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Which Auger


fishnhuntnboy

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I know there has been a post about this in the past, but not sure when it was and couldnt find it.

I am in the search of a new power auger and I have never own one. I know there are a bunch of different models and don't know what the difference is about them. What should I look for in a auger? How big of a bit should I get? Which engine is best and what should I avoid.

I have read a lot about the Nils and would like one but, I cannot afford one of those bad boys and is way out of my price league. I have been looking at the Strikemaster and Jiffy ones but have no clue which model to look at or consider and what one is good and what ones are not. If there is any other brands that I should consider, please post and let me know.

Any info would be greatly appriciated. Thanks for the help.

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Strikemasters Mag 2000 is the cheapest, runs a chipper blade. While no speed demon it will do just fine. If you can swing a Lazer Mag thats an even better ice eating machine. Unless you fish lakers I don't see a need for anything more than an 8". If you fish dirty ice with sand or something on it the chipper blades a better option.

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Both SM and Jiffy use the same 2hp motor. If you wanted a 3, Jiffy is the only one that uses it. Youre better off going with the 2hp. The differences from jiffy to SM and Jiffy uses chipper blades. Durable, but dont cut as fast as SM shaver type blades. SM also makes a chipper style. Gearboxes turn if opposite directions. SM is much lighter than Jiffy, but Jiffys all steel design is tougher if you feel like dopping your auger all the time. I chose the SM probably 4 yrs ago and couldnt be happier. As for engine problems, if 1 has it, its not a brand thing, they are both the same motors. 4 stroke is made by SM, but, you said you couldnt afford the nils, i'm guessing you dont want to shell out for the 4 stroke either.

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I just found the other thread a few posts down from this one and wow is all i can say. it seems to be almost 50/50 on both jiffy and strikemaster. from the sounds of it they both sound like great machines and will get the job done. What about eskimo augers? I havent heard of anything about them yet and what do people think of them?

The 4 stroke im not sure how much they are. I really havent looked at them. Are they better, quieter?

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My buddy just bought a new strikemaster and loves it. The 4 stroke strikemaster runs about $500, not sure if it's any better though. My dad has a very old eskimo auger and it has ran great for 10-15 yrs. The throttle just broke but up untill now it was doing fine.

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Check out the Nils auger in the Outdoor Pro Store.

These augers have a industrial engine for years of service. The auger is very light and it cuts like a dream. Many have posted on just how fast this Nils will go through the ice.

At times, I have had a contest while cutting ten holes each to see which auger will cut ten holes the quickest. My Nils has yet to have been beat.

Why lug around those heavy augers when the Nils is so easy to run and gun with.

http://www.outdoorprostore.com/nils-master.html

This of course is a bit more than you are planning on spending and is only an option if you were to fall into a few extra funds.

Another option might be to look at the Nils hand auger as they do very well and do run considerably less. This would be a good option unless your looking at cutting through 2ft plus of ice.

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i know you don't have to press down on the lazer mag expresses...thats what i owned before i got the Nils...lazer mag is a great auger but this nils destroys it.

me and my buddies just had a race and i was a split second away from getting 2 holes drilled before they got their first one done...but thats just for fun alot of people aren't in a race but it's nice to drill fast...my nils feels way lighter then theirs even though its longer.

i been using my nils to re-open holes in my wheelhouse too that was one of my issues with the lazermag it redrilled poorly.

only bad thing is they don't make a 10 inch if you like those...i wish they did i would of bought it forsure...hopefully they come out with one so i can get it lol.

they are worth the money augers last a long time...my friend went the cheap route and after we fished together for a few days he wants to bring his auger back...i'm the only one with a nils around here that i know of and everyone wants one now.

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Nils are nice. I just dont know if i want to spend that much money on an auger. I am just getting sick of using a hand auger up in Ely when the ice is getting 2 feet thick.

One thing i remembered is that I will be getting a check from the college and will prolly use some of that money to get an auger. Depending on how much I get, I may head to red rock and buy the Nils. I know that would make me one happy boy. lol.

From reading the other posts, sounds like the strikemaster is the better way to go. I was considering those before i posted as well. When looking at the two brands i realized that jiffy's were quiet a bit heavier and i defenatly dont want to deal with the weight as i have to drag everything out if i cant drive on the ice.

So now it comes down to which model. Which is better and why. If i do get quiet a bit of money back from the school i will prolly get the nils instead of a 4 stroke strikemaster.

Another question. Is there anything special you have to do when you first get a new auger. Break in procedures or special oil/gas mixtures?

