MyFishFinder.com Just like iceshanty but warmer
As far as I'm concerned there is no difference in using it on an auger and using it with a big concrete drill.If you got your drill wet and it malfunctioned, that's a different story. The drill for me isn't cutting out mid-cut, it's cutting out before it even starts spinning, so regardless of what I'm using it for, there is still a problem with it.
So if you've never had it cut out, that shows inconsistency as well. If we ALL have cutout issues, we could assume it's either supposed to happen OR it was something that got overlooked during testing. But your setup seems to be fine....even more confusing. What kind of temps are you using it in?
Those drills are made to turn at least a 4" Wood hole cutting bit if not a 6". I don't see using 8" Augers going through Ice with sharp blades putting any more torque on it than the Wood bits or the Concrete bits. But of course those Wood and Concrete bits don't weigh anywhere near the same as an Auger bit.
Well I had cut out issues today. Didn't even want to make it through the first hole. I believe it's a temperature extreme issue, coupled with the Octane "smart" circuitry. I left my battery and drill overnight in the truck, and it got down to 0*. When I coupled the app, the battery temperature read 470 degrees?!? While sitting in the cab of the truck, it eventually calibrated to 32*. Even though it was fully charged, I was reading only 80%I had a hard time drilling five holes. It seemed that if I ran the drill with no load for a few seconds (warming it up a touch?), it would cut through a bit better.
So I decided to do a bit of testing this afternoon.Now before anyone gets all upset the tests were on Milwaukee tools, sorry no spare Ridgids to experiment on.My interest was the inrush current (amps) on the tool with or without a auger attached, in this case an 8" (7.75") auger.I used 2 older Milwaukee 2604 brushless drilsl and a MudMixer (my auger tool).Kinda interesting and I repeated the test on 2 different 2604 drills.For the max in rush it was pull the trigger full blast for all it was worth.2604 drill low range (1) no bit/no load running 3.3 amps, max inrush 80 amps.2604 drill high range (2) no bit no load running 5.0 amps, max inrush 100 amps2604 drill low range (1) with 8" Krill no load running 12.5 amps, max inrush 250 amps, (yep that correct in speed 1)!MudMixer ran on 5 speed setting.MudMixer running with out auger 5.5 running amps, inrush 35 amps.MudMixer running with 8" Kdrill 6.5 running amps, inrush 41 amps.By starting the drills "slowly" I could limit the inrush to under 10 amps on both tools!Now I know your all wondering what the "max loaded" amperage was. Well just didn't have enough hands, wire and a load to do that.I was able to put some load on the MudMixer with the auger but didn't see anything over 10 amps kinda inconclusive.Whats my take on this data?Ya I know it's Milwaukee but probably pretty close for most other brands.I personally feel that the "fail to start" issue is because the Octane has so much power in a small chassis that the inrush/starting current is tripping the overload circuitry of the drill and/or battery (as they talk to each other).I also feel that the "cut out" CO issue is the tool trying to save it's self.This sorta makes since as the MudMixer doesn't have the fail to start issue but some are having the stop on break through.Bottom line TRY starting slowly, don't push so hard on break through?Just some food for thought.Your mileage may vary.
Nils is nothing like the Lazer blades.
The 6 inch laser is pretty much a nills you throw a off set handle on a 6 inch laser they cut the same..
but a 7 and 8 inch laser is a way different ball game.. cause of those vee'd bars on the cutting head.. the laser take more effort cause of those bars..
