Another Strikemaster Vs Jiffy discussion

[Ryderr]

In the market for a new auger this year, and its already August, so I am running out of time. 

I am on a budget, and these are what I need in an auger...

-Light enough for my wife to drill
-Dependable
-Cheapish (like to keep it below $400)
-9-10"

These are the two I narrowed it down to, one SM and one Jiffy, but I am open to other augers as well (all info inculding price comes from reedssports.com)

Jiffy Legend Lightning 9", 31lbs, 2hp, has the de-armor, e-z connect (which I have heard bad things about), HST, and the ripper blade

StrikeMaster Mangnum 10.25", 27lbs, 2hp, and whatever else SM says it has (not too familar with SM augers)

I have been stalking augers since last summer, and finally my SM took a dump. Its heavy, unrealible, and keeps running into problems. Time to get a new one, and use the old as a backup. My buddy got a SM last year and paid over $400 for it, I believe it was the lazer mag in 8", and even though I hate SM (because of my old one) it was fairly easy to use, but I wouldnt spend that much. My wife was able to drill with his, and his is 26lbs. I am partial to jiffys, but I want a clear and consise purchase, so I am seeking advice of others.

[Skipper]

I would look a little more at Nils, Eskimo, and Gator.

None of the new Jiffy or Strikemaster units impress me that much. If you are looking at bang for your buck, Eskimo is tough to beat right now

[dkfry]

Taking your price range and drill size into account I would take a long hard look at an Eskimo. The eskimos are priced decent and the current lineup has been around for a while. If you can get by with an 8" look at the Eskimo Stingray. Its fairly light and is rather inexpensive.

http://www.geteskimo.com/foundations/store_getEskimo/shopdetail.asp?params=S33Q8&tab=desc1
http://www.geteskimo.com/foundations/store_getEskimo/shopdetail.asp?params=M43Q9*0

I currently have a Jiffy 2hp Stealth with the 6" and 9" drills. The 2hp is a little underpowered for a 9" chipper IMO. I really like my Jiffy, its the older model with the Tecumseh. It is fairly heavy though, especially with the 9" drill. If I had to do it all over again I would have got the 8" drill as I rarely use the 9" I always use the 6". I am not impressed with the current Jiffys, they look way too cheesy for me. Same goes for the SMs.

[Skipper]

Fish USA carries them and will ship them cheap. I am uncertain of prices or availability this far into the off season.

Now that SM and Jiffy are both using cheap engines, why pay more for the name?

[dkfry]

Fish USA carries them and will ship them cheap.

Plus they have been only charging $6.95 to ship an auger which is hard to beat. They have great customer service too, they replaced my tipup that got broken in shipping (spool) no problem. Sent them a pic of the broken tipup they sent me new one and let me keep the broken one.(which I made a spool for later)

[Ryderr]

Thanks guys I will look into it. My brother will kill me if I get an eskimo (brand loyalty), but if the price is right I might just do it. Whens the best time to get an auger pre-season? Now? Or when the new models come out for the year?

[surflizard]

If you can find one now, you should jump on it now with both feet ! As soon as the Offical ice season starts, so do the premium prices too ! Not to hurt any brand loyal guys feelings, but I heard and seen both Jiffy and Strikemaster horror stories !  Brand new engines that won't stay running or locking up ??
Starter recoils shattering, handles shattering when the auger tipped over Nice Brand new Chinese CRAP !! At least Eskimo's are still made Cumberland
Wisconsin USA !! My 2 cents.

[dkfry]

Whens the best time to get an auger pre-season? Now? Or when the new models come out for the year?

Stores usually sell all their large item ice fishing stock out before the end of the season and usually discount it towards the end of the season to move it. There will not be a lot of places who have any augers now. You can contact several places like Marine General and other places that sell the augers your looking for. You never know maybe they have some remaining stock. Or contact the auger company direct.

[Sven936]

If you can find one now, you should jump on it now with both feet ! As soon as the Offical ice season starts, so do the premium prices too ! Not to hurt any brand loyal guys feelings, but I heard and seen both Jiffy and Strikemaster horror stories !  Brand new engines that won't stay running or locking up ??
Starter recoils shattering, handles shattering when the auger tipped over Nice Brand new Chinese CRAP !! At least Eskimo's are still made Cumberland
Wisconsin USA !! My 2 cents.

