Another help me chose an auger thread... SO frustrated

[wookiemofo]

I’ve been so close to pulling the trigger a few times now on a strikemaster lithium lazer, even talked to Dave Koonce first hand about it. But I can’t get over one thing, we seem to be expecting a shelf life of 3-4 years? Maybe more. Do we think the battery price will come down? Or different, Better batteries will be available?

I hate the idea of essentially buying a new auger every 6-8 years, or sinking 50% of the market value into it every 3-4 years. I don put have a permanent. I need an auger for when I hit the lakes by myself or with my 8 year old. When it’s me or me and the guys we like to make Swiss cheese! I just about sold myself on a nils but I love the idea of push button start, no noise no fumes.

I good friend almost has me sold on a jiffy pro 4, but 40lbs?

And, another reputable guy has me going strike master with a solo.

If there’s one thing I hate more, it’s gas devices not working, like my snow blower, or my friends 2 year old jiffy that already needs a tune up.

But, I also have a lithium weed whacker on the wall of my garage that’s been dead for 5 years! Can’t find a bettery for it.

I’ve never been more frustrated, but I mull over investments for weeks!

Help, put me out of my misery!

[Sea Hage]

Your the one that has to use it and live with your choice, So only you can decide.Good luck, I'm sure any of them will work for you.

[slurpie]

If you want to make Swiss cheese you want a nils. I have access to almost every auger through people I know and if we go drilling a lot most will grab the nils to use. The biggest down side of a nils is the slush left in a hole but kick the slush pile and it don't become a problem. But with any auger keep it sharp and it will cut good. The only thing I have not done with my nils is reopen a lot of holes. I believe all new nils come with a seven year warranty.

[Iambjm]

I’ve been so close to pulling the trigger a few times now on a strikemaster lithium lazer, even talked to Dave Koonce first hand about it. But I can’t get over one thing, we seem to be expecting a shelf life of 3-4 years? Maybe more. Do we think the battery price will come down? Or different, Better batteries will be available?

I hate the idea of essentially buying a new auger every 6-8 years, or sinking 50% of the market value into it every 3-4 years. I don put have a permanent. I need an auger for when I hit the lakes by myself or with my 8 year old. When it’s me or me and the guys we like to make Swiss cheese! I just about sold myself on a nils but I love the idea of push button start, no noise no fumes.

I good friend almost has me sold on a jiffy pro 4, but 40lbs?

And, another reputable guy has me going strike master with a solo.

If there’s one thing I hate more, it’s gas devices not working, like my snow blower, or my friends 2 year old jiffy that already needs a tune up.

But, I also have a lithium weed whacker on the wall of my garage that’s been dead for 5 years! Can’t find a bettery for it.

I’ve never been more frustrated, but I mull over investments for weeks!

Help, put me out of my misery!

Okay here are my thoughts, I have a Strikemaster Magnum 2000 that is about 7 years old. It replaced a Strikemaster that was 16 years old and still running. Last year I bought an ION for my perm, while I do like it for the wheelhouse I am not sure I like it for on the ice. Cons: If you like to drill like swiss cheese it is not for you, the battery must be kept warm, new battery is about $160 for the ION and $260 for the Strikemaster, I broke the safety switch handle 4th time out, it is made of cheesy plastic, last con being out there fishing and having the battery go dead. Jiffy does have a pro-lite I think, and NILS is the cream of the crop. If I were buying a new gas auger it would be a NILS.

[PurpleFloyd]

Buy a propane auger and it sounds like your needs will be met

[wookiemofo]

Buy a propane auger and it sounds like your needs will be met

Any idea on the quality differences between the eskimo and jiffy?

[th64]

My Nils is great but everyone told me to avoid the powerpoint one so I did. If the ice is clean my Nils is great but if it is irregular do to tire tracks or whatever it wobbles-most augers will have enough weight and torque to power through irregularities in ice this one relies on speed and sharpness to do its deal. It is fast light and well made.

Good Luck

[bASS_BLASTER]

My very first auger was a hand auger. I used is 2 season until it finally broke apart. 2nd was a strikemaster, it had some issues so I returned it. Bought a Nils. 6 years now, thousands of holes and it's running strong.

