Quick thoughts on 8”vs10” electric auger?

[Kokaneeranger]

Just wondering what your thoughts are on 10” electric augers. Has anyone had any bad luck with either the Ion or Strikemaster 10”? How is the speed of cutting and battery life? I know this has been beat up a little bit already but I’d like to pull the pin on one and am curious. Thanks

[mlee]

I've got 3 years on my 10" strikemaster.....it'll out drill any 8" gas auger I've ever seen. So far no signs of battery decay....I've yet to burn through 1 battery in a day and I've had 40+ hole days through 30+" inches of ice. Still cuts as good as day 1 and I'm not the most careful or considerate when it come to my gear.
I'd never in 100 years go back to a gas auger.

[SamSteele]

Like mlee, I've had my SM 40V 8" auger for a little over 3 years and it has been flawless. I did help StringTheory out with his 10" auger when he first got it as it didn't seem to cut right. We swapped flites to determine if it was the motor or the fliting and it was his flite. He had it replaced and I don't think he's had any issues since.

One thing to note is that the volume of ice cut with a 10" auger is significantly higher than for an 8" so battery life is effected no matter what brand you buy.

I wouldn't hesitate to buy another SM electric auger. Everyone I have recommended it to that got one has loved it as well.

No experience with the ION.

SS

[AlbertanGP]

I have two ION G2's, the 8" and the 10". The 10" goes out 90% of the time, and the other 10% I wish I had brought the 10". :sHa_sarcasticlol:

Seriously though, the 8" has it's uses. If you truly run and gun on the ice where you drill 100+ holes in a day, the 8" is just more efficient...it cuts faster and uses less battery. You will run into problems with the 10" long before the 8" if you cut enough holes. But if I could only have one, it would be a 10" all the way.

I have a little project planned that involves a K-Drill or Pistol Bit, and it may make the 8" obsolete for me. Stay tuned. lol.

[Penner]

10" you won't look back.

[AlbertanGP]

One thing to note is that the volume of ice cut with a 10" auger is significantly higher than for an 8" so battery life is effected no matter what brand you buy.

SS

FYI a 10" hole is 156% the size of an 8" hole, which isn't particularly intuitive if you don't like pie (see what I did there?) ;)

[honker_clonker]

I run the 8" 40V with 3 batteries. It is certainly efficient if you have sharp blades and keep the area around the blades free of ice accumulation. Last season I was killing 2 batteries in March fairly regularly because I drill a lot of holes, hoping 3 should be the sweet spot.

[Kokaneeranger]

Thanks guys, having a second battery was tempting option but I chose the 10” Strikemaster rather than the ion G2. Tough decision but done now, can’t wait for it to arrive from the Fishn Hole. I have a Nils auger to think about selling now, the thing has been razor sharp and tough as nails for the last 3 years.

[SamSteele]

Thanks guys, having a second battery was tempting option but I chose the 10” Strikemaster rather than the ion G2. Tough decision but done now, can’t wait for it to arrive from the Fishn Hole. I have a Nils auger to think about selling now, the thing has been razor sharp and tough as nails for the last 3 years.

I think you will very happy with your choice. You can occasionally find the 40V SM batteries on sale around Boxing Day. Not sure if that will be the case these days with the shortages of everything, but with a 10" auger you may want to have one for late season when the ice is thick if you hole hop or run and gun.

SS

[Kokaneeranger]

Thanks again Sam, an extra battery and maybe extension will next on the list. Thanks for your input, tight lines.

[Speckle55]

got one of these for the family

Jiffy https://www.cabelas.ca/product/141166/jiffy-e6-lightning-electric-ice-auger

the gas made 30 years

8" works for me .. if i need i will put 2 hole's

40v as i do few holes but could do more

at 24#

650$ on sale

David :)

[JohninAB]

I have the 24V Strikemaster. Watching a video on it the other day and the guy in the video said the Greenworks 24V Lithium Ion battery on Amazon is identical except for one little notch you need to make for it to work. $80 for the battery, half the price of the SM.

Might be worth a shot to see if Greenworks 40V battery is compatible with the SM.

[Willowtrail]

I'm going with both this year to get a true answer once we get 30" of ice.

I'll be running the 8" Jiffy Torch in my Dewalt drill for the early ice then have a 10" Jiffy Rogue on order. Both are now Right Hand Clockwise rotation and the flights are interchangeable so I will be able to use a 10" and 8" on the same Rogue powerhead.

Both are brand new this year.

I use 10" for Lake Trout and 8" for Walleye. Maybe next year I'll add the 6" flight and have one of each for all purposes.

