[cigman01]

I just bought a used jiffy power auger that has a single cutting blade,welded on, it's about 20 yrs old. It cuts great but when you get to the bottom of the hole it hangs up when you are going thru the bottom of the ice, so you have to pick it up and get it spinning and try to make it thru once or twice.
Any ideas on what could be causing this and how to correct it

Thanks
Mike

 

[Burksee]

Never had a power auger but it sounds just like what my hand auger does. Might be pushing to hard or it might have something to do with it only having one blade?

 

[gamalot]

I am not sure about this but my new Strikemaster power auger does the same thing and I think it is because the hardest ice is closest to the water. If you look at the bottom edge of your holes you will see the clear black ice at the bottom and this is some tough stuff.

 

[marty]

I think gamalot is right my new auger did the same thing today and it cuts fine. I try and pull mine out anyway just after I hit the hard stuff. Then gets through it pretty good. Be sure to have a good grip on that rascal. A fellow broke his hand when it hit hard ice a few years back.........marty

 

[jpollman]

You're right there Marty !

In the summer my power auger doubles as a post hole digger because I build a lot of decks. Last summer I was doing a hole and was down about 3 feet and tied into a good sized rock ! That thing just about tore my arm off. It hurt like heck and I'm lucky it didn't really do any damage other than just being sore for a few days. You've got to hang on firmly, but be able to let go and get away QUICK if the need arises. Although I doubt you'll encounter many rocks or roots while icefishing, I'm sure they can get bound up occasionally.

BE CAREFUL out there folks !

 

[marty]

Yep and my old auger was described like this. " Kick a grizzly bear in the B...lls and grab on for a hug The fellow told me he heard his wrist make a pop sound and big time pain now He said it happen so quick he never had a chance to let go......marty

 

[William H Bonney]

Seems like ALL augers do that. I believe alot of it has to do with the "shaved ice" that is building up in the hole, as you dig. Just lift up a little bit and that ice will fly outta the hole completely, so ya got nothing but "clean" ice to go through. Make sure you keep the auger goin' at FULL tilt, when you lift up, it cleans that hole out a lil' better.

 

[plugger]

The old through the ice jerk is pretty much the nature of the beast. The jerk is caused by the blade passing under the ice and the auger becoming a big wood screw. As the auger tries to screw it self through the ice it jams against the side of the hole, when the auger stops turning the head tries to turn. Light pressure at the end of the cut means less ice to break when the cutter drops thrugh and hence less kick.