Anyone using the milwaukee drill on their augers and break the brace handle off? The way you attach it to the drill is such a useless design. if its a cheap fix I may do that. or just pitch it in the garbage along with the k drill.
Lots of guys. That’s the whole reason I use a Clam plate. Once I got that I didn’t look back.
If your drill is still under warranty, Milwaukee “should” honor the repair but you have to send in your entire drill and the handle.
Welcome to the club.
Mine did that too Milwaukee wouldn’t warranty it as it was “abused”. think it was like $80 to fix myself. I just got a clam plate,it’s awesome never did fix the drill.
I forgot the brace handle at home once…….went without it that day and never looked back. Haven’t used it since. I see no need for it, as I brace the drill with both hands. My boy does the same and has drilled a ton of holes with it w/o the handle.
I drill without a handle on my drill. The handles seem chincy on the Milwaukees
I don’t think its worth going to a clam plate for the kdrill. It has not been very impressive. Its a 6 in and does not cut that good. never did from day one. first one you just about had to stand on it , so they replaced it. cut better but not much. put new blades on it this year and you still have to lean on it to cut. good auger for 4 to 6 in of ice but not 20. Wanted a lighter as I’m too old but I’ll go back to my ion. heavier but they are made for ice fishing!
I don’t think its worth going to a clam plate for the kdrill. It has not been very impressive. Its a 6 in and does not cut that good. never did from day one. first one you just about had to stand on it , so they replaced it. cut better but not much. put new blades on it this year and you still have to lean on it to cut. good auger for 4 to 6 in of ice but not 20. Wanted a lighter as I’m too old but I’ll go back to my ion. heavier but they are made for ice fishing!
Try a strikemaster lazer bit. That’s what I use and I love it. It’s a hair heavier then the k drill but it’s faster drilling
My buddy is on his third Milwaukee. He’s given up and went to the Dewalt and loves it.
Try a strikemaster lazer bit. That’s what I use and I love it. It’s a hair heavier then the k drill but it’s faster drilling
I also use a Strikemaster bit. It is easily twice as fast as my buddies KDrill. Speed isn’t everything but it just cuts way smoother. Only good thing about a Kdrill is you can use it in dirty ice otherwise there is no advantage. Plus a KDrill costs 3 times as much.
Hell man if your throwing things away, i”ll give you 40 bucks for the whole works battery drill and auger 
Milwaukee fixed this problem. Get the updated design of handle connection piece and you will be fine, I have been drilling with it and a 7″ lazer all year. I have even caught my blade really hard a few times from drilling crooked holes and no issue with the handle breaking.
Old design:
https://toolguyd.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Milwaukee-2704-M18-Fuel-Hammer-Drill-with-Handle.jpg
Milwaukee fixed this problem. Get the updated design of handle connection piece and you will be fine, I have been drilling with it and a 7″ lazer all year. I have even caught my blade really hard a few times from drilling crooked holes and no issue with the handle breaking.
Old design:
https://toolguyd.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Milwaukee-2704-M18-Fuel-Hammer-Drill-with-Handle.jpg
Great info Evan! I have not seen this updated handle. Thanks for posting.
Anyone using the milwaukee drill on their augers and break the brace handle off? The way you attach it to the drill is such a useless design. if its a cheap fix I may do that. or just pitch it in the garbage along with the k drill.
If you decide to pitch either the drill or the K-drill in the garbage let me know. I’ll save you a walk to the garbage and make you a few $’s richer as well.
I don’t think its worth going to a clam plate for the kdrill. It has not been very impressive. Its a 6 in and does not cut that good. never did from day one. first one you just about had to stand on it , so they replaced it. cut better but not much. put new blades on it this year and you still have to lean on it to cut. good auger for 4 to 6 in of ice but not 20. Wanted a lighter as I’m too old but I’ll go back to my ion. heavier but they are made for ice fishing!
Roger
If you are not happy with your Krill and want to get rid of it let me know. I’d be happy to purchase it from you. The only way I could see it not cutting well for you is if you are not using it with the correct drill. Mine cuts ice like a hot knife thru warm butter. I am on the 3rd season with it and still am using the original blades. Cut 40-50 holes with it this weekend and that was thru 30+ inches of ice. still had charge on the 2nd battery.
