Hand Auger - Make/ Model

[irishfield]

Was in CTC today getting some stuff and thought I really should grab an auger for trips up to the Lake. Not only for fishing, but I need to make a hole to get water from the lake for week/weekend stays and if I fly up to put tie downs into the lake so my ride home doesn't blow away.

 

I remember many saying to go with the Fin Bore III with the offset handles vs the Swede Bore with the inline handle. Both made by the same company and ship in identical cartons.

 

They had about 2 dozen Swede Bores and only one 8" Fin Bore III on the shelves. I price checked it and it was $99.99. I've heard many getting augers for half that in the last while so I put it back.

 

There was also a neat little collapsable Fin Bore 6" that would go nicely into a back pack..price checked it too at $99.99 and left without either.

 

I know the one I borrowed from Maureen last year was an off set handle. Found it a bit awkward to drill with it, but haven't used the inline to compare.

 

What are your thoughts guys/gals.

[BFSC Kevin]

well.. if you were to get either from ctc, i suggest you get them to pricematch with lebaron, i got them to pricematch the normark swede bore. ctc price is $69.99 and lebaron is 55.94 and ctc will match it and beat it by 10% the difference in ctc money, so in the end i got the auger for $58.18 tax included

Edited January 24, 2007 by kevin

[jeffw]

I have a mora(swede bore) thats got to be 30 years old and works great. I put a new set of blades on every year and I'm good to go. I tried a fin-bore auger but found it awkward and didn't like it but thats my opinion.

Cheers Jeff

[fishindevil]

yes i have a fin bore 3 8'inch and it cuts great...as with all augers you have to be carefull with the blades and its good to go...

[Spiel]

....I have a 7" Fin Bore, folding offest handle. Best advice I can give Wayne, absolutely get the offset handle, you won't regret it! Unfortunately I don't think they even make the 7" anymore (?), too bad as it was nice compromise between the ease of a 6" and the larger hole size of the 8".

[tjsa]

I own a folding 7-8 inch swede bore that is over 30 yrs. old, and still works well. I have tried the offset handles also, but just cannot get used to them.

That Finbore III looks very much the same styling as a strikemaster blade style, which I have heard many people say is superior to the old Normark style of blade.

If you are not going to be drilling too many holes, go for the straight handled 8 inch for 69.99, it will serve you well.

Thanks for the post though Wayne, I see ctc has a few more models to choose from now than last month.

[Abberz]

Wayne I've owned both, the normark in my opinion is the better of the two. Also, make sure you buy the one with the circular handle/top as opposed to the grip handle.

 

You can really put alot more leverage on the circular top and its great for "partner-drilling"...you can just fly thru holes with minimal effort when two people rip on it.

 

8" is the way to go in my opinion.....never know when a trophy is going to bite!

Edited January 24, 2007 by Abberz

[irishfield]

They're both Normarks Abberz...but I know what you mean. The Swed bore with inline handles and the knob on top. Seems there is a group that fancies the offset handle and a group that doesn't.

 

Keep the thoughts coming...gotta go back up town tomorrow and maybe North next week.

[Spiel]

Also, make sure you buy the one with the circular handle/top as opposed to the grip handle.

 

.....That would be the inline style, one I would stay away from. Once the offset style handle is mastered it outshines the single crank mushroom capped style augers everytime. I've used both and wouldn't own the single crank style if it were new and free, I'd probably give it to you Wayne.

[Northhunter]

Go with the Finn Bore (double offset handles) and as long as the blades are good you'll never need two guys to drill a hole. It may feel awkward at first but you're using both arms and all your upper body in one motion, vs. one arm doing all the work.

 

I had a 6" folding Finn in the original design that I used to take into trout lakes in Feb/March. We used to hike in and move around a lot if we couldn't get on fish. I remember drilling 30-40 holes between two guys in the course of a day, and fishing several diff. lakes in a week. We're young but could drill 2-4 holes in a new spot before getting tired and handing it off.

 

I've since used a Jiffy 8" (hand), the Swede Bore and another of similiar design that I can't recall the make of. None of them came close. If you're only going to drill a few hols a year with it, the Swede will do fine, but it's cheaper for a reason.

[ecmilley]

i have used both and would rec the fin-bore takes a couple holes cutting to get used to but it'll cut 2-3 times faster than a swede bore and you'll never need to use it for 2 people drilling, i can cut through 12" or more in no time with minimal effort with the fin-bore best word of advice with this auger is not to bang the head to clean it off, throws the cutting angle off on the head.

[irishfield]

Guess I should have grabbed the one 8" Fin III they had left on the shelf. Back tomorrow. Also might grab a 4" Swede bore, if they have it, for my bilge pumping holes. No sense drilling an 8" just to get water. The 4" will be perfect for 2x4's and rope for tie downs as well, to just leave in the boat house at the lake.

[tjsa]

On my old swede bore, I can bolt on either 7 inch blades, or 8 inch blades.

I have only 7 inch blades on it, but still have 8 inch blades if I want to use them.

[Spiel]

....I'm still using the origional 20 year old blades (thanks to my Dremel) and yes I could bolt the 8"s on if I needed too, nice option.

[LesCulpJr]

I have no idea why companies still even offer the old style of hand auger.

I've owned a fin bore III for 10 years now and it is the single reason I have not bought a power auger for my ice fishing.

 

The biggest problem I see guys create for themselves while using my auger is they're elbows are too high and they're arms are too stiff like they are still trying to drill using the old style.

 

Also they still try and put down pressure on the auger using the upper hand when all you have to do is lean on it alittle (with both). Lean too much and the blades will bind.

 

If you are not used to this type of auger you should start each hole slow, standing up as straight as possible and keeping your arms loose until you get a comfortable rythm going and gradually pick up speed.

 

I've shown alot of guys on the ice how to use this style of auger and once they got the hang of it they never went back to the single hand model.

 

Think 2 guys on an old model is fast?

Man you ain't seen nothing yet

[lew]

Quite possibly (likely) I'm wