NEW Clam Ice Auger Conversion Kit!!!

[Brad B]

Well I have one ordered from reeds. I know by hand my 7 inch ht auger sucks even with new blades, well see how it does with this kit If it still sucks I'm going to thow a nills on it and be done with junk HT products for life.

just a heads up a Nils will not work with this do to a difference in shaft diameter. you could have a machine shop make a adapter but it might be pricey to do so.

[Jdjulik]

bummer, I bet that would really slice through in a hurry!

[outkast7222]

Well I tried using the Craftsman 19.2v drill and after hours messing with it and having to zip tie it on I finally gave up and grabbed a Dewalt (actually the wife did) it was a leftover Black Friday one and after her discount got it for $52! Any ways the Dewalt is the way to go on and working flawless in about 2 minutes.

[Bob Hicks]

Okay boys and girls, this product could possibly have a major impact on our sport. It’s an idea that is long overdue in my opinion, but there are a couple of minor hiccups thus far that says the company rushed the product to market before it was 100% ready.

For starters, if thorough testing had been done on which drills (brand/model) actually worked with the conversion kit, then why isn’t there a list of ALL of those drill brands/models available via the Clam HSOforum? Or did I somehow miss that posting?

Second, why didn’t Clam think to offer an optional kit that WILL fit a Nils hand auger (arguably the very best there is out there)?

I use a Strikemaster gas auger right now for ALL my ice drilling and I’m very happy with it. But I have been thinking real hard about getting a Nils hand auger for a couple of walk in sights I can’t get to by snowmobile. I also have a Ryobi 6-piece combo kit that runs off 18 volt Lithium Ion + batteries, but I can’t seem to find any amp ratings for it so I don’t know if it would be adequate for this conversion kit or not.

[Matt Johnson]

Bob,

Thanks for the feedback, much appreciated and I will pass this onto the team over at Clam.

I might be able to shed a little light on some of your above comments.

As far as the list of drills (brand/model) I do know that Clam tested multiple brands... DeWalt, Panesonic, Makita, Milwaukee (most of the majors and the vast majority of the drills out there) without any issues in performance. Is there a little tweaking involved at times in order to get the drill to attach to the Drill Plate, yes. This is something that has been discussed and plenty of notes have been taken.

The hard part about listing all the drills in brand/model is that the drills change every year. A certain brand/model of drill made in 2010 will be different than that same brand/model drill from 2013. Testing every single drill would be next to impossible so Clam picked the most popular drills (that make up the largest percentage of drill sales) and tested those to make sure they worked. Will there be some drills (from certain years or model/brands) that don't work perfectly with the Clam Drill Plate, yes, but it's a small number. The amount of Drill Plates sold by Clam this year are literally in the thousands, and the amount of issues they've seen are less than 1/4 of 1%. And most of those issues come from less popular drills or a certain non-current year drill.

Believe me, extensive testing has been done, I know because I was there for a lot of it and I personally put thousands of holes on these units between all the various drill brands listed above. So the hard part about supplying a list is that there are still variables within the actual brand/model depending on year, and it's hard to expect Clam to test an out-dated drill if they are not even available for purchase. Even drills from 2012 may differ heavily from the same model in 2013. But rest assured, improvements will always be made to ensure issues are resolved.

And as far as an adapter for the Nils hand auger, that also comes down to the "majority rules" vote. Believe it or not but the amount of Nils hand auger sales are tiny compared to the other hand auger brands out there. If a special adapter was built for the Nils hand auger then Clam might be focusing on only a small percentage of Drill Plate users. Plus, in order to make such an adapter there are tooling costs and other things involved that make it harder to justify having it done. Clam did a lot of research on hand auger sales and it was clear and obvious that Nils Master was not the leader when you look at it from an entire "ice belt" demographic combined. Now, this doesn't mean Nils doesn't make a great product, it's just that they are not as prevalent in the retail stores and are less popular amongst the average ice angler.

At the end of the day Clam wants to put out the best product for the ice angler, and feedback like this only helps them continue to design and release top-level products to all of you.

[outkast7222]

The kit works with most compact drills easily, full size drills not so much and certainly not hammer drills I have seen. This would be an easy fix with some longer bolts and two small spacers to lift the support bracket up. Hopefully that gets integrated at some point.