Eskimo is made in China, just like Strikemaster and Jiffy.     They actually started having their motors built there quite a few years ago. But, they went through the growing pains already of making a new motor themselves.  Their Viper motors are quite good, especially for the money. 

[Hardwaternubie53]

I LOVE my SM Electric. Never a problem to start, just push the button and the battery does the rest. Available in 10", mine is an 8", less than 30 lbs. I carry an extra battery just in case, only had to use it once in a three day tourney after drilling a crap load of holes. It comes with a power cord, so, if in a pinch, you can run it off of your ATV or snowmobile battery as well (or fishfinder battery, for that matter). I got mine a couple of years ago at the Gander Mt. out near Syracuse (?? Auburn area??). Paid less than $300.00, tax included. I shopped around, A LOT!, they had the best deal. It was worth the drive from the Capitol District (NY) to get it.

[duck doctor]

I would look for a good used Jiffy with the Techumseh engine. You can't beat the older model 30's. I just sold one for $225. There are some pretty good deals on some of the classified online sites.

I would not know what to do should my Jiffy die because I think I would have a hard time buying a new one.

[oyler]

Fish USA carries them and will ship them cheap. I am uncertain of prices or availability this far into the off season.

Now that SM and Jiffy are both using cheap engines, why pay more for the name?

Just wondering what you mean by cheap engines??  I have a solo I got last year, and there is nothing cheap about it!  It is the best running auger I've owned.  I have owned a lot of augers too, I ran eskimo for a couple years, Jiffy model 30 for a few. I started with a strikemaster cobra over 25 years ago.   I am a Strikemaster guy now, so I'm sure you won't take my opinion as un biased, but I truly challenge anyone to put their auger up against a solo powered strikemaster.   I also know that Jiffy wasn't happy with the motors from last year, so they made some changes.  I know there is a lot of Icegator propoganda here, because they are a sponsor.  But really, up to 30 holes on a single charge? 

[Lifeguard]

Go with the Eskimo!!!  A great auger at good prices.  If you can get by with an 8", go with the stingray.  I bought mine three years ago to replace my 3hp Jiffy with something lighter, and I'll never go back to Jiffy.

[Skipper]

Icegator propaganda my ass.

The name on the engine means nothing. Cheap is cheap. If you are going to go cheap, you may as well pay cheap and get an eskimo.

Ice Gator has a following here, along with SM, Jiffy, and Nils. Vexilar has more of a following than Marcum, is that propaganda? Iceshanty.com has never put out propaganda. We have been railed on by sponsors for bashing some of their crappy products. We don't do propaganda here, but the pro staffers from Strikemaster and Jiffy sure do! They post spam and we delete it!

I am offended that you accuse me of posting a biased oppinion. I met with Jiffy at the ice show and they spent a half an hour in the loading dock trying to prove to me that this was the best auger they ever made. They sure seemed happy with it then, I was NOT impressed.

Still to this day, NO ONE from Jiffy or Strikemaster will tell me what the durability rating of their new engines is. Why? The Nils powerhead is 600hrs, I heard from a little bird that the Solo and Jiffy engines are in the neighborhood of 50hrs. Unproven, cheap construction, and a higher price are not going to win any points in my book.

 

[TIBS]

The Nils powerhead is 600hrs, I heard from a little bird that the Solo and Jiffy engines are in the neighborhood of 50hrs. Unproven, cheap construction, and a higher price are not going to win any points in my book.

Glad I got a Tecumseh head on my Jiffy.  I know they aren't rated for very many hours, but they still seem to last forever, or it seems that way.

[Skipper]

I am not looking it up, but the 2hp tecumseh engines were rated for around 250 hours give or take a little. That is more than enough for your average joe to drill holes for years. The durability rating does not mean that the engine will puke at any given time, but it is a reference to the engines expected useful life span.

[oyler]

sorry you took the word propoganda personal, It wasn't meant towards you.  My only question towards you was what you meant by cheap engine?  And you answered it.  As far as durability rating, I don't know what the Solo is rated at, I just know what it has done for me. I can guarantee mine has ran over 30 hours already!  It's kinda like the argument towards the vexilar with "target separation" or "target ID"  it doesn't matter what its called, it only matters what they do for me!
As far as me thinking you posted a biased opinion, I don't know how you got that.

