Speaking of auger drill choices . . .

[dubob]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 3]There will always be drill brand loyalists aplenty just as there are truck brand loyalists aplenty. And I'm sure that we can all find a study that will say that the brand we are using is the 'best.' But my son-in-law (SIL) has worked heavy construction for about 30 years now and when I asked him what brand name(s) is/are used most often, he said Milwaukee/Dewalt/Mikita will be the most prevalent at any commercial job site. All the other brands are primary used for non-commercial, home/DIY projects.[/size][/#800000][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 3]I had a Ryobi 6-piece home kit that came with a 1/2" drill & 500 in/lbs of torque, so when I bought my NILS drill auger I used that. I found out real quick that it was under powered for drilling through ice. That's when I asked my SIL for advice on drills. I found a sweetheart deal on a refurbished, fully warrantied Milwaukee M18 Fuel set with 2 batts, charger, and case from CPO Milwaukee. I had to replace the drill last year after 3 seasons of use because the drill kept cutting off while augering through ice. An internal switch was bad and the replacement cost was over $100 to replace the switch. I went back to CPO Milwaukee and bought a brand new replacement drill for about $30 more than the cost to repair the old drill. And i got more torque and newer technology.[/size][/#800000][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 3]When i was in Lowes the other day, I happened to notice the 24V Kobalt 1/2" drill was priced at $99. So I did a QUICK (not in-depth) Google search looking for a comparison for Kobalt vs Milwaukee/Dewalt and found the link I posted earlier. The Kobalt 24v 1/2" brushless drill does NOT come with anything at that price. The battery (Li-ion) choices are 2 aH ($29.98), 4 aH ($59.98), and 6 aH ($99.00). The charger is $43.98. I would be surprised if lower prices couldn't be found on either Amazon or eBay. But the specs say they are only good down to 20*F. I would think that they would actually work below that lower limit, but would not cut nearly as many holes. It also puts out 150 ft-lbs (1,800 in-lbs) of torque.[/size][/#800000][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 3]I'm not advocating the Kobalt, but thought it might be a consideration for new icers on a budget. We all have to start somewhere and a lot of folks don't like to spend top dollar getting started in a new hobby that may, or may not, pan out for them.[/size][/#800000][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 3]And yes, the link I posted WAS comparing apples, oranges, and peaches. Life is good.[/size][/#800000][/font]
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