# Power drill ice auger, how do you like it?



## Rooster_Smasher

Use to have a jiffy legend. 
No more mixed fuel. No more choking the jiffy. Heavy etc...
I had a 8" Nils hand auger as a back up for years.

Put the drill adapter with a plate on it. Needed a new drill gun so I grab a Milwaukee fuel.

Whoa nellie. 9 to 10 inches of ice on a local inland lake is now Swiss cheese. I was hole hopping all over the lake. Not one fish though.


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## 7mmsendero

Duck-Hunter said:


> Absolutely love mine. This is my third season with this setup. I sold my gas auger when I picked this up and haven't looked back.
> 
> I agree that the Clam plate is pointless. It give you the handle of a gas auger. It's like throwing $50+ to the wind. Most of these drills come with a handle.
> 
> View attachment 290119


I think it depends on the quality of your drill handle. In my case my drill handle stripped off, it attached like a clamp. One other benefit of the plate is you can sit your drill on the ice without concerns. I picked mine up for $30 on sale, it’s not bad.

Probably if I didn’t walk it wouldn’t matter. If I had a sled or quad, then I’d probably pack heavier and just get an Ion.


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## y2ba

William H Bonney said:


> Will that battery start up your truck if it dies? :lol:
> That thing is huge!



Lol, it just might! That runs my circ saw and table saw at work. One of the perks of working in the trades....i don’t pay for my tools! One of the reasons i went with a kdrill instead of a strike master electric.


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## Cohojoe

Ridgid hammer drill + adapter + lazer auger= $275.00. Lifetime warranty and with the 4-a/h batteries have yet to completely drain a battery. Have drilled over 40 holes in 6" of ice and still had some charge left. Drills are the quietest,fastest and lightest setups around. Also, unless you have medical issues or just the extra money the clam plate is kinda unnecessary. For me it's just added weight extra crap I have to carry around while on the search for perch.


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## William H Bonney

y2ba said:


> View attachment 290158
> 
> 
> Just rigged this up this year, couldn’t be happier. Added a frisbee because i don’t trust the k-drill float, I’ve already retrieved a auger from the lake. Got the kdrill 8” shipped for 220$. It eats ice. We’ll see how it holds up.


Have you happened to test out the buoyancy of the float on that K-Drill ?


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## Deer_Hunter1

dafuzz89 said:


> Out on the ice today. Ice is 6" to 8" thick. I see a lot of guys using the drill auger set up. If you have one let me know what you think, how much was it and what brand


I use an 18volt Makita on a 5" lazer auger. Works awesome. The only way to go


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## Jimbos

Duck-Hunter said:


> Absolutely love mine. This is my third season with this setup. I sold my gas auger when I picked this up and haven't looked back.
> 
> I agree that the Clam plate is pointless. It give you the handle of a gas auger. It's like throwing $50+ to the wind. Most of these drills come with a handle.
> 
> View attachment 290119


I have the exact same setup and 5 second holes are a beautiful thing...


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## Stand By

Milwaukee with clam and 8" auger. Goes through like butter. If you need big holes, even with the smaller auger, just make clover holes. The plate also helps if it wants to bit in the last couple turns at all and for flushing the holes out. First year was a couple years ago when we had the bid ice. Almost needed an extension. I think with the added control of the plate, you get less fatigue when drilling a lot of holes with thick ice.


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## y2ba

William H Bonney said:


> Have you happened to test out the buoyancy of the float on that K-Drill ?


I haven’t, but I’ve read mixed results. Mostly on older ones...but i didn’t want to take a chance...so i put a frisbee above the float. I did mean to test it, but it’s been so dang cold, i wasn’t in any hurry to go outside the shanty.


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## Herefishyfishy01

$99 on Amazon with charger, 2 batteries and case.
Sure seems like this would get the job done. I was looking at the Fuel but its priced at almost $300.

Thoughts?










