in a single trip. I dont think Rigid has a drill out yet that can reliably push an 8" bit.

You dont have to use the clam plate, you can get away with the side handle and just the drill. Thats what i do. Its about half the weight of the Ion and you can pop the drill off the auger and store it anywhere. Popping the drill off to drive in pop up anchors is nice too.

[NateD]

I don't have years on mine yet, but I've been using an m18 fuel (2704-22) with an 8 inch k drill and absolutely love it so far.  Cut 27 holes one day through 6-7 inches of black ice and had 3/4 of my 5ah battery left, so 500 inches of ice per battery seems possible.  and with the k drill if you need a bigger hole, just cut one right next to it.

[BaitBucket]

if you need a bigger hole, just cut one right next to it.

Yup, thats how i do it too with my 6" mora.

Early on guys were burning up the Milwaukee Fuels and Rigids on 8in augers. But that was 12+" of ice. Thicker the ice = more wear on the drill. The new 1200lb Milwaukee Fuel seems to be doing great from all the reports ive read. But their warranty sucks compared to Rigid.

So i will stick to a 6" and just do overlapping holes if needed.

PS...I had an Ion and loved it. Only sold it because i get the same performance out of my drill with year round use and half the weight. When you cover a couple miles of ice moving around jigging every trip, weight is a concern.

[fred skalanga]

I bought an ION X 8"this year as it made sense to me to have a dedicated tool the would cut ~130 feet of ice on a charge that was still light at 22lbs.  I have no use for a giant hammer drill and then have to mess around with a clam plate to have a stable and safe set up.

[Papa Sly]

Wil, what do you think the cost is for the best drill and auger and what ever else I would need.

[BaitBucket]

I bought an ION X 8"this year as it made sense to me to have a dedicated tool the would cut ~130 feet of ice on a charge that was still light at 22lbs.  I have no use for a giant hammer drill and then have to mess around with a clam plate to have a stable and safe set up.

Hammer drills arent giant, they arent any bigger than a normal drill really. You also dont need the clam plate.. My 7yr old daughter was able to punch a hole with my drill auger..

Wil, what do you think the cost is for the best drill and auger and what ever else I would need.

279 for the drill, 50$ for a 8" mora hand auger, 15$ for the extension, 30$ for the ice master adapter. So at or around 400$ with tax. If you go with the clam plate, closer to $450 w/tax.

[bldfrt]

If you find sales it can all be put together much cheaper. I have m18, clam plate, extension, mora and landed around 270. If you omit the clam plate it would be even cheaper. I like the plate for various reasons but also see the merit in not using it

[BaitBucket]

If you find sales it can all be put together much cheaper. I have m18, clam plate, extension, mora and landed around 270.

How the heck did u get all that for less than the price of the drill alone lol.

[NateD]

I bought an ION X 8"this year as it made sense to me to have a dedicated tool the would cut ~130 feet of ice on a charge that was still light at 22lbs.  I have no use for a giant hammer drill and then have to mess around with a clam plate to have a stable and safe set up.

No need for the plate, stabilizer arm does the same thing, mine weighs 10 lbs.

Wil, what do you think the cost is for the best drill and auger and what ever else I would need.

M18 with 2 5ah batteries and charger (2704-22) - Got mine for $215 brand new on ebay.

8 inch k-drill - $250.

Yup, thats how i do it too with my 6" mora.

I'm surprised you can do that with a mora, do you find you need to sharpen blades often if you do that?

[Ice Scratcher]

Try to replace the engine, or motor in a propane, gas, or Ion in less than an hour...

Drill augers are the only ones that you can upgrade the motor/batteries on as technology improves..

I have both myself...

<°)))>{

[BaitBucket]

M18 with 2 5ah batteries and charger (2704-22) - Got mine for $215 brand new on ebay.

I heard Milwaukee doesnt honor the Warranty if purchased off ebay or other sites like it?

I'm surprised you can do that with a mora, do you find you need to sharpen blades often if you do that?

Nope, in fact im still on the blades that came on it 4 yrs ago. I have a spare set i carry with me that are still new in the package lol.

[NateD]

I heard Milwaukee doesnt honor the Warranty if purchased off ebay or other sites like it?

