Nils Powerpoint vs. Standard Blade

[IFISHVT]

Sometime I'm going to purchase an 8" Nils power auger. However, I don't know which blade is better the powerpoint or standard blade.  Since this is quite an outlay of cash, I want to do it right the first time. Any opinions would be appreciated.

[bogeyjoker]

Powerpoint.  I would only consider a regular blade if you'll be using it by hand most of the time.

[ctjigger]

I've had my Nils power auger [8 in. ] for 5 years and love the standard shaving head. It's been resharpened only once. We drill lots of holes per outing. My son had the power point on his and we both felt that it wasn't even close to doing the job as well as the shaving head, he has switched and the power point is our spare.

[fishlessman]

if your going to use it half the time as a handauger i would get the regular blade, if not get the power point but i havent seen much of anyone post that the power point is indeed needed

[evobassfish]

I prefer my standard over my power point for now. will have to send my blades to Frank sometime before the season ends to get them sharpened.

[bogeyjoker]

I'm on my 7th year with my Nils power 8" and I punch on average several hundred holes every year...and am nowhere near in need of a sharpening.  I keep hearing about people having to have their Nils sharpened after only a couple years and I find that odd.  Are people using their Nils to drill post holes? 

[gemcityslayer]

Well:P

If you are in PA... and the ice only gets 8".   Here in Wyoming it can get over 24" easy... so we dull our blade at a 3:1 ratio per hole.

Was just guessing on how thick the ice gets in PA.  Might get better thickness than that

[fishlessman]

I'm on my 7th year with my Nils power 8" and I punch on average several hundred holes every year...and am nowhere near in need of a sharpening.  I keep hearing about people having to have their Nils sharpened after only a couple years and I find that odd.  Are people using their Nils to drill post holes? 

after 3 years i can feel the handauger occasionally skip, with a power head you would never feel that

[LithiumEverything]

Having own both types, I would not recommend the power point. The standard blade seems to cut smoother with less effort. I had the power point bend on me during some cold days (-35 degrees). Once the power point is bent just a little, it will not dig. I rest my blade on the ice and I am sure it's not frozen water. With the standard blade, you will need to make sure the auger is well balanced. From the factory, the Nils on the Tanaka power head is slightly off balance and wobbles a little. You can test this by lifting your auger up and engage full throttle. Besides the initial start rev, you should not see or feel any wobble at all. I added a aluminum crush washer on the bottom half where the screw tightens to the coupler. This straightens and balanced the auger. Straight and perfect holes every time.

[evobassfish]

Having own both types, I would not recommend the power point. The standard blade seems to cut smoother with less effort. I had the power point bend on me during some cold days (-35 degrees). Once the power point is bent just a little, it will not dig. I rest my blade on the ice and I am sure it's not frozen water. With the standard blade, you will need to make sure the auger is well balanced. From the factory, the Nils on the Tanaka power head is slightly off balance and wobbles a little. You can test this by lifting your auger up and engage full throttle. Besides the initial start rev, you should not see or feel any wobble at all. I added a aluminum crush washer on the bottom half where the screw tightens to the coupler. This straightens and balanced the auger. Straight and perfect holes every time.

Can you post a quick picture of this mod.to keep it from wobbling? I had the slight wobble since new and didnt think anything of it.

[Sharp Nils]

  This year was a bad year with bare ground and lack of snow.   Dirt and sand blown onto the ice will dull a blade fast.

[bogeyjoker]

Well:P

If you are in PA... and the ice only gets 8".   Here in Wyoming it can get over 24" easy... so we dull our blade at a 3:1 ratio per hole.

Was just guessing on how thick the ice gets in PA.  Might get better thickness than that

Well 8" is about all we got this year unfortunately, but in a typical year I'm usually on 12-18" on most of the lakes I fish.

[kennyd]

so is the consensus if i an going to be using this strictly as a power auger the power point is the way to go??? i am about to buy one tomorrow! i can't wait!!!

[evobassfish]

so is the consensus if i an going to be using this strictly as a power auger the power point is the way to go??? i am about to buy one tomorrow! i can't wait!!!

Just go with the non power point cutting head.

[kegra]

My power point was bent and when attempting to straighten it - one claw broke, metal fatigue. Frank removed both claws and sharpened it and it has never cut better. I firmly believe that you do not need the power point. Note that I had used it for six years prior to getting it resharpened for the first time and I drill 3 feet of ice, probably 50 holes per outing and am out almost every weekend from New Years until the end of March.

[LithiumEverything]

Can you post a quick picture of this mod.to keep it from wobbling? I had the slight wobble since new and didnt think anything of it.

Here is a picture of my auger on the right next to someone else's auger. My auger looked like the one on the left when I first got it. You can check yours buy laying it flat with the bolt pointing the same way.







Here is my home made washer. I believe a 2mm thick washer cut in half would work just as well. There is too much pressure on the top forcing the auger to point in one direction. Sanding the top back side of the auger my work too.





You can also stand up your auger to get a vertical view of how much it is off by.

[evobassfish]

Thanks for the picture lithium! It all makes sense now. My 6" nil's has alot of wobble and I think this will fix it.

[bquick]

Wait a minute now!  I have been researching Nils as well and would like to get the best auger out there; but if they can't get it right before they ship it to me for $600 bucks then what the heck?  How does this boost my confidence one bit?

[evobassfish]

Wait a minute now!  I have been researching Nils as well and would like to get the best auger out there; but if they can't get it right before they ship it to me for $600 bucks then what the heck?  How does this boost my confidence one bit?

Fear not the Nils will cut great out of the box wobble or not. I'm not sure if the slight wobble is happening on all of them but it's a quick fix if it so happens to be the case.

[LithiumEverything]

Mine cut great right out of the box. You won't even notice it when drilling. I'm just super anal about the slightest imperfection. My motto is; if it ain't broke, how can I improve it.

[bee]

Wait a minute now!  I have been researching Nils as well and would like to get the best auger out there; but if they can't get it right before they ship it to me for $600 bucks then what the heck?  How does this boost my confidence one bit?

If it did have a problem Nils would take care of you.

[Chris Raymond]

Frank posted something last year that helped me.  There's definately a correct way in matching up the auger to the coupler, a left and right if you will.  AndifIf I remember correctly you tighten the thru bolt as much as possible before putting on the nut and tightening it down.  Doing so draws what if any slop might exist out of the coupler to auger connection.  I would have to tear apart mine to get the specifics right now.  Maybe Frank will comment again though. 

[Sharp Nils]

LithiumEverything, in your picture it looks like you have the coupler situated on the shaft correct meaning the head of the bolt should tighten up against the flat spot on the shaft.   Where some people are having problems with the wobble is when they attach the nut and tighten it down they loosen the bolt against the flat spot on the shaft because they are not using the allen wrench to hold the bolt tight when they tighten down the nut.
The nut does nothing as far as holding the coupler to the shaft.  It is only there to keep the bolt from backing out. 
 
 So if you have any wobble at the coupler tighten down the allen bolt.

[blueberryman]

I just recieved my Nils today after wanting one for two years.I put the auger on the power head and followed all the advice on here about tightening the allen screw and then tightening the nut while holding the allen screw and it wobbles really bad.I have looked at it and do not see any miss alingment in the coupling.I have taken it off and re done it while the motor is upside down to try to center it in the coupling better and no luck.I would try the half washer thing if I could tell where it is off.I just think that for that kin of money it should not wobble worse than my 35 year old jiffy.Any ideas?