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I will be at cabelas tonight and will be looking at the different augers and see what feels right and what not. Try and get a better understanding of the augers and what would be the better buy. I know im not getting one tonight, just looking and see what is offered.

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i'd get the strikemaster lazer mag express if your gonna get a strikemaster but depends your plans....are you even gonna reopen holes ever like in a permanent or are you gonna just drill new holes when u go out.

seriously though if you just want the best auger go with the nils...if you want to go the cheaper route all the augers will do their purpose.

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I've had an Eskimo for 4 years now and I've been real satified with the way it preforms. I'm not in a hurry to drill holes, so speed doesn't matter. I've never had problems drilling whatever I needed to at the time. Whether it was 50 holes moving around, or 5 holes just doing some fishing with the kids.

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It really is hard to beat the Nils in any category. The only place it falls short is if a 10” hole is needed. Other than that, in my eyes it shines in every category.

Having said that, I can understand the $ thing.

Last weekend I was watching a guy running around with a new Jiffy. I cannot even say for sure what model it was. Just by looking, I would guess it was a 2hp, perhaps an STX. Anyways, it looked like it was cutting really good compared to the Strikemasters his buddies were using alongside of him.

For me, it’s the Nils though, but that Jiffy on Sat did catch my attention.

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Another thing you might want to consider is the customer service for the SM is close to you if you run into problems, that is at least if your home.

Also, stop and get a price for the SM from the bait shop in st. frany on your way to cabelas.

"hooks"

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Go with the Jiffy stealth I drill alot of holes and mine is still sharp after 3 years I can smoke the guys with regular augers (standard Jiffy and strike masters). Have never used the Nils but would like to try one out. One of my best friends family owns a resort up hear on Lake of the Woods and swears up and down the Jiffy 2 horse 8in with the STX blades is the best auger he has ever seen. trust me resorts up here beat up there augers pretty good (like in the back of a plow truck bouncing around and redrilling holes). Just my opnion. They all do the same thing, just some are better then others. Plus 3 years service on the STX blades.

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If i do get the money i will most likely go for the best. Otherwise will have to look for what i can afford. I do plan on using it in a perminanent later on in the future when i get one. Which will prolly be next year. So something that can redrill holes and can also run and gun with. So far I have been leaning towards SM because of the weight issue and with the local service that is offered. I think one thing that i kinda dont like is the plastic on the SM. Does this plastic break real easy and does it do well in the cold. I do live in Ely and do prolly 99% of my fishing up there. So something that can handle the cold pretty well and not cause any problems.

Thanks for all the info. Please keep it coming.

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I've owned and used every kind of auger on the marked with the exception of eskimo, and the Jiffy STX Pro is the way to go. The weight is within ounces of the strikemaster, it's actually quieter (unlike the other models), and has the best blades in the business (they take a beating and are really close in speed to shavers). The compression release is really nice for starting in ultra-cold weather like you deal with in ely. You can find blades or extensions and any sporting goods store in MN.

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I do know a few who have broken the plastic handles.

Auger weights

Jiffy 2HP STX Pro-28 pounds

Jiffy 3HP STX-36 pounds

Strikemaster Lazer mag-24 pounds

Nils-22 pounds.

Strike-Lite-20 pounds.

The Jiffy augers are hands down the heaviest augers.

These are the weights for a 8 inch auger.

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  harvey lee said:
I do know a few who have broken the plastic handles.

Thats one thing im afraid of especially with being up north and fishing in sub zero temps all the time.

Harvey thanks for those weight differentials. Jiffy is heavier but not by much at all unless you go with the bigger motor.

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I just bought the 10'' SM Laser Mag express at Mills for $419 last Saturday. I was going to get the 8'', but all they had left were 10's. That $340 price on the 8'' at Reeds is tough to beat. Hmmm, I'm half tempted to return the 10inch and get a 8inch and 80 bucks.

I've had a "used" Jiffy in the past and had nothing but trouble with it. I dont think it was because it was a Jiffy, I just think it was used up from the previous owner. I learned my lesson on buying someone elses headache.

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I would look at the Jiffy ones if I were you, the chipper blades are almost indestructable and get the job done. Stay away from the plastic handles up in Ely, its too cold for them. When I went to VCC one of my freinds had a strikemaster with them and was always replacing them (for free from strikemaster). I have a old strikemaster lazer with the metal handles and it was perfect for up there, but they dont have them anymore. The problem I see for you with the lazer is that the blades need changing occasionally and they are not cheap (having gone to college up there I know there isnt much income for stuff like that). The chipper blades are the way to go if drilling a hole at light speed is not a issue.

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