# Getting ice anchors started



## Bears Butt (Sep 12, 2007)

I'm new to the owning of an ice shelter and am beginning to love it. My problem is getting the ice anchors that came with the tent to start in the ice. I have borrowed eskimo brand and they are wonderful. But my question here is how do you guys get your anchors to start screwing into the ice?
I don't think mine would start if I pounded on them first...maybe they would. I have thought about heating them, but have not tried that yet.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Well here is the $7 solution. Visit Harborfreight and buy one of these:

http://www.harborfreight.com/3-8-eighth ... 65965.html

Then you get any old 3/8" drive socket you dont need and weld in a 1/4" or 3/8" old drill bit (depending on the size of your anchor).

Now you can really quickly drill some pilot holes for your anchors... works well enough even kids can get them started (gives them something to do lol). Alternatively, skip the speed wrench and just put a bit in your cordless drill (I like my drill too much to take it ice fishing though hehe)

I use eskimo brand and they are great, but the pilot holes make it easy enough my boy can help me anchor things down. Side note, Gander Mountain currently has the eskimo brand anchors with free shipping. I just bought 2 more pairs to help anchor corners on my tent.

-DallanC


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## Grandpa D (Sep 7, 2007)

You could just buy a few Eskimo anchors and use them as a pilot drill.
You could also bring a socket, ratchet and lag bolt to drill pilot holes.
I have the Eskimo shelter so I don't have the problem.


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## k2muskie (Oct 6, 2007)

Well for us we have no problems at all getting our Eskimo ice stakes into the ice. Just downward pressure and turning and we aren't large gals with anything close to muscle bound Hulk bodies and getting older I'm sure we've lost muscle...have never had a problem getting our ice stakes to grab with downward pressure while turning. We take no drills or anything else just the stakes that came with the QF3 Eskimo tent we have.


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## REPETER (Oct 3, 2007)

I've found that drilling straight up and down has been much more effective then drilling at an angle. Sometimes it works great, other times it's a pain.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

k2muskie said:


> Well for us we have no problems at all getting our Eskimo ice stakes into the ice. Just downward pressure and turning and we aren't large gals with anything close to muscle bound Hulk bodies and getting older I'm sure we've lost muscle...have never had a problem getting our ice stakes to grab with downward pressure while turning. We take no drills or anything else just the stakes that came with the QF3 Eskimo tent we have.


I thought of this post today.

I'm the same way as K2 here. I dont have any trouble screwing them in. I carry 3 stakes and usually only use 2, placed on the windward corners. Once in awhile, today for example, I will screw in the third one out away from the tent and hook a strap between it and the tent.

Im using an AP Outdoors XI-1 tent these days.


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