Roll over image to zoom in

DEWALT
*DEWALT DCD777C2 20V Max Lithium-Ion Brushless Compact Drill Driver*
2,847 customer reviews

| 616 answered questions


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## Pier2pier

When I'm drilling the holes, I use the Kovac II IceMaster for my strikemaster augers (8 and 6 inch). Make sure you get a good drill and batteries. I started with a craftsman 19.2v drill with old batteries and I could only get a couple holes. I bought a factory rebuilt RIGID 18 volt for cheaper than replacing the craftsman's batteries as I figured I wouldn't mind losing it to the elements. I blew out the clutch on the 1st hole I tried to drill (there was like 18 + inches of ice). Oh well - guess I planned out my failure perfectly.

These days I let my son most of the holes by hand.. He seems to like it and it's a good workout for a young buck. I do keep the drill with me though (back to the craftsman with new batteries). I also like to use the drill for the shanty stakes as predrilling helps get a good anchor.

Anyway, Kovac's site has a lot of info. I remember that I sent an email and received a phone call based on my initial questions. 

http://icemasteradapter.com/

They have a recommendation page for best results.
http://icemasteradapter.com/recommendations/


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## Stand By

Does that have a hammer selection. One of the reasons for the milwuakee was for the heavy duty gearing fo hammer mode.


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## y2ba

Herefishyfishy01 said:


> $99 on Amazon with charger, 2 batteries and case.
> Sure seems like this would get the job done. I was looking at the Fuel but its priced at almost $300.
> 
> Thoughts?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Roll over image to zoom in
> 
> DEWALT
> *DEWALT DCD777C2 20V Max Lithium-Ion Brushless Compact Drill Driver*
> 2,847 customer reviews
> 
> | 616 answered
> 
> Just to give comparison, Dewalt uses UWO as opposed to torque, like most other companies. There’s an equation somewhere to figure out the torque vs UWO. The 996 is the largest hammer drill they make. Specs at 820 UWO. That compact drill is 340. I’ve heard the hammer drills are built differently inside the gears, but have found no proof to that. Personally, I’d pass on a compact. What size auger do you plan on using?


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## y2ba




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## ajkulish

Stand By said:


> Does that have a hammer selection. One of the reasons for the milwuakee was for the heavy duty gearing fo hammer mode.


You do not want to use the hammer setting. People use hammer drills because they typically have metal gears to withstand the impact that goes along with using the hammer function. The hammer function does not offer any upside, if anything just noisier. 

The above dewalt drill is a fantastic drill.


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## stevieblunder

The clam plate is a waste of money. It's just more stuff to haul. Totally unnecessary. As far as the drill I use a Makita 18v LST.


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## Ranger Ray

Not sure why guys even use the side handle. The K Drill cuts like butter.


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## jstanley9798

ajkulish said:


> You do not want to use the hammer setting. People use hammer drills because they typically have metal gears to withstand the impact that goes along with using the hammer function. The hammer function does not offer any upside, if anything just noisier.
> 
> The above dewalt drill is a fantastic drill.


That DeWalt drill is a fantastic drill for building decks. When I first bought my 6” NILS. I used that drill. Because it was what I already had at home. Just about burned it up. Also, it only has 2AH batteries. I switched to the Ridgid hammer drill with 4AH batteries and will never kill the batteries in a FULL day of fishing. Again, the hammer mode is NOT used. You just benefit from the higher torque. You do want at a minimum 4AH batteries. This info is geared if you plan to do alot of moving.


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## piperjrc

Clam plate with Home Depot Ridgid hammer drill on drill setting( more torque )cuts like butter and the drill and battery warranty for life


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## ajkulish

jstanley9798 said:


> That DeWalt drill is a fantastic drill for building decks. When I first bought my 6” NILS. I used that drill. Because it was what I already had at home. Just about burned it up. Also, it only has 2AH batteries. I switched to the Ridgid hammer drill with 4AH batteries and will never kill the batteries in a FULL day of fishing. Again, the hammer mode is NOT used. You just benefit from the higher torque. You do want at a minimum 4AH batteries. This info is geared if you plan to do alot of moving.


