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The Tanaka probably has the best reputation for longevity. Its not a "nils" its a Tanaka. Nils just pairs them with their auger bit. The powerhead retails for $559 and the auger bit is around $120. This time of year you can find the powerhead on sale at a lot of places for around $450. The bad part is that they are tall. If you are not 6' or taller you will be drilling with the motor at eye level which strains the arms after a long day. And another bad thing is that they are a lower gear ratio than the rest (why they are faster) so you cannot purchase a bigger bit from another brand and expect it to work for very long. For instance, you couldnt go buy a strikemaster 10" bit and use it on your Tanaka. So you are pretty much stuck with using the nils bits or small strikemaster bits (4-6"). You are in SD which is known for its wind blown lakes. The wind will blow sediment from the fields onto the lakes and your nils auger bit will last about 5 holes. If you do some searching you will find videos where the big names in ice fishing explain blade choice. They all say they never use shavers in SD/ND because they last very very few holes. They all use chippers which can cut through that dirty ice like its nothing. If you try to drill on one of those wind blown lakes (and how many lakes in SD are NOT wind blown? lol) you will find your nils being very poor, if it even makes it through the first day.
The Tanaka probably has the best reputation for longevity. Its not a "nils" its a Tanaka. Nils just pairs them with their auger bit. The powerhead retails for $559 and the auger bit is around $120. This time of year you can find the powerhead on sale at a lot of places for around $450. The bad part is that they are tall. If you are not 6' or taller you will be drilling with the motor at eye level which strains the arms after a long day. And another bad thing is that they are a lower gear ratio than the rest (why they are faster) so you cannot purchase a bigger bit from another brand and expect it to work for very long. For instance, you couldn't go buy a strikemaster 10" bit and use it on your Tanaka. So you are pretty much stuck with using the nils bits or small strikemaster bits (4-6"). You are in SD which is known for its wind blown lakes. The wind will blow sediment from the fields onto the lakes and your nils auger bit will last about 5 holes. If you do some searching you will find videos where the big names in ice fishing explain blade choice. They all say they never use shavers in SD/ND because they last very very few holes. They all use chippers which can cut through that dirty ice like its nothing. If you try to drill on one of those wind blown lakes (and how many lakes in SD are NOT wind blown? lol) you will find your nils being very poor, if it even makes it through the first day.
What are you talking about, look at the link above, I am using a tanaka with a strikemaster 10" bit through 40+ inches, this is on windblown lake winnipeg! And, I have drilled 400-500 holes with is combo with no issues?? Like I said earlier this is not the tanaka that on the nils, its slightly larger, 1.6 hp and 33cc, this power head is so strong! And it has a very close gear ratio to the strikemaster, thats why it works so well!
Wait a minute. in another thread you described the nils as a flat blade design, now it is a shaver blade design? Face it, you know nothing of what you speak or you just do this on purpose to incite an argument.
Nils are a flat blade shaver. The blade design (not really a blade, but a sharpened edge turned into a blade) is flat so it cuts with the whole edge at once. And it is a true shaver blade, cant get any more shaver than a nils. You know nothing of what YOU speak. Do some research before telling me I'm stupid. I DO know what I am talking about, most of you do not and when I point it out you claim I'm just here to start an argument. Well you walked right into this one. Do some research on the powerhead that comes with the nils, it will not work with a 10" auger because there is not enough torque. Nils blades will dull in 2 seconds on dirty ice, (proven by many many topics on this board this season). It is a flat blade (spoken about on here by nils owners all year). It is a shaver style (spoken by many owners and Frank on here). And yet with all these nils owners here proving my point, I do not know what I am talking about. ha
My Solo will last just as long as the Tanaka I bet.
Nils comes in both 48" and standard 42" augers....My wifes 5' nothing and has no problem with my 48" ?Nils auger....
My Jiffy lite is a 1988, and still going strong.
Sadly that is too true. Mine still sports the "Made in America" label. Not much can do that any more. I think Strikemaster is using Honda engines now, and I would look to a Tanaka to match up to my Nils hand auger these days if I had to.
Ok...I'll throw in my 2 cents. The best power auger is the one that you can afford. 2 seasons ago all I could afford was an 8" mako from Eskimo. It runs nice always starts and is still just as sharp after 3 seasons of use as the day I bought it. I got a great deal right from the ardisam/ Eskimo factory here in cumberland, wi. It was $230 out the door. As far as longevity...we' see...but so far after 3 seasons I have had zero problems. My point is, buy as much as you can afford and be happy.