Using a Drill for Hand Auger

[HunterDave]

I found an adapter that attaches to your hand auger so you can use a cordless drill to power your auger. I know that it wouldn't be as effective as a power auger but I was wondering if anyone has tried using something like this. The part is only $10 and it'd be much easier for me to pack a drill and auger blade on the skidoo so I figure that I'll give it a burst. So, does it work or am I just wasting my time?

[Tezma]

Good, Luck You might get 1 inch then died battery,

I would suggest maybe buying a bug inverter and then get a COrded drill... More toque.

If you went that route.

Wasting Valuable fishing time.

[Gust]

I found an adapter that attaches to your hand auger so you can use a cordless drill to power your auger. I know that it wouldn't be as effective as a power auger but I was wondering if anyone has tried using something like this. The part is only $10 and it'd be much easier for me to pack a drill and auger blade on the skidoo so I figure that I'll give it a burst. So, does it work or am I just wasting my time?

Does it have a torque handle attachment? A good auger has it's weight and good blades to cut through the ice. I've never tried a hand drill but somehow it seems it will make ice fishing a bit of a stuggle, what diameter auger can it turn. Maybe a good porter cable drill.

Welcome to the brightside Luke, and not to spoil it but Sundance is your Father.

[Tezma]

Welcome to the brightside Luke, and not to spoil it but Sundance is your Father.

NAHAHAHAHHAHAHA

Gus.:sHa_sarcasticlol:

[npauls]

I have a 6" hand auger that is set up to use with my drill. I used it a ton last year later in the season. I think mine cuts just as good or better then my strikemaster gas auger.

I added an 8" round piece of plywood to the auger shaft before I bolted the drill adapter on so that if the drill chuck loosens up you won't lose your auger.

I can drill about 15-18 holes through 12" of ice before one of the batteries dies. I also carry a second battery in my coat pocket as a back up. I am going to a lake that is a bit of a drive I will pack the gas auger as a back up but it is so much nicer to carry the light weight set up then a gas rig.

[horsetrader]

I use a 6" auger on an 18volt dewalt drill on early season ice i carry a couple batteries only use it up to 12 or so inches of ice. definitely great for early walk ons. the only caution is watch the auger head don't not come off and fall down the hole.

[Gust]

I have a 6" hand auger that is set up to use with my drill. I used it a ton last year later in the season. I think mine cuts just as good or better then my strikemaster gas auger.

I added an 8" round piece of plywood to the auger shaft before I bolted the drill adapter on so that if the drill chuck loosens up you won't lose your auger.

I can drill about 15-18 holes through 12" of ice before one of the batteries dies. I also carry a second battery in my coat pocket as a back up. I am going to a lake that is a bit of a drive I will pack the gas auger as a back up but it is so much nicer to carry the light weight set up then a gas rig.

ignore my post

[HunterDave]

Well, for $10 I think that I'll try it. I build decks, etc in the summer so I have spare batteries for my 18V drill. I can skidoo right to several lakes and hauling a gas powered auger around would be a PITA. A pack and a hand auger bit sounds good to me! :sHa_shakeshout:

[mikeo2]

Honestly hauling a gas auger is no more a PITA on a snowmobile than a hand auger is. We sled into lots of lakes in the winter and have never even considered taking a hand auger over a gas auger. Its very easy to rig up a rack to carry the auger on if you want to lay it in a pull behind sled. Ive seen many racks built on the back of a snowmobile to hold the auger.

[HunterDave]

If you are leaving home to fish only then hauling around a gas powered auger is no problem. If you are sledding and stop to fish then it's a PITA hauling it around. If you ever saw me drive my sled you'd know that it would severely cramp my style. :)

[hillbillyreefer]

I have a 6" hand auger that is set up to use with my drill. I used it a ton last year later in the season. I think mine cuts just as good or better then my strikemaster gas auger.

I added an 8" round piece of plywood to the auger shaft before I bolted the drill adapter on so that if the drill chuck loosens up you won't lose your auger.

