# Cordless Drill for Ice Auger



## thebige22

What drill type and brand do you recommend for using with ice auger? I'm thinking of 18V Dewalt drill. Any comments. Thanks.

TheBigE22


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## Flathead King 06

I was just watching a video on youtube earlier that showed a clip from Ice Fishing Today of the K Drill... looks pretty slick for drilling holes without lugging around a gasser and without wrenching your arms

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## Minnowhead

I was going to say the same thing. The drill I believe was 24v. in the video.


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## Shortdrift

I had an adapter for my 18 volt drill and 6" auger. Did a decent job but you had to keep the battery(s) warm.


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## sherman51

i have a 18v dewalt. i would think it would work about as good as any of them. it really has alot of torque and lasts a long time on a full battery. of course dewalt makes a 36v drill i would just guess would do a better job. but your talking about 200.00 just for a drill and 1 battery. i believe i seen one on ebay for around 119.00 and a battery for like 90.00. but you might find a used one alittle cheaper. or find one that comes with a battery might be alittle cheaper. i think i would try the 18v if you already have one. but if your going to buy one just to use for ice fishing i would get the 36v.
sherman


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## quackpot

Like shortdrift said keeping batteries warm is the issue. I tried it last year. I don't know about a weight difference because of the weight of the drill and extra battery. I'm figuring a battery auger is in my future. That way I'll be ready for lakes with gas motor issues.


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## Shortdrift

I wraped my primary and spare in an insulating material (bubble wrap or old wool sox's) and put them in a small insulated (six pak) cooler with a couple hand warmers.


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## quackpot

i wrapped mine as well with hand warmers. also set them in a small foam minnow bucket. after one trip back to the truck to get the hand crank i started taking it just in case. also had a charger in the truck with a power supply for long drives. minnow bucket was in another bag.


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## allwayzfishin

I just picked up the nimrod adapter. Looks like they used too much stock in my opinion, but that leaves room to cut it in half and make 2 out of the 1. I have a crazy idea of using 2 9amp batteries to make a 24v battery pack. I have a old craftsman 18v. If I can pull the guts out of the battery pack and hardwire the drill to the 9amp batteries secured in a travel case, this would make one sweet lil power auger. Should be able to get lots of holes with the 9amp batteries. Plus the added power would give it more torque too. Ill post some pics when I complete this Frankenstein drill


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## sherman51

allwayzfishin said:


> I just picked up the nimrod adapter. Looks like they used too much stock in my opinion, but that leaves room to cut it in half and make 2 out of the 1. I have a crazy idea of using 2 9amp batteries to make a 24v battery pack. I have a old craftsman 18v. If I can pull the guts out of the battery pack and hardwire the drill to the 9amp batteries secured in a travel case, this would make one sweet lil power auger. Should be able to get lots of holes with the 9amp batteries. Plus the added power would give it more torque too. Ill post some pics when I complete this Frankenstein drill


24v battery might just burn up the 18v motor. but if it doesnt it should make a nice auger.
sherman


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## thebige22

Thanks for all the input guys. I haven't decided on what brand of drill but am leaning towards the Dewalt 18V. The one I am looking at comes with 2 batteries but sounds like the big issue may be trying to keep the batteries warm. At times I will be in a shanty with a heater so I should be OK, but when I'm sitting out in the open I'll probably resort to the recommendations by a couple of you guys on this post. Thanks.

TheBigE22


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## allwayzfishin

Here is what I have created tonight. Insulated pak fits into a camo backpack from gander mtn perfectly. Nice and comfy with a total wieght of just 12lbs. Drill seems to have a new life now after sitting for 10+ yrs. Handles the 24v battery pak just fine. Really rips thru wood with a paddle bit. Drilled holes till it ran out of wood. Lol, only used a lil bit of power from batteries to boot. Cant wait for hardwater. No more hand crankin for me. hahahahahaha....gotta love it!!!!

