Auger selection

[photo]

I am going to buy a new power auger tomorrow. Is there a concensus on who makes the best auger for the best price?

[Steve Foss]

No, and there never will be a consensus. Just buy the one you feel most comfortable with. They all cost money. They all drill holes. The perceived differences between brand new augers are mostly a matter of marketing rather than reality.

Buy, drill, fish. Oh, almost forgot. Have fun! That's what fishing is for, and an auger is just a tool to help the fun happen.

[fishnhuntnboy]

photo go to the ice fishing forum as there is alot of conversations going on about power auger.

[Surface Tension]

Yep, they all drill a hole but there are differences.

When they're working right every power auger out there will drill a lot easier then by hand too.

If your the run&gun type your not going to want a 3hp Jiffy but if it was a choice between that or drilling by hand I'd choose the Jiffy. Weight does make a difference.

Fastest cutting, well you'll drill more holes and faster with any power auger then you will by hand.

Differences are much like driving Ferrari to work as opposed to driving a Dodge Neon. They both will get you there, and well, both are faster then walking.

Tecumseh engines are the meat and potato consumer grade engines. StrikeMaster, Jiffy, and Eskimo all use that engine. One thing to consider is, Tecumseh will be going out of business soon. How that will effect availability of parts no one knows.

I own a Nils Master. Lightweight, drills fast, and with ease. No plastic parts. Nils Power Augers use a Tanaka Industrial grade engine. You'll see that same engine used in a lot of commercial and rental business because they're built to last with day in and day out use. Tanaka's have a longer warranty as well.

I also own a StrikeMaster/OPE 49cc Mag III. It been maintained over the 20 some years I've it owned since brand new and still works.

Guess which one I take fishing? Same could be said if I had a Ferrari sitting in my driveway next to my Dodge Neon.

[photo]

Ok....thought I was going to get pointed in the right direction but I suppose they are all small motors and some razor blades...no magic I guess.

Russ, here I come.

Thanks guys.

[evntam]

ST:

So, if I read your post correctly, if you had a Ferrari, you'd take it fishing?

[Far-I]

ST can you point me anywhere saying Tecumseh is going under?

[Surface Tension]

ev, probably not because it wouldn't pull my new Ranger 621VS (dream) .

Far, its been in the air for a while. Huge uncertain future, if any for Tec.

[Northlander]

No matter what brand you go with I would stay away from a 3 horse 10". HEAVY. Try a 2 horse with a 9" or 8" cut. Your back will be glad you did.

I do know of 2 nice very slightly used augers for sale by FMers if your interested E-mail me.

I also run a NIls Auger and wont go back to anything else. Light, fast and you wont need a extention on the longer model. If you go to Marine General ask Russ about them. He has a few power heads down there but the auger bits wont be in until next week. They ran out. I think they are going for $500. If you can wait a week I highly recomend a NIls. Or you can order one right here on FM in the outdoorprostore. If ya get one E-mail me and I will walk you through the proper break in procedure.

Like I said stay away from a 3 horse. Really no need for it unless you go 10" and that will be a PIG to carry around no matter what brand.

I have ran a 8" for 3 years now and havent had a fish I cant get through the hole. If Im fishing lakers I drill 2 overlapping holes.

[Steve Foss]

I'll second the 10-inch avoidance. I lugged around a Strikemaster XL-3000 10 inch for 10 years, and while it cut holes faster than any other auger I'd ever cut beside, it weighed a LOT, and I the older I got the sicker I got of hauling that around the ice.

I've also cut a lot of holes with the Nils, and if you are going with an 8-inch auger, the Nils is the best combination of lightness and speed I've seen.

[tonkapat]

And for us guys who go where u can hand auger only the nils is really the only way to go. Only 8" hand auger that rips through the ice effortlessly. Makes u wonder if u really need a motor for it.