I can drill about 15-18 holes through 12" of ice before one of the batteries dies. I also carry a second battery in my coat pocket as a back up. I am going to a lake that is a bit of a drive I will pack the gas auger as a back up but it is so much nicer to carry the light weight set up then a gas rig.

+1

[sureshot]

I used one last year with my 8" wot 1 1/2 holes per battery but that was when the ice was 3 feet thick.

Andy

[Daceminnow]

dave do you plan to make a trip down south before the lakes freeze over?

Dace

[doublehaul]

here is my 6 inch auger with 18V Dewalt XRP at gull lake december
I drilled about 8-10 holes on one battery

[doublehaul]

I cut the handle off of my six inch auger and welded an allen wrench on for my cordless drill to hold on. My drill is a Dewalt 18 V XRP with 1/2 inch keyless chuck. I can drill at a rate of one inch of ice per second easily , faster if I push it. The downfall will be the depth I can drill so I'll have to make an extension before long. On my first outing I drilled 22 holes with the ice thickness between 6 and 4 inches before my battery got tired. http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/image...shakeshout.gif
Here is a link, let me know if it doesn't work.


http://s921.photobucket.com/albums/ad55/tripletroll/?action=view&current=drill.mp4

[Eddy62]

I cut the handle off of my six inch auger and welded an allen wrench on for my cordless drill to hold on. My drill is a Dewalt 18 V XRP with 1/2 inch keyless chuck. I can drill at a rate of one inch of ice per second easily , faster if I push it. The downfall will be the depth I can drill so I'll have to make an extension before long. On my first outing I drilled 22 holes with the ice thickness between 6 and 4 inches before my battery got tired. http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/image...shakeshout.gif
Here is a link, let me know if it doesn't work.


http://s921.photobucket.com/albums/ad55/tripletroll/?action=view&current=drill.mp4thats awesome txs for vid i am doing that right now.....

[DarkAisling]

New Hunter Okotoks gave me one a couple of years ago. It worked very well with a 6" auger and hubby's cordless Dewalt.

If you dig through old forum posts, I believe Sundancefisher and Badback did some tests with different drills to find out what worked the best . . . think that was in 2009?

[doublehaul]

Don't forget about your drill chuck, keep it from getting wet and always remove the auger at the end if the day, even spray some WD40 inside to protect it. I'm speaking from experience it's 60$ for a new keyless chuck. Oops

[SwampShark]

It's worth 10 bucks.

I was out once last year with a friend of mine that had one. I was very skeptical but it cut two 6" holes through 2 1/2' of ice fairly easily.

I wouldn't rely on it for a long day with thick ice. It is perfect for early season ice and only a handfull of holes. Bring extra batteries and keep them warm.

I will probably pick one up this year just because it is much easier to haul onto the ice.

[DarkAisling]

Here are Sun's results:
http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showthread.php?t=29367

[HunterDave]

dave do you plan to make a trip down south before the lakes freeze over?

Dace

No Dace, it's hunting season...........bow, grouse and rifle range right now and rifle in November. Was going today but the wind is just a howling. :)

Thanks all! I'll definitely be picking up that $10 adapter!

[Daceminnow]

No Dace, it's hunting season...........bow, grouse and rifle range right now and rifle in November. Was going today but the wind is just a howling. :)

Thanks all! I'll definitely be picking up that $10 adapter!


Dave, i have an 8" jiffy power auger in my garage with your name on it. i know you've been looking, and i've been wanting to give it to someone. you need to pick-up. i have a couple of stands in 212 you could sit in for a morning or evening, and a rifle range not far from the house as well. no excuses. let me know.

Dace

[Eddy62]

I found an adapter that attaches to your hand auger so you can use a cordless drill to power your auger. I know that it wouldn't be as effective as a power auger but I was wondering if anyone has tried using something like this. The part is only $10 and it'd be much easier for me to pack a drill and auger blade on the skidoo so I figure that I'll give it a burst. So, does it work or am I just wasting my time?

hey dave can you tell me were you found that adapter pls ? was going to weld on an alien key but would like to make sure this will do the trick for me first txs or do you have a pic?

