Author Topic: Nils not cutting right. (Read 11653 times)

perchpounder97 · « **on:** Jan 27, 2013, 07:22 PM »

So today I was getting setup and drilled 1 hole easily as usual then 2nd hole it started to skip a little and 3rd hole it was skipping a ton and by the 4th forget it. It didn't look like there was that much ice on the blades but I'm hoping thats what it was. Anyone else have problems with their nils getting iced up or something similar. Thanks. Oh and it's only a month old and no I don't bang it around.

phishn704 · « **Reply #1 on:** Jan 27, 2013, 07:24 PM »

I have the same problem. Just got it last week. Saturday drilled 15 holes no issues. Went to use it today and it was skipping after only going half an inch

perchpounder97 · « **Reply #2 on:** Jan 27, 2013, 07:27 PM »

Exactly! I can usually tear through the ice....

J_Edwards · « **Reply #3 on:** Jan 27, 2013, 07:28 PM »

This is all I've ever seen nils power augers do. Sounds like your blades are out of round.

brycro · « **Reply #4 on:** Jan 27, 2013, 07:29 PM »

Are you banging it on the ice to knock ice off of it? I used to do that with my mora but do not do it with my Nils. I would contact customer service and let them know. I try to baby my nils, not saying you don't but if those blade get bent even a mm or so I can imagine they wouldn't work as designed.

EDIT: I see you don't bang it around.

phishn704 · « **Reply #5 on:** Jan 27, 2013, 07:35 PM »

Oh I called as soon as I got back when I couldnt fish this morning. I learned really quick to not bang our augers around. Wanted the best for an upgrade and went with the nils. Rather disappointed. Hope they will send me a replacement for the upcoming weekend.

slekeith · « **Reply #6 on:** Jan 27, 2013, 07:40 PM »

Quote from: henrychinaski on Jan 27, 2013, 07:28 PM

This is all I've ever seen nils power augers do. Sounds like your blades are out of round.

Haven't seen many then.

J_Edwards · « **Reply #7 on:** Jan 27, 2013, 07:47 PM »

No I haven't. I only know two owners. They don't handle the silt blown lakes out here. They can't keep the blades sharp, they collect dust in their garages.

Bullelk34 · « **Reply #8 on:** Jan 27, 2013, 07:52 PM »

Quote from: henrychinaski on Jan 27, 2013, 07:47 PM

No I haven't. I only know two owners. They don't handle the silt blown lakes out here. They can't keep the blades sharp, they collect dust in their garages.

I've heard the same thing-

goonboy · « **Reply #9 on:** Jan 27, 2013, 07:56 PM »

never had a problem with mine only when the blades get dull on them other than that heads last a good yr or so depends on the yr we have and how much u fish

esox_magnum · « **Reply #10 on:** Jan 27, 2013, 08:04 PM »

I get at least 5 years of abuse on my head before it needs resharpened.....Only 2 things have caused mine not to drill correct, iced up head and after hitting some debris in the ice, dulled it in that 1 hole....

perchpounder97 · « **Reply #11 on:** Jan 27, 2013, 08:31 PM »

Alright well I'm planning on getting a power auger this week so I think I'm gonna hold off til then, then call nils. It may have been tiny pieces of ice. I guess if they are so sensitive about bending them then a little ice on the blades could throw it off.

esox_magnum · « **Reply #12 on:** Jan 27, 2013, 08:40 PM »

Do you have alot of sand blown onto the ice by chance? Sandy ice will dull a nils faster than about anything...Like I said I run mine on the Tanaka powerhead and got 5 years out of a head and would have gotten a couple more had I not hit some weeds frozen in the ice...I do about 1000 holes a season...

perchpounder97 · « **Reply #13 on:** Jan 27, 2013, 09:22 PM »

No not sandy at all.....

AugustWest · « **Reply #14 on:** Jan 27, 2013, 10:50 PM »

If anyone is unhappy with the performance of their Nils...I will buy them from you

Of course at a discounted price

AW

kennyd · « **Reply #15 on:** Jan 28, 2013, 02:37 AM »

i had the exact same thing happen with my brand new Nils!!! first trip out it cut one hole unreal!!! next hole, started to skip, then really skip, then unusable...thank god i bought a spare head! the non power point seemed to work with now skipping but would bog down quite a bit...i put NO down pressure, use non oxy gas, amsoil....did everything right....I was on Lake Winnibigosh so should be good clean ice...was very frustrating....I called nils...they had me send the blade to Frank Deluca who said i had a burred up blade.found it hard to believe that i only cut one hole with it and was shocked it would cut at all!!!..cost me 26 bucks for shipping the blade back and forth....i hope my experience gets better...the reason i bought the nils is because i was tired of messing with strikemasters and wanted the best....so far not so good.....

Riffle · « **Reply #16 on:** Jan 28, 2013, 08:39 AM »

I bought a NILS 6" last year and that auger worked like a dream, I was cutting holes faster than many power augers around me, going through 8 inches of ice in less than 30 seconds.

I don't know how many holes I drilled last year, probably 100 or so and then I put my baby away for the winter, I never let anyone else use it and I never dinged the blade or put undue pressure on it while cutting, in effect, I babied the hell out of it, always putting the blade cap on while transporting and storing it.

I bring the thing out a few weeks ago and it seems like it was like a totally different auger, I would bite into the ice and go for an inch or so then all it would do is polish the hole and spin.

Last year we had different ice than the really solid ice out on the lakes now, so I chalked it up to me being rusty with the offset handle and "harder" ice.

