Update On Nils Master Power Auger

[LoneWolf]

I've had the 8" auger about a month now and have had the opportunity to drill a couple of hundred holes ( lately thru about a foot of ice).
Pros: It's very light(17 lbs), it's quiet, it runs smooth, it cuts a clean hole, it requires no downward force at all(it's shaving the ice), the engine and controls are boxed in the handles for protection and can be laid down on any side, it runs on a 50:1 mixture, the gas tank has a vent/tube filter so it is always vented and it can be converted to a hand auger in about two minutes.
Cons: the price, it takes a good two minutes to warm up, it is very tall, it doesn't have replaceable or resharpenable blades-you have to buy a new head(about $40) but it should last for years, lack of carb. adjustment screws and no primer bulb.
       After using this auger I can honestly say it isn't a "TOY" as I've heard it refered to as. The same people who refered to it as a toy tried it and were amazed by how it cut and how light it was. It gets the job done in a timely fashion and losing that 10+ lbs is great on the back !  

[Bob_D]

Lonewolf,
Some guys in the F&G dept "borrowed" one for a bit, and had the same things to say about it. They said it cut great until they hit some dirt with it. I have had the opertunity to use one and I think it's a little too tall for me and the controls are not in a good position for the vertically challenged like myself (5'8"). I just got my old chipper running well again, so I'm going to stick with it for a little longer. But, Im starting to lean more toward the Normark due to the control position, replacement blades, and the fact the Husky motor runs well in the cold.

If you need a replacement blade for that unit, call the # in the add on the main page for my site (Dattilios). Ask for Jim and tell him that I sent you (and you saw the # on my site). He is a good friend of mine and I don't get anything for having the ad there. He is a good guy and he will give you a much better deal then $40.

Later

[LoneWolf]

Thanks Esox ! The height was the first thing I noticed(besides the weight). I'm 6'1" and the handle was at my chin. My old Strikemaster was a good 8" shorter but a good 10+ lbs heavier ! I would imagine any blades hitting dirt can't be a good thing  :-/ .

[bushbunny]

I have had a Tanaka 8" auger for some 15 years.  I found that I had to sharpen the original cutter head at least twice yearly.  It becomes a pain in the a$$ in no time, not to mention the costs($20/sharpening).  I found that a Strike Master Lazer cutter head fit my flighting, with one simple modification, that being a new hole drilled through both the auger flighting and the cutter head flighting insert, to put the attaching bolt through.  I used a stover nut to secure the bolt, to eliminate loosening.  It has given me the luxury of changeable blades.  It has not hampered the performance of the unit in any way.  

[red_eyes]

i think that nils master should make a 9" and 10" blade,for the power head.

[LoneWolf]

I went with bushbunny's suggestion on the Opti2 oil and hi-test gas and what a difference ! I had to lower the idle on the auger and now it really revs going thru the ice. Very little oil out of the exhaust too. Thanks for the info bb.