My brother in law wanted to be different, he bought a jiffy propane. He's on his 4th jiffy with leak issues. He's now jumping onto the Nils bandwagon.

[ClownColor]

Nils-it!

[pathogen]

I've had a jiffy since 1980, it's still going strong and I'd still be using it today if I wasn't older and the weight was becoming an issue for me. Bought an Ion last year and have had no problems whatsoever, I'm happy with it. But still not ready to get rid of the jiffy....for sentimental reasons if nothing else!

[wookiemofo]

I've had a jiffy since 1980, it's still going strong and I'd still be using it today if I wasn't older and the weight was becoming an issue for me. Bought an Ion last year and have had no problems whatsoever, I'm happy with it. But still not ready to get rid of the jiffy....for sentimental reasons if nothing else!

So how do you deal with the brutal temps of last winter and your ion? We like to pride ourselves of letting no sub zero temp deter us! Do you just calculate future battery replacement as an annual cost of maintaining the auger?

[bee]

I am going to still say the Tanaka Power Head and any of the many hand auger bits to attach to it. I like the Strikmaster Mora or Lazer. Most bang for the buck.

[Hawg]

Realize that for every person on here telling the world about auger problems there's 1000's out there with dependable ones they have had for years. All of the major manufacturers out there today make quality products. Chippers are foolproof and need sharpening every few years but always work, lazers are a little more finicky but if you're careful they last a while depending on how much you use it. I probably would stay away from electric if not in a house. There's lots of lightweight chippers out there.

[WildBillG]

Just to add more choices and make things even more confusing, there is the option of a hand auger with a battery drill.

I have a 6" Lazer hand auger that I have been using for 5 years or so. Being a skeptic about the electric drill option, I bought a reduction gearbox (Ice Kicker II). It worked great, but living here in MN, it became apparent that an extension would be necessary, so I ordered one, I thought. What I got was different than what I thought I ordered. It was an extension, all right, but it adapted the auger shaft to a 3/8" drill chuck.

So, I thought I'd give it a go with my Makita 18 volt drill. It blew my mind how quickly it went through. Yesterday, I fished with a friend who had the same setup but with a Nils auger, made for the purpose (orange color). We had an "aug-off", and it was about a tie. I think I beat him. by a little. I usually drill somewhere in the vicinity of 20 holes. While I carry two batteries, I haven't depleted one yet with a day of fishing. I did make two mistakes - one, leaving the auger sit out on the ice for a while, the battery was cold and the drill slowed down, the other, I left the spare in the bottom of the plastic sled, and the battery was destroyed by water. The other thing I did, which I would highly recommend, is that there is a roll pin at the top of the adapter. I found a 3/4" fender washer, slipped it on the shaft. The roll pin stops it. Then I made a 6-1/2" diameter disk of plywood, which spins freely on the shaft, but is stopped by the washer and roll pin. If the chuck comes loose, this will prevent the auger bit from dropping down the hole.

This combination is so light and handy, I don't see a reason to take out the gas auger any more.

The Makita tool was selected over other brands after talking with a bunch of electricians that I know, who tell me that there is quite a difference in the gear trains. They said the Makita and Panasonic brand lasted them far longer than many of the other brands. Your mileage may vary.

[Boar]

Well how I look at things is they just dont make things they way they use to. I have an old jiffy white head of 20 pluse years. no plastic cr ap not do dads to break or composite this or crudy that. its a 3 hrs modle. lots of power, yes it weighs more that todays modeles but I can pull it out of the shop put fresh gas in it, with out even testing it before the new season and it will run. Ive put in a carb kit twice in 20 pluse years. they have high speed and low speed adjustments that if they get tweeked you dont have to send it back to the manufacturer. you can do it your self. Best gad dang auger out there. Its one area where I wont conform to todays latest and greatest. todays auger selection seems that no matter what you buy something is gona go sooner or later and Ive been hearing sooner on most. Go into scheels or what ever super store is close to you, put on a blind fold spin around 3 times and go grab one, there ya go, theres your auger. Old style.