[Savage Brewer]

Wow, people are sure fired up about this thread.

The other thing that Matt didn't mention is that it is almost impossible to get a complete list of all the possible combinations of models.

Unfortunately alot of drill manufacturers make different models for different big box stores. This is done for a few different reasons, but the end result is you could have one drill but has 10 or 20 different part numbers for it depending on what store it was bought at and if it was part of a kit.

The only way that I could see this working is if Clam web developers created a database for customers and their customer service to submit make, model and notes. then from that data they could create a webpage that pulls from the database.

For example one of my dewalt drills hooks up fine, no modifications needed.

My Makita needs 2 custom holes drilled in the bracket because the grip angle is a bit weird.

My other dewalt drill wont work because it has a special chuck (cordless hammer drill)

People need to get over thinking this is Clams fault. They made the output shaft to match a mora auger, as their own auger is that size along with probably 75% or more of the augers sold in the last 10 years.

Could they for 2014 make a Nils output shaft, heck yeah, but don't expect it to be stocked on dealers shelves, maybe a special factory order item.

In fact if you looked at hand and power auger sales in North America over the last 10 years (I know it would be almost impossible to compile such a statistic) I would be surprised if Nils USA even hits 1% market share. So the decision to go with an Mora compatible shaft makes perfect sense.

It wouldn't be a bad idea for Clam to make a page with known models that do work without modification. Then if you are buying a new drill that isn't on that list, it may or may not work.

[SkiSoloII]

This is the one I bought. It installs great, except that you have to avoid pressing the light button with the U-bolt.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-18-Volt-Lithium-Ion-Hammer-Drill-and-Impact-Driver-Kit-with-Free-4-0-Amp-Hour-Battery-Pack-R8611501KP-AC840087/204496973?N=%2FNtk-All%2FNtt-rigid%252Bdrill

Hopefully, it works on the ice as well as it works in my living room.

Dave

[tview]

FYI the hammer drill I bought works just fine!

DCD995M2

20V MAX* XR Lithium Ion Brushless Premium 3-Speed Hammerdrill Kit

But don't use in hammer mode!!!!!

[Bob Hicks]

Bob,

Thanks for the feedback, much appreciated and I will pass this onto the team over at Clam.

I might be able to shed a little light on some of your above comments.

As far as the list of drills (brand/model) I do know that Clam tested multiple brands... DeWalt, Panesonic, Makita, Milwaukee (most of the majors and the vast majority of the drills out there) without any issues in performance. Is there a little tweaking involved at times in order to get the drill to attach to the Drill Plate, yes. This is something that has been discussed and plenty of notes have been taken.

The hard part about listing all the drills in brand/model is that the drills change every year. A certain brand/model of drill made in 2010 will be different than that same brand/model drill from 2013. Testing every single drill would be next to impossible so Clam picked the most popular drills (that make up the largest percentage of drill sales) and tested those to make sure they worked. Will there be some drills (from certain years or model/brands) that don't work perfectly with the Clam Drill Plate, yes, but it's a small number. The amount of Drill Plates sold by Clam this year are literally in the thousands, and the amount of issues they've seen are less than 1/4 of 1%. And most of those issues come from less popular drills or a certain non-current year drill.

Believe me, extensive testing has been done, I know because I was there for a lot of it and I personally put thousands of holes on these units between all the various drill brands listed above. So the hard part about supplying a list is that there are still variables within the actual brand/model depending on year, and it's hard to expect Clam to test an out-dated drill if they are not even available for purchase. Even drills from 2012 may differ heavily from the same model in 2013. But rest assured, improvements will always be made to ensure issues are resolved.

And as far as an adapter for the Nils hand auger, that also comes down to the "majority rules" vote. Believe it or not but the amount of Nils hand auger sales are tiny compared to the other hand auger brands out there. If a special adapter was built for the Nils hand auger then Clam might be focusing on only a small percentage of Drill Plate users. Plus, in order to make such an adapter there are tooling costs and other things involved that make it harder to justify having it done. Clam did a lot of research on hand auger sales and it was clear and obvious that Nils Master was not the leader when you look at it from an entire "ice belt" demographic combined. Now, this doesn't mean Nils doesn't make a great product, it's just that they are not as prevalent in the retail stores and are less popular amongst the average ice angler.

