Electric drill driver/auger wars

[Uncle Al]

Lots of talk about torque/amp hour batteries/size of augers, for the guys that used an electric last year, what are your views on what you used. I'm buying one this winter and would like to know the pro's and con's of the one you used last winter. thanks

[Oldmanofthesea]

I have ion eletric auger.Great auger lots of torque,drills great.I have 6-8 augers,two batteries.I have not had to use 2 battery on outing.Have to keep battery out of weather when very cold.Battery change out quickly.I wouldn't have gas.Ive seen guys pull and pull to start.battery in I'm drillong.hope this helps.

[Mancaveburnett]

Fuel, 5ah battery, 6" mora, and a clam plate. My drill was bought about 6 years before my ice fishing set up. So my drill already had miles on it. I have had my auger set up for 2 seasons before the start of this season. I have absolutely no complaints, it works great. Go with the fuel it's just a superior product. When I look for feedback on drill quality go with the contractors choice, they really tested them out. As far as an auger goes, a cheap mora works great. When using the drill nothing more than a mora is needed, use your money for a quality drill. I really like the clam plate, I recommend one. More and more people are getting the clam plate for their set up. The clam plate is comfortable to use and keeps the drill off any surface. One last thing I have the clam extension, a lot less bending.

[mvanhank222]

I have a Milwaukee Mud Mixer and really like it you can control the speed from 0-550 rpm it also has a really solid 2nd handle that can adjust from parallel to perpendicular to the trigger handle. 5 ah batteries get about 40 holes through 1’ of ice. This is turning a 8” mora.

[Figure ate]

Ryobi 18V Brushless
4ah lithium batteries
7" Mora 600" inches ice/4ah battery
6" Lazer not extensively tested
Clam plate

I've used this drill with the 7" mora for 99% of my fishing. Half the time with the clam plate, half without. It cuts ice very well, the plate is a big improvement. The drill casing is not as durable as other brands but has held up well. Batteries get weak under 10°F so I keep them in the padded ryobi case in my shanty or toss in a hand warmer for days outside. I would probably get a different brand next time but until this one breaks I'm sticking with it. Has definitely been a good set up, just some better drills have come on the market since I bought it.

[fishercat]

Milwaukee Mud Mixer with a 8 inch Eskimo bit 5Ah batteries.

[esox_xtm]

 I went with MKE Mud Mixer/K-Drill combo last year. Not the fastest (from what I understand) but that's not really a disappointment to me. I do wish their "8 inch" drill was a full 8" and not 7.5". I'm almost over it... 

Other than that I've found nothing to dislike. Mud Mixer is the the bomb and I'll be adapting Strikemaster drills (both Lazer and chipper) and a Mini Nero this season. There are times when a larger hole is indicated and a 7 or 7.5 will disappoint. Last weekend I had a giant musky (one of the top three biggest I've ever seen, mighta been #1 if I'd been able to actually measure it) whose head wouldn't fit in the 7.5" K-Drill hole. I know, season is closed in WI but it sure would have been a neat photo op.

I really like the light weight, adjustable handle, switch lock, the quiet and instant start. So far no issues in the cold (down to single digits last year). Gets a mod this year to quickly breakdown for easier transport in a small sled.

I give it:



For the undersize hole...

[Gunflint]

Go big or go home...

The Milwaukee Super Hawg is the biggest and baddest and can handle a 10 inch auger no problem.

Designed to cut 6 inch holes through wood framing all day on batteries.

Special "safety clutch" to prevent injuries if the auger binds - the drill stops.

[3300]

 since your in the market and might like a great value, the ridgid octane is the best deal going til end of year. you get the 1300 inch pound drill and 9 amp bluetooth battery and charger and lifetime warranty for 170$ at home depot. put both items in the cart or call you local hd to pick it up. will turn any hand auger. the drill costs 150$ outside of this deal and they are giving it to you.
the chuck is the best i have ever used. it has a very distinct loud detente followed by lighter detentes until the chuck won't rotate any further. this should mean less odds of it letting go of what ever it is holding.

 no one else has the lifetime warranty and batteries are not cheap nor fun to have to buy when they fade away. it is the strongest right angle drill in the market and best warranty. seems odd that they give you a lifetime warranty on free tools, but they do. i stand behind companies who stand behind their products. when i buy any thing else, it is disappointing to know it has an expiration date.

 just type octane on hd's site to check it all out. if you don't like any thing you buy from them they have a 90 day hassle free return policy. if you register your ridgid tools and decide it's not for you they still honor their return policy.

https://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=362620.0

There are times when a larger hole is indicated and a 7 or 7.5 will disappoint. Last weekend I had a giant musky (one of the top three biggest I've ever seen, mighta been #1 if I'd been able to actually measure it) whose head wouldn't fit in the 7.5" K-Drill hole. I know, season is closed in WI but it sure would have been a neat photo op.

would like to remind that the k-drill drills overlapping holes with out damage. i had to do this with a lazer auger to land a 18.5" crappie.

[esox_xtm]

would like to remind that the k-drill drills overlapping holes with out damage. i had to do this with a lazer auger to land a 18.5" crappie.

Oh I know the overlapping hole thing. It's a little tough when you got a musky at the hole whose head won't even fit in the 7.5" much less the rest that would follow. Got a feelin' even a 10" hole might have been a challenge for that one. I've had a coupla "squeezers" through the old 8.25" Eskimo holes. But those fish are the exception to the rule. I guess all the more reason to want to slide 'em on the ice.

[32footsteps]

Do you already have some cordless power tools? If the answer is yes then I would stay with the brand you already have if they have a brushless hammer drill in the 700lb or more range. If you don’t have any cordless stuff then the options are limitless.

