Homemade electric ice auger.
 

I’ve just been getting into ice fishing a little bit the last few years. I’d gone with neighbours before and I’m not sure how much I’m into it, I find it a lot more boring than regular fishing.

Not wanting to invest a ton of money on equipment if I’m not going to fish a lot I farmer rigged this electric auger setup.

I found an old Mora hand auger in my barn when I moved here 8 years ago. It had a bit of a goofy bend in it that made it almost impossible to use since by the time you drilled through 3’ of ice your 8” hole would be about 14” in diameter at the top from the wobble it had in the hole.

So I cut it off just above the flighting and used this electric motor setup from an old retired neighbour. It had a small earth auger on it that I have used to drill “pilot holes” when pounding fence posts in tough conditions or starting big corral posts.

I welded a piece of black pipe to the end of the auger flighting, it was old scrap natural gas pipe I believe. Then I welded a bushing made from a large bolt and drilled a hole through it for a 1/4” bolt to hold in the drive end of the electric motor. I’m not sure what you call the motor setup exactly, it’s likely 50 years old or so, it utilizes a large 12V starter motor and solenoid setup. It has immense power and will drill through 3’ of ice in a matter of seconds. I connect it to the truck battery for unlimited numbers of holes if the ice conditions warrant driving on. If not driving on I just take a 12V battery with me with my gear in the calf sled and I’ve never come close to running it flat in an outing.

Works great!

No gas to mix, no engine to start and the best part was it was all absolutely free except I did buy myself a set of replacement blades. $25 on sale at Walmart.

If the ladies don't find ya handsome......Red Green.

Looks like you had some fun building something you can use. Like button pressed.

:sHa_sarcasticlol:


Yeah pretty much, but no duct tape utilized in this project.

That's a cool home build. Nice work!

Awesome if it works why not...Dragons Den here you come !! haha

Home made ice drill
 

Neccessity is the mother of invention. In this case cost neccessitated the invention--Good job.

That reminds me a buddy made an electric boat motor back in the early 1980's. He mounted a starter motor on top of a outboard motor leg.

BW

Great build. Reminds me of what my dad would have done in his day

That is a great build!

Thanks.

It's always fun to re-purpose stuff into something more useful or more fun. This little project only took an hour or two and a bit of scrap. But it is mind blowing how well it works to me atleast.

The light tubing that the hand auger flighting is made from is like soft cheese, so be very careful arc welding it if you are ever doing a similar project, but it can be done with a little patience. I'm sure MIG or TIG would be a lot easier but farmers have stick welders generally.

I'll try to get a video of it cutting some holes, blows my mind how well it works, almost for free! lol

Quite the rig..

Quite the setup haha! If it gets ya out then whatever lol. I bet it also works a ton better than the crappy little chuck for your drill, seen them and they are garbage haha. I understand though, this time of year especially, hand drilling a hole really sucks!