At the end of the day Clam wants to put out the best product for the ice angler, and feedback like this only helps them continue to design and release top-level products to all of you.

Fair enough Matt. Thank you for taking the time to respond to my comments. And to clarify a little my earlier comments, all I was trying to find out was IF a list of the models actually used for testing was available to look at. If say for instance Clam actually tested the kit with 27 different drills, would I be able to see the list of those 27 drills? I didn’t mean to imply that Clam should make a list of every drill they thought might work. But if they had used one in testing, what would be wrong in listing those actually used in the testing process. I would think that would be information of value to more than just a few of us. And a disclaimer about using the data at ones own risk would be expected and acceptable.

I’ll accept the Nils sales/use figures you provided. Very few people shop quality anymore. If several products will do a job reasonably well, most folks will buy the less expensive item as a matter of course. I personally believe that NOBODY makers a better auger than Nils. And to me, they are worth their cost. And based on your response, I can see where it would maybe not be in Clam’s financial interest to produce an adapter just for the Nils. Maybe someday in the future. I’m good with that.

[Bob Hicks]

SB,

Thank you for your comments as well. I made a couple of specific responses below. None of my comments below are mean spirited. As far as I’m concerned, life is good.

Wow, people are sure fired up about this thread. I’m not fired up at all SB; but I do believe that civil discussions can do wonders for product improvement and individual knowledge improvement.

The other thing that Matt didn't mention is that it is almost impossible to get a complete list of all the possible combinations of models.

Unfortunately alot of drill manufacturers make different models for different big box stores. This is done for a few different reasons, but the end result is you could have one drill but has 10 or 20 different part numbers for it depending on what store it was bought at and if it was part of a kit. Excellent point; the potential list of suitable drills becomes huge very quickly.

The only way that I could see this working is if Clam web developers created a database for customers and their customer service to submit make, model and notes. then from that data they could create a webpage that pulls from the database. I like it SB. That would fall under ‘thinking outside the box.’ Customer based experiences are an excellent source for what will and will not work.

For example one of my dewalt drills hooks up fine, no modifications needed.

My Makita needs 2 custom holes drilled in the bracket because the grip angle is a bit weird.

My other dewalt drill wont work because it has a special chuck (cordless hammer drill)

People need to get over thinking this is Clams fault. For the record SB, I didn’t say, or imply, that it was Clam’s fault. It’s a new product that doesn’t quite meet my needs and I wanted to know if Clam had considered the 2 things that occurred to me and I asked about. Nobody is at fault here as far as I’m concerned. Matt and you brought up some information that mostly answered my concerns about the drills used in testing and I appreciate that. And as for the Nils adapter, if enough Nils owners voice a need for it (squeaky wheel gets the grease), then possibly they will consider making one available on special order from Clam or through their dealers. They made the output shaft to match a mora auger, as their own auger is that size along with probably 75% or more of the augers sold in the last 10 years.

Could they for 2014 make a Nils output shaft, heck yeah, but don't expect it to be stocked on dealers shelves, maybe a special factory order item.

In fact if you looked at hand and power auger sales in North America over the last 10 years (I know it would be almost impossible to compile such a statistic) I would be surprised if Nils USA even hits 1% market share. So the decision to go with an Mora compatible shaft makes perfect sense.

It wouldn't be a bad idea for Clam to make a page with known models that do work without modification. Then if you are buying a new drill that isn't on that list, it may or may not work.

[Savage Brewer]

no problem my response wasn't directed at you specifically, just the number of posts I have seen about this product over the last month or so.

Nils USA's biggest problem is visibility. 95% of all stores selling augers do not carry them. In fact probably 95% of ice fisherman haven't even heard of them. But if you asked about Strikemaster or Jiffy, and now Clam with the Edge series, those are brands people recognize.

To put it plainly, Nils has a good product, but their marketing and distribution sucks. And until they fix that, 95% of fisherman will never know it exists.

I personally never even heard of Nils until coming to this site, and honestly haven't seen one being used until last year.