Then yesterday I brought it out again on a solo venture and I was really struggling to get a hole drilled using no pressure, good form, etc.

What the heck happened? I wouldn't think the blades are dull after one seasons use (no sand, never hit any rocks, etc.) but I don't understand what could have happened from the end of last year til now.

Can this be fixed by sending it out for shaprening? I haven't had a chance to really inspect the blade closely, but man, I'm about to cry!!!

MT-Ed · « **Reply #17 on:** Jan 28, 2013, 06:35 PM »

Happened to me this season as well!!! Cut 4 holes in clear black ice one day, went to the same spot next day and it barely scratched the surface!! Nils sent a replacement, and it worked ok, but I'm worried if the next time out it won't work. Nils says never happened before.......guess that's not true!! i told them about this site and that there is a lot of referrals on here..........but that works both ways!!!! Sounds like maybe they got some heads made out of a bad batch of steel or something.........with this many failures by so many different fishermen, it appears to me to be a product problem.

Santo180 · « **Reply #18 on:** Jan 28, 2013, 06:42 PM »

I have similar experiences with my new nils. I was a very satisfied customer for the first few outings but now it doesn't cut very well at all. I also baby the thing and one week it worked perfect and the next week it didn't. Not sure what the problem is. For the amount of money I spent on a hand auger, I expect it to cut for a least 1 season and it hasn't even lasted a month.

Riffle · « **Reply #19 on:** Jan 28, 2013, 07:00 PM »

I called the VT headquarters and talked with a guy for a bit and told him my issue and he said that if I send it to one of the service guys that they will be able to tell me precisely what is wrong with it (if anything). He said if its dull they will fix it and if it is out of shape slightly for whatever reason they can fix that easily.

Basically, he said if I send it out I will probably get back a sharper, truer blade than what comes from the factory.

So given that, I'm sure that if there was some sort of quality issue, the feedback Nils gets from the guys sharpening these blades would be pretty definitive.

I'm not ready to send mine in yet, as I haven't had a chance to visually inspect the blade and I don't have it here with me at the moment.

I also want to give it one more test making absolutely sure the blades are 100% free of ice.

The problem is I need this auger for the weekend, so I was contemplating just getting a replacement head until I mentioned it to my wife.....LOL!!

wipike · « **Reply #20 on:** Jan 28, 2013, 07:01 PM »

Starting to see more of these instances, for whatever reason.

Chinese blades? *sarcasm*

That said, it is a bummer to have that much wrapped up into a top end auger and have it not deliver...

polartippah · « **Reply #21 on:** Jan 28, 2013, 08:00 PM »

This is the 3rd season with my Nils 8' hand auger. Last year at about the end of the season my blade would start cutting good then get into the hole a little ways then start spinning in the hole not cutting. I would have to apply pressure to get it to bite and start cutting again. This year, I ordered a replacement head and so far, so good. I still need to send out my original blade to get it looked at or resharpened.

phishn704 · « **Reply #22 on:** Jan 28, 2013, 08:13 PM »

Really wish I had known about these problems. Everything I have heard before said that Nils was the Cadillac of augers, starting to think its an overpriced pinto.

fish333 · « **Reply #23 on:** Jan 28, 2013, 08:25 PM »

Quote from: phishn704 on Jan 28, 2013, 08:13 PM

Really wish I had known about these problems. Everything I have heard before said that Nils was the Cadillac of augers, starting to think its an overpriced pinto.

Like any piece of good equipment you have to take good care of it. I have went though all brands of hand augers and a few gas auger . My Nils 6 inch is the best of them all, hands down!!! One only thing I don't mine the little guard on the blade, it works for me!!! Nice

hntrboy · « **Reply #24 on:** Jan 28, 2013, 08:31 PM »

Two years ago me and a buddy were going to upgrade our 20 yr old eskimos, after reading all the rave reviews on IS; he got a power nils from cabelas. Went to the local perch pond, we both drilled a bunch of holes......verdict...i t sucked you could have bought it a week later in the cabelas bargain cave. We both use v-51 8 inch eskimos now.

ZachSchuler · « **Reply #25 on:** Jan 28, 2013, 08:52 PM »

Sounds familiar. Mine cut a few holes and quit. I sent it in and it was sharpened and still would not cut a hole. Nils refused to refund what I paid for shipping and sharpening. Now its a $100 post hole digger. Although I see they are now even more money.

J_Edwards · « **Reply #26 on:** Jan 28, 2013, 09:02 PM »

Quote from: hntrboy on Jan 28, 2013, 08:31 PM

Two years ago me and a buddy were going to upgrade our 20 yr old eskimos, after reading all the rave reviews on IS; he got a power nils from cabelas. Went to the local perch pond, we both drilled a bunch of holes......verdict...i t sucked you could have bought it a week later in the cabelas bargain cave. We both use v-51 8 inch eskimos now.

Was this taken back to Billings? If so, I know the sorry soul who bought it next.

hntrboy · « **Reply #27 on:** Jan 28, 2013, 09:57 PM »

Yes it was; sorry henry...

J_Edwards · « **Reply #28 on:** Jan 28, 2013, 10:08 PM »

Wasn't me and he heard my warnings. He fit it to a stike master bit but he's out of country so not sure how that works.

hntrboy · « **Reply #29 on:** Jan 28, 2013, 10:14 PM »

Hope that works for him....bet it does;powerhead seemed fine,but it bucked and snorted in the hole trying to drill....rough! Good Luck!

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Author Topic: Nils not cutting right. (Read 11653 times)

Bullelk34