Ah OK. I speculated, because I had that drill for a while and it was the only one I could never stop. But thinking back I might have had a larger battery as well, they were always hooking us up. (worked at company that owns Dewalt) I never got to use the hammer version


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## BFG

Used my Ridgid/k-drill combo with 4ah battery for the first time last weekend. 8" auger through 10-12" of ice in about 12 seconds. Drilled 7 holes. Got home 5 hours later and was only down 1 bar on the charger. 

The Ridgid barely meets the specs for inch pounds of torque recommended. The Fuel is waaay beyond what is recommended. For no more than I ice fish, the Ridgid will do the job for me just fine. I believe I got the drill/impact combo plus two 4ah batteries a couple years ago for like $185. 

I carry the combo around at the chuck on the drill. Can't see how that could possibly be doing any harm. There is nothing in the literature provided by k-drill that suggests carrying the combo around by the composite flights could potentially damage the drill. 

As mentioned above, get the $15.00 clam adapter for the ice anchors. Talk about making a PITA job easy...wow.


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## shrek527

Herefishyfishy01 said:


> $99 on Amazon with charger, 2 batteries and case.
> Sure seems like this would get the job done. I was looking at the Fuel but its priced at almost $300.
> 
> Thoughts?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Roll over image to zoom in
> 
> DEWALT
> *DEWALT DCD777C2 20V Max Lithium-Ion Brushless Compact Drill Driver*
> 2,847 customer reviews
> 
> | 616 answered questions



I say spend the money and get the fuel. First year we tried the drill/auger combo, we went with the dewalt drill and burned it out real quick. Second time on the ice and it was toast. Less then a 50 holes. I don’t remember the specs on the drill we bought, but it turned me away from dewalt, especially for being used as an auger. Get the fuel and you won’t be disappointed.


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## Duck-Hunter

When it comes to a drill for augers. Hammer drills are prefered because of their metal gears, torque they put out. That $99 Dewalt drill will more than likely fail fairly quick. It didn't specify torque and the size of batteries it comes with. Judging by the price it would come with 2ah batteries which won't last long either. 

I burned up a Milwaukee fuel. This would've been it's 3rd season on the ice. I bought it used, Im guessing I punched 6,000 holes with it and used it year round around the house. I got my $80 out of it, I didn't feel the slightest bit let down. It's still usable, just overheats after 5-8 holes in a row. Going to send it in for a rebuild and use it as a back up.

Picked up a new one from Joe(number I posted a couple pages back). Back to non stop shredding ice!


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## shrek527

Duck-Hunter said:


> When it comes to a drill for augers. Hammer drills are prefered because of their metal gears, torque they put out. That $99 Dewalt drill will more than likely fail fairly quick. It didn't specify torque and the size of batteries it comes with. Judging by the price it would come with 2ah batteries which won't last long either.
> 
> I burned up a Milwaukee fuel. This would've been it's 3rd season on the ice. I bought it used, Im guessing I punched 6,000 holes with it and used it year round around the house. I got my $80 out of it, I didn't feel the slightest bit let down. It's still usable, just overheats after 5-8 holes in a row. Going to send it in for a rebuild and use it as a back up.
> 
> Picked up a new one from Joe(number I posted a couple pages back). Back to non stop shredding ice!


Agree with everything duck hunter said. When we tried the drill / auger combo the first time, and made our purchases, we didn’t have the info we have now about needing hammer drills for the torque and upgraded internals.


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## mkroulik

Is this the Milwaukee setup that everyone likes?

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Milwauk...-Hammer-Drill-Driver-XC-Kit-2704-22/206211755

Mike


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## Ranger Ray

Yes, but I got it for over a 100 less.


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## mkroulik

Where did you get it so cheap?


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## William H Bonney

If the Ridgid's I have ever die, I'll probably try out the Milwaukee. 

Honestly, I'd like to see what you guys do to these drills to burn 'em out?? 
I have 2 Ridgid's, one is nearly 20 years old, the other is 10, and I beat the PISS outta these things, breakfast, lunch & dinner and they still work like the day I bought 'em.


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## mkroulik

I have a Ridgid but it seems to struggle with the 8” auger even with new blades. Thought I would try the Milwaukee. 