Mine is the Ryobi brushless paired primarily with a 6” Eskimo shaver (same as a mora). I’ve had that drill on an 8” mora and it handles it with ease. It’s also been on a 7” Lazer and the same thing...no issues at all and power to spare.

Why Ryobi and not another brand?
1) The One+ line up had more stuff in it that I would use.
2) Ryobi has never changed their battery design and never will. My brother in law is sitting on a pile of Dewalt cordless tools and he can’t find batteries for it because the design changed. He tried the battery adapter and it left him less than impressed. I’d rather build a cordless tool collection knowing that I’m not going to be screwed over by a battery design change leaving me in a place where I’ll have to start all over.
3) When I bought mine I walked into Home Depot planning on going with a Rigid or Milwaukee. Then I saw the sale/offer they had on these and quickly researched the other tool offerings. It checked all of the boxes I needed checked and the price was great.

Tons of talk about specific drills but I don’t care how powerful of a drill you have....if your blades are junk the drill won’t matter. I’ll throw my Ryobi on a 10” mora with good blades and it’ll cut better than a Fuel or Octane on a 6” mora with crappy blades.

[Iceassin]

Bosch 18 V brushless
600 in. lbs
4.0 amp. battery

First time out cut 30 holes with 4" laser through 6" of ice and never missed a beat. Easily capable of turning up to a 6", maybe 7" as well. Bought it because of price, favorable reviews and at about 3.5 # is one of the lightest and most compact out there. Powerful little tool. Couldn't be more happy.

[Uncle Al]

I'm going to go with the Milwaukee fuel because my BIL sells them and will give me a super deal on one. As for an auger, I haven't decided, I like to use an 8in as I fish mostly for walleye, and sometimes they are quite large, and an 8in hole is helpful. Thanks for all the replys, I enjoyed reading them all. Sounds like everyone likes what they are using. Hopefully I will also.

[tbern]

Always good to have a in law in the business!  Enjoy your new drill!

[nkocak]

Has anyone used a gas auger bit with their power drill? I have read they are a bit heavy and struggle. Trying to decide if I can use a clam plate with my eskimo gas auger bit. If not, leaning towards the eskimo pistol bit.

[fishercat]

Has anyone used a gas auger bit with their power drill? I have read they are a bit heavy and struggle. Trying to decide if I can use a clam plate with my eskimo gas auger bit. If not, leaning towards the eskimo pistol bit.

    The 8 inch bit I use is off a Mako gas auger. Works fine on the Mud Mixer.

[3300]

if you want big here you go, with lifetime warranty.
you can change the front half of the tool to use a recep saw or rotary hammer drill.
has 4 way adjustable grip/handle/base.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-18-Volt-OCTANE-MEGAMax-1-2-in-Right-Angle-Drill-Attachment-Head-Only-R86402B/303037083


https://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-18-Volt-OCTANE-Brushless-MEGAMax-Power-Base-Tool-Only-R86400B/303037076



while shopping for the battery that is bluetooth and charger, you can get a free tool to go with it, like the octane right angle drill that is 1300 inch pounds.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-18-Volt-OCTANE-9-0-Ah-Lithium-Ion-Battery-and-Charger-Kit-AC801/304740781

https://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-18-Volt-OCTANE-Cordless-Brushless-1-2-in-Hammer-Drill-Driver-Tool-Only-R8611506B/304304102

here is the list of free tools you can have one of buying the battery.
300716202
301996008
304304108
300232326
301996002
304304102
305436645
206892707
203930501
206947568
206955200
207041067
206892716
207041035
207041053
207041050
207041080
206947575
206955186
205907850
207041056
205907844
205907831
206936434
205907832

[badger132]

The drill is only half of the solution. Pay just as much attention to selecting the most efficient bit to go with your auger.
The most important variable is size. Get the smallest you can get by with. The volume of ice you are shaving or scraping is Pi*(Diameter^2)/4*thickness. Note that the diameter is squared. The energy required per hole is proportional to the volume. I used a 4 inch auger when the ice was thick, even though I had a few fat perch get stuck. I moved up to a 4.5 Nils, and never had a problem with getting stuck, even in Lake Cascade, Idaho. I even see an advantage to the small hole- fish that come off in the hole can't get turned around, and you have time to remove your gloves and grab them out.
I bought a drill adapter for the Nils, and I can drill all day- sometimes a hundred holes on a 4A-h 18V battery. A 9 inch hole would require 4X the energy per hole, and so I would get 1/4 as many holes per battery.
Secondarily, auger design and sharpness are important. Most people are impressed with a Nils bit, and I agree. I have 6 augers, and there is an easily observed difference. Keep them sharp, and don't damage it in dirty ice or by dropping the cutting edge on the ice.
I also use a Nils hand auger bit, which has a more aggressive grind than a Nils designed for power driving. That gets me more depth per turn of the drill, and a faster hole.
Finally, I would bet that half the reason that power auger bits have a center spike is that most people I observe heave the auger up and drop it on the ice- the razor edge of a hand auger bit would be damaged easily this way, and would lose effectiveness. With a drill and auger setup, it is easy to set the auger gently on the ice, but I bet not everyone does, so to make it last, the power bits are designed to be durable. I look at the way they shave and powder the ice, and believe that this uses more power then cutting it cleanly. I would love to find an old spoon type bit to try on a drill- when those things were just back from sharpening, they cut around the sides of the hole, and left golf ball sized hunks of ice in the center of a hole. It seemed they were easier to turn, but it has been so long that I might just have been a lot stronger.
I have a pretty old Ridgid drill that I have used for 5 years, and I only need a second battery if the ice is very thick, and I am drilling for more than 1 person.