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## 1gmkiller

All I have to say is watch yourself using one of these setup's. My brither and I tried it last year when I went to Michigan to fish with him and I had a bad expeiriance. The auger caught and I couldn't get my finger off the trigger of the drill fast enough and it wrapped my hand and arm up in it. Almost broke my wrist and my finger never came off the trigger the way it was bent around. My brother had to end up taking the battery out of the drill and I actually had to spin myself around the auger to get my hand freed up from it. I recomend if you are going to use one and the drill has some power to it get one that you can put a handle into the side of it to get a better hold on the drill. That was not much fun at all!!! just my .02


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## quackpot

Did you make your adapter? Only thing I see is my store bought adapter had a piece that goes around the back of the drill. That way if the auger comes loose you don't have to stand and watch it sink. I will add pictures later.


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## Tailchaser

For all you guys that want to use a drill with a auger, the Bosch is on sale for 99.00 at Menards. Nov. 30th. till Dec. 11th. This drill has 500 in.lbs. of torque. That's what you want for ice cutting . High torque & 2 Litheon Batt. I have the sister model , the compac version, 530 in. lbs. I have been using this Bosch drill going on 3 seasons & it does the job. I carry the batt. in my parka coat pockets ,less carry. I use a 6 inch laser , & it cuts threw 10 inches of ice, 12 to 16 holes per batt. Pending on ice conditions & temp. No fish after that, I'm other there. Good luck ' walking on water, Don.


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## sherman51

thebige22 said:


> Thanks for all the input guys. I haven't decided on what brand of drill but am leaning towards the Dewalt 18V. The one I am looking at comes with 2 batteries but sounds like the big issue may be trying to keep the batteries warm. At times I will be in a shanty with a heater so I should be OK, but when I'm sitting out in the open I'll probably resort to the recommendations by a couple of you guys on this post. Thanks.
> 
> TheBigE22


the 18v dewalt i have has 3 speeds low med high. its more like a transmission than speeds. its low gear for the most torque, it will twist the head right off a no 14 screw. then med gear gives you alittle more speed and less torque. and high gear is for high speed drilling but less torque.

i bought a truck camper a few years back. i was using my dewalt 18v on the jacks. when i got the jack off the ground i just kept going to get the jack as high as it would go. when i ran out of jack the drill flipped around and hit me in the mouth. there was nothing i could do, it was just to strong in low gear. but i was taking blood thinners and it busted my lower lip. i bled like a stuck hog. after that i have been real careful using my drill on my camper. so be careful using them for drilling holes in the hard water.
sherman


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## allwayzfishin

I have the nimrod handle with it as well....The handle provides stability, grip and keeps the auger from going in the drink. The key I believe is sharp blades and letting the auger do the work WITHOUT forcing the auger into the ice. Nice steady pressure...Just like drilling into steel. The last few inches is what is critical and could cause the auger to bite into the breakthrough. I have like $20 bucks into this project because I had all the stuff laying around the house not being used. I also have a Milwaukee M18 lithium ion with 3 batteries for work, but figured I would try this old craftsman out. The 9amp batteries will hold a charge longer the any other battery used for this application. I should get around 50-100 holes on one charge. I just didnt want to have to buy hand warmers all the time and worry about breaking my expensive work drill. I have only seen ice up to 22'' in northeast Ohio with the first layer being that soft white ice, so this craftsman should fit the bill. Has a lifetime warranty too. Just seemed to make sense using it. Thanks for everyone's safety concerns too. Ill post up some more info with test results when the ice forms.


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## Tailchaser

You are right on with that side handle feature. It really helps with leverage & the force of the actual break threw. Unfortunately , the smaller drills don't have that screw in port to use a side handle. I'm thinking of trying to rig up a mount with maybe a stainless steel clamp & handle for this year.


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## bigcrappiehammer

If i was in the new drill market i would buy a Ridged form Home Depot. They a comparable to Hitachi. I have both Hitachi and Ridged and use them all the time. It is the batteries that go bad and Ridged has a lifetime warrantee on both the tool and battery. Most battery warrantees are only for three years. Also the cold is one of the hardest on batteries.


