PICKED UP AN OLDER STRIKEMASTER GAS(25-1) 10 INCH AUGER. QUESTIONS

[bruceruth1988]

So I am going to start ice fishing this year.  I have never done it before so I bought this OLD auger from my best friend that had not used it in like forever.  We dumped the oil(gas all evaporated) from the tank, put in some new gas and dang if it didn't start right up and run like a champ.  I took it to the local lake today to do a test drill and man it sucked.

Took me like 3 minutes to drill through 4 inches.  The drill was wobbling around and actually drilled a hole that was more like 12 inches. Not fun.  I thought maybe the blades were dull and sure enough, lots of dents and dings so I looked online for new ones and found them but they are all straight and mine have a curve to them.  See attached pics.



What is wrong with this drill?  It has no center point or guide of any kind.  Is that right??  I think that is why it wobbles all over the place.

Thanks for your help.

[hardwater diehard]

Little more info ..pictures and/or model number of the engine ..otherwise we could end up down a rabbit hole . Is it marked 25:1 on the engine anywhere .

You have Lazer/Curved blades ..center point may be missing

https://www.drockicecenter.com/lazer-power-replacement-blade/

https://www.drockicecenter.com/search.php?search_query=point&x=0&y=0

[hardwater diehard]

Is the auger drill unit secured/tight to the engine ..that will produce a wobble as will a bent flight and/or auger shaft .

[hardwater diehard]

Once we figure out the proper fuel mix this cant hurt

Fill auger tank 1/4 w/proper oil/gas mix to that add Seafoam 2oz or more ...mix ....run auger till warmed up...then kill motor via the choke .....let sit half hour repeat ...let sit over night ...should fix some of the woes .

[dsupercat]

The first lazer drills did not have a center point.  They still used the same curved blades as the ones that did.  My suggestion is to buy a new set of lazer 10" blades.  Once the drill has new blades it will hold and drill straight.  The biggest mistake people made with these augers is to use them as a walking stick as they carried the drill.  If the angle on the auger blades is off it will not drill correctly.  There are strikemaster dealers that have a jig that can correct this angle if it is not correct.  Once those two things are fixed the drill will cut perfect but do not push on this drill as it is drilling it will pull itself into the ice, if you get a bunch of ice forming on the bottom of the blades this can also cause the drill not to pull itself into the ice.

[hardwater diehard]

The first lazer drills did not have a center point.  They still used the same blades as the ones that did.  My suggestion is to buy a new set of lazer 10" blades.  Once the drill has new blades is will hold and drill straight.  The biggest mistake people made with these augers is to use them as a walking stick as they carried the drill.  If the angle on the auger is off it will not drill correctly.  There are strikemaster dealers that have a jig that can correct this angle.  Once those two things are fixed the drill will cut perfect but do not push on this drill as it is drilling it will pull itself into the ice, if you get a bunch of ice forming on the bottom of the blades this can also cause the drill not to pull itself into the ice.

You may be able to add a centerpoint to that ..via tapping the auger drill unit and adding the center point ..other IS members have done so on the SM Mora hand augers

[bruceruth1988]

Little more info ..pictures and/or model number of the engine ..otherwise we could end up down a rabbit hole . Is it marked 25:1 on the engine anywhere .

You have Lazer/Curved blades ..center point may be missing

https://www.drockicecenter.com/lazer-power-replacement-blade/

https://www.drockicecenter.com/search.php?search_query=point&x=0&y=0

yes  it is marked 25-1 on the engine

[Rebelss]

You should have the German Solo engine on it...or the Tecumseh, depending if it's even older. Either way,  both are danged good engines. Gas/oil ratio is 40:1 for BOTH.  25-1 on casing does not refer to G/O ratio. However, earlier engines DID run 25:1, then was changed by Strikemaster to 40:1 due to oil porting out thru the exhaust. Use NON-OXY gas and good oil. Almost all oils are now synthetic or semisyns, and come with fuel stabilizer in them.Put a new plug in it, too. Champion CJ6Y gapped at .030., or an NGK BPM7Y. Your angle of attack on the blades could be off too, from some boob pushing down hard on it or abusing it. (Like the clowns that like to ride on them while they're upright in the hole)
Wobble is probably from main shaft bearing being worn out, rather than crooked flighting, but do a bench check on the flighting shaft to make sure it's parallel. (measuring laser works great for this) Blades that are unequally angled will create a wobble, too.  If all those things are OK, don't worry about a center point, it will cut fine IF all the above items are OK and the blades are razor sharp. Get them professionally done, or a new set, if you don't know how to hand hone blades properly. That's what you need to do first other than go out on a wild tangent on other needless things. That's advice from someone who's worked on those for 25+ years.
Good luck.

[bruceruth1988]

Put on new blades and now it actually drills.  3 inches of ice in 15 seconds if it does not get stuck.
Here are some pics of the engine and a blade guard I made.

[bruceruth1988]

now  how do you sharpen those curved blades??

[hardwater diehard]

I believe this may come in handy ..I run a cordless drill set up now ..but ran my SM Mag 2000 on OPTI-2 mix ..and Seafoam .

https://www.manualslib.com/products/Tecumseh-Tc300-Series-2663421.html

[hardwater diehard]

for your old set unless they are completely shot ..between rust and dings/gouges this may not be applicable

https://www.fish307.com/auger-blade-sharpening/

[hardwater diehard]

Post #36 ..takes a StrikeMaster center point to a Mora auger via tapping out the center

 Center punch where you want point. Drill 1/4 pilot hole followed with 5/16 drill tap size. Tap hole with 3/8 hand tap. (Tap/drill set for $8 at Lows or Home Depot)...use washers for spacer to get proper tip height.
 Welded nut is great idea as well.

https://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=378717.30

[bruceruth1988]

my tip looks like this.  Dont think that will work.

[hardwater diehard]

my tip looks like this.  Dont think that will work.

Yeah ...that will not work for sure ..Is the Engine running 100% ?

I cleaned up my Mag 2000 flights with some steel wool ..sand paper and some Rustoleum rust reformer ...good primer and paint .

 https://www.walmart.com/ip/Rust-Oleum-Rust-Reformer-8-oz/16652306?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&adid=22222222222009788622&wmlspartner=wmtlabs&wl0=e&wl1=o&wl2=c&wl3=10373308433&wl4=pla-1105718499473&wl12=16652306_0&wl14=rustoleum%20rust%20transformer&veh=sem&msclkid=ed1a517030821178419b0e849863d9ac

[bruceruth1988]

ya  it is running great. 

[bruceruth1988]

what are the "flights"?

[Rebelss]

The helix blades that wrap around the center shaft.

[hardwater diehard]

ya  it is running great.

GREAT ..it is heavy ..but its a heavy beast . Good Luck with your new(to you) auger

[kpd145]

I have an old Mag 2000 or 3000 in my basement now collecting dust.

Let me know if you need any spare parts...I am sure the carb and fuel lines are crap but everything else should be good

Is that auger bit the original one? mine is much different, it only has one chipper blade and a centering point, but it drilled though ANYTHING, good ice, bad ice, sandy ice, its heavy but it will run forever if you take care of it.

My buddy drilled right through a thick tree branch frozen in ice. Sharpened the blade and it was good as new.

That thing should rip through ice with just its own weight. Really should be no need to push down on it.