I have an attachment for a 6 inch auger and was wondering if my current Dewalt DCD777 can be used to drill holes. It seems like most people use hammer drills. I live in Ohio so I am only drilling through 6-12 inches of ice. I currently use a hand auger and was looking for an upgrade but money is tight. Also, I see used gas augers for pretty cheap and was thinking about going that route. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!
Posted by accountant_1776
8 Comments
It needs to be a hammer drill. Harbor freight hercules is a good value choice.
I killed my 777 last year doing this because its the “homeowners” grade but everyone recomened the 826 (I think hsts the right number I might be wrong) because its just a beefier version and can take the heavy load of the auger
It does not need to be a hammer drill but it does need to be brushless. I use an 18V Milwaukee Drill with an 8 inch Strikemaster Auger and it rips right through the ice.
It will work for a bit. I believe the gears are plastic though so with the resistance it receives the gears eventually stripped.
I bought a DCD996B for like $100 and it’s been a champ. Looks like new on eBay go for around $125 now. You could check some pawn shops in the area to hopefully find a slightly used one for cheaper.
If you don’t have one, you’ll want a bigger battery as well.
If you go with gas, I’d be looking for propane powered.
And don’t go gas. I had one before the drill and the drill is a major improvement
I use a 20 V Milwaukee drill just fine cutting through 12 inches of ice last year. How well it performs depends on how sharp the blades are and how much pressure you’re applying. Just remember to NOT hold the tip of the drill as you work it because it’s a great way to watch your auger release into the depths. Gas augers are overrated, heavier, and the fuel just means there’s one more thing to lug along. Don’t talk smack about them in front of the old timers though, they still use them.
it’s all about torque. even the hammer drills don’t operate on hammer when using as an ice drill. Brushless, 1/2” chuck, minimum of 725 in lbs of torque.
Battery capacity is another, early ice and ice 15” or less a 5 amp hour battery is ok but 8 amp hour and above the drills really shine.
I have been running the Eskimo 8” pistol bit for two full seasons now paired with a Milwaukee m18 fuel hammer drill and have went through ice over 24”. No issues at all. I carry my spare batteries in a small cooler with a hand warmer pack in with them to keep them warm as the cold can kill the batteries quicker.
Most holes in a day was 63, through 21” of ice. 2-8 ah and 1-5 ah battery and I still had juice left.
That exact drill has given me 5 season of service in MN on a clam plate with an 8” auger. Last year it finally started to smoke after punching through 32” of ice all day at the end of the season. I still used it all summer doing random work around the house.