I have a fishing buddy who broke the handle brace off his Milwaukee. When I found a clam plate for him I bought a extra one for myself as well. So far My brace is still fine ( Probably just a matter of time ) so I have not attached the plate yet. My buddy uses his with the clam plate and really likes it.
Milwaukee fixed this problem. Get the updated design of handle connection piece and you will be fine, I have been drilling with it and a 7″ lazer all year. I have even caught my blade really hard a few times from drilling crooked holes and no issue with the handle breaking.
Old design:
https://toolguyd.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Milwaukee-2704-M18-Fuel-Hammer-Drill-with-Handle.jpg
Evan
Is this a Retro fit to the old style of Milwaukee drill or is it a redesign that they are using on new drills? If it is a retro fit where can you get the parts to update the old style?
It’s only the gen3 2804 Fuel – both the g1 2604 and g2 2704 have the weak design.
Fishthumper, it is an all new drill not a retrofit to the existing.
If anyone wants a handle free, I have one of the newest Milwaukee, and several Makitas and older Milwaukee. I’ll dig em out and post a pic some time today.
I have the KDrill and the Milwaukee drill. I DID by the Clam plate since I had heard about the handle problem. I tried without the plate, but the trouque on my elbow was bad (old football injury). Have not had the elbow problem with the plate and the KDrill CUTS!!
Well thanks guys, Maybe I’ll see if I can find a clam plate.
I broke my drill back when they were still fixing them. Got the clam plate and love it. Once there is 18″ and you need an extension in the house the plate is a lifesaver.
I broke my drill back when they were still fixing them. Got the clam plate and love it. Once there is 18″ and you need an extension in the house the plate is a lifesaver.
I think we will be needing a extension after this next cold spell. I had the Chuck of the drill almost flush with the ice this last weekend
Same thing happened to me this weekend too….did a number on my hand as well. Not so sure that I want to stick another $70 for a clam plate into my K-drill after just getting a $60 extension. The drill is still under warranty, I am wondering if millwauake will allow me to return it and upgrade to the new design? The more I deal with these K-drills the more I think that I should have gotten the strikemaster lithium 40volt.
Thanks
I agree with you walleyeguy. I sent them an email to see what they will do. If a guy wants and electric auger buy an auger instead of the patchwork stuff. little heaver but the are made to drill ice! For sure the dewalt would have been the better drill.
If i was looking for a 7″+ hole, I’d for sure get a strikemaster 40v. Anything less in diameter and the drills are the better choice all around. Faster, cheaper, lighter and a battery format that can allow powering other ice fishing related items if one desired.
I wish Clam still made plates that allowed the chuck to be removed, i’d use one on my g3 in a heartbeat.
The handle broke off my Milwaukee and I barely miss it. If I drilled 50+ holes every day I might, but in that case I’d probably buy a Strikemaster Lithium regardless.
Lasers are great augers, but I can tell the 7 inch is harder on the Milwaukee drill than the K drill, i use the 6 inch K drill more,if you really want to cut ice get a 5-inch laser,DK
Not so sure that I want to stick another $70 for a clam plate into my K-drill after just getting a $60 extension.
Yea, I skipped the $60 kdrill extension and went with the $19 strikemaster extension. At that price point I don’t care about weight – and if you use the clam plate the auger isn’t going to fall off.
In reality, that is a clam selling point for me above and beyond the lack of severe wrist trauma – you wont lose your bit, and it might save your drill life a little because it stops the up/down pressure on your drill.
Evan
Is this a Retro fit to the old style of Milwaukee drill or is it a redesign that they are using on new drills? If it is a retro fit where can you get the parts to update the old style?
I am nearly 100% sure you can add the new handle design to an old drill. I am not sure tho as I have a gen2 and the parts to fix the handle I had were pre-millwauke fix. A buddy machined then in his fab shop. It is essentially the same design.
Correction. I was in home depot today and they had a gen 2 and gen 3 (with handle) on display. I thought ahhh perfect. I tired the gen 3 handle on the gen 2 and it does not fit at all.
So if you have a gen 1 or gen 2 and want to use your handle you will need to fab your own. Or buy a gen 3 with its new handle. Sorry all.
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