Mike


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## Ranger Ray

Not sure if this is the same place I got mine from. $10 more then I paid, but good deal.

https://www.ebay.com/p/Milwaukee-M1...Driver-Kit-2704-22/901256065?iid=282807242969


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## The Rev.

Just bought the Ridgid combo advertised in this thread on Saturday and will be running it this weekend. Best part was the deal included an offer of another free tool so I grabbed another sawzall just cause.


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## mkroulik

Ranger Ray said:


> Not sure if this is the same place I got mine from. $10 more then I paid, but good deal.
> 
> https://www.ebay.com/p/Milwaukee-M1...Driver-Kit-2704-22/901256065?iid=282807242969


Does that deal include 2 of the 5.0 Amh batteries?

Mike


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## Jimbos

mkroulik said:


> Does that deal include 2 of the 5.0 Amh batteries?
> 
> Mike


$175 bucks on eBay.


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## Ranger Ray

2704-22 is the 2 battery and charger.


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## U.P Dreamin'

Milwaukee M18 Brushless with 5" Lazer.

Running 5ah batteries, I drilled 43 holes through 6" of ice this weekend and still had half a charge left on my first battery. I have 3 of them.


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## BFG

I messed up on my first hole on Sunday, pushed down too much and stopped my Ridgid. Counted to about 10...good to go again. Gotta keep the shavings outta the hole and all will be fine. So far so good. Like I said...the deal was too good to pass up. If I burn one up, I’ll get a replacement on warranty.


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## Shoemeister

Milwaukee M18 Brushless with Nils 6" Trekker... 

I have the ability to go really lightweight with the shortened auger, full length, or back to old handle and auger (manual auger, no power). Handle option is nice in the event you can somehow burn thru 1 or even 2 5Ah batteries! I find I leave the drill home in thinner ice anyways. 



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## tcfishes

does the milwaukee fuel run an 8" mora just fine? if not, can anyone point me towards a 6" mora that is in stock? I've been hoping that I would find someone to trade my 8 for their 6 with, but I haven't gotten any responses


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## Whitetail Freak

tcfishes said:


> does the milwaukee fuel run an 8" mora just fine? if not, can anyone point me towards a 6" mora that is in stock? I've been hoping that I would find someone to trade my 8 for their 6 with, but I haven't gotten any responses


Yes it does.


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## UNCLE AL

I need a drill/auger combo as my jiffy is getting heavier every year, are the mora augers you guys are using the newer ones, or can an older one be used, I like 8in holes like the jiffy punches. I'm leaning towards a milwaukee hammer drill to drive it. thanks


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## Burksee

I have this one, no cumbersome disc or frisbee to deal with. Another suggestion to make it more bullet proof is to use a bolt in place of the wing nut on your auger. Get a bolt just long enough to allow it to stick thru long to put a nylon lock nut on the end of it.


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## msfcarp

Here is my two cents. I love the cordless drill/auger setup. I mostly fish Saginaw bay and use an 8” auger.

Last year I set up a Milwaukee 2604 w/clam plate and an 8” mora. Did not use it a whole lot due to poor ice conditions but what I saw I liked. This year it has gotten extensive use, it is great.

I also bought an 8” K-drill and coupled that with a Milwaukee 2704 (1100 inch lbs). I think the drilling speed is about the same as the Mora but it seems to work the drill more, I think the cutters take a more aggressive bite. I wanted the K-drill for the ease of sharpening yourself. The Mora blades are difficult to sharpen as some of you know. I give the nod to the Mora setup.

And yes, you don’t need the clam plate but I leave my setup all assembled and bungee it to my quad for miles of travel on the ice, and the bolted connection to the auger is nice as well although I don’t foresee the chuck loosening on the drill to really be an issue. I am running the K-drill straight to the drill itself.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## William H Bonney

AdamBradley said:


> No ridgid bashing here from me at allllll! When this whole thing starting coming around whatever it was 5 or so seasons ago, I picked up the 18v ridgid hammer (yes use it in drill mode, low speed).


I've been running this set-up for over 15 years. When I went to the machine/tool shop to inquire about it, the old-timer just chuckled and said, "son, we've been running these rigs for _*years*_".


