Jump to content
  • GUESTS

    If You  want access  to member only forums on FM, You will need to Sign-in or  Sign-Up now .

    This box will disappear once you are signed in as a member.

Propane Or Electric Auger


Parmer

Recommended Posts

I bought a permanent ice house this spring and want a auger with no fumes. Was looking at Ion, there expensive. And was looking at jiffy or Eskimo propane augers. Just curious what everyones thought is. Do propane augers run good or do they have problems? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you own a decent cordless drill, you might want to consider the K-Drill. Would be about half the price of an Ion and would cut 4-10 holes in no-time.  With the chipper style blade I've heard they reopen holes quite well.  I have a Nils that connects to a cordless drill. Love it, but with a laser style blade it wouldn't be good for reopening holes.

 

I don't own either an Ion or a propane auger, but I've read a lot about them on these forms. With the exception of an issue where ice was collecting on an Ion so much it couldn't cut holes, I can't recall anyone complaining about either option.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have a Cordless drill... But I do not think it's brushless... Do I need a brushless drill? And do you recommend the orange or blue nills auger? I would be getting 8 inch. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Would not recommend using any drill but a brushless hammer drill of at least 750 in. lbs. torque with an eight inch Nils. The orange one with the black head is made for electric drill, but the blue on will work with an adaptor. Black head is a little less aggressive. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the info... Think I am just going to get a trophy strike ion auger. Thay have one for 399. Then I don't have to buy a new drill. Appreciate the info! 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Builders

I use a brushed drill and it works just fine. The brushless is better on batteries a little. Get the extension for whatever one you get. 

31442E2A-7906-4553-8735-A9B2EF69F8D5.png

I should add I have over 6000 holes or more drilled with this set up. I did add the extension and it’s a back saver

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Builders

 The propane augers still set off the carbon monoxide detectors.

 

make sure you have a top end drill and big batteries. I can get 30-35 holes per 12 amp hour battery with 35 inches of ice.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Monstermoose where do you get a set up with the handles like that? I have an 18v lithium drill but it's not brushless... 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Builders

It’s a clam drill plate. 18 volt drills work but you need high torque. Hammer drills have metal gears and handle the stress better of cutting ice. If your drill is a high end drill it should work. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Builders

I hope @eyeguy 54 chimes in he used a few different drills and auger bits.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Builders

just used the ryobi and milwaukee .  both worked with the nills 6 inch but the milwaukee is for sure better. 

  • Thumbs Up 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Strikemaster lithium lazer is the only way to go. The thing cuts like butter and has reverse which makes for like two scoops of slush per hole in the wheel house once you get the hang of using it and that's with 3 feet plus of ice. Another really awesome feature is that it has a soft start on it so slush doesn't fling all over in your house. Before the strikemaster I had a nils gas auger and that worked very well but not near the controll and finesse as the lazer. I also tried the drill thing early on last year and had very mixed results. They aren't made to auger holes feet deep in ice. As far as propane, I have several friends that have them and I think they are worse than a gas auger as far as fumes and very heavy and unreliable. They call em iffy pro 4's for a reason. Ion's are not even worth mentioning as they are in a league of their own as being ultimate junk. These are just my opinions and the best thing you can do is try to try different set ups. The one thing I can say for sure is once you find what you like get one ASAP because the good ones sell out for the year very fast.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Early ice I use 18 v drill with 6" holes smooth shaver blade. Drill I like best is the Milwaukee Mud Mixer (MMM for short) #1. I made MMM  adapters for both direct & Clam Plate connect #4. I also have a DeWalt 18 on a Jiffy gear box turning at 110/250 RPM bit speed. Not enough power to drill so I use it for my custom built slusher #2. In Wheel House > 14" ice, I go to Gas/Propane drilling with house raised, on an 8" modified Mora bit #3. Mora blade #5, drilling 34" ice in 29 seconds. Drills lack power for this blade. Buddy has new Green Ion only drills 1 hole to my 5 with Gas drill. Ion has no center point so really dificalt to start holes centered in wheel house access hole.

