Lazermag Express binding?

[WhackMaster]

my 8" lazermag express seems to bind up and get stuck just as it breaks through the ice and into the water. any ideas why? blade design? i have a model 30 jiffy 10" that doesn't do this.

[mech12]

  check and see if the blades were made in china.  if so contact strikemaster the MAY give u another set.  the had issues with these chinese blades....

[james]

I have a lazer on my icegator and it does the same thing, it cut fine all the way down untill i get almost through and it hangs up at the end.
It gives ya a real good spin if you arent prepared.

[WhackMaster]

yeah, it zips right through the ice like butter but it gets hung up just before it breaks through. it doesn't do it as much if you hold it back just before though.. if you pull up on it slightly. i'll check the blades too and see what i've got.

[fin-n-feather]

Last year when I got my new lazer it did the same thing I called strikemaster and they told me the blades were to aggressive. Being a new auger they sent me a new set of less aggressive blades right away no charge. Put them on and they don't grab at the bottom of the whole anymore. Excellent customer service. Fin

[WhackMaster]

thanks man, i think i'll give em a call.

[Drift Dodger]

... i have a model 30 jiffy 10" that doesn't do this.

I find that interesting, because both the 8" and 10" heads for my Jiffy 30 often bind. I thought it was due to a combination of the single-blade design plus cutting aggressiveness ... the entire width of the single 'flat' (non-curved) blade breaking through the ice all at once, "biting-off more that it can chew" so-to-speak.

[WhackMaster]

 i don't know.. mine doesn't. 

[fin-n-feather]

I think the aggressiveness of the blade has a lot to do with it. I like whackmaster have a Jiffy 30 along with my fixed Strikemaster Express. My Jiffy 30 never binded until this year. I took the blade off and sharpened it very carefully on a stone. Looking at it I don't think I changed the angle one bit but I must have. The Jiffy now cuts like a dream and amazingly fast BUT binds at the bottom of almost EVERY hole. I think I'm gonna go and spend the $30 bucks and just get a new blade. I see now how angle and aggressiveness plays such a critical role in how your auger performs. Time to quit trying to save a buck and fight the auger on every hole!! Fin

[WhackMaster]

just called sm customer service. really nice lady.. she's sending me some new blades for free. she said some of the ones produced during the time when mine was made had too much of an aggressive angle to the blades. she claims they've since taken care of that with the new ones. we'll see.. great customer service though.

[fin-n-feather]

Hey, glad it worked out w-master. Fin

[WhackMaster]

i imagine i'll get em sometime next week so i should be able to test em out next weekend.

[WhackMaster]

got the new blades installed and gave them a good testing this weekend. i drilled about 60 holes or so and it worked great. no more binding or getting stuck at all. it effortlessly melts it's way through the ice, nice and smooth. now i can sell my jiffy 

[Greg2ha]

My 7" does the same. Pulls you and the power head right down to the ice! I'm not sure why.
Greg

[Drift Dodger]

... both the 8" and 10" heads for my Jiffy 30 often bind. I thought it was due to a combination of the single-blade design plus cutting aggressiveness ... the entire width of the single 'flat' (non-curved) blade breaking through the ice all at once, "biting-off more that it can chew" so-to-speak.

Got my Jiffy 30 binding issue solved ... turns out I had installed the blades improperly, having mounted them to the bottom-face of the flat plate instead of the upper-face where they should be. Cuts very smooth with no binding at any time now, and great for re-opening frozen-over holes as well!