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Posted

I'm thinking of getting the 6 inch orange nils auger does anyone know the length from the plate to the tip of the bit? I cannot find the spec anywhere. I have the K drill but I have went threw 3 sets of blades in one winter and burned one milwaukee drill up already. I've seen the Nils and it is way faster than the K drill. Would I still need the clam plate? I'm ready to pull the trigger but hesitant on the blade holding up on the Nils spendy replacement. Thanks for your input.

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Posted

@Surface Tension @eyeguy 54 

 

The shaver style augers are easier on drills. The blades last a lot longer as well. But the two guys I tag will give great info. I have seen eyeguys nils cut and it’s fast now that he up graded drills. Surface tension sharpens nilsblades and is the go to guy for information on the in my opinion.

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Posted

I wonder just how many holes you cut before dulling your blades. Are you always fishing dirty ice ?  The Nils will be way easier on your drill but if you are on dirty ice it will dull just as fast or even faster. If you go the Nils route make sure to have an extra blade so you can send it in and still ice fish. Frank ( Surface Tension ) is quick with his turn around time but has his real busy moments as well and you would hate to miss a weekend.

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Posted

Mr Pike, if you are going through blades that fast on the k-drill, you will certainly dull them out just as fast or faster on a Nils.

The Ripper style blades that come on the K are about as good as it gets as far as durability goes. 

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Posted

From what I'm hearing I believe I will just keep my K-Drill. I have no doubts whatsoever that Nils is a great product and Frank does awesome work on the blades. Many of my friends have used his services before. I drill a lot and almost always on dirty wind swept ice last year was terrible on the lakes I was on. 2 sets of blades for me last year first set got dull around January then replaced to the second set at the end of the year. I did call K Drill today they said that's normal for the usage I do. No cause for alarm at all. So I'm always looking for the grass is greener on the other side type person. No hurt feelings here fellas both are good augers and I will not say bad things about them just thought I was missing the boat but as someone said does it really matter if you get the hole drilled 2 seconds faster? It matters how many fish you pull up that hole?

Posted

I went a different route, got several vintage Mora 7 1/2" hand augers $10 to $15 each with the old hardened sweedish steel blades modified to replicate K-drill style blades #5. Went with clam plate 3/4" drive bit & M18 Fuel Mud Mixer worked ok on early ice #1. Wanted to try my DeWalt/Jiffy so converted to the 7/8" drive bit, didn't have the power to cut the agressive blade #2. Later ice in Wheelhouse, went with my Eskimo 43cc with a Walker 25' flex exhaust out the door, cut 32" ice in 27 seconds #3. Ran 4 1/2 holes to 1 of my buddies new green ION 8in. Made some adapters to put the 7/8" auger bits on my Clam Plate and Mud Mixer#4 for early ice this comming season.

Screenshot_20180819-081949.thumb.png.80bf3ca72b436672582754ad5540514d.png

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Posted (edited)
1 hour ago, papadarv said:

I went a different route, got several vintage Mora 7 1/2" hand augers $10 to $15 each with the old hardened sweedish steel blades modified to replicate K-drill style blades #5. Went with clam plate 3/4" drive bit & M18 Fuel Mud Mixer worked ok on early ice #1. Wanted to try my DeWalt/Jiffy so converted to the 7/8" drive bit, didn't have the power to cut the agressive blade #2. Later ice in Wheelhouse, went with my Eskimo 43cc with a Walker 25' flex exhaust out the door, cut 32" ice in 27 seconds #3. Ran 4 1/2 holes to 1 of my buddies new green ION 8in. Made some adapters to put the 7/8" auger bits on my Clam Plate and Mud Mixer#4 for early ice this comming season.

Screenshot_20180819-081949.thumb.png.80bf3ca72b436672582754ad5540514d.png

 

That is some sweet work right there. I see these at garage sales all summer, may be I should start picking them up?  Looks like you added a drill point on the end of them as well. The adapters and the end point are key items on making these right.

Edited by leech~~
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Posted

Made the drill point out of a spade drill bit welded to a 3/8” 16 bolt/screw than cut & ground to shape the point. Drilled & tapped center of blade bracket. Tap slowly as that steel seem a grade or two above basic mild steel.

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Posted
27 minutes ago, papadarv said:

Made the drill point out of a spade drill bit welded to a 3/8” 16 bolt/screw than cut & ground to shape the point. Drilled & tapped center of blade bracket. Tap slowly as that steel seem a grade or two above basic mild steel.

 

I like your blade work as well. Two summers ago when I sold my hand auger at my garage I think I throw out about 4 sets of those old blades as well!  ?

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Posted (edited)
1 hour ago, leech~~ said:

 

I like your blade work as well. Two summers ago when I sold my hand auger at my garage I think I throw out about 4 sets of those old blades as well!  ?

