11-21-2010, 09:46 PM
I bought one when they first came out about 6-7 years ago.
The directions on the ebay auction said not to use it with anything more than a 7" auger. I went ahead and used it with my 8" and it toasted 2 14.4 porter cable batteries before breaking through the first hole (ice was about 10-11").
Last year I drug my generator out on the ice and took my corded drill, it still wouldn't work right, it was not drilling a straight hole. I looked at it to find that it had a bent shaft. If I had not used it on such a big auger it may have worked a little better.
I do love the idea though. Even if I have to carry a portable generator out there (or even a deep cycle battery with an inverter) at least you have some equipment that can be used for something other than ice fishing. Think $350 for a gas auger vs. $300 for a generator + $50 for a good drill, then you can plug in a heater/coffee pot/electric blanket/etc. for the rest of your time on the ice. Then you have a good drill and generator that can be used in the summer months. (some generators won't weigh much more than a gas auger)
Just make sure you are staying within the manufacturers recomendation for the maximum auger size.
[signature]
The directions on the ebay auction said not to use it with anything more than a 7" auger. I went ahead and used it with my 8" and it toasted 2 14.4 porter cable batteries before breaking through the first hole (ice was about 10-11").
Last year I drug my generator out on the ice and took my corded drill, it still wouldn't work right, it was not drilling a straight hole. I looked at it to find that it had a bent shaft. If I had not used it on such a big auger it may have worked a little better.
I do love the idea though. Even if I have to carry a portable generator out there (or even a deep cycle battery with an inverter) at least you have some equipment that can be used for something other than ice fishing. Think $350 for a gas auger vs. $300 for a generator + $50 for a good drill, then you can plug in a heater/coffee pot/electric blanket/etc. for the rest of your time on the ice. Then you have a good drill and generator that can be used in the summer months. (some generators won't weigh much more than a gas auger)
Just make sure you are staying within the manufacturers recomendation for the maximum auger size.
[signature]