To be honest I don't know, I wouldn't even know how to register it to use the warranty.  I want the best tool, not the best warranty.  I can see how it might be a factor for some people though, I'm lucky if I get 2 months of fishable ice, and don't cut more than 30 holes in a day, so It won't get abused much.

Nope, in fact im still on the blades that came on it 4 yrs ago. I have a spare set i carry with me that are still new in the package lol.

Man that's crazy, me my dad and my brother needed a new set every other year with an 8 inch mora, but we were drilling by hand back then.

[bldfrt]

How the heck did u get all that for less than the price of the drill alone lol.

Fleet and farm had the drill on sale for $200, bass pro had the plate on sale for I think it was $50, the extension was regular price at $15 and the auger I already had but came from a yard sale for $5. I did have to get a participating Milwaukee product to get the drill for 200 but I needed drill bits anyway.

[Gills-only]

To be honest I don't know, I wouldn't even know how to register it to use the warranty.  I want the best tool, not the best warranty.  I can see how it might be a factor for some people though, I'm lucky if I get 2 months of fishable ice, and don't cut more than 30 holes in a day, so It won't get abused much.

Man that's crazy, me my dad and my brother needed a new set every other year with an 8 inch mora, but we were drilling by hand back then.

.         You need to put the guard on before leaving ice, and leave it on till on the ice. You will find out with numerous people using it ( banging blades on ice cause it iced up) however little dulls them. Have same set on lazer going on 5 years and I would say I fish way more than the average guy. I will cut holes for someone , but nobody other than me uses my auger!!

[capt.shay]

Factory Reconditioned 20V max Dewalt hammer drill $99.00
20v 3ah battery                                                         $40.00
hand auger                                                                $50.00
extention from fleet farm                                           $12.00
7" circle of scrap plywood                                          $free

...................... ...................... ...................... .......total $211.00

[NateD]

He did say best drill and auger not cheapest right?

[BaitBucket]

Fleet and farm had the drill on sale for $200, bass pro had the plate on sale for I think it was $50, the extension was regular price at $15 and the auger I already had but came from a yard sale for $5. I did have to get a participating Milwaukee product to get the drill for 200 but I needed drill bits anyway.

Ahh, you didnt factor in the price of a hand auger. That explains it.

[NateD]

.         You need to put the guard on before leaving ice, and leave it on till on the ice. You will find out with numerous people using it ( banging blades on ice cause it iced up) however little dulls them. Have same set on lazer going on 5 years and I would say I fish way more than the average guy. I will cut holes for someone , but nobody other than me uses my auger!!

That's the key, the guard was always on when not in use, but we were pretty liberal with friends using it, and even then they held up pretty good.

[Papa Sly]

http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=341741.0

Here is the other link with someone having a problems with Clam gear box

[sangell]

20v Dewalt here and it works well, not real expensive as the Capt pointed out. I got my Clam Plate a few years ago so not sure if the problems are recent. If I  was to venture a guess it sure sounds like value engineering in China to me. Just a pure guess, but having seen that in other areas of my life with inferior metals it sure smells that way.

I have had no issues with mine, what I like is I can rest the auger on one of the handles and the drill is off the ice / snow when I am setting up, moving holes.

Like all augers, sharp blades, I am over due. My buddy had his on the ice a couple of weeks ago and it was just slicing through 6" mostly black like butter. He has a millwaukee hand drill, so my 2 cents is no hammer drill neededhere

[Tmuskie]

I've got the Clam set up with a DeWalt 20 lithium batt. drill. It is dedicated to only the auger. I've never had an issue with it. I do charge up both batteries before an outing. So far have only need one battery per day. 25 to 30 holes is what I normally have used it for.

[BaitBucket]

http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=341741.0

Here is the other link with someone having a problems with Clam gear box

Yup, overrated and unnecessary.

[Schiavone]

Put 30+ holes in the ice yesterday @ 8" with a  7" mora on a clam plate with a dewalt xr compact with a little 2.0AH batt. Setup works great. No point in even looking @ my jiffy again.

[bldfrt]

Ahh, you didnt factor in the price of a hand auger. That explains it.

I factored it in, it was just real cheap @ $5. Individual results vary when piecing something together for cheap