Personally the new conversion plate is nice. I plan to use it more and more. Clam is doing well with their distribution and marketing, and I am glad to see them branching out from where they were a few years back.

It will be interesting to see what they come out with next.

[AndRo]

The kit works with most compact drills easily, full size drills not so much and certainly not hammer drills I have seen. This would be an easy fix with some longer bolts and two small spacers to lift the support bracket up. Hopefully that gets integrated at some point.

This is exactly why they can not make a list. My Dewalt Hammer Drill fits just fine with zero modification So many models, so many brands. I do agree though a larger plate with tons of holes and a bigger u bolt would fix many of your issues.

[Matt Johnson]

I had a discussion with the team at Clam and because of this topic I'm going to start a new topic in the this forum about "Drills for the Clam Drill Plate" and then we can go in there and populate it with the drills that do or do not work with the new Clam Drill Plate. This should help us build a nice list and then work of each other to bring some excellent feedback to the Clam team to make potential improvements going forward... so, pay attention for a new topic showing up any minute

[Jdjulik]

Well the Home Depot $99 20volt DeWalt fits as I found today..... but a HT hand auger doesn't as the adapter is a little over 1/16th too wide to fit in the augers tube and even if I reammed it out for a hour, the hole for the retainer bolt wouldn't line up as the ht augers hole is about 1/4 inch lower than the hole drilles in the adapter would allow it to slide up. bummed right now... now to find a place locally that stocks the clam auger bit so I dont have to deal with more compatability issues and can test this thing out this weekend.

[Jdjulik]

I just the the idea to purchase the Clam extension as I will probably want one anyway since I'm so tall and see if that will work to adapt to my auger bit better since it is so close. I know this will allow me to adjust for the screw hole on the cutting blade. I'm going to run around looking for one when I get off work with the drill chuck adapter and my auger to see if it will work, if not I'll pick up the clam auger if I can find one in stock.

[ilovehardwater]

Could anyone give me an idea on how to keep the trigger linkage from sticking? Everything installed great except the trigger sticks.

[Rod Woten]

Put an o-ring or zip tie on the shaft to keep the trigger plate from falling completely to the base and getting wedged there.

-Rod

[Jdjulik]

I would imagine a little gear lube or anti seize on the bolt the mechanisim rotates on might help.. alos make sure that the drill mount plate is parallel with the trigger rod, this will reduce binding.

[amateurfishing]

Could anyone give me an idea on how to keep the trigger linkage from sticking? Everything installed great except the trigger sticks.

I kinda had same problem, my lever would not stay in place, if I remember right when I took it in to clam, matt Johnson first secured the bolt tightly to the plate, then work backwards down the lever and have the bolt at the angle point tight enough to do the job but just loose enough where when you release the lever it pulls back automatically. one of my initial reactions for this conversion plate is @ the right angle of the lever that bolt should be secured to motor plate as well as to keep pressure & tension off that bolt.

[ilovehardwater]

I will play around with it and try some of the said above suggestions, thanks fellow fisherman!!!

[Racer5039]

Well, This is a issue. I ordered a kit and should have it about Wed. Friday after work I went to get the auger, an older Strike master Mora, out of the shed and noted that the crank handle isn't bolted but threads on. Anyone else run into this? How did you deal with it?

[amateurfishing]

I had dirt cheap old hand auger, larger diameter but same issue. Only thing I could do to make something work is returned conversion kit for credit towards the entire conversion kit & hand auger assembly in box. your only other choice maybe to drill holes through the stem to match the auger extension pole, not worth effort to me that's why I just decided to upgrade the whole enchilada & sold my old hand auger on c list for change to offset my overall cost on whole new system.

[outkast7222]

Could anyone give me an idea on how to keep the trigger linkage from sticking? Everything installed great except the trigger sticks.

When trying to rig up my Craftsman drill I couldn't get it to quit sticking either. The problem was the mechanism digging into the rubber on the trigger. This was the deciding factor to switch drills for me.

[amateurfishing]

finally got mine out for real test after losing screw in blade the second time out. went through over 10 inches of ice like a hot knife through butter and my dewalt drill was as equal to the task in these sub zero temps, loved it!