Biggest issue with drills are batteries. Volts on one of the 5 parallel sets drops faster than other 4 sets when pushed hard. When re-charging  the charger turns off when one of the 5 sets reach 4.25 volts. Other 4 sets have less voltage. If 1 set is at <3.6v at charge end, one battery charge light will not light up. When 3 of 5 drop below 3.6v charger will indicate battery is no good.

20180819_082043.thumb.png.3449254060f56963d7489cd1d2522f5f.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm in the same boat, plan on selling my 4 year old solo lazer to get a lithium 40v strikemaster; I wouldnt go propane as they still stink up the ice house, let alone they are tanks. thought about the cordless drill but i would still be putting in $400+ with the purchase of a drill and the unit itself, let alone the thicker ice and versatility I would have with the 40v strikemaster

 

-speaking of which, anyone buy one last year and know of the best deal, i thought I saw 450 from reeds with 2 batteries last year during a sale? 

Edited by Jmnhunter
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tough decision. I'll relate my own experience. I have been running an eight inch Nils Convertible(Orange one) with a 750 in lb Milwaukee drill for six years now and will never go to anything else. I've drilled over ten holes in 32 inches of ice with battery to spare on a five amp battery. 35 holes in under 20 inches of ice. Have a 14 inch extension for it also. Never need to keep the batteries warm and have rarely carried an extra battery, just keep the handle close by. Only used that once. At the end of ice season, I oil up the blades and hang it for storage. Now I use the drill all summer long for other projects. I cannot speak for reopening old holes as I stay mobile and sold my wheel house. If the Nils has trouble reopening holes one could always change to a different auger blade.  Pretty big initial investment, but it's paid for itself several times already. While it may not be for everyone, it works for me. Good luck with your decision. 

  • Thumbs Up 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Milwaukees the best in my opinion.  K drill does work great for re drilling holes it's a little slow. Monstermoose78 is that a Clam auger or Lazer? does it bind at the bottom of the hole or more control with the clam plate? that is on sweet looking drill combo there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Alot of places that sell the 40v strike Master have them on back order. Cheapest I have found is 549. I am seriously considering the 40v trophy strike for 399. But I do not know anyone who has had one. I am just going off reviews on the interweb. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 hours ago, Parmer said:

Thanks for the info... Think I am just going to get a trophy strike ion auger. Thay have one for 399. Then I don't have to buy a new drill. Appreciate the info! 

where Parmer? I've heard of those, out of CO and at first glance they're faster than the Ions 

ahh nevermind, I see ebay has the 40v model for $400

Edited by Jmnhunter
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Builders
4 hours ago, mrpike1973 said:

The Milwaukees the best in my opinion.  K drill does work great for re drilling holes it's a little slow. Monstermoose78 is that a Clam auger or Lazer? does it bind at the bottom of the hole or more control with the clam plate? that is on sweet looking drill combo there.

It’s a clam auger and no binding for me. I bought a two pack of 12 amp hour batteries for 199. I was using the 3 amp hour batteries and I have chased Eyeguy and rick g around and we cut tons of holes. I will say getting the big batteries was a game changer for chasing gills and crappies.

  • Thumbs Up 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Builders

indeed, mine are only 5 amp on the fuel but that baby slices and dices. tempted to go to 8 inch but then I ask myself why would I do that. 

  • Thumbs Up 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Builders
2 hours ago, eyeguy 54 said:

indeed, mine are only 5 amp on the fuel but that baby slices and dices. tempted to go to 8 inch but then I ask myself why would I do that. 

I was thinking a 7 inch would be nice for bigger fish

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Builders

I would go with a drill auger myself. They’re amazing and double use out of the drill.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, going4it said:

Jiffy just came out with their electric auger I saw on fb. Did a search online and couldn’t find anything. 

 

81CA72A6-337B-4B91-B70F-21C2BF158854.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 'we have more fun' FishingMN Builders

Man, it is getting expensive to make a hole in a sheet of hard water! ?

007451.jpg

  • Thumbs Up 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.