[npauls]

Canadian tire or Walmart had them when I bought mine. They are like $10 or you can get a fancy one from Bass pro or the fishin hole.

If you get the little one from Canadian tire make sure to add something below the bolt on the shaft that is larger then the hole you are cutting so that if your chuck lets loose you don't lose the auger down the hole.

[HunterDave]

I drove out to the Spruce Grove Can Tire yesterday. It showed online that they had two in stock. None were on the shelf yet and they couldn't find them in the back. :angry3:

[HunterDave]

Dave, i have an 8" jiffy power auger in my garage with your name on it. i know you've been looking, and i've been wanting to give it to someone. you need to pick-up. i have a couple of stands in 212 you could sit in for a morning or evening, and a rifle range not far from the house as well. no excuses. let me know.

Dace

That's a very generous offer Dace! PM sent. :)

Dave

[Kim473]

I drove out to the Spruce Grove Can Tire yesterday. It showed online that they had two in stock. None were on the shelf yet and they couldn't find them in the back. :angry3:

They could not have looked very hard. Probly went to the back and had a coffee then told you, can not find. LOL

[Sundancefisher]

There are different kinds of product out there.

Four problems to watch for...

1) Losing blade down the hole in their is not a safety catch of some kind

2) chuck getting stripped...always check to make sure it is tight.

3) batteries getting cold...I suspect it does damage them. Maybe a cooler with a hand warmer would help on really cold days.

4) rust...always dry off the chuck and drill

[HunterDave]

There are different kinds of product out there.

Four problems to watch for...

1) Losing blade down the hole in their is not a safety catch of some kind

2) chuck getting stripped...always check to make sure it is tight.

3) batteries getting cold...I suspect it does damage them. Maybe a cooler with a hand warmer would help on really cold days.

4) rust...always dry off the chuck and drill

The only one that really concerns me is #1 and I'm going to follow npauls' advice in post #5. Batteries in my pockets or near the sled engine will be fine. Now to track down one of those attachments. :)

[Eddy62]

dave went in to canadian tire and talked to the manager and he ordered me 2 with no probs and told me they will be there at weeks end,, they helped me out~

[HunterDave]

dave went in to canadian tire and talked to the manager and he ordered me 2 with no probs and told me they will be there at weeks end,, they helped me out~

Thanks! I checked online again today and now the Can Tire closest to me is showing them in stock. I'm going to go there tomorrow and if they can't find one I'm going to leave my phone number and ask them to call me when they get the new stock unpacked. :)

[buckmaster]

Thanks! I checked online again today and now the Can Tire closest to me is showing them in stock. I'm going to go there tomorrow and if they can't find one I'm going to leave my phone number and ask them to call me when they get the new stock unpacked. :)

walmart in clareview had some on the shelves yesterday.

[HunterDave]

walmart in clareview had some on the shelves yesterday.

Thanks buckmaster! I'd just like to get the adapter before Saturday. The hunting season starts on that day for me and it'll last until the end of November......lol!

[HunterDave]

Drill attachment for ice auger update.........

After checking Can Tire over the last month and not having them on the shelf yet, I finally picked up an attachment at Walmart. Two problems with the attachment that needed modifying. First the part that slips into the auger was slightly too large so I had to put the attachment in my drill and file it down to size......no biggy. Secondly, the hole for the pin that screws in did not line up. I just used a large cotter pin to secure the attachment to the auger and it's nice and secure. I sharpened the blades and charged the drill batteries while I was at it so I'm good to go! :sHa_shakeshout:

I just have to think about putting on that piece that npauls mentioned so I don't lose my auger down the hole. :scared:

I'm very familiar with the power of my drill and with how long the batteries last and I'm confident that this is going to work great! :)

[npauls]

Drill attachment for ice auger update.........

