first trip brain fart-DON"T DO THIS!!

[Guest]

FWIW, Like everyone else, i've been foolin' with tackle for over a month now, just itching to get out. finally got out on a metro lake saturday-pulled my otter cabin out on 5' of ice for the evening walldoe bite. took out the Lazer hand auger, found my spot, and started cutting. only a few turns and I was thru the ice, at the last turn the little wing nut that holds the two sections together flew out of the hole. i turned to look where it landed, and you guessed it...-the two sections separate, and the lower auger unit w/ the blade disappears down the hole-it was one of those slow motion things when I realized what was happening but couldn't do anything to stop it...NOOOOOO!!!!!
Talked to Joe's in St. Paul, strikemaster does not sell the hand units separately, so I'm out $65. They DO SELL the power auger units separatly though...Why? same reason-folks forget to check to see if the collar is tightened, start drilling, and bye bye lower unit. Strikemaster told me this happens quite often. I'm only out $65, don't be out $200+.
Nimrod

[Guest]

I'd be out there with a big magnet on a rope fishing it out! I'm pretty sure Northern Tool has some...the arrow shaped welders magnets will pick up quite a bit.

[Guest]

That is exactly the reason why I have not/did not buy a new Lazer hand auger. After looking at that adjustable feature with that handle/wingnut assembly,I said to myself,'that is just another thing to break on a new auger'.I'll stick with my old Lazer hand auger, because I know it won't go down the hole from falling apart.

[gone fishn]

One tip I was told when I bought mine was to put black tape around the bolt part to stop that from happening. Sorry I didn't get this tip out sooner...nimrod.

[Poutmaster]

Go out today and get yourself one of those magnets. It'll pay for iself rightaway. I passed on getting earlier this year, and just yesterday my new stainless steel needlenose went down the hole as I was getting my jig out of a uncooperative walleye's lip. I thought, man I wish i would have bought that magnet....

[Guest]

One nice thing about stainless steal is it doesn't rust...the bad thing is you can't pick it up with a magnet.

[Mankato-Ice-Man]

do you know anyone who has an underwater camera that you could borrow that would help you see it? I would not think it went too far and you might be able to hook it with something... now getting it back out the hole might get interesting...
Good luck, and thanks. I will be checking mine and taping it like suggested above before I go out this weekend.
Jeremy

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Born to Fish, Forced to Work!