Keys to make the blade work well. *Sharp! *Cutting edge needs to line up to the Gullet of the opposite blade! *Add a .020 shim 1/8" wide between blade screw and cutting edge. Increases cut angle to same as K-Drill! I'm working on another set welding  1/4" piece of blade to the outside blade edge extending the blade 1/2" past auger flight making it a full 8" hole. Note how the K-drill blade extends 1/2" past the auger flights.

 

20180819_134836.thumb.png.34fcd0652c06c594c78d8942a645046b.png

Edited by papadarv
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  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • SkunkedAgain
      If you fished with me more often, you'd never have to make this statement...   38" of ice - love it. I'm really going to have to dig around for my auger extension. I don't think that I've needed it in over a decade.   Too bad nobody has a locomotive chugging across the ice to do some logging, like the good old days.
    • LakeofthewoodsMN
      On the South Shore...  Ice fishing remains strong across the south shore of Lake of the Woods out on Big Traverse Bay.  Resorts and outfitters on some parts of the lake have ice roads extending over 16 miles staying on nice schools of walleyes and saugers.  Many fish houses are over deep mud.  Some are on structure.  It is always fishing of course, but overall, February has been very productive for most anglers.   Extensions are being used on ice augers as the ice continues to thicken.  The thick ice this year will be good for the extended ice fishing season Lake of the Woods enjoys with fish houses out through March 31st, walleyes and saugers open through April 14th and a pike season that never closes. Most fishing activity is taking place in 26-32 feet of water.  Anglers are finding a healthy mix of walleyes and saugers, with a good number of jumbo perch in the mix this year.  Some big eelpout are also showing up.  Anglers are reporting plenty of fish for fresh fish frys and usually extra fish to bring home.   The one-two punch of a jigging line and deadstick is the way to go.  On the jigging line, jigging spoons with rattles tipped with a minnow head have been consistent.  Lipless crankbaits and jigging rap style lures also doing well.     Lures with a light have been working well in the stained water.  Please remember, in MN, lures with a light or water activated light can be used as long as the battery is mercury free and the hook is attached directly to the lure and not as a dropper line.     On the deadstick, a plain hook or a small jig with a live minnow 6 inches to a foot off of the bottom.    Some days, mornings are better, other days, it's the afternoons.  There is no distinct pattern, they could come through at any time. On the Rainy River...  The start of the day and end of the day have been best for those targeting walleyes on the river. A jig and minnow or a jigging spoon tipped with a minnow head is also producing some fish. Some big sturgeon being iced by ice anglers targeting them.  It is a catch-and-release sturgeon season currently.   Although ice conditions on the river are good, they can vary significantly due to the current, so anglers should always consult local resorts or outfitters for the most up-to-date safety information and fishing advice. Up at the NW Angle...  Ice fishing has been strong in the islands area of Lake of the Woods. Resorts continue to move their fish houses around, staying on the best schools of walleyes.     Anglers are catching a nice mix of walleyes, saugers, and jumbo perch with an occasional pike or tullibee as well.     Big crappies are still being caught just over the border.  Fish houses are available, check with a NW Angle resort for info on crappie fishing.   Lake of the Woods enjoys an extended ice fishing season with fish houses on the ice through March 31st and walleye and sauger seasons open through April 14th. Perch, crappie, and pike seasons remain open year-round.    
    • leech~~
      Maybe you should put rattle wheels down, if your going to sleep for 6hrs! 🤭 😆
    • JerkinLips
      Monday was my worst day of winter fishing on Vermilion in the last 4 years.  Caught only one 14" walleye in nearly 8 hours of fishing.  Missed two other bites and was marking very few fish.  Maybe the fish were taking Monday off after a big weekend.   No more water came up on the ice under my house.  Think it was because I haven't banked snow around it for a couple of weeks so the bare ice around the house is getting very thick.  I measured 38" of ice under my house and the Ion barely made it through even with the extension installed.  Needless to say I banked around the house this time.  Another lesson I learned today is don't drill holes if ice is frozen on your blades.  I did that on one hole and it didn't center properly and drilled at an angle on the edge of the opening.  Hope I can correct the location and angle on my next trip up.   Not much change in the surface lake surface conditions.  The drifts may be a little higher and are definitely harder.  There are still a few bare ice spots on the lake.  Very little activity on the lake today.  There are about 3 dozen houses from McKinley Park out to Birch Island.  Another person pulled there house off today, and I am sure many more will pull theirs off this coming weekend.  Only 13 days left of walleye season.    
    • leech~~
      A good start for never picking up a bow!   IMG_1910.mp4
    • leech~~
      Um, #metoo   leech~~ Author 'we have more fun' FishingMN Builders Posted January 26 My whole goal for the rest of this season.  Is to watch KC lose and Taylor cry!  🥳
    • smurfy
    • Wanderer
      Smurfy is happy.
    • Dash 1
      Great looking food. So far not much of a game and I thought the halftime show was worse I've seen. 
    • leech~~
      Oh is there a Superbowl game? 😋😋
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