  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • Brianf.
      I'm not there, so I can't tell exactly what's going on but it looks like a large area of open water developed in the last day with all of the heavy snow on the east side of wake em up Narrows. These two photos are from my Ring Camera facing north towards Niles Point.  You can see what happened with all of snow that fell in the last three days, though the open water could have been wind driven. Hard to say. .  
    • SkunkedAgain
      Black Bay had great ice before but a few spots near rockpiles where there were spots of open water. It looks like the weight of the snow has created a little lake in the middle of the bay.  
    • LakeofthewoodsMN
      On the south end...   Thanks to some cold spring weather, ice fishing continues strong for those still ice fishing.  The bite remains very good.  Most resorts have pulled their fish houses off for the year, however, some still have fish houses out and others are allowing ATV and side by sides.  Check social media or call ahead to your favorite resort for specifics. Reports this week for walleyes and saugers remain excellent.   A nice mix of jumbo perch, pike, eelpout, and an occasional crappie, tullibee or sturgeon being reported by anglers. Jigging one line and using a live minnow on the second line is the way to go.  Green, glow red, pink and gold were good colors this week.     Monster pike are on a tear!  Good number of pike, some reaching over 45 inches long, being caught using tip ups with live suckers or dead bait such as smelt and herring in 8 - 14' of water.   As always, work through a resort or outfitter for ice road conditions.  Safety first always. Fish houses are allowed on the ice through March 31st, the walleye / sauger season goes through April 14th and the pike season never ends. On the Rainy River...  The river is opened up along the Nelson Park boat ramp in Birchdale, the Frontier boat ramp and Vidas boat ramp.  This past week, much of the open water skimmed over with the single digit overnight temps.   Areas of the river have popped open again and with temps getting warmer, things are shaping up for the last stretch through the rest of the spring season, which continues through April 14th.   Very good numbers of walleyes are in the river.  Reports this week, even with fewer anglers, have been good.  When temps warm up and the sun shines, things will fire up again.   Jigs with brightly colored plastics or jigs with a frozen emerald shiner have been the desired bait on the river.  Don't overlook slow trolling crankbaits upstream as well.   Good reports of sturgeon being caught on the river as well.  Sturgeon put the feed bag on in the spring.  The bite has been very good.  Most are using a sturgeon rig with a circle hook loaded with crawlers or crawlers / frozen emerald shiners. Up at the NW Angle...  Ice fishing is winding down up at the Angle.  Walleyes, saugers, and a number of various species in the mix again this week.  The bite is still very good with good numbers of fish.  The one two punch of jigging one line and deadsticking the second line is working well.   Check with Angle resorts on transport options from Young's Bay.  Call ahead for ice road guidelines.  
    • CigarGuy
      With the drifting, kind of hard to tell for sure, but I'm guessing about a foot and still lightly snowing. Cook end!
    • PSU
      How much snow did you get on Vermilion? 
    • Mike89
      lake here refroze too...  started opening again yesterday with the wet snow and wind...  very little ice left today...
    • Hookmaster
      A friend who has a cabin between Alex and Fergus said the lake he's on refroze. He texted me a pic from March 12th when it was open and one from 23rd when it wasn't. 🤯
    • SkunkedAgain
      I don't think that there has been any ice melt in the past few weeks on Vermilion. Things looked like a record and then Mother Nature swept in again.   I'll give my revised guess of April 21st
    • leech~~
      As I get older it's really not just about sending bullets down range.  Some of it's just the workmanship of the gun and the wow factor. The other two guns I have really wanted which I'll never have now because of their price, is a 8mm Jap Nambu and 9mm German Luger.   Just thought they always looked cool!  
    • jim curlee
      I had a guy hit me with a lightly used 1969 BAR, he wanted $1650 with an older Leupold scope. More than I think they are worth, I made an offer, he declined end of story.   You know if you look at the old brochures, a grade II BAR sold for $250 in the late 60s, $1650 would be a good return on your investment.    Why would anybody want a 50 year old gun, they are heavy, have wood stocks, and blued metal.  I guess mainly to keep their gun safes glued to the floor. lol   You can probably buy a stainless rifle that you never have to clean, with a synthetic stock you never have to refinish, is as light as a feather, and for half as much money, perfect.   I'm too old for a youth gun, although I've shrunk enough that it would probably fit. lol   No Ruger 10/44s.   Jim      
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.