battery augers

[opsirc]

The new ion seems to be the rage right now, but wanted to get thoughts on the ION versus the strikemaster battery.  The strikemaster is a bit cheaper, but does not have reverse. both were well rated.

[Down2Earth]

ion all the way.  Reverse is awesome and is a very nice feature especially to clean out the hole.

[ClownColor]

Unless strikeamaster stole the Ions specs, stay clear of SM junk...I'm not sure they'll ever have a market in battery augers since their previous Electra Laz junk! ABSOLUTE WORST AUGER TO DATE! 

[fishadb]

I've got an ION with reverse. Think of it this way, one five gallon pail of slush per hole or one pail for the whole house. I think my fiance' thought I was a little goofy for buying a new auger when there was nothing wrong with the old one, but if I broke my ION somehow I would replace it with the same thing.

[Down2Earth]

I left the ion outside after drilling all my holes today.  Fished from noon to 7pm.  I picked it up off the ice and it drilled a hole.  I thought these things weren't supposed to work if left out in the cold and it was cold today?

[snagfinder]

On Friday, January 15, 2016 at 11:00 AM, ClownColor said:

Unless strikeamaster stole the Ions specs, stay clear of SM junk...I'm not sure they'll ever have a market in battery augers since their previous Electra Laz junk! ABSOLUTE WORST AUGER TO DATE! 

Maybe you just had bad luck i bought my strike master when i bought my new house in 2010 never had an issue except a broken handle and battery gauge but i blame that on the coors light that made me drop it 2 yrs ago.

[ClownColor]

2 hours ago, snagfinder said:

Maybe you just had bad luck i bought my strike master when i bought my new house in 2010 never had an issue except a broken handle and battery gauge but i blame that on the coors light that made me drop it 2 yrs ago.

Nope. It's actually a scientific fact that the electra lazer is/was the worst auger made...and don't  get me started about those plastic handles. Ask a Jiffy, Tanaka, Eskimo guy if he ever had to replace a handle????

[GillAssasin13]

I have an ION and absolutely love it. Like others mentioned, if it broke tomorrow I'd go out and buy another one. My gas auger hasn't been used all season and now I'm selling it... Fished in -15 without the wind chill this weekend, drilled over 100 holes with the ION and had it on the ice all day. Zero issues.

[snagfinder]

6 hours ago, ClownColor said:

Nope. It's actually a scientific fact that the electra lazer is/was the worst auger made...and don't  get me started about those plastic handles. Ask a Jiffy, Tanaka, Eskimo guy if he ever had to replace a handle????

Just curious what makes it a scientific fact. Im guessing thats from the same scientists who say big foot really does exist. I have a stikemaster gas auger with plastic handles that has probably drilled a thousand holes at least and has never broke.

[ClownColor]

58 minutes ago, snagfinder said:

Just curious what makes it a scientific fact. Im guessing thats from the same scientists who say big foot really does exist. I have a stikemaster gas auger with plastic handles that has probably drilled a thousand holes at least and has never broke.

Bill Nies did a thesis using algorithm's on voltage x watts over number of holes vs cost associated with replacement parts divided by hole cutting speed over redrilling a hole...is finds showed the Electra lazer has no more benefit to ice fisherman then does a frozen turd on a lake.

[perchking]

34 minutes ago, ClownColor said:

Bill Nies did a thesis using algorithm's on voltage x watts over number of holes vs cost associated with replacement parts divided by hole cutting speed over redrilling a hole...is finds showed the Electra lazer has no more benefit to ice fisherman then does a frozen turd on a lake.

Wow this fascinating, I am assuming you have scientific data from end users regarding ford-chevy and vexi-marcum from a single point of reference?   I will be glued to this thread awaiting the outcome. 

[ClownColor]

1 hour ago, perchking said:

Wow this fascinating, I am assuming you have scientific data from end users regarding ford-chevy and vexi-marcum from a single point of reference?   I will be glued to this thread awaiting the outcome. 

The problem with acquiring scientific data from the Ford/Chevy debate was that most Fords didn't last long enough on the road to achieve any such data. The goods news for Ford was that all models found after the 10 year study all had original spark plugs...but what the findings don't tell you was that is because nobody could take then out.

 

As for marcum vs vex...a double single blind two tier study showed that both units showed more fish then what fisherman caught so the panel assumed both units were defective.

[snagfinder]

I guess you can have your opinion I just know when im in my warm fishhouse jigging in the hole my worthless strikemaster drilled for the 6th season in a row you and Bill Neis can sit outside and play catch with that frozen turd.

[perchking]

5 minutes ago, ClownColor said:

The problem with acquiring scientific data from the Ford/Chevy debate was that most Fords didn't last long enough on the road to achieve any such data. The goods news for Ford was that all models found after the 10 year study all had original spark plugs...but what the findings don't tell you was that is because nobody could take then out.

 

As for marcum vs vex...a double single blind two tier study showed that both units showed more fish then what fisherman caught so the panel assumed both units were defective.

I couldn't agree more, glad we are both on the same page. 

[ClownColor]

4 minutes ago, snagfinder said:

I guess you can have your opinion I just know when im in my warm fishhouse jigging in the hole my worthless strikemaster drilled for the 6th season in a row you and Bill Neis can sit outside and play catch with that frozen turd.

That's all you got?  Lol JK. I'm not saying the Electra lazer can't drill holes...I'm saying its worthless for most fishing applications as it can drill only like 10 holes before it dies or rips your arms off.

[snagfinder]

Ive honestly never had an issue with mine but that being said i only use it for in the house. If i go to the river or out looking for fish the gas auger is what i use. I only have the electric one cause i dont like the stink inside.