After checking Can Tire over the last month and not having them on the shelf yet, I finally picked up an attachment at Walmart. Two problems with the attachment that needed modifying. First the part that slips into the auger was slightly too large so I had to put the attachment in my drill and file it down to size......no biggy. Secondly, the hole for the pin that screws in did not line up. I just used a large cotter pin to secure the attachment to the auger and it's nice and secure. I sharpened the blades and charged the drill batteries while I was at it so I'm good to go! :sHa_shakeshout:

I just have to think about putting on that piece that npauls mentioned so I don't lose my auger down the hole. :scared:

I'm very familiar with the power of my drill and with how long the batteries last and I'm confident that this is going to work great! :)

You might want to keep the drill on the higher torque lower speed setting if possible. I read online that the higher speed of a drill isn't good for the blades and flite of a hand auger. It will still drill plenty fast enough if your blades are sharp. It would just suck to wreck your auger on the first outing because of something minor like that.

[HunterDave]

You might want to keep the drill on the higher torque lower speed setting if possible. I read online that the higher speed of a drill isn't good for the blades and flite of a hand auger. It will still drill plenty fast enough if your blades are sharp. It would just suck to wreck your auger on the first outing because of something minor like that.

Yeah, I figured that, thanks. My Makita has a fast and a slow speed. The fast speed is away too fast IMO.

[HunterDave]

I bought one in Walmart a few weeks ago. They also have them in Can Tire but I got tired of waiting for them to be taken from the back and put out. The one that I bought was a little big for the hole in the auger so I had to file it down a bit. Also, the hole for the pin didn't line up so I put a cotter pin in as opposed to the screw in pin that was on the auger. I tried it last week for the first time and it was really hard on my drill batteries. Two batteries on my 18v Makita for one 6" hole 1 foot thick. Someone was nice enough to finish my second hole with a power auger. So far it's not working out well for me but I'm going to charge my batteries and give it another try but I'm going to bring the top part of my hand auger with me the next time.

Did you true your blades? try changing the pitch of your blades by getting some shims under them. Were your blades grabbing or skipping?

I sharpened my blades before the season and I didn't change the pitch or anything. They grabbed very well put it's too much constant force on my drill I think. I ran into this before when I was taking a wire wheel to polish up an old aluminum boat that I was refinishing. I can screw a thousand screws with one battery but when the trigger is held down constantly it drains the battery very fast. I figure that the auger is okay but the drill battery is the problem. I might have to try a lithium one.

[Gust]

I sharpened my blades before the season and I didn't change the pitch or anything. They grabbed very well put it's too much constant force on my drill I think. I ran into this before when I was taking a wire wheel to polish up an old aluminum boat that I was refinishing. I can screw a thousand screws with one battery but when the trigger is held down constantly it drains the battery very fast. I figure that the auger is okay but the drill battery is the problem. I might have to try a lithium one.

Can you jury rig off a hotshot battery or get a little capacitor plug thingy and run a plug in drill from a car battery. Or if you could use the electric in tandem with the manual (but you'd need another person),,, urg, and the ice is getting thicker by the day and nothing worse than having to ask favors on the ice.

[HunterDave]

I'll sort something out. I don't want to rely on the help of someone else or the truck battery because I'd sooner walk in. I'm going to take the top part of the hand auger with me the next time along with the drill and spare batteries. If the batteries drain as fast the next time I'll finish the holes by hand. If I get tired of doing it that way I guess that I'll just have to break down and invest in a power auger.

[silverdoctor]

Have (had) a black and decker 18V drill, managed 2 holes on 2 batteries before I started smelling smoke. This drill can torque pretty good but just didn't cut it.

The auger kept moving around, wound up with an 8 inch hole before finally getting through but the auger itself is a 6".

Maybe I need some practice with it.

[HunterDave]

Have (had) a black and decker 18V drill, managed 2 holes on 2 batteries before I started smelling smoke. This drill can torque pretty good but just didn't cut it.

