Cordless drill powered ice augers

[2addicted]

Is anyone else using cordless drills on their augers? I'm wondering what everyone else is using for a drill. I use a Matco 18v and it gets the job done but is only rated at 395 in lbs. I'm looking to step up to a more powerful drill and am wondering what everyone else is using. I've been eying the Milwaukee m18 fuel brushless and the makita 18v brushless. I can't decide between the two. I used an 8" lazer last year with the Matco drill and purchased an 8" nils for this season.

[TacticalKeychains]

Look below a few posts "clam plate" would be a good search  - I'm 100% dewalt here, but most aren't I noticed so I never spoke up.

[iceman260]

X2 dewalt 20 volt.

[Agronomist_at_IA]

Any brand will do. It's more being worried about the specs.

Shoot for a min of 700in/lbs, get the brushless, and look for a brand with good batteries (insulation/built to protect/higher ah)

How did the 395in/lb turn the 8in? Any issues?

[Raquettedacker]

    http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?board=73.0

[2addicted]

I've been wondering about Dewalt I know they make a great tool but they list their torque in uwo ( unit watts out) so it's hard to tell how they compare in in lbs. the Milwaukee is 1200 in lbs and the makita is 1090

[3300]

welcome to the site!
the top 2 are the ridgid for it's lifetime warranty and the milwaukee fuel version 2. the fuel is rated at a peak 1200" pounds. the ridgid brushed gen5x is 780" pounds, the brushless rdigid is 700" pounds.

hard to phantom a 395 " pound drill turning an 8" mora!! the nills will help a lot, but your right to look for more torque.
if you don't mind buying batteries and parts after the warranties are gone then go with milwaukee for 275$ for the non-hammer drill version of the version 2 drill.

i tired a 8" lazer on my older 24 volt ridgid and it didn't do so good, but it wasn't my auger and it looked to be beat up pretty bad from the way the guys were making it work by hand.

biggest i'd go is a 7".

[2addicted]

The Matco drill turned the 8" lazer just fine but after a while it would shut off. Overload protection I'm guessing. It would work fine after a few seconds but it's was just annoying. I've drilled through 18+ inches with that setup and it got it done.

[Agronomist_at_IA]

I've been wondering about Dewalt I know they make a great tool but they list their torque in uwo ( unit watts out) so it's hard to tell how they compare in in lbs. the Milwaukee is 1200 in lbs and the makita is 1090

Makita & Milwaukee are far better quality then dewalt. I own quite a few dewalt tools. Dewalt has become a company of more name then high quality IMO.

[TacticalKeychains]

I ran Dewalt for 12 years, never one failure except 2 batteries in that time. You can run them till it burns your hand and smoke comes out - they keep going. I have an impressive dewalt collection over the years, and still going strong.   Milwaukee on the other hand, has failed friends and myself (portaband for me, drills for them (electrician))  lookup up "AVE" on youtube (he's my buddy in Canada) if you want a tear down of all the drills brands, lots of interesting things can be seen..

Actually according to a "Milwaukee tech" Milwaukee has gone downhill at a high rate of speed (this was 3 years ago) = maybe they came back somehow?

[masoneddie]

My 20 volt DeWalt was broken in on drilling concrete first....now it just burns thru the ice. Buy what you can afford...DeWalt has always treated me good personally.   

[gysgthard]

I use a craftsmen 19V and a 7" lazar auger  and it does just great drills about 20 holes in 1.5-2.0 feet of ice.

[sgtski]

Im a dewalt guy.....6"  lazer will do over 40 holes in 12"  Ice on one battery 20 volt....all day no problem

[chasinfins]

Bought the 1,000 in lb Makita last year early in the season and paired it with a 6" Nils. Ran it all season ... never ran out of battery ... It's a beast!