So I have a Milwaukee 2804 and contemplating buying the Strikemaster light flight or getting the Strikemaster 24v 8” didn’t know if there where any benefits to going with the 24v instead of just getting the light flight attachment. I would need to get bigger batteries for my Milwaukee drill if I went with the light flight.
I don’t have a Milwaukee I have a hilti drill on a clam plate. I sold my 24v and I would again. The clam plate is better for me but I also have endless batteries from work
I got a Lite Flite 8″ two years ago and run it on my 2804 drill with no problem.
I tend to drill multiple grid patterns in a day (or someone I’m with does).
I only counted one time, but I was able to get over 40 holes in around 15 inches of ice with an 8.0 Ah battery pretty easily. The cold is hard on these batteries, and I recommend not over-draining them, which you can do with an auger attachment in the cold. The battery’s protection circuits do not react fast enough to how quickly the battery drains in extreme cold with the draw from a drill turning an 8″ ice auger. I recommend changing the battery as soon as the battery indicator gets to the last bar. Don’t wait until it stops working to change batteries. Once they have been over-discharged, they don’t hold a charge near as long. Fortunately, Milwaukee is very good about replacing batteries under warranty.
I just got a K-Drill 8.5in and the Milwuakee absolutely rocks. If you have the drill and batteries already I’d suggest getting a drill attachment as long as you still have the wristsaving handle.
I run an 8″ lite flite on a Dewalt 996 with a Clam plate. Works great and drills faster than SM 24v.
My bro has had the Milwaukee with Lite Flight and K-Drill and Clam Plate……he just bought a Strikemaster 24v 8″.
Too many problems with the Milwaukee and Clam Plate. Also, he had the older Clam Plate and the trigger has been improved upon since then.
He also said the Strikemaster 24v is smaller and will fit in the corners of his permanent shack better than the Milwaukee did.
My bro has had the Milwaukee with Lite Flight and K-Drill and Clam Plate……he just bought a Strikemaster 24v 8″.
Too many problems with the Milwaukee and Clam Plate. Also, he had the older Clam Plate and the trigger has been improved upon since then.
He also said the Strikemaster 24v is smaller and will fit in the corners of his permanent shack better than the Milwaukee did.
I liked the sm for early ice only. But I also have many extra hilti batteries. The lite flite and drill out drilled the sm and lasted longer
I didn’t have the 2804, don’t know which model Milwaukee, and it worked just fine but I like the SM 24V more. It’s slightly more compact and doesn’t have as many parts/corners/stuff sticking out of it all over. For me I didn’t have big Milwaukee batteries and don’t need them for anything but auger so I would have been spending money on stuff strictly for auger anyways. If you have a use for the Milwaukee batteries or already have them then I can see how it makes sense to go with the plate.
What’s the lifespan of these cordless drills when used heavily as an auger? I seem to recall people burning them up after a few years but I could be wrong.
What’s the lifespan of these cordless drills when used heavily as an auger? I seem to recall people burning them up after a few years but I could be wrong.
I’m running 5 years on my hilti. And it’s very heavily used.
What’s the lifespan of these cordless drills when used heavily as an auger? I seem to recall people burning them up after a few years but I could be wrong.
Brushless/lithium is a game changer on cordless tools, absolutely amazing how they hold up compared to the older styles.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Biggill wrote:</div>
What’s the lifespan of these cordless drills when used heavily as an auger? I seem to recall people burning them up after a few years but I could be wrong.I’m running 5 years on my hilti
Also hilti is a commercial product vs the Milwaukee. Yes I know Milwaukee is a pro product, but Hilti is just a whole different breed of a product.
Here is kind of where I’m at.
If you have a drill already and don’t use it in the winter for projects, buy a light flight and be done with it. here is the thing, you will wear the drill out. I’ve got 4 years on a 2704 and towards the end of the year having drilled thousands of holes with this thing can tell its a bit weathered. I now have a 2804 that is its replacement and have the 2704 as a home project drill.