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## Sturat

Burksee said:


> I have this one, no cumbersome disc or frisbee to deal with. Another suggestion to make it more bullet proof is to use a bolt in place of the wing nut on your auger. Get a bolt just long enough to allow it to stick thru long to put a nylon lock nut on the end of it.
> 
> View attachment 292715


I just ordered one of these, seems somple and effective. Have you had any issues with it? I also like the idea of not having a disc or anything spinning around with the auger that could get caught on something. I also like that it claims to work with a threaded auger and it was available locally at Franks.


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## just afew

msfcarp said:


> Here is my two cents. I love the cordless drill/auger setup. I mostly fish Saginaw bay and use an 8” auger.
> 
> Last year I set up a Milwaukee 2604 w/clam plate and an 8” mora. Did not use it a whole lot due to poor ice conditions but what I saw I liked. This year it has gotten extensive use, it is great.
> 
> I also bought an 8” K-drill and coupled that with a Milwaukee 2704 (1100 inch lbs). I think the drilling speed is about the same as the Mora but it seems to work the drill more, I think the cutters take a more aggressive bite. I wanted the K-drill for the ease of sharpening yourself. The Mora blades are difficult to sharpen as some of you know. I give the nod to the Mora setup.
> 
> And yes, you don’t need the clam plate but I leave my setup all assembled and bungee it to my quad for miles of travel on the ice, and the bolted connection to the auger is nice as well although I don’t foresee the chuck loosening on the drill to really be an issue. I am running the K-drill straight to the drill itself.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Do you get the same amount of holes with the k drill?


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## msfcarp

just afew said:


> Do you get the same amount of holes with the k drill?


Haven’t really ran a side by side comparison, I would guess not because you can feel the drill working harder with the K-Drill.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## y2ba

I put my Dewalt/kdrill to the test this weekend. I’ve used it plenty, and it works great. This weekend i had 4 other guys with me on the bay and i drilled all the holes. I’ve been carrying 2 6ah 20/60 volt max batteries, and a 5ah. I cut 30 holes with the 5ah and a 8” kdrill in 14-16” of ice. It’s light, cuts fast and no gas to mix...couldn’t be happier. I’m confident in it now to only carry 2 batteries and leave the gasser at home. Only downfall I’ve run into is it won’t fit in my digger rack. Gonna fab something up quick here with a set of rhino grips. Not a fan of bungees holding expensive gear.


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## just afew

msfcarp said:


> Haven’t really ran a side by side comparison, I would guess not because you can feel the drill working harder with the K-Drill.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


Do you like the mora set up better? I am at the point of switching to a drill set up but don't know if the k drill is the way I want to go. I have been watching it for years but i guess it has not fully convinced me, not enough to spend the money on it yet.


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## Burksee

Sturat said:


> I just ordered one of these, seems somple and effective. Have you had any issues with it? I also like the idea of not having a disc or anything spinning around with the auger that could get caught on something. I also like that it claims to work with a threaded auger and it was available locally at Franks.


I've used others that my buddies have is what sold me on it and got mine from Frank's. I've only drilled a couple dozen holes with my rig but so far so good!


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## y2ba

The ice master worked great for me. Just pay attention to the bungee. Mine broke and my auger ended up on the bottom. Managed to fish it out with a magnet....then bought a clam plate the next day.


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## msfcarp

just afew said:


> Do you like the mora set up better? I am at the point of switching to a drill set up but don't know if the k drill is the way I want to go. I have been watching it for years but i guess it has not fully convinced me, not enough to spend the money on it yet.


Not sure if I “like” the Mora set up better, they really are pretty equal as far as drilling. The Mora seems to be easier on the drill than the K-drill, I wanted the K-drill because imo the Mora blades dull easily, and are hard to sharpen yourself. 

Kind of nitpicking, their both great setups and I don’t foresee ever firing up my Jiffy ever again.


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## woodie slayer

who has the best price on a kdrill?


