Propane Augers - Thought/Opinions?

Smiity · #1 11-14-2016, 09:13 PM

Just wondering what people think of propane ice augers? Are they good, or stay away from buying one?

wags · #2 11-14-2016, 09:18 PM

There's some discussion in this thread you may find useful.

http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showthread.php?t=305099

calgarygringo · #3 11-14-2016, 09:37 PM

I am a 2x gas auger guy myself but knowing some that use propane and other things I know I would probably pass for my next one. Electric appears to be where technology is going. If you think back to when propane augers came out the big thing was no mixing fuel and less fumes etc. (Electric)!

No fumes with electric at all. There are some interesting better augers out there right now like the new Ion that will satisfy most fisherman. Half the weight bigger battery etc. Remember to keep your battery warm if real cold and you will have lots of power with no fuel mixing, oil or exhaust.

There are also a few out there that you buy just the leg and run it off your electric drill. They are only recommended for certain drill so be careful what you have. If you have the big man toy drill, use one for work or don't mind buying one check out some of the new ones. The blades for some of these go through like butter much better than the normal units. Keep the battery warm or take a backup or 2 if you want to Swiss cheese the ice and you will be good to go. Don't use one of the el cheapo hand augers they sell in most of the stores or you may be disappointed. They do sell adapters for them but the blades don't cut the same as the ones made to use with the drill systems. Unfortunately not many stores around here are bringing in the newer technology and you need to order them in if you want to get them.

The best thing is most weigh in around 15 lbs or so total weight depending on drill. Third to half the weight of gas/propane and cut just as fast. Probably going to be my next investment toy and pair it with the big Milwaukee. Some names that come to mind to start are Nils, Vexilar K Drill, Clam, StrikeMaster Lazer.

ROA · #4 11-15-2016, 12:55 AM

Lots of guys like them but i don't. A weekend spent with one in -30 was enough for me never to buy one. I'm not into lugging around a 4 stroke or having to pull one over in the cold. Also not into using a fuel that is no good in the cold on an ICE auger.

TROLLER · #5 11-15-2016, 09:52 AM

Had one too heavy for this old fisherman.

Went to a Strikemaster with the Honda, only one pound more than the ion and very easy for me to handle.

Mountain Guy · #6 11-15-2016, 06:00 PM

I'm thinking of trying one myself.
Electric?
How long is battery life? I can think of most of my cordless tools...and batteries don't last all that long. Last I looked a replacement battery for an Ion is over $200!
My thoughts are to keep the propane warm until you need it.
Chances are if its south of 30 below I'm not going fishing anyway.... and my gas Jiffy doesn't like 30 below either..

calgarygringo · #7 11-15-2016, 06:43 PM

Google search electric ice auger/video and there are lots of small videos showing and explaining the newer electric models.
https://www.google.ca/search?q=elect...+auger&tbm=vid

snowman93 · #8 11-15-2016, 10:03 PM

I have a jiffy pro4 wouldnt trade it for the world . Lots of power , easy starting , no fumes . Never had any issues starting -35

RavYak · #9 11-16-2016, 09:17 AM

One buddy has a Jiffy and another has the Eskimo and they both work pretty good.

The Jiffy I am guessing because of its one blade system will bog down in certain ice conditions I believe because it tries to bite off more then it can chew. You actually have to try and hold some of the weight up(compared to pushing down like some augers) to overcome this. With a good sharp blade it cuts pretty good most of the time and the only time I kind of wished we had a different auger was up at Lake Athabasca drilling through 3 feet of very hard ice in very cold weather but it still got the job done.

The Eskimo has a bunch more torque and is very powerful. One thing I didn't like about the Eskimo was how heavy it is and it will wear you out if you were drilling a lot of holes.

Regarding cold weather we have used the Jiffy in all sorts of nasty cold weather for example as mentioned above sub -30 up at Lake Athabasca. All it takes is a little common sense to keep your propane warm and then you are fine. When driving to the lake keep the propane in the truck not the box if it is cold out. Once on the lake keep the auger or bring the propane bottle inside the heated tent. And if say snowmobiling a long distance or just hole hopping(which sucks if that cold anyways) tuck a bottle of propane inside your jacket to keep it warm. If you get stuck with a cold bottle just fire up heater and carefully warm it up a bit.

We have never had starting issues due to oil(although maybe you would if you used some crappy non synthetic oil), it is always due to cold propane which as mentioned can be mitigated by taking the proper steps to keep it warm.

Edit: One big benefit of propane is if you drive an SUV like I do, I use a gas auger and it sucks when your tank leaks a bit and stinks up the whole car...

Electric would be nice but don't drill enough holes and always have to worry about it being charged. I would never own one without at least having one backup battery.

RavYak · #10 11-16-2016, 10:37 AM

I would say the cold weather effect on propane is pretty minimal. It doesn't really effect you until -20ish so most of the time you don't even have to worry about it and when it is that cold you usually aren't moving a whole lot anyways.

Just leave a spare bottle somewhere warm and then treat as usual and if you start having troubles swap it out no need to continuously be screwing and unscrewing the propane after each set of holes.

RavYak · #11 11-16-2016, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jet

Jiffy's generally start having issues around -10C

I am certain ours has no issues at -10, if we did then we would be having issues on most of our trips. Usually it just sits outside and 9 times out of 10 there are no problems getting it started.

Considering they are designed to run at much colder temps and each auger is individually tested to run at -29 I think your auger has something wrong with it or you are using bad propane if it is giving you issues at -10.