Black & Decker makes economy class tools so I'm not surprised that it started to burn out. A Dewalt might work better than my Makita because I think that it has higher torque. The battery in my Makita lasts longer drilling in screws but the Dewalt puts them in quicker. A cordless impact driver might do better than a drill.

[camshaft]

Best bet would be to get a commercial drill. Call it overkill, but really a 36v drill shud be used.

Can it be done with less, absolutely. Is your drill going to last a long time...nope

[HunterDave]

Best bet would be to get a commercial drill. Call it overkill, but really a 36v drill shud be used.

Can it be done with less, absolutely. Is your drill going to last a long time...nope

Yeah, you're right about the drill size but I'd have no other use for a 36v drill other than using it for the auger. Price wise, I'd probably be better off buying a gas powered auger.

[camshaft]

agreed. Im sure a 36v dewalt is north of 5 bills these days

[lund17]

I have been thinking about this idea for awhile and went ahead with it this weekend. Bought the cheapest auger i could find, a 8" Eskimo Hand Ice Auger. Went down to work and the machine shop made a 18" extension, I made sure to keep a shoulder on the shaft. Milled the end to fit in my 1/2" drive 18V cordless drill. Got a 10" piece of flat bar and drilled a hole in the middle. I put the flat bar on the shaft which will butt up against the shoulder of the extension than insert the extension into the auger. I did this to ensure if the extension falls out of the drill, I won't loose everything down the hole. I drilled 16 holes through 15" of ice at Calling Lake this weekend before the battery died. This will work slick when I need to drill inside of my ice hut. Only one problem, my dad was with me and he wants the same thing now.

[HunterDave]

I drilled 16 holes through 15" of ice at Calling Lake this weekend before the battery died.

What kind/power of drill and battery?

[Jiffy10]

St. Albert Can Tire had two on the shelf on friday night...

just an FYI

[Sundancefisher]

Does it have a torque handle attachment? A good auger has it's weight and good blades to cut through the ice. I've never tried a hand drill but somehow it seems it will make ice fishing a bit of a stuggle, what diameter auger can it turn. Maybe a good porter cable drill.

Welcome to the brightside Luke, and not to spoil it but Sundance is your Father.

ROTFLMAO...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULE4I1j0hv0

Welcome home son.

Make sure what ever you use has a way to stop your blade from going to the bottom...it will come off once in a while...

[lund17]

What kind/power of drill and battery?

i have a makita 1/2" drive 18 volt drill.

[HunterDave]

i have a makita 1/2" drive 18 volt drill.

Do you have a lithium battery or the regular red coloured one? I'm thinking lithium.

[trouty]

make sure you have the right kind of auger for the adapter. The one I bought will not work for a normark.

[HunterDave]

make sure you have the right kind of auger for the adapter. The one I bought will not work for a normark.

I had the same problem. I put the adapter in the drill chuck, turned it on and took a file to it until it fit the auger hole. My next problem was lining up the holes in the auger and the adapter for the pin. I couldn't get it to happen so I just put a cotter pin in the hole instead of the original 1/4" threaded pin. It worked like a charm. Redneck ice fishing! :)

[lund17]

Here is a picture of my drill and ice auger. I have noticed that battery life goes way down on cold days. I can only could get 8 holes out of a battery on sunday morning when it was -20 at calling lake.

44933

[Sundancefisher]

bought 3

http://www.basspro.com/Ice-Master-Ice-Auger-Conversion-Kit/product/102242/51457?cmCat=CROSSSELL_PRODUCT

direct from the supplier.

I found my old one was stripping pretty badly after a couple seasons. My best guess as to why is because I have a 1/2 18 V drill...and my old one was a 3/8 inch. The new ones I bought are all 1/2 inch and I did not feel the same slippage issues.

Therefore for anyone going this route...buy a 1/2 connector...not the 3/8 to go with a 1/2 18 or 24 V drill.

Just a thought

Sun

Please note I was careful to tighten regularly...but getting jammed in the hole can torque it lose.

Also go to Canadian Tire and buy the smallest bungie cord you can buy. The one it comes with is bad.