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## y2ba

I found my 8” for 219$ free shipping...Glensoutdoors.com. I had it in 3 days


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## msfcarp

y2ba said:


> I found my 8” for 219$ free shipping...Glensoutdoors.com. I had it in 3 days


I believe I paid $219 at Franks, the price had dropped $20 in the couple weeks I was looking to buy. It was the last 8” on the floor at the time.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## msfcarp

msfcarp said:


> I believe I paid $219 at Franks, the price had dropped $20 in the couple weeks I was looking to buy. It was the last 8” on the floor at the time.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Correction, I paid $239 at Franks.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## y2ba

Looks like that’s what Glens is asking now too. Keep your eyes peeled. Someone will be running a sale soon


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## Bfalko

My buddy got a new Kdrill/Milwaukee 18v fuel set-up and is having a slight issue. Cutting holes in 11" of ice last weekend. About 3/4 through on each hole the drill stops. Release the trigger and start again and it continues through. This is with a fresh battery and from the first hole to the last. Anyone else experience this? Why might this be happening?


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## Bfalko

My buddy got a new Kdrill/Milwaukee 18v fuel set-up and is having a slight issue. Cutting holes in 11" of ice last weekend. About 3/4 through on each hole the drill stops. Release the trigger and start again and it continues through. This is with a fresh battery and from the first hole to the last. Anyone else experience this? Why might this be happening?


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## y2ba

Make sure he has it in drill mode and on the low setting. Other than that I’m no help. I think theses newer drills have a shutoff when they get too hot. Which model fuel does he have? That’s a lot of auger for a compact drill


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## Fishsmith85

Bfalko said:


> My buddy got a new Kdrill/Milwaukee 18v fuel set-up and is having a slight issue. Cutting holes in 11" of ice last weekend. About 3/4 through on each hole the drill stops. Release the trigger and start again and it continues through. This is with a fresh battery and from the first hole to the last. Anyone else experience this? Why might this be happening?


You’ll want to clear the slush from the hole when drilling through thick ice. That slush creates a lot of resistance so just lift the auger while it’s still running and it’ll throw the slush out of the hole. Hope this helps. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Bfalko

Fishsmith85 said:


> You’ll want to clear the slush from the hole when drilling through thick ice. That slush creates a lot of resistance so just lift the auger while it’s still running and it’ll throw the slush out of the hole. Hope this helps.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Yes it’s in low gear and in drill mode. It is the full size brushless M18 cat #2703. Not the compact drill. We were on good ice and it’s happening before any slush gets in the hole. Blades are very sharp so not pushing down either. It doesn’t slow down it just stops.


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## stevieblunder

The best auger to run with the cordless drill set-up is the old tried and true blue mora. I have a 8" black lazer that is just too aggresive and likes to bind up. My old blue 8" mora cuts smooth as silk and just as fast. I never clear the shavings out of the hole no matter how thick the ice is. A guy could buy a mora and probably 5 sets of new blades over it's lifetime for the price of a K-drill. Sorry but I just gotta say it. Who in their right mind would possibly spend $250 on a K-drill? M-18, $300+K-drill, $250+Clam Plate, $60 =around $610.00! WOW! I have $350 wrapped up in my 1090 in. pound Makita set-up with the Mora. It has all the power and life with two batteries than I could possibly use in one day. I drill holes for half the guys on the lake.


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## y2ba

Who said i was in my right mind? And if it makes you feel better...I’ve got less than 350$ into my setup...and it’s a gem! Enjoy your Mora, I’m glad it works for you.


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## stevieblunder

This is a couple years old now but it's still a pretty good cordless drill shoot out.

https://www.protoolreviews.com/buying-guides/heavy-duty-18v-cordless-drill-shootout/20382/


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## UplandnWaterfowl

Bfalko said:


> Yes it’s in low gear and in drill mode. It is the full size brushless M18 cat #2703. Not the compact drill. We were on good ice and it’s happening before any slush gets in the hole. Blades are very sharp so not pushing down either. It doesn’t slow down it just stops.


Ok something is not right, a 2703 (several of us have the 2704 but that should not make any difference the 4 has hammer mode that you are not using anyway) with a 2703 + K drill you should be able to drill all the way to China without stopping. None of us experienced any drill stopping and we have been in +11 ice for weeks.

