# drill auger question



## 30-06-hunter (Sep 22, 2013)

So as I look at getting into ice fishing gear I see an auger adapter for cordless drills and am curious if they work well? I have a 20 volt Lithium Ion DeWalt cordless with extra battery pack that should be up to the task, what do you guys think?


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## Ton_Def (Dec 23, 2008)

Some say they work. It all depends on the torque of the drill and the size of the auger. One things for certain, be sure to rig up a safety device (disc) to keep the auger bit from dropping in the drink when the chuck decides to loosen up.


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## dubob (Sep 8, 2007)

30-06-hunter said:


> So as I look at getting into ice fishing gear I see an auger adapter for cordless drills and am curious if they work well? I have a 20 volt Lithium Ion DeWalt cordless with extra battery pack that should be up to the task, what do you guys think?


 NILSUSA cordless convertible auger; it's available in UR450C 4.5",UR600C 6.0", or UR800C 8.0". I have the 6" and think it is better than any gas auger you can buy - period. Angler's Den in Roy has them in stock right now. If your drill has a ½" chuck, it will handle this auger with absolutely no problems at all. And if the drill ever runs out of juice or fails, you can attach the supplied manual handle and still drill holes with ease. Nothing cuts faster or easier than a Nils.


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## OKEE (Jan 3, 2008)

Last year at strawberry I saw a guy really struggle to get a hole drilled. Like Ton_Def said I'm sure it has a lot to do with the drill.


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## utahgolf (Sep 8, 2007)

So they say go with a 24 volt but my buddy has an 18 volt milwaukee drill with a low torque setting and the side handle, with a lithium battery, paired with an 8 inch auger. ..... and it works awesome!!! I'm going to make the same thing... Carry two batteries and just keep them warm in a coat, bag or tent and you can drill 30 plus holes with one battery. They have different things you can use as a safety thing so the auger doesn't pop off the chuck and down the hole, they sale a disk or you can make something that spins around the shaft.


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## fishnate (Sep 11, 2007)

I use a DeWalt 18 V and Ice Master drill adapter ($24 at FishUSA.com) with my 6" Strikemaster Lazer. I have a video of me drilling through 9" of ice in 5 seconds. I can drill about 25 to 30 holes in 12" ice per battery. They do work really good. Not all drills are created equal -- you need a good drill with a good battery -- keep the batteries warm/insulated when not being used. I have a Black & Decker 18 V drill that I don't think would last for 5 holes. I wouldn't try to use anything bigger than a 6" auger. The surface area on a 7" or 8" is just too much for the drill to handle. One other thing to remember if you have a good auger (Strike Master or Nils) you don't even need to push down as the auger will pull into the ice so all you have to do is stay straight and be prepared when the auger breaks through as that is when your wrist might take some of the torque.


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## utahgolf (Sep 8, 2007)

low torque setting is key and like fishnate said, do not push down on the drill/auger, let it do it's thing. When you are first starting the hole, go slowly to get it started, it can sometimes spin out and you don't want to catch your boot or anything. I think taking care of those auger blades will be the determining factor on whether you can use an 8, 7 or 6 inch auger. We tried my buddies drill on my 6 inch auger and it sucked but my blades were in bad shape, his 8 inch cut like a dream for 30 holes but he took care of those blades. Always carry the auger handle in your sled just in case something goes wrong so at least you have a backup. But they are a really nice setup and I would never do a gas or propane auger after seeing how well my buddies works time and again. I would get that fancy ion drill but it's just too much money.


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## 30-06-hunter (Sep 22, 2013)

This would be the drill used http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200510450_200510450


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## utahgolf (Sep 8, 2007)

looks like a good drill. I think the lithium ion battery is the key part.


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## dubob (Sep 8, 2007)

I'm going with the Factory Reconditioned Milwaukee 2604-82 M18 FUEL 18V Cordless Lithium-Ion Hammer Drill with XC Batteries. It has the 700 plus in-lbs of torque needed to handle an 8" auger. And it comes at a great price of only $199 w/ free shipping. Mine will be here next Monday. And the Nils I mentioned earlier already has the hole guard built in to it.