[BLACKJACK]

15 hours ago, ClownColor said:

That's all you got?  Lol JK. I'm not saying the Electra lazer can't drill holes...I'm saying its worthless for most fishing applications as it can drill only like 10 holes before it dies or rips your arms off.

Thats the problem with the Electra, I own one, worst piece of dump I own.  When it gets to the bottom of the hole it 'catches', just about jerking your back out of joint.  I've learned to go really slow and hold on tight when you get close to bottom but I still hate it.  Tried to sell it a couple of times but the word is out, no one wants to buy it.

I keep watching these auger threads, wondering which auger I should buy to replace it and my gas auger, I'd like to get down to one auger. Not sold on the Ions/electrics, eventually those batteries will go to heck, and if you have to buy an extra battery, it gets awful spendy. Thinking a 4-stroke, wish I knew someone that had one so I could try it in my house, see how it smells.

Side note on the plastic handles on the SM and breakage?? Has this happened thru regular use or abuse?? As in you dropped it?? I see people all the time set their auger on the ice, on only one handle, why? Its an accident waiting to happen. Even my piece of dump Electra has a tab on each handle, made for sitting on the ice. Why balance it on one handle so it can tip over??

Also not ready to throw Strikemaster under the bus just because of one piece of dump auger like the Electra. I have a 15+ year old two stroke SM Lazer mag that is a starting cutting machine, I'm still on the original blades. Was 'bummed' this year when i took it out of storage and it took 5 pulls to start it instead of the normal 3. The only thing I've had to replace it the cap, the original was a leaky SOB, the new one they got right, no leaks thru the vent -- if you remember to close it.

[Moon Lake Refuge]

Ion batteries are spendy but whats 75-100 gallons of mixed gas cost to put through your auger?  Be curious to see if anyone has calculated how many comparible tanks make up the equivilent in recharges the Ion is capable of?  Cant be terribly far off.  Got one for my dad this year and we're excited to try it out!

[Lip_Ripper Guy]

I'll second the recommendation on the ION, as well as staying away from the Strikemaster electric.  That thing is garbage.  First and only time I used one it almost forced the handle through the wall of my fish house with my hand still attached to it.  Not a good experience.

I have the first year ION, so it is on it's 4th season now with a ton of use.  The battery shows no sign of shortened life.  Replacements are spendy little buggers, for sure.  If you are trying to justify an electric over gas by using the price of a gallon or two of gas per year vs replacement batteries, it'll never compute.  My gas auger very rarely sees the ice anymore.  The only time I'll use that is for spring perch and crappie trips when we drill a ton of holes, and even then I'd prefer my electric but it isn't quite practical, yet.

We're about 5 years away from the technology that will allow electric to take over for gas augers, IMO.  The ION is good enough to be an exclusive auger for probably 90% of fishermen now, and when they find a way to double battery life, they will take over for gas.  Propane and 4 strokes are just a stop gap, again IMO.         

[Moon Lake Refuge]

How many charges do you think the ION will really get?  They claim 700.  How many Ion charges make up one tank for a gas auger? 2-4?  If their numbers are accurate over the time when you factor in good gas, oil and what not I bet its not as terribly far apart as you would think right now.

[Lip_Ripper Guy]

It's hard to say.  I'm probably around 150 or so if I figure on 50 charges per year.  I charge after each use, and the majority of the time drill less than 20 holes.  To say that the original battery will last for 18 years isn't realistic, I don't think.  There must be a reduced capacity over time.  My expectation is 5 years, and anything over that is gravy.  That's about $30/year.

Gas would run about $3/gallon for the non oxygenated, and probably another $3 per pack of the Amsoil Saber.  So for me it's about $12/year for a gas auger, if I used it exclusively.       

[Moon Lake Refuge]

11 minutes ago, Lip_Ripper Guy said:

It's hard to say.  I'm probably around 150 or so if I figure on 50 charges per year.  I charge after each use, and the majority of the time drill less than 20 holes.  To say that the original battery will last for 18 years isn't realistic, I don't think.  There must be a reduced capacity over time.  My expectation is 5 years, and anything over that is gravy.  That's about $30/year.

Gas would run about $3/gallon for the non oxygenated, and probably another $3 per pack of the Amsoil Saber.  So for me it's about $12/year for a gas auger, if I used it exclusively.       

I forget not everyone is using the same gas auger as me.  Ours is older than I am and I couldn't get half that many holes on a good tank... Either way.  A battery every 5 or so years is perfectly fine with me with no gas smell and light weight.  Be interested when people actually start having batteries fail consistantly at a certain point to see where they end up.  Thanks for the info!

[bdafisher]

I have had the lithium lazer for 2 years now and have had zero problems.  No gas smell in the fish house, no gas smell in the truck, and have drilled 60 holes multiple times with it with zero problems and didn't have to pull start it again after every move.  Sold my old gas auger and bought the electric on sale and was out $100.   

[Hawg]

Man, as long as the whole gang is in on this I might as well be too. I'd rather have the frozen turd(great comparison) than the Electra Lazer. Quit trying to convince Neanderthals that that the Ions  are good machines, it aint gonna happen.

PS, anyone thinking of selling your old Ion to get reverse like I did might think again. Don't get me wrong, reverse is great but I still like my Slush Copter and drill better than the Ion for flushing. Ion works well but the Copter is easier to clean the stuff around the hole. JMHO. I had the same Ion for 3 years and the battery showed zero signs of slowing down.

Gotta love the frozen turd comparison!! Still laughing.

 

 

[jigginjim]

Dang, two years ago I put a 8inch lazer blade drill on my old 3HP Cobra ice auger, Had a 8.25 chipper for years.  Now I have to go buy a ION.  When guys are doing the comparing, is it the 50Volt SM or the 12volt SM?