[SamSteele]

I have the 24V Strikemaster. Watching a video on it the other day and the guy in the video said the Greenworks 24V Lithium Ion battery on Amazon is identical except for one little notch you need to make for it to work. $80 for the battery, half the price of the SM.

Might be worth a shot to see if Greenworks 40V battery is compatible with the SM.


I have the Greenworks 40V hedge trimmer and a SM 40V auger. The batteries look the same but the contacts are different. I can confirm that they are NOT interchangeable.

SS

[TROLLER]

I also have the 24 volt Strikemaster. Never once all last season did I need a spare battery.

Usually I will drill anywhere from 10 to 14 holes but did have a few perch days last winter that I drilled 25 but never had an issue. Not sure i will buy a spare just yet, maybe if the current battery shows signs of weakness.

[sns2]

Fellas, I have fished with guys who run Ions and guys who run Strikemaster. All are happy happy.

I went the other direction and picked up a Milwaukee M18 Fuel drill with two 5-AH batteries, and an Eskimo Pistol Bit flite.

I hummed and hawed, but the added versatility of the drill swung me in that direction. Glad I did, as I was able to pick up a used Milwaukee Sawz-All for splitting big game animals, and I used a spade bit for drilling holes in ground to put willows around our a-frame blind in goose season.

Have a great season on the hardwater, fellas!

[AlbertanGP]

I think the cordless drill route has a lot of advantages. I'm trying to find a 6" Eskimo Pistol Bit to try out with my 1300in/lb Rigid hammer drill. I almost bought the Jiffy Torch today, but the Pistol Bit is the lightest so I'm holding out.

The only thing that worries me with these high torque drills is the blades grabbing and messing up my wrists. I guess that just comes down to the right setting on the drill. But I'm the type to always turn things up a notch.

[sns2]

I think the cordless drill route has a lot of advantages. I'm trying to find a 6" Eskimo Pistol Bit to try out with my 1300in/lb Rigid hammer drill. I almost bought the Jiffy Torch today, but the Pistol Bit is the lightest so I'm holding out.

The only thing that worries me with these high torque drills is the blades grabbing and messing up my wrists. I guess that just comes down to the right setting on the drill. But I'm the type to always turn things up a notch.

Part of me wonders if I should be getting a Clam Plate. I have a torn rotator cuff that hurts like hell already. Don’t wanna torque it right off.

[AlbertanGP]

I know your supposed to use these drills on a slower setting. I presume it's to avoid this very problem. Maybe someone that has used these setups can chime in?

[Brodhead]

Stirkemaster 8" liteflite user here. I run it on a Milwaukee hammer drill that I already owned. I've been blown away by that little set up every time I've used it for the past two seasons. The only time I don't use it is once the ice is 3 ft thick and I need my 10 in for big Lakers.

The torque hasn't been an issue and I run it in low speed with just the handle that comes with the drill. I haven't found any need for the clam plate as it's never come loose or Torqued my wrist

Sent from my SM-G950W using Tapatalk

[Drewski Canuck]

A 10 inch auger bit will only help you out if occasionally you hook a 15+ Pd Pike, a 10+ Pd Walleye, or an 8+ Pd Ling.

Now I remember why my 8 inch only goes on perch hunts! And even then sometimes you do hook something big in the deep water that makes you wish you had brought out the 10 inch auger.

But that's Calling Lake for you.

Drewski

[Outbound]

The 10" Ion was something $50 more than the 8" when I bought mine. More bigger more better I figured.

[calgarygringo]

Just do the math on the size of the whole as far as sq inches of ice being cut for any of the auger sizes. 3.14 x Diameter will get you close. Quite a difference from 8 to 10 inches. If you are going for small trout, perch etc. a 6
inch may even be a better choice. I know in some places guys have 2 sizes. The smaller sizes are lighter, cut much faster and battery will last much longer.

[AlbertanGP]

Just do the math on the size of the whole as far as sq inches of ice being cut for any of the auger sizes. 3.14 x Diameter will get you close. Quite a difference from 8 to 10 inches.

See Post #6 above. ;)

If you are going for small trout, perch etc. a 6 inch may even be a better choice. I know in some places guys have 2 sizes. The smaller sizes are lighter, cut much faster and battery will last much longer.

I agree. I think the ideal is a 10" and a 6", making an 8" a good compromise. I can't wait to either a) see some feedback on the new Jiffy Torch bit or b) get my hands on a 6" Eskimo Pistol Bit. Until then I'm slumming it. :bad_boys_20:

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-Qcfc2Td/0/a425d5a8/X3/i-Qcfc2Td-X3.jpg