RavYak · #12 11-16-2016, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jet

Which model?
-29 C or F?
Tested with the cylinder cooled down -29 or just the engine at -29?

The propane jiffy is tested to -20 F (-29 C).

Right from their website.

Quote:

At what temperature will my PRO4 freeze up?
Jiffy designed a high pressure fuel delivery system exclusively for cold weather applications. The factory testing facility tests all drills down to -20 degrees Fahrenheit.

jeffrey929 · #13 11-16-2016, 09:08 PM

I have had the Jiffy Pro 4 since they first came out and have had minimal issues with starting in cold weather. Taking measures to keep the bottles warm if a real cold day... I do find that if after taking off the bottle, run the auger until it stops... It takes all of the propane out of the lines... Starts up on first or second pull every time... That being said, they're awfully heavy to lug around all day so last season I purchased an Ion

Dubious · #14 11-16-2016, 10:08 PM

I got a adapter for a cordless drill for my manual auger last season and i won't ever go back to anything else. It fits any drill and I get about 13 holes per battery with about 24 inches of ice (I use dewalt 20volt 4 amp batteries) cost about 12$ brother in law uses his around Williams lake for ice fishing in his 18 volt tools. You can also get an adapter to refill the little green propane tanks from a BBQ tank on amazon if your heart is set on propane there about 10$ ish as well. Good way to save a few bucks.

ROA · #15 11-16-2016, 11:45 PM

Lots of people are fair weather fisherman or actually like to fiddle fart around with their equipment to keep and/or get it running when out at the lake. That's totally cool I get it.
But...
I'm not into that. When I am fishing I pull the rope and go. That's it. I got more than enough **** to keep running at work (gas plants MAKING PROPANE,!&FULLY UNDERSTANDING IT) to fart with an inferior fuel at cold temps. Propane auger? No thanx I deal with enough of that **** at work. Lol.

Have fun everyone !!!!

jeffrey929 · #16 11-17-2016, 05:02 AM

I always get a kick out of the gas auger crowd and they way they turn up their noses to any alternative to gas...Neither my propane or electric have ever let me down, and that is in every temperature condition possible... My old gas auger has let me down more than once in less than ideal temperatures however

neilsledder · #17 11-17-2016, 05:51 AM

I think my next auger will be a 10" propane.

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RavYak · #18 11-17-2016, 07:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by neilsledder

I think my next auger will be a 10" propane.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Other then the weight I like the Eskimo better in the 10 inch application as it has more torque. As I mentioned before the Jiffy can try to bite off a little too much in certain ice conditions and that happens more with the 10 inch auger.

We have both an 8 and 10 inch bit for our Jiffy and the 8 inch cuts significantly better(realize a 10 inch has 50% more cutting area). One thing also annoying is that tipups work far better in 8 inch holes. The only time we use the 10 is if we go somewhere we plan on needing it(like when we went to Lake Athabasca).

neilsledder · #19 11-17-2016, 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RavYak

Other then the weight I like the Eskimo better in the 10 inch application as it has more torque. As I mentioned before the Jiffy can try to bite off a little too much in certain ice conditions and that happens more with the 10 inch auger.

We have both an 8 and 10 inch bit for our Jiffy and the 8 inch cuts significantly better(realize a 10 inch has 50% more cutting area). One thing also annoying is that tipups work far better in 8 inch holes. The only time we use the 10 is if we go somewhere we plan on needing it(like when we went to Lake Athabasca).

I got 8" now but I never thought about the tip ups in 10" hole. But it makes since. The propane augers are a bit more money to. Augers are like boats, can't have one lol

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RavYak · #20 11-17-2016, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by neilsledder

I got 8" now but I never thought about the tip ups in 10" hole. But it makes since. The propane augers are a bit more money to. Augers are like boats, can't have one lol

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Yeah I don't get why the tipup manufacturers don't make them an extra inch bigger. You can use them floating but they freeze in and if they ever locked up on a big fish might disappear from sight... I usually set a couple slats of wood underneath to hold them up.

Another reason we use the 8 inch 95% of the time is that it is a lot easier to fall in or knock something in a 10 inch hole. The bigger hole makes landing fish easier but unless they are needed(targeting 15+ lb pike/lakers) they are a pain imo.

CMichaud · #21 11-17-2016, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dubious

I got a adapter for a cordless drill for my manual auger last season and i won't ever go back to anything else. It fits any drill and I get about 13 holes per battery with about 24 inches of ice (I use dewalt 20volt 4 amp batteries) cost about 12$ brother in law uses his around Williams lake for ice fishing in his 18 volt tools. You can also get an adapter to refill the little green propane tanks from a BBQ tank on amazon if your heart is set on propane there about 10$ ish as well. Good way to save a few bucks.

Which adapter did you get? The Cabelas one is $240 bucks for the 6" model

Dubious · #22 11-17-2016, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CMichaud

Which adapter did you get? The Cabelas one is $240 bucks for the 6" model

I got the ice master adapter 2 season ago it was on amazon http://icemasteradapter.com I like the leash bit that keeps it attached to the drill the dewalt has enough torque when it stops sometimes the chuck can open and I wouldn't want to lose the auger. there is a rapla adapter on amazon for 15$ that I would try if I was going to get another and make a leash bit out of an old pale lid and a bungee cord. https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00LDYGNYY/..._10KlybC6XSFJT