I would take a stack of 2x4's pieces and put a 1 inch drill bit on it and see if the drill reacts the same way, that drill can take way more then you can load it with a K drill.

Also don't rule out operator's error, it is easy to lift off the trigger and with the brake function on this drill it will stop immediately, not like other drills that slow down, this drill has a "hard break" function as a safety feature, with the torque on this drill, you want it to stop immediately if you lift off, even a quarter rotation could break something on your body.

So punch it and no downward force, let the K drill do its magic, if you feel it grabbing, lift up but don't let off, you will get the feel.


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## Bfalko

UplandnWaterfowl said:


> Ok something is not right, a 2703 (several of us have the 2704 but that should not make any difference the 4 has hammer mode that you are not using anyway) with a 2703 + K drill you should be able to drill all the way to China without stopping. None of us experienced any drill stopping and we have been in +11 ice for weeks.
> 
> I would take a stack of 2x4's pieces and put a 1 inch drill bit on it and see if the drill reacts the same way, that drill can take way more then you can load it with a K drill.
> 
> Also don't rule out operator's error, it is easy to lift off the trigger and with the brake function on this drill it will stop immediately, not like other drills that slow down, this drill has a "hard break" function as a safety feature, with the torque on this drill, you want it to stop immediately if you lift off, even a quarter rotation could break something on your body.
> 
> So punch it and no downward force, let the K drill do its magic, if you feel it grabbing, lift up but don't let off, you will get the feel.


Ok it does feel like the hard brake you describe. He is going out tomorrow. I’ll let him know to keep pressure on the trigger. Lol thanks for your reply


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## Bfalko

stevieblunder said:


> The best auger to run with the cordless drill set-up is the old tried and true blue mora. I have a 8" black lazer that is just too aggresive and likes to bind up. My old blue 8" mora cuts smooth as silk and just as fast. I never clear the shavings out of the hole no matter how thick the ice is. A guy could buy a mora and probably 5 sets of new blades over it's lifetime for the price of a K-drill. Sorry but I just gotta say it. Who in their right mind would possibly spend $250 on a K-drill? M-18, $300+K-drill, $250+Clam Plate, $60 =around $610.00! WOW! I have $350 wrapped up in my 1090 in. pound Makita set-up with the Mora. It has all the power and life with two batteries than I could possibly use in one day. I drill holes for half the guys on the lake.


His main reason for buying the k is because the curved shaver type blades become worthless very quickly in sandy ice. The k blades are sharpenable and don’t have to be super sharp to work. Good information though. Thanks


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## Fishsmith85

stevieblunder said:


> The best auger to run with the cordless drill set-up is the old tried and true blue mora. I have a 8" black lazer that is just too aggresive and likes to bind up. My old blue 8" mora cuts smooth as silk and just as fast. I never clear the shavings out of the hole no matter how thick the ice is. A guy could buy a mora and probably 5 sets of new blades over it's lifetime for the price of a K-drill. Sorry but I just gotta say it. Who in their right mind would possibly spend $250 on a K-drill? M-18, $300+K-drill, $250+Clam Plate, $60 =around $610.00! WOW! I have $350 wrapped up in my 1090 in. pound Makita set-up with the Mora. It has all the power and life with two batteries than I could possibly use in one day. I drill holes for half the guys on the lake.


I definitely don’t have $600 wrapped up into my setup but I did already have the drill plus I sold the 8” mora with its handle that came with the clam plate and got some money back from that. I bet I’ve cut well over 1000 holes with the k-drill through all sorts of ice conditions and never had to sharpen the blades. You still have over $400 dollars wrapped into your setup and you only got 2 batteries where as mine came with 3. I like mine and you like yours. Plus like stated before “who said anything about being in their right mind”. 


