Laser Or Chipper Auger Bit

[rumeye]

So I got given to me a Strike master laser mag express about 15 year old model perfectly good runs great been well taken care of. He gave away to his son the auger bit. So I am going down to D Rock to pick up an auger bit they have an 8 inch laser demo for 125.00 or brand new 145.00. Question is laser or chipper ? 7 inch or 8 inch ? Pro's Con's ? probably wont get used about a dozen times each winter figure what a cheap way to get a gas auger. Any feed back would be appreciated . Going down after work today.

[AlwaysFishing23]

The lazer is good for drilling in good clear ice and for being top of the line high speed. The chipper will be more heavy duty and can go many many years without blade changes as the boron the chipper point and blade are made of is a very hard metal also the chipper can drill through dirty or sandy ice without dulling blades like a lazer. I use a chipper to drill spear holes and beucase I found it holds up better and I don’t need to change blades every few years the chipper is my go to. I do how ever would like to try the lazer as they drill much faster. The lazer is a few pounds lighter the chipper to i believe. I like the 8 inch but be aware StrikeMaster’s chipper bite is actually 8-1/4” while the lazer is exactly 8 inch. All comes down to which you feel would be best for you and how to fish. Hope this helps you make your decision.

[rumeye]

Yeah that's was what I was thinking also chipper. People say they are pretty bullet proof. I am not a run a gunner so speed means nothing to me when it comes to an ice auger. The guy I talked to at DRock said the same about the chipper. I think I'm sold on the chipper. Like I said probably will only drill 25 holes or so all winter. Thanks Always Fishing for your feedback.

[JigginIsLife]

Chipper IMO has been must easier to re open holes.  I have also had mine for 12 years and have only changed blades once and that was only due to loosing one of the pair while fishing, still razor sharp... but very well taken care of.  also if you have an old timer who likes to put a lot of weight down on the auger to drill, the chipper wont bend like the shaver/lazer

[leech~~]

I just posted this good info on drill points over on HSO which made a big difference in my SM Mag 2000.  I also made a few cuts in the point and man that all helped a lot drilling.  I use to replace blades every year thinking is was them when really I just never touched the drill point.

 

Surface Tension

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Posted January 23, 2013

When you sharpen the center point be sure to look close at the edge. You will see the angle. What is important is that you don't take more off the edge then you do the heel.

The edge would be the leading part that makes contact with the ice and the cutting. The heel is the part that follows. The edge cuts so if you removed it or rounded it the heel drags and the blade can't cut. Use a felt pen and mark the edge. That will tell you what your taking off. A file will work but your taking multiple passes and it only takes one pass to remove material that shouldn't be taken off.

The chipper blade is like a chisel with a flat side and a bevel.

Inspect the blade for nicks. That will determine how much material will need to be removed. To do so run your file parallel to the edge till the nick is removed.

Any burr on the backside(flat side)will be gone.

Before I sharpen the edge I use a round file and sharpen the groves. Pay attention to the angle. Now move onto sharpening the edge. This is all done on the bevel side of the blade. Match the angle and go to it. Don't rock the file and make your strokes into the edge. When your done there should be a burr across the entire backside of the blade.

If there isn't your not done. Last step is removing that burr on the backside.

Personally I'd come down to 1000 grit and then leather. In this case lay the flat side(back side)of the blade on a stone. Keep it perfectly flat and remove the burr being careful to not rock the blade.

If your confident you've done the above correctly and this is going on a StrikeMaster install the blade and test it.

If this is going on a Jiffy, depending on how much material you took off the blade you will have to adjust the mount according to that. That big round plate is the mount and it also stops the cut. If you took 1/8th" off the blade then you have that much less sticking out past the plate. It is also possible that with a dull blade and all the pushing and banging you've bent that mount. Use a straight edge on the plate. Where the mounting area is in realization to the rest of the plate is self explanatory. Use a large adjustable wrench to bend it back. This sets the pitch and also gets the blade more profile to cut.

The SM hasn't the flat plate but the mount is of the same principle as it sets the pitch and like the Jiffy can bend with weight and banging. If after new blades or a confident sharpen and your not getting good bite adjust the mount.

When you here of shimming this is what they are accounting for, bent mounts.

Since you have only a single blade don't be too worried about this adjustment as your not matching a set of blades. Just take do it in small increments.

This is why I'm reluctant to sharpen(non Nils)blades without having the whole auger because the mount may need to be adjusted.

Nils blades on the other hand have the mount and blade as one unit and I can take care of both

Edited October 27, 2018 by leech~~

[papadarv]

1 hour ago, leech~~ said:

I just posted this good info on drill points over on HSO which made a big difference in my SM Mag 2000.  I also made a few cuts in the point and man that all helped a lot drilling.  I use to replace blades every year thinking is was them when really I just never touched the drill point.

 

Great idea @leech I'm pulling my points today and adding cuts. My 7" custom Mora (simulated laser) that cuts 32" ice in 28 seconds, 1" per second. Dont know what the 8" chipper will do as I just finished it last month but expect equal to better performance as my 6" Mora chipper rocks on my M18 Fuel cordless early ice. Blade is simulated to the K-drill. My 7" I run on gas and will also use gas on 8". Love the power of gas, applying very little presure, incerased bit RPM speed & batterirs not required. Thanks for great advice.

Edited October 27, 2018 by papadarv

[leech~~]

2 hours ago, papadarv said:

Great idea @leech I'm pulling my points today and adding cuts. My 7" custom Mora (simulated laser) that cuts 32" ice in 28 seconds, 1" per second. Dont know what the 8" chipper will do as I just finished it last month but expect equal to better performance as my 6" Mora chipper rocks on my M18 Fuel cordless early ice. Blade is simulated to the K-drill. My 7" I run on gas and will also use gas on 8". Love the power of gas, applying very little presure, incerased bit RPM speed & batterirs not required. Thanks for great advice.

 

I have been eyeballing your work on blades for a while and like what your trying. I didn't want to make the cuts to big or deep on a point as I wasn't sure if it will break off at some point if to deep. Pardon the pun! 

[papadarv]

On 10/27/2018 at 9:38 AM, leech~~ said:

I just posted this good info on drill points over on HSO which made a big difference in my SM Mag 2000.  I also made a few cuts in the point and man that all helped a lot drilling.  I use to replace blades every year thinking is was them when really I just never touched the drill point.

@leech, i tried this point desigh and did get better cutting on my six & sevens. Still had my 8", using drill, that would stop cutting - had to apply more pressure and angle the bit to get it to srart again. Did some searching and found the K Drill had a different point shape. Cut my 8" point to that shape where the point is off center. This thing rocks with an agressive cut. Appling some pressure would stop the drill. Only had 4" of ice so now need more ice. Like to see how it works on my Eskimo gas.

 

[leech~~]

5 hours ago, papadarv said:

@leech, i tried this point desigh and did get better cutting on my six & sevens. Still had my 8", using drill, that would stop cutting - had to apply more pressure and angle the bit to get it to srart again. Did some searching and found the K Drill had a different point shape. Cut my 8" point to that shape where the point is off center. This thing rocks with an agressive cut. Appling some pressure would stop the drill. Only had 4" of ice so now need more ice. Like to see how it works on my Eskimo gas.

 

 

I think adding more aggressive biting edges to points and blades may just need the power of a gas auger to turn them. Since I use a gas auger I see no issues with having some good biting edges!