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## Networthy

I would not recommend useing your DeWalt. I have used a DeWalt 18v with both types of batteries, and was only able to drill one or two holes. I even waited until morning to take the battery off the charger(new drill too). I would probably look at an 18v or bigger Craftsman. Just my opinion from personal experience(with an 8" auger). Also, if you do get a drill and plan to use it, make sure that you take the handle for the auger along, just in case your battery dies. I think keeping your battery warm is key, but I haven't figured out yet how to keep anything warm while ice fishing.
By the way, I bit the big one last season and bought a Jiffy LP 10" auger, heck with manual labor.


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## quackpot

This is the adapter I have. The little bungie goes behind the drill so if the chuck comes loose you don't have to fish for your auger. 

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## thebige22

Tailchaser,
Thanks for the info on the Bosch drill at Menards. Now you have me leaning that direction. I'll have to call the local Menards and see if they have it in stock.
TheBigE22


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## bigcrappiehammer

Make sure the drill you buy has at least a 3.0 ah battery it will hold a longer charge. I know bosh makes two differant lithium 18 volt batteries.


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## sherman51

Networthy said:


> I would not recommend useing your DeWalt. I have used a DeWalt 18v with both types of batteries, and was only able to drill one or two holes. I even waited until morning to take the battery off the charger(new drill too). I would probably look at an 18v or bigger Craftsman. Just my opinion from personal experience(with an 8" auger). Also, if you do get a drill and plan to use it, make sure that you take the handle for the auger along, just in case your battery dies. I think keeping your battery warm is key, but I haven't figured out yet how to keep anything warm while ice fishing.
> By the way, I bit the big one last season and bought a Jiffy LP 10" auger, heck with manual labor.


first off im not disputing what you say. but was just really surprized that your dewalt didnt do better. i also had a 19.2v craftsman drill that i gave to my son, because the dewalt 18v i have just drilled circles around the craftsman drill i had.

i have a truck camper with 4 jacks. i have an adaptor to use my drill to jack the camper up and down. i always jack the jacks all the way down when its not on my truck. when i load it on my truck i have to jack it all the way up to load it on my truck. then jack it back down on the truck, then raise the jacks up as far as they will go. i have always been able to do all this jacking with one battery, and it was still going strong when i was done. so i get great service out of my 18v dewalt.
sherman


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## allwayzfishin

Update

The 18v craftsman runs great off just one 9amp battery. Just as much torque as the 2 together. Just not as fast. I think I'll be all good this winter. Come on ice


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## Tailchaser

That's a good point on the size Batt. I checked the batt. I have & they are 1.3 ah. They are the thin ones. You can get the larger batt. , but we try & hold down size & weight. These fit in my parka very well & this will be the 3rd winter using this set up. I also have the compac model Bosch which is a little smaller. With sharp blades & charged batteries, we can pop 12 to probably 16 holes per batt. We all are retired & in our 60's , so we don't do a lot of hole hoppin'. If you guys like to hole hop & are younger, perhaps go larger. I use my drill 12 months out of the year. When you get older all the toys we got, get super heavy on the ice ,& especially with a lot of snow. Good luck & be safe, Don.


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## CatchNrelease

Wouldn't a battery operated impact wrench work better? They have much more torque?


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## Tailchaser

I'm sure a impac wrench would work. I just don't know anybody right now that uses one. I do know that you want the highest lbs. per sq. inch. 500 & higher would be good & Litheon Batteries. These newer Litheon batt. recharge in like a half hour.


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## doski

I was wondering the same thing, I have a 18v Milwaukee kit that has both drill and impact gun


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## CatchNrelease

most 18v drills I've seen are around 500 in.-lbs

18v impact wrench's are around 200 ft-lbs, which would be well over 2,000 in-lbs. 

So if you dont have a drill laying around the house you can use and are looking into buying one, I think you would be better off going with an impact wrench....now the question is do they make an adapter for one? If not is it simple enough to make on your own?


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## quackpot

Please don't try using the impact. I already tried that already. The hammering of the impact breaks the thru bolt for it. Those wing bolts are expensive, I broke two before I learned. Just so everyone knows they are metric.


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## CatchNrelease

I would just eliminate it and weld a socket on the end of the auger rod


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## quackpot

I had a socket welded to a extension. The deep socket went in the lower part of the extension and I had a hole for the bolt in it. Worked fine till it was on the ice. Tried it that way so I could use different auger sizes. I also had a washer with two holes so a small bungie would go over the back of the impact.