[dkfry]

The hour rating thing is not a big deal with me, is what surrounds the long block is. If compression gets low a new ring usually brings it back. Most manufacturers do a pretty good job on the cylinder plating, even cheaper engines like Homelites. The plastic crap they put all over these new engines doesn't last. I have all kinds of small power equipment old and new and the plastic on the newer equipment breaks a lot sooner and is not repairable. The manufacturers then convienently stops making parts 5 years down the road so you get to throw them away and buy new. To people that buy new augers all the time the new stuff is fine however I would rather keep an auger for many years and spend the money elsewhere.

Iceshanty.com has never put out propaganda. We have been railed on by sponsors for bashing some of their crappy products. We don't do propaganda here, but the pro staffers from Strikemaster and Jiffy sure do!

Thats why I am here at iceshanty and not at some other sites. I used to go on some of them but after getting infractions for petty stupid things (like having an opinion) I left and didn't return.

[mbart]

When it comes to discussion or constructive criticism about augers everyone seems to get defensive. There isn't much price difference in comparable augers. I own a NorMark Fin Bore hand auger and a Nils Master power auger and have my own reasons for purchasing them. The exchange of unbiased information results in a better forum.

[ice dawg]

I have owned an Ice King 3hp, an Eskimo 2hp 8", a Jiffy 3hp 9" and a Jiffy Stealth 2hp  8". They have all been trouble free for me. I believe that if you maintain them well you won't have many problems. I bought the Ice King after it had gone to the bottom of a lake in the trunk of a car and was submerged for several days before the car was brought up. I dried it out as well as I could, started it and ran it for about an hour while varying the rpms. We took it fishing the next day and used it for several years before I bought the Eskimo.

As far as the new augers with their Chinese engines are concerned, I would wait until they have been around for a while and have the bugs worked out of them. I looked at the new ones last winter and they had way too much plastic on them for me. I believe that in cold temperatures, steel is better than plastic. I don't expect to have a need for a new auger anytime soon either.

[Ryderr]

Personally it doesnt matter too much to me.

I dont want electric, and I dont like the ice gators or the similar types.

And the power drill? Its cute, but I wouldnt want to be dependent on it.

My 2cents is that chinese engines arent that bad as people put them out to be. I had a whole fight about that with my brother who was dead set on Strike Master (over Jiffy) because it was made in Germany. WRONG! Its German engineered! Big difference. Most parts come from china or uganda or wherever else labor is cheap. But I will say I like the SM price better than the Jiffy's. I ride motocross and there is a big debate in that too Japanese Vs Chinese motors/bikes. I have owned both. Some of the Chinese is crap, but it costs nothing, and this sport, as well as motocross: you get what you pay for. And some chinese is really great, but usually costs more than the cheap chinese. Personally I stick with Yamaha's because thats what always did me good, and I suppose thats the same for every other brand/sport/item, i.e. augers, flashers, shanties etc...And thats what matters to me right now.

How are the blades on the Eskimo?

[lookinforice]

I had a problem with a SM Lazer I bought 2 years ago with a Tecumseh, the one I got was a lemon.  I waited for the Solo engine to come out and after a little complaining about my concerns with the composite handle possibly breaking and that I would be buying a new SM when they came out with a new engine they offered to send me a free composite handle to replace if one ever broke and I hadn't even purchased a new auger yet, when the Solo came out I bought it and have been very happy after it's first season, fired it up a couple months ago, no issues and I have a handle on standby if it ever breaks.

[xcr440]

Personally it doesnt matter too much to me.

I dont want electric, and I dont like the ice gators or the similar types.

And the power drill? Its cute, but I wouldnt want to be dependent on it.

My 2cents is that chinese engines arent that bad as people put them out to be. I had a whole fight about that with my brother who was dead set on Strike Master (over Jiffy) because it was made in Germany. WRONG! Its German engineered! Big difference. Most parts come from china or uganda or wherever else labor is cheap. But I will say I like the SM price better than the Jiffy's. I ride motocross and there is a big debate in that too Japanese Vs Chinese motors/bikes. I have owned both. Some of the Chinese is crap, but it costs nothing, and this sport, as well as motocross: you get what you pay for. And some chinese is really great, but usually costs more than the cheap chinese. Personally I stick with Yamaha's because thats what always did me good, and I suppose thats the same for every other brand/sport/item, i.e. augers, flashers, shanties etc...And thats what matters to me right now.

How are the blades on the Eskimo?

The quantum blades on my eskimo are good 2 seasons and over 400 holes.