[tisosy11]

Best auger option...light weight, no mix, not battery...looking for a back up/hole hopper to tag with my pro 4. Cut roughly 60 holes Saturday...no thanks.

[huntercj]

I bought a jiffy pro 4 in decemeber and it runs realy badly . I brought it back last week to get fixed and they had about 20 jiffy propane augers in there getting fixed. They told me a lot of jiffy auger sold there this fall have been brought back for waranty. I have a 20 year old jiffy that would cut circles around my pro 4. If I were buying a new auger I think I would be looking at something other than a jiffy and I use to be a big jiffy fan. They replaced my carberator, propane regulator,clutch and transmission. I have not got it on the ice to try it since repair.

[Chaws]

I took the plunge and picked up the Strikemaster with the Honda 4 stroke power head on it. It has been nothing but amazing this year. Great in the perm opening up old holes and not smoking everyone out or throwing exhaust oil on the walls. It has also been great in my portable for multiple below zero days and getting to the lake and it fires up on the 1st or 2nd pull all the time. No worry about finding propane tanks or batteries or pre mixing oil. Bar none the best auger I've ever owned after owning one of those 20 year white Jiffy's and a newer Strikemaster Lazer.

[herefish101]

I took the plunge and picked up the Strikemaster with the Honda 4 stroke power head on it. It has been nothing but amazing this year. Great in the perm opening up old holes and not smoking everyone out or throwing exhaust oil on the walls. It has also been great in my portable for multiple below zero days and getting to the lake and it fires up on the 1st or 2nd pull all the time. No worry about finding propane tanks or batteries or pre mixing oil. Bar none the best auger I've ever owned after owning one of those 20 year white Jiffy's and a newer Strikemaster Lazer. [/quote/]

This is exactly right. Gas is all you need, it doesn't leak, and unlike Jiffy's Pro 4 you can lay the power head any way you want, if you don't stand a Pro 4 with the spark plug facing up the oil will leak out. Why buy a tank? I have nothing bad to say about the Nils, except there is still no four stroke power head available for it.

[wookiemofo]

So why the 4-stroke over the 2? I did a little digging after I read your post earlier and the general consensus say 2?

I know squat about small engines!

[20lbSloughShark]

The 4 stroke you change the oil once a year, the 2 stroke you mix it in the gas. The 4 stroke idles quieter, the 2 stroke has more power. Pick your poison. Have you looked into the jiffy pro 4 lite? I think it weighs somewhere around 28#.

[wookiemofo]

I haven't looked into the lite much, heard a few bad remarks about it, sounds like it's pretty problematic.

The Eskimo propane is starting to look like the way to go. That or a new Strikemaster solo

[20lbSloughShark]

Any auger you get into is going to have maintenance involved. If your not willing put in carb kits, spark plugs, and fix gas lines from time to time along with other maintenance, a power auger is not for you. You can get the electric like you want with next to no maintenance, but you pay for it in batteries. Most of the problems I have heard with all the propane augers comes from the junk 1# cans.

[wookiemofo]

Any auger you get into is going to have maintenance involved. If your not willing put in carb kits, spark plugs, and fix gas lines from time to time along with other maintenance, a power auger is not for you. You can get the electric like you want with next to no maintenance, but you pay for it in batteries. Most of the problems I have heard with all the propane augers comes from the junk 1# cans.

How hard is that stuff to learn? I can do spark plugs, gas lines can't be that hard. I have no idea what a carb kit is!

Are there different brands of 1# propane tanks?

And that's kind of how I view the electric I guess, what it lacks in maintenance it makes up for in battery cost. It must be a good sign that the lithium lazer is sold out everywhere already, but where re is still a lack of quality user reviews to be comfortable. maybe I should wait a season.

[BLACKJACK]

Any auger you get into is going to have maintenance involved. If your not willing put in carb kits, spark plugs, and fix gas lines from time to time along with other maintenance, a power auger is not for you.

I've had my Strikemaster LazerMag for 15 years and have never had to do a gas line or carb kit, and when I do need one, I'll throw some business to the local small engine shop, let the guy that does it for a living deal with it.