So, I have the ultimate gas auger, a 3hp Solo powerhead attatched to an 8″ K-Drill. Now I’m wondering which electric powerhead would be the best attached to an 8″ K-Drill, the Strikemaster Lithium, or the Ion X? I have the M18 Milwaukee drill, and yes it works, but I want to burn some cash on a tricked out setup.
Ice Gator? They seem the fastest turning.
Nevermind, looks like they might be out of business.
woa woa woa….your first assessment of ultimate “gas” auger is sooooo far off, you’ll never get an accurate response for ultimate “electric” Auger…cause everyone know the Nils/Tanaka auger is the ultimate in gas…LOL
I have to agree with Bob on this one…
But for electric, I don’t think you can really beat the Strikemaster Lithium Lazer. The Ice Gator is fast, scary fast in fact. Good luck finding an IceGator powerhead, however. Guys who have them, don’t give them up…
I used shaver style blades for a while and cursed them when reopening old holes which I do often as that is how I locate fish and structure is by jumping on others hot spots. Also, these hotspots get a lot of slush drop off as the season gets longer and the shaver style blades get dull way to fast when hitting the sand. I have never had a set of chipper blades let me down and my K-Drill cuts fast and hardly torques at all, this is important since I had back surgery 1 month ago and right hand carpal tunnel surgery 2 weeks ago. Pulling the recoil on the 3hp Solo is a little tough on the right hand so that is why I’m looking for an electric powerhead…I’m just hoping I can get either Medicare or Title 19 to pay for it due to my infirmities.
Well, I did a little shopping around both online and in stores. Here is what I discovered, 1st is that the new ION X at over $600 has icing issues…that’s two strikes against. The Strikemaster is not far behind in price and is a great performer, hmmm. The old style IONs are getting scarce, but they are a proven performer and the cost is the lowest at various retailers, if they still have them. I drove to my love hate store Gander Mountain, there were a plethora of IONs, old style, new Xs, 6″ and 8″. The cheapest 8′ was $529…but the 6″ rang up at $359, DING DING DING, we have a winner! For now I’m keeping the 8″ K-Drill on the Strikemaster Solo powerhead, and will run the ION with it’s 6″. Running the ION esspecially with the 6″ should be very kind to my recent carpal tunnel right hand surgery. In my Chevy I have an invertor built right into the dash, I think it’s 400 watts, I wonder if it will run the battery charger?
In my Chevy I have an invertor built right into the dash, I think it’s 400 watts, I wonder if it will run the battery charger?
My ‘Yota has the same thing in the bed, two actually but I forget the wattage of each. Was wondering the same thing???
Here’s a picture of my final setup. It comes in at 20 lbs but could be lightened if I cut off the mass of steel extending down the auger drill shaft. I needed that Universal extension/converter to adapt the Ion powerhead to the K-Drill as the output on Ions are a smaller diameter. So, in the end It’s a earlier model Ion with the new, higher capacity X battery, a Universe-all adapter, and an 8″ K-Drill. I tried it out and punched several holes in 9″ of ice lickety split. No recoil to pull, almost no torque, and it’s smooth. My recently carpal tunnel hand surgery thanks me.
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This was three weeks ago yesterday. I found out last week that recoils won’t be my friend for a while. And thats my right hand. Try starting a gas auger with your left hand…just don’t hurt yourself.
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Here’s a picture of my final setup. It comes in at 20 lbs but could be lightened if I cut off the mass of steel extending down the auger drill shaft. I needed that Universal extension/converter to adapt the Ion powerhead to the K-Drill as the output on Ions are a smaller diameter. So, in the end It’s a earlier model Ion with the new, higher capacity X battery, a Universe-all adapter, and an 8″ K-Drill. I tried it out and punched several holes in 9″ of ice lickety split. No recoil to pull, almost no torque, and it’s smooth. My recently carpal tunnel hand surgery thanks me.
Love it! Hope you heal fast!
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