OK guys I NEED to share my experience with you that I had last night. Get out to our spot. We had 24" of measured ice and I have the 1300 and I brought my extra 9ah battery (so a total of 2 9ah batteries). I have the 8" kdrill and drill 4 sets of 3 holes overlapped. What I usually do is drill all three just until they break through then finish them off. I've noticed it takes a lot more torque to drill through the slurry slush if I drill each one through entirely. First off let me say that I did try messing with the trigger a bit when I first started and YES if I barely pulled the trigger it would cut out every time, even before i started one hole I had to give it the nuts and it worked fine that way.Ok so i get 3 sets of 3 drilled so basically 9 holes through 24". And then 1/3 of the 4th set and the drill cut out mid hole (hole number 10). So at that point I figure ok, I'll throw my spare battery on. I connect it and same thing, it keeps cutting out and I can feel the heat. Without a doubt it was heat/drill related as the new battery made no difference. So I stumbled my way through the last hole (waiting a few minutes inbetween engagements). And decide to keep that set at only a double hole instead of a triple hole since I don't want to kill my drill. After that I put the drill outside to cool off. Fast forward about 3 hours later and I get a MONSTER fish on. I'm talking like fish of a lifetime Monster and of course its on the double hole not the triple hole. We get it up and the fish has NO chance to come up the double hole. So I go out and grab the drill to overlap another hole, and it won't drill. It keeps cutting out. Is to TOO COLD NOW? I have no idea what was going on but one battery was at 3 bars and the other at 2 and neither was working well. I was able to barely get one more hole in. Then we find out that the fish won't come up 3 holes! Well, now i'm stuck.... I put out an emergency call to nearby fisherman to come help me cut another hole and luckily someone came over with an ION and helped out. We did end up getting the fish through the hole (we actually need 5 8" holes), but man oh man, the Rigid flaked out on me and left me hanging. With 2 9ah batteries I should have never had to worry at all. I'm pretty sure I'm going to just go and return everything I bought. I don't every want to be in that position even again. Here's how it all unfolded. [ Invalid YouTube link ]
So i was in the fail to start group but today it quit mid hole after 15 holes.not all at once either,a few here and there.27 degrees and full battery and ice was about 10.i hit the trigger and start cutting then stop,hit the trigger ,stop.i had to start new a new hole to get it to cut again.i think my drill is starting to act up worse with fail to start and cut out mid hole now.i told myself im running this drill until its broken.it cuts great when it works right.
Alright so I went back and watched my video footage (edited parts I clipped out) I noticed that when I needed to drill the extra hole after I caught the fish, I went to drill and the auger head was froze up so I was banging on it a little bit to bite and also now I was drilling an overlapping hole that has already been drilled (remember I said I normally drill it and clean it out without breaking through). Things I have taken away from this experience.1. Heat is definitely a factor when continuously drilling hole after hole in succession. Ive proven this by swapping out a new battery after it cuts out and also letting it sit up to 24 hours between holes.2. Drilling overlapping holes in anything over 12 is a big problem, especially when the holes are full of water and slush. If you are going to do this get your holes mostly drilled and cleaned out and then break through one by one. Its amazing how much more torque it takes to overlap the hole when it fills with water and slush. It REALLY taxes the drill. 3. The overload protection might be too sensitive on this Ridgid drill, but also probably not designed for our application.4. For most people this drill will work great. For how I fish, I wonder if an ice saw wouldnt be a better option for connecting holes, especially late season when the ice is really thick.
i'm not experiencing the extra load on my auger while overlapping holes at all using lazer 8 inch, but it's not a foot of snow either. the way mine cuts it doesn't slow down ever and i listen to each cut. listening allow you to know if you should lighten up the speed of the cut by lifting some so it takes less materiel per revolution. the weight or inertia might be another factor that the lazer and nils have over composite augers. the flight system clears shavings and pulls water up to the knees. i never have to raise or lift any pressure from my auger or try to help it clear out any thing. after it's done making a hole it is clear of shavings. it does it so fast i try to shut the motor off on break thru so i don't fill the tops of boots and the front of my bibs with water that quickly turns to ice.so it sounds like a combination of the krdill chipper blades and composite flight system that is ineffective of removing shavings fast enough and on it's own is the difference. the blades don't have a sharp edge all of the way across so the parts that don't just slow the cut and take more energy and create more heat. the flight can't remove the weight of the shavings on the back side of the blades and again creates a bigger load and uses more energy and creates more heat. when you lift to try to clear them the octane must see the load differences and tries to adjust for them. then there is the going straight back down the hole the same way it was cut each time you lift not being exact and what that may do to the system. the difference between this drill and the rest is the intelligent circuit system that tries to match the power output based on the load. you keep changing it with the kdrill.what does your dewalt do in same conditions drilling that many overlapping holes?don't you have a different auger from before the kdrill to use?
Is it good to run these batteries completely dead or have them completely charged?My battery and charger should be here today....
i did it off and on with my 6 inch lazer for 7 years at least. i also used it to make ice top coolers to keep fish in. make partial holes and build an area that can be filled with water so they can breath in it. it finally acted up last season so i replaced it with new in the 6 inch lazer. it acted like one blade wasn't working so i installed new blades to see if it would help and it did not. i know it could be adjusted, but not sure how to make it match the other side. this season with this drill out i wanted to try fishing from a bigger hole and went with the 8 inch lazer in part because it has kickers built-in kickers to keep the blade pitch in tact. the 6 inch didn't have it.you might think about going smaller to connect the dots for that sort of fishing or try another brand that is all steel with kickers like the lazer has on the 8 inch. i'm not sure if it's on the 7 inch. i don't think the nils has them.
I would expect it to cut out with 1 bar in the cold.