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## 30-06-hunter (Sep 22, 2013)

dubob said:


> I'm going with the Factory Reconditioned Milwaukee 2604-82 M18 FUEL 18V Cordless Lithium-Ion Hammer Drill with XC Batteries. It has the 700 plus in-lbs of torque needed to handle an 8" auger. And it comes at a great price of only $199 w/ free shipping. Mine will be here next Monday. And the Nils I mentioned earlier already has the hole guard built in to it.


And I mentioned I already own a drill, just looking for tips on the auger setup itself.


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## dubob (Sep 8, 2007)

30-06-hunter said:


> And I mentioned I already own a drill, just looking for tips on the auger setup itself.


Nils recommends a minimum 700 in-lbs of torque for their 8". If your DeWalt has that then you're good to go. If not, you better go with the 6". You will be happy with either and probably never look twice at another gas auger. :O||:


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## hunting777 (May 3, 2009)

You can't beat a Nils. Best auger on the market! I have never tried it on a drill, but the hand auger is amazing. We was drilling through 20 in of ice in 23-24 turns. I have a buddy who uses the drill setup with his Nils. He loves it. He is using his Dewalt 18v.


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## 30-06-hunter (Sep 22, 2013)

Where do they carry Nils locally?


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## Rspeters (Apr 4, 2013)

Cabelas has them from time to time. I have a 6" hand Nils (the original one) and it is amazing. Every once in a while when I'm drilling a hole and there's someone around me drilling holes with a gas auger, I'll compare and usually am done with my hole before they are, sometimes by a lot. That's even in 2 feet of ice.


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## dubob (Sep 8, 2007)

Angler's Den in Roy for sure; Cabela's in Lehi maybe (they do sell them on line).


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## fishnate (Sep 11, 2007)

Whatever you do, DO NOT try to save money buying a flat blade Strike Master Mora or Eskimo type auger. Spend a little extra on the Strike Master Lazer ($95), Nils ($135) or some other higher end curved blade type. The others can't compare.

I'd be interested in knowing if there are any out there who have used both the Lazer and the Nils giving a little review on why they think one or the other is better. I've never used the Nils but the Lazer was 50 times better than the Mora. It cuts faster and smoother with MUCH less effort. It bites into the ice really fast and doesn't "walk", and the blades stay sharp longer.


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## 30-06-hunter (Sep 22, 2013)

fishnate said:


> Whatever you do, DO NOT try to save money buying a flat blade Strike Master Mora or Eskimo type auger. Spend a little extra on the Strike Master Lazer ($95), Nils ($135) or some other higher end curved blade type. The others can't compare.
> 
> I'd be interested in knowing if there are any out there who have used both the Lazer and the Nils giving a little review on why they think one or the other is better. I've never used the Nils but the Lazer was 50 times better than the Mora. It cuts faster and smoother with MUCH less effort. It bites into the ice really fast and doesn't "walk", and the blades stay sharp longer.


I'm looking at a few used Lazer augers on ksl as we speak.


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## dubob (Sep 8, 2007)

fishnate said:


> I'd be interested in knowing if there are any out there who have used both the Lazer and the Nils giving a little review on why they think one or the other is better.


Google 'strikemaster lazer vs Nils' and you will have dozens of comparisons to look at. Most will say the Nils is the clear winner. :mrgreen:


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## fishnate (Sep 11, 2007)

Thanks. That's interesting that the Nils could be that much better when the Strike Master is so good as well. I do see the handle design making some difference in speed though. However that wouldn't be an issue when using the drill so the blades must be incredible.


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## 30-06-hunter (Sep 22, 2013)

The downside to the Nils is you have to replace the entire head at $75 instead of just blades for $25-30 or so.


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## dubob (Sep 8, 2007)

30-06-hunter said:


> The downside to the Nils is you have to replace the entire head at $75 instead of just blades for $25-30 or so.


You don't really have to buy a new head, although that might be a good choice in the long run. You simple contact Frank Deluca, 5382 Jentoft Rd., Saginaw, MN 55779, 218-729-7941. Nobody does it better I'm told and his turn around time is VERY quick. Don't know the exact cost, but think it's around $20 - $25 plus shipping. The good news is that most folks claim they get 5 or more seasons out of their Nils before needing a touch-up from Frank.


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