How old is your auger?

[pulleye16]

So I want to buy a new auger (gas) and instead of asking who makes the best auger (cause no one is brand specific right?) I want to see what brand / model makes the most reliable auger.

Please post make / model what or any repairs, and how long your hole driller has lasted. I think this will be fun to see who has the oldest running auger!

(example: Strikemaster, 1990, carb replacement)

Thanks

[crappiegetter]

Well not gonna say mine is old by any means but I have a jiffy 2500 that is four years old with no repairs needed yet

[Esox_Magnum]

Well Eskimo went to a new engine 4-5 years ago, Jiffy and Strikemaster both went to a new brand of motors in the last 3 years only one thats not been changed in the past 30 years is the Tanaka on the Nils.

So talking about whats avalible on the market here's the answers you can expect...

Eskimo 5 years tops

Jiffy 3 years

Strikemaster Solo 3 years

Strikemaster 4 stroke 5 years??

Tanaka/ Nils up to 30 years

On the 3rd season with the Tanaka and no problems

[crappiegetter]

Good to know my jiffy made it past the 3 year mark you predict!

[CRAZYEYES]

I have a 3 year old eskimo mako that I bought after my strikemaster got stolen from my garage. I see why it was on clearance, its a pile and I plan on replacing it. It was underpowered right out of the box but several things have happened to it. The choke broke and it leaked gas, The trottle asembly fell apart, the carb rattled loose, and The gas cap cracked. also the blades cant be sharpened but have to be replaced. Just my opinion but I would not buy one. Get a jiffy, I have a couple friends that have had jiffy's for over 20 years.

[Esox_Magnum]

Good to know my jiffy made it past the 3 year mark you predict!

New engine or still the Tecumpse??

[pulleye16]

Well Eskimo went to a new engine 4-5 years ago, Jiffy and Strikemaster both went to a new brand of motors in the last 3 years only one thats not been changed in the past 30 years is the Tanaka on the Nils.

So talking about whats avalible on the market here's the answers you can expect...

Eskimo 5 years tops

Jiffy 3 years

Strikemaster Solo 3 years

Strikemaster 4 stroke 5 years??

Tanaka/ Nils up to 30 years

On the 3rd season with the Tanaka and no problems

okay debbie downer....lets just see what people have out there instead of putting words in peoples mouth! i think this will be interesting!

Make / model / year and major repairs ONLY (keep your "theories" and "hear say" out of it!)

[highlife4me]

I have a nine year old Eskimo Barracuda. No problems. Sharpen blades every couple years fill with gas and take care of it. Most people that complain about machines being junk do not take care of their equipment.

[Esox_Magnum]

Well you said you want the most reliable new auger, those out there with 10-20-30 year old machines can't be countes as fair since they arent made anymore in most brands. To be fair to yourself you would have to go by who's using the new stuff thats currently avalible right??

[JimmyJames]

I had a SM Mag2000, bought in 1997, never needed any repairs. Wish I still had it. Bought a Lazermag 2 years ago, gears went out for the 2nd time 1 week ago.SM is paying for repairs and blade replacement which is causing the problems; according to them. Wish I still had my Mag2000, but sold it early this winter for $150. If I was to buy a new one, it would still be a SM, and I think I might.

[Wanderer]

I'd have to agree with Esox. They don't make em like the used to.

I have an Eskimo 8 inch auger thats around 15 years old that hasn't needed anything more than a carb clean.

I also have a first year Lazer Mag in 10 inch (what 10 years?) that has only needed a carb clean. Coincidently that was the same year as the Eskimo. And I didn't summerize them properly that year. Go figure.

I have them both running on about 75:1 Amsoil this year and they still start run great and drill nice. The Techumse engines were great.

If HAD to replace them today, I would go with a Nils or Ice Gator

[hawgchaser]

Eskimo...at least 25 years since I bought it new. I've put no repairs in the motor/head. About two years ago the auger shaft peeled apart from metal fatigue. I cut it off clean, ground a piece of pipe the I.D. of the torn shaft; drove it in both ends & welded it up. Back to cutting holes in both the ice and in the dirt with the head and a hand auger bit I tweaked to fit. Blades are half the price of the others and are easy to sharpen yourself. It's revered by both me and my fishing buddies.

[pikerliker]

2001 Strikemaster mag 2000, 8 inch chipper blade, 2hp. I use it several times every ice season still going strong. I had a new carb kit and clutch put in last year but no problems other than that. When I get another auger down the road I probably would get a different blade though. The chipper works fine but it's slow compared to other types of blades.