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## Burksee

*"The best auger to run with the cordless drill set-up is the old tried and true blue mora."*
Have been preaching this for some time myself. I've got buddies in the trades, none of their drills are dedicated for ice fishing, they're running Dewalts, Milwaukee's and Ridged drills, some use the black Lazer, others the blue Mora, all have noticed the Mora to be less aggressive and gets more holes per charge. I'm cheap, I'm running the Ryobi P251 18V brushless hammer drill. Got it from HD along with a free other tool! I also have both the Lazer and Mora augers both in 6", the Mora does go easier on the drill and operator but it will turn both augers with satisfactory results. As far as sharping goes the flat Mora blades aren't really any harder to sharpen than a pocket or hunting knife while the curved Lazer blade can be a challenge are best left to the professionals if you want them OEM sharp! What I like best about this set up is that I throw the crank handle in the sled, it does take up much room and provides cheap insurance just in case!


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## y2ba

Burksee, if i have to drill an 8” hole in 20” of ice with a Mora......I’m going to the bar!


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## Burksee

y2ba said:


> Burksee, if i have to drill an 8” hole in 20” of ice with a Mora......I’m going to the bar!


Although we didn't move around much "back in the day" we used to spud thru that much ice to fish, it sucks getting old.... :bloos:


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## gilly

Bens Outdoors in Marlette has 6" k drill on sale for $190


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## stevieblunder

Bfalko said:


> His main reason for buying the k is because the curved shaver type blades become worthless very quickly in sandy ice. The k blades are sharpenable and don’t have to be super sharp to work. Good information though. Thanks


The laser has the curved blades. I would never even think of trying to sharpen them. I have sharpened the mora blades before though. In any event you are correct concerning the sandy ice dulling the blades. I try and avoid dirty ice at all costs, including trash or cigarette butts. Also never let the auger blades touch bottom.


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## BFG

Like the snowmobile guys say...you gotta "send it" when you hit the trigger on the drill. I've found a happy medium with the Ridgid in that once I'm through about 4" of ice I'll clear the shavings a touch and that seems to help the process along tremendously if you do it a couple times as you go through. Another great thing I've found is that I can virtually leave my ice scoop at home because the k-drill cleans the hole of about 95% of the slush. 

I've had my drill stop on me a couple times. First couple times you are like..."what..." but then 10 seconds later you are finishing the hole. It takes a bit of getting used to, but if big dumb me can figure it out, anyone can. 

Is it perfect? No, but unlike a power auger I can use my drill 365 days a year around home if needed. With the lifetime warranty on the drill and batteries from Ridgid...it was a no brainer. I don't ice fish 1/10th as much as most guys on here do, but for me at least the k drill was a great solution to the power auger question. 

My k-drill came from Glens as well, and I paid $219 for the 8" auger and cover with free shipping.


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## out2fish

How does the k drill hold up to ice build up on the blades in below freezing temperatures? The problem I have with my laser blades is that ice continually builds on the blades after several uses and makes it hard to drill holes.


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## Jr.BowmanMI

I am running a 6in Mora and an 18v home Depot special dewalt drill. With 2 batteries I can drill 20 holes. Looking to upgrade drills soon.


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## UplandnWaterfowl

@out2fish yes, on those bitter cold days the cutting teeth can get an ice build up. Either chip it away to clear or on those days the kdrill stays in the warm shanty which also is better for battery life.


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## y2ba

I just hit the trigger after my last hole and spin the water/slush/ ice off of it. You lay any wet auger in the snow and you’ll have build up. I treat it just like any other auger I’ve had...no problems. My batteries haven’t been affected by the cold either. They just won’t re charge until they are warm.


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## msfcarp

y2ba said:


> I just hit the trigger after my last half leg and spin the water/slush/ ice off of it. You lay any wet auger in the snow and you’ll have build up. I treat it just like any other auger I’ve had...no problems. My batteries haven’t been affected by the cold either. They just won’t re charge until they are warm.


Exactly, the K-drill is no different than a Mora or my Jiffy, keep the blades out of the snow.


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## BFG

First time I fished with the k-drill it was 8 degrees and -20 wind chill. I noticed some ice buildup after the first three holes. Put the auger in the shanty with us and in about 15 minutes was able to knock off the ice. Next holes I drilled I ran the auger in reverse while pulling up and boom....no more slush/ice on the blades. I put the auger in the sled, take the batteries off the drill and keep them my bucket in the shanty.


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