If you have a 2804 and use it all the time for projects, get yourself the 24v and have a dedicated unit for ice fishing.
Also hilti is a commercial product vs the Milwaukee. Yes I know Milwaukee is a pro product, but Hilti is just a whole different breed of a product.
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Well spend 50 bucks more and buy a hilti if you are worried about the Milwaukee.
The 24v was a fine drill for me. I sold it to my fishing buddy because the lite flite and hilti made more sense to me
Im going on year 4 of using a Milwaukee 2804 with 3 5.0A batteries. I use it every weekend at least 1 day if not both and am not shy on drilling holes when I need to move around. I live in southern WI and fish there and north to Petenwell for 90% of my fishing and have had no issues. The drill gets more use in the winter than the summer for me.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>usmarine0352 wrote:</div>
My bro has had the Milwaukee with Lite Flight and K-Drill and Clam Plate……he just bought a Strikemaster 24v 8″.Too many problems with the Milwaukee and Clam Plate. Also, he had the older Clam Plate and the trigger has been improved upon since then.
He also said the Strikemaster 24v is smaller and will fit in the corners of his permanent shack better than the Milwaukee did.
I liked the sm for early ice only. But I also have many extra hilti batteries. The lite flite and drill out drilled the sm and lasted longer
After talking to him he still likes his Milwaukee but he likes the smaller profile, ergonomics of the Strikemaster 24v for the tight quarters inside a permanent shack.
He likes the Milwaukee for outside.
I have the 24v strikemaster and love. Get more holes than I thought and very easy to use. I have Milwaukee drill for work and home. They are good but I prefer the auger over the drill. You will be happy either way but find someone with the auger to give it a test
I dont think you could go wrong with either one,they both work great.I just prefer the normal handle postion of a traditional auger over the way a cordless drill is handled so I got the 24volt.
Since you already have a capable drill the lightflight would be the cheaper option but get the clam plate. Having a real handle makes it much better to use.
My big thing is that for ice fishing I need to keep it simple and easy. There is so much gear and I need things to be single purpose and stay packed. If I used a drill, I could see myself using the drill at home for something and forgetting to put it back in the ice gear to take with. The SM is a single unit that stays in the ice gear. Just have to remember the battery. No drill, clam plate, auger, and battery that need to be plugged together. Sounds dumb I know to have this kind of hangup, but that’s me.
Mine stays connected all winter hanging on the wall next to rest of ice gear. If I need the drill I use it and connect it back to bit. No clam plate for me. Going on 6 years with this setup.
This is awfully tempting. At that price, I’d be going with the SM power head.
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Thats a great deal!
Earlier this week I was up at LOW. My Nils convertible auger got dinged and didn’t cut well so I borrowed a light flight to use with my Milwaukee. The thing took at least 3 times the power to cut as my Nils. I suspect that it has to do with blade geometry and that guide-ring surrounding the cutting head on the lightflight.
Personally, and based on my recent experience, I’d buy the a Nils.
I freaking LOVE my SM 24v.
Earlier this week I was up at LOW. My Nils convertible auger got dinged and didn’t cut well so I borrowed a light flight to use with my Milwaukee. The thing took at least 3 times the power to cut as my Nils. I suspect that it has to do with blade geometry and that guide-ring surrounding the cutting head on the lightflight.
Personally, and based on my recent experience, I’d buy the a Nils.
Guide Ring ?? Was it from a gas SM ?
Guide Ring ?? Was it from a gas SM ?
I was confused by this as well.
Correction: The auger wasn’t a SM. Probably an Eskimo pistol bit.
On Ions and several other electric augers there is a steel ring that surrounds the cutting head. The Nils augers don’t use one. As far as I can figure, this is the principle reason for the additional drag. Nils also use a helical/parabolic cutting edge that takes very little force to operate. The down side is cost.
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Ah, yeah, that is not a lightflight. Looks like a pistol bit.
Thanks for the input I ended up going with the SM24v
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