~piker

[Brad B]

a 1991 strike master magIII Plus. no major repairs just new blade and one tune up from sitting for ten years and not being ran (was my fathers but I got it after he passed away).

[Brad B]

2001 Strikemaster mag 2000, 8 inch chipper blade, 2hp. I use it several times every ice season still going strong. I had a new carb kit and clutch put in last year but no problems other than that. When I get another auger down the road I probably would get a different blade though. The chipper works fine but it's slow compared to other types of blades.

~piker

just buy a replacement drill unit. I went from a 8 inch chipper to the 10 in lazer I run now and the lazer cuts really fast under my 1991 magIII Plus (model before mag 2000 name was used)tecumseh power head

[123fish]

I have a 1987 Strikemaster Mag III. Only new blades and a throttle cable that went out last year. Put on a shaft with lazer blades just for faster cutting this year. Works great!

[Dozer]

I had a Mag III which never needed anything until the day it threw the rod out the side. Not really sure what caused that.

Now have a Mag 2000 which hasnt needed anything but a handle and a carb spacer, but that was only because it got backed over by a pickup on the ice!

My Father and Brother both have 3hp Jiffys. My Brothers runs like a champ every day, never misses a beat. My Fathers on the other (which he bought new in the late 80's) has never run good. Been rebuilt once, replaced the carb and clutch and nothing changed. He finaly gave up on it 3 years ago and bought a strikemaster Lazer with no problems except for a broken handle from dropping it on the floor.

[PierBridge]

1982 Jiffy model 30.... unarguably the most durable and dependable Auger's ever built.... the early/older model Jiffy's just don't die and are bullet proof.

[jeep guy]

I think that Highlife4me is right about the people who are always complaining about there equipment being shot. I wish I had the money to not take care of my stuff and just buy new in a couple of years. I have a 6yr old Eskimo Mako and I haven't had any problems and still starts on one pull. All I have done to it was have the blades sharpened.

[no bait nate]

Used to have a Jiffy 3.0 that was older than me, 24 years, that I was handed down from an uncle for $50. Never had a thing done to it but a carb cleaning when I had received it. Never had a problem and always started first pull, until I upgraded to the Solo last year. Very reliable auger, but heavy...

[TravP]

a 1991 strike master magIII Plus. no major repairs just new blade and one tune up from sitting for ten years and not being ran (was my fathers but I got it after he passed away).

I ran the same auger with a lazer bit until I replaced it with a solo this year. My dad bought it new, I think the carb may have been rebuilt once, maybe. I never even drained the gas or put stabil in it at years end. Never changed the plug either . It always started in less then 5 pulls at the beginning of the season. I talked to the guy I sold it to on Friday and its still running great.

[laportian]

older model 30 jiffy. probably mid ninties. carb has been rebuilt a time or two as well has clutch springs every now and again. when it is good it is good. but if I fail to take care of it it sure can get me mad. Was about to give up on it this season. I failed miserably at rebuilding the carb in early Dec. Took it to the shop and is now runnin like an old model 30 again! I would also note than I drill holes with it two to three times a week with it and have since it was new. Meaning it runs from early Dec. until the middle of April most years. It gets used alot.

[Rick G]

Jiffy 2hp stx that is 7 years old. I ice fish 80 or so days each winter and drill a ton of holes almost every time out. Compression is still at 110lb. Only isue I have had was broken pull rope and the throtle linkage had to be replaced other wise it's been old reliable. I have a newer stx in the garage just in case the old one ever goes

[picksbigwagon]

I HAD a 2 hp jiffy white lightning with a 9" blade that I never winterized, changed the blades twice on and the spark plug once, used it for ten seasons before the clutch and gears went out on it. It had the tecumseh engine.

I now own a 2.5 hp strikemaster solo. takes 3 pulls to start and it is ripping through the ice. It actually pulls me to the ice. If cabela's had had a nils' on hand I probably would have gone that route since The Solo was new last year when I needed an auger. I am very happy with my Solo, although it is a little loud or at least the tone of engine just gets me

[laportian]

picksbigwagon- My best friend is a commercial fisherman from Red Lake and that is the auger that he uses. the little jiffy not the strikemaster. He has probably 5 or 6 years on his current one. Swears by it. He punches 30 to 40 holes a day with it and does so 5 or 6 days a week. Everyting but the powerhead and auger have been replaced i think. I was seriously going to switch to this auger if i hadn't got my mod 30 runnung so good again.