Electric Ice Auger Recommendations

[1lessdog]

I will leave my Milwaukee drills at home and continue to use my Ion. I have not had any issues with my Ion. I have both a 8 and 10 inch auger and have not taken my 2nd battery out of the pickup.

 

[lunkerslayer]

i had a kdrill on my ice gator power head and it ripped, i will have to put my kdrill on my 24v strikemaster next time my blades are shot.

Oh sorry I didn't see this

 

[701FishSlayer]

I run a 24v strikemaster which is perfect for me. I don't drill an excessive amount of holes and it only weighs 14 pounds. With that being said, I've been also using my buddies milwaukiee drill with a handle hooked to an 8 inch light flight. It's fast as hell, will prolly move to it next year.

 

[stever58]

i have the 7.5 k and the 8 pistol bit on a kobalt 24 volt, no reason to change

 

[riverview]

You not using your gator bud

nope haven't used it in a couple years.

 

[deleted member]

I really fucked up my elbow with a kdrill and m18 before I got the plate. That combo can really bite. The plate saves on your limbs and your drill. Listen to guy.

 

[Bfishn]

K drill we’re kind of the original “drill bit” and gained popularity because of it but other than really dirt ice are the worst option. By far the slowest and use twice the battery life. They had a good run but there are better options 99% of time. Most guys I know that started with them have sold em. I’m still using an Eskimo hand auger/clam plate/Milwaukee, same blades for 4 years and I ice fish more than most. I pull out the Honda strike master when ice gets over 24”

 

[5575]

Ahab's gator/nils combo is an ice cutting bastard!

 

[Reprobait]

I went electric last year, got a Jiffy Torch bit and use a Dewalt drill. So far, I love it. It does have a chipper style bit. It cuts faster than gas.

 

[riverview]

Ahab's gator/nils combo is an ice cutting bastard!

yep the gator spins fast and has gobs of power. I put a 10 inch ion bit on mine and it took 2 guys to hold it

 

[Sluggo]

How much better does a hammer drill cut ice compared to a regular drill?

 

[Slappy]

How much better does a hammer drill cut ice compared to a regular drill?

You don't use the hammer setting for cutting ice. It's just that many of the bigger drills rated for turning augers are hammer drills.

 

[muzzyhunter]

How come you don't buy an ice saw or a chainsaw both are much easier to use then an auger. I used to help open ponds in the winter for trapping minnows ice saw or chainsaw believe it or not is much faster to open ponds. The only time it wasn't is if there was a ton of snow it that's the case it'd still a pain in the butt to move all those shavings from the ice after using the auger.

Ice saws if your pulling clover leafs and the ice isn't too thick,overlapping 8 holes with the auger for pulling cylinders,I always hated chainsaws especially in the really cold weather pulling a lot traps,used a loggers saw(like a 40" bar)ONE time!!

 

[Sluggo]

You don't use the hammer setting for cutting ice. It's just that many of the bigger drills rated for turning augers are hammer drills.

Thanks. I thought it would be odd to use the hammer setting but folks kept saying they use a hammer drill.

 

[Traxion]

Thanks everyone for the responses. Tons of great info. If I ever decided to go the drill route I wish I wasn't so committed to Dewalt. I use Milwaukee stuff at work and feel it is certainly superior. But for the fishing I do a Dewalt might survive. Will see what I come up with. Thanks again!

 

[NDbowman]

How come you don't buy an ice saw or a chainsaw both are much easier to use then an auger. I used to help open ponds in the winter for trapping minnows ice saw or chainsaw believe it or not is much faster to open ponds. The only time it wasn't is if there was a ton of snow it that's the case it'd still a pain in the butt to move all those shavings from the ice after using the auger.

Tried a gas chainsaw a time or two. To messy and to wet. Thought about trying an ice saw just haven't broke down and bought one. Easier solution is just get a well drilled in that pasture and run electricity to it. Had a well driller lined up but been waiting on him for 3 years now. Somehow I'm going to get a well drilled there next summer for sure, my days of chopping ice are coming to an end. Power is another story. Have a meter in another pasture on the other side of the road probably close to half mile away. Either trench a line from there so I don't have another meter charge or run a generator every day. Tried solar in the winter but doesn't work to good with the shorter days and seems more cloudy days in winter.

 

[FightingSioux]

Thanks for all the input, lots to consider now.

Do any of these bits do better in dirty ice? More chipper style blades?

If you drill dirty ice you will want a kdrill.

No other auger will hold up in dirty ice unless you go to a gas jiffy chipper blades.

 

[FightingSioux]

K drill we’re kind of the original “drill bit” and gained popularity because of it but other than really dirt ice are the worst option. By far the slowest and use twice the battery life. They had a good run but there are better options 99% of time. Most guys I know that started with them have sold em. I’m still using an Eskimo hand auger/clam plate/Milwaukee, same blades for 4 years and I ice fish more than most. I pull out the Honda strike master when ice gets over 24”

I withstand I could use an auger with shaver blades. The lite flight or pistol bit wouldn’t last a trip where I fish.

 

[FightingSioux]

OK so now I am thinking more of the drill option. See lots of guys not using the plate, just the drill and side support. Plate needed for a drill setup or no?

I don’t know that I have ever needed a clam plate to drill holes with the k drill. The handle seems to be all I need.

I would like to hear more about how a clam plate will save your drill from damage!

 

[Kentucky Windage]

I don’t know that I have ever needed a clam plate to drill holes with the k drill. The handle seems to be all I need.

I would like to hear more about how a clam plate will save your drill from damage!

I fish very regularly with 3 other guys. We all run 7.5” K-drills with Milwaukee drills. Only one uses a clam plate and he’s the youngest out of the 4. The other 2 are nearly dead’s and one is pushing 82 years old. The only time I’ve ever had a drill try to wing around on me is when I’m opening up old holes in a permie. I just position one leg to catch it if that happens, but the same would happen with a base plate too.