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## tinyfishing

I am a tool and diemaker and I made an adapter for my 6 inch laser auger and did not like it so I bought a 6 inch Mora and that works much better than the laser which has too much bite it was twisting my arm too much the mora turns a lot easier I use a 18volt fuel by Milwaukee and can put in 25 holes in 10inchs of ice over 2 hours without going out of my way to keep the battery warm the fuel is designed for colder temps I have never needed the second battery but always take it along just in case I found that not pushing on the auger at all and sometimes even holding some of the weight off of it makes it drill very nice I take my handle with just in case something where to happen but In the last 2 years I have not turned a crank once and my strike master gas auger sits in the corner of the shed semi retired now it is like my vexlar I would not think of leaving it at home 2 tips get a top of the line drill with lithium ion batterys and a mora style 4-6 inch auger


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## Snakecharmer

Here is a side handle to help control your ice drill.
[ame="http://www.ebay.com/itm/DEWALT-CORDLESS-CORDED-ELECTRIC-DRILL-HAMMERDRILL-DRIVER-SIDE-HANDLE-/261369510934?pt=Power_Tools&hash=item3cdad63c16#ht_63wt_662"]Dewalt Cordless Corded Electric Drill Hammerdrill Driver Side Handle | eBay[/ame]


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## Bischoff66

Guys I took the hit and bought the k drill system. Drill and all. I got the six inch and with one battery drilled 40 holes through 6" off ice. Very little torque at all. It is a sweet setup. The drills batteries are the red Ion and are made for being out in the cold. I would still put the spare in a cooler to keep it warm.


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## trapperjon

Bischoff66 said:


> Guys I took the hit and bought the k drill system. Drill and all. I got the six inch and with one battery drilled 40 holes through 6" off ice. Very little torque at all. It is a sweet setup. The drills batteries are the red Ion and are made for being out in the cold. I would still put the spare in a cooler to keep it warm.


GREAT... I just got cortisone inections in my elbow today, i'll meet ya tomorrow at nimi and you can show me how it work's . last weekend there was a guy at east res, with a drill powered but it was different from the clam direct drive, the drill attached to the top of the base but it was offset from the auger, it ran a gear box which made it spin much faster, he got it online from a company in NY for around 60$ I've searched allover the interweb with no luck, has anyone seen this ?


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## sonar

Need more of your info Trapperjon!! If you have it?? Let us hear it ,,Pls...  ----->>>>>sonar<<<<<-----


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## ReelEazy

Perfect, use the same set up for three years now and not a problem, really takes the work out of it. Good job on your input.

I am a tool and diemaker and I made an adapter for my 6 inch laser auger and did not like it so I bought a 6 inch Mora and that works much better than the laser which has too much bite it was twisting my arm too much the mora turns a lot easier I use a 18volt fuel by Milwaukee and can put in 25 holes in 10inchs of ice over 2 hours without going out of my way to keep the battery warm the fuel is designed for colder temps I have never needed the second battery but always take it along just in case I found that not pushing on the auger at all and sometimes even holding some of the weight off of it makes it drill very nice I take my handle with just in case something where to happen but In the last 2 years I have not turned a crank once and my strike master gas auger sits in the corner of the shed semi retired now it is like my vexlar I would not think of leaving it at home 2 tips get a top of the line drill with lithium ion batterys and a mora style 4-6 inch auger


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## Cetchum -N- Eatum

trapperjon said:


> GREAT... I just got cortisone inections in my elbow today, i'll meet ya tomorrow at nimi and you can show me how it work's . last weekend there was a guy at east res, with a drill powered but it was different from the clam direct drive, the drill attached to the top of the base but it was offset from the auger, it ran a gear box which made it spin much faster, he got it online from a company in NY for around 60$ I've searched allover the interweb with no luck, has anyone seen this ?


It's called the ice kicker. They sell them on ebay. They look pretty sweet if that's the one you're talking about.


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## trapperjon

Thanks... I'll check it out, looks like the ice is finally going to be here for a while,


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