Electric auger

[wkules]

Hello All,
   I am not able to get out on the ice today as the wife needed to use my truck. While sitting here wishing I was drowning some bait, I decided to check out augers on ebay. I came across a used electric one for $120 and had a few questions. First, is this a good price? Second, do these work well? Third, can I use one of those rechargeable booster packs or do I have to drag around a car battery? Lastly, how long does the charge last (how many holes can I drill?) Any input would be greatly appreciated, but I only have four hours until the auction closes so time is an issue.
Thanks loads folks, and bobbers down to all! 

[g3]

 :)me and my buddy both use cordless drills to run ours,one is a mora and the other is a lazer.both work extremly well,while the lazer does seem to cut a little easier.i made the adaptor on e-bay and then made a few at work for some friends.we swear by them!!have to use at least a 19 volt half inch drill.

[wkules]

g3,
how does this work any links so that I can check this out?

:)me and my buddy both use cordless drills to run ours,one is a mora and the other is a lazer.both work extremly well,while the lazer does seem to cut a little easier.i made the adaptor on e-bay and then made a few at work for some friends.we swear by them!!have to use at least a 19 volt half inch drill.

[g3]

just go to ebay and under search type in ice fishing,you'll find them there.

[billditrite]

THEY WORK SWEET WITH A DEEP CYCLE MARINE BATTERY DEPENDING ON ICE THICKNESS YOU CAN DRILL ABOUT 40 HOLES THROUGH 12"  MY FRIEND HAS ONE ITS MADE BY JIFFY

[Icelline115]

There is a Ice Fishing Auger Portable Drill Adapter on E-Bay. looks really neat. But i find it hard to beleive that it could drive the auger blade enough to cut through 20" or more of ice. Especially in cold, cold weather. Those batterys lose power quickly in the cold. But for 28 bucks worth the try..... Fish ON!!                              

[chumster]

I've got the new Strikemaster 12000. Works great. Get 20 to 25 holes off of a fully charged battery. And thats thru 13" ice. I haven't tried hooking up to an outside battery yet, but maybe next weekend i will. I'm going to charge my trolling motor battery and take it with me in the sled. Sled will weigh a ton but gotta try it. I'll post my results.

[tmac8]

Here are a few tips if you're going to try the cordless drill approach.  First and foremost, maximum inch pounds of torque is what you are looking for.  Torque gets you through the ice, voltage gives you longevity.  I bought the Milwaukee 18 volt Loc-Tor drill which has 495 inch pounds of torque.  That's 2/3 the torque of a gas auger, and that's not bad.  Drill ran $220.00, and has a 5 year warranty.  There are other 18 volt drills on the market don't even have 300 inch pounds of torque, so you can see the importance of choosing the right drill.  Next, I removed the chuck and mounted my stainless steel adapter right to the drill shaft.  It will not come loose!  Therefore, don't need the round disk you see on Ebay.  The last mod I made was adding a spade drill point to the bottom of the auger so it will not walk on the ice.  I have a 7" auger, and on one battery pack, got 17 holes through 14" of ice.  For me this is accecptable.  A smaller auger will give you more.  I keep the batteries warm with "re-heaters" (found on the web), and are re-usable, which is cool.  Put them in a 6 pack cooler with the batteries and you're all set.  Total weight, 12 lbs.  No gas, no mixing, no spilling, no hard starting, and much lighter.  So in closing, I would say this is a good alternative if the ice doesn't exceed 15 to maybe 20".  It's not for everyone, but it works for me.  Hope this helps and apologize for the long post.   

[wkules]

Thanks loads folks,