Auger ?

[upnorth]

I hope that someone has a solution for this. I have old second auger that I bought. I cuts ice fine since I sharpened the blades, but it has a tendency to grab so hard when it starts to break through it stops the auger. Does anyone know how to cure this, other than a buying a new auger?

[kslipsinker]

I think they all do that.

[Steve Foss]

North: Try letting the auger do that and keep the auger at full throttle and see if the motor bears down and gets the blades going again.

My Strikemaster is a 3 hp and has a 10-inch auger, and it always grabs like that and the motor gets the auger turning just fine.

You also might make sure the motor's warmed up. I let it run a good 60 seconds before drilling the first hole, and leave it at half choke for the first couple holes. Otherwise, it'll stall.

Don't know what your auger is, but Jiffy and Strikemaster use the same Tecumseh motors, so maybe what works for me will work for you.

Or maybe not. Hope so, though.

[This message has been edited by stfcatfish (edited 12-15-2002).]

[Guest]

Jiffy's do that pretty commonly.

I have an 8" Lazer Mag and it cuts right through like butter.

PCG

[Guest]

If your auger is a Jiffy, or a like model chipper cutting edge style, be sure the centre point is also sharp.

If the blades are well maintained you should see less grabbing and try not to force it through at the end. It should cut well under it's own weight, no force needed.

Keep the RPM's up and allow it to chip through evenly. In fact if everything is good and sharp you may need to lift the auger slightly as it bottoms out and it will grab less.

Dull blades tend to grab more and eat up power, be very sure all the cutting edges are evenly sharpened.

------------------
Ed "Backwater Eddy" Carlson..><sUMo>

Backwater Guiding
"Ed on the RED"
(701)-281-2300

http://ed-carlson.fishingbuddy.com

[upnorth]

Thanks for the replies guys. This thing is old as dirt and I am not even sure what the brand is. I did take and sharpen the blades and they cut ice like butter without any pressure from me. And what I usually do is when it starts to grab I pull up a bit, but by the time I get through there is water all over the place.

I can try to sharpen the center point a bit, but not sure how that will help. At this point willing to try any thing.

Any other suggestions?

[upnorth]

I tried sharpening the center point and it seemed to help a little, not much. I also just tried to keep pouring the coal to it and no avail, it grabs so hard it stops the clutch.

I looked at the sticker and it is called a Nordic Star. The guy I bought it from said it was about 15 years old or more. If any one knows any more I would appreciate anymore pointers.

[Steve Foss]

Does anyone else think the single chipper blade models with the center point catch harder at the bottom of the hole than the two-blade or three-blade models?

Seems to me that with only one blade making those cuts all the way around the circle that it'd be easier for that one blade to catch on the punch-through than if you had one or two more blades chopping that ice.

My Strikemaster XL-3000 has two blades with the centerpoint, and while it vibrates and bounces a lot more just before punch-through, it doesn't bind. Also, a chipper blade is flat, which would make it easier to catch as the whole length of the blade starts to punch through. The blades I've got are slanted, so the center part of the blades goes through and works its way out to the edges.

[This message has been edited by stfcatfish (edited 01-06-2003).]

[This message has been edited by stfcatfish (edited 01-06-2003).]

[upnorth]

Stfcatfish,

I have an extra set of blades, do you think it might help to grind the outside edge back some so that the outside cuts through later? Or would this cause some performance issues?

[Guest]

Chippers cut differently then shavers, multi blade units are shavers, Jiffys are chippers.

Grabbing is the result of too much pressure as you break through, plus dull blades (including the center point). If the Jiffy blades are sharpened properly they will cut through under their own weight.

Ice can very greatly too. This season we have a lot of crystallised ice that tends to grab more then clean blue ice, this may be a factor. Softer ice is more "Chewy" then hard ice.

If the surface of your Jiffy blade is not milled flat and sharp across the entire surface of the blade, the outside will grab and catch. Odds are a good sharpening job will help a lot.

------------------
Ed "Backwater Eddy" Carlson..><sUMo>

Backwater Guiding
"Ed on the RED"
(701)-281-2300

[email protected]

http://ed-carlson.fishingbuddy.com

[upnorth]

Blade on this old beast is more like the shaver type blade than the chipper style blade. It could be that the guy that had prior to me put the wrong style blade on it, but I don't want spend $25 on a new blade that may not even be for the old beast. And of course I didn't get anything resembling a manual with it.

I was a machinist for 9 years, so I do know how to sharpen things on a grinder and these blades are sharp, they cut the ice easily enough.

I used a friends newer 2 blade eskimo and mine cut as well or better until it breaks through. I hate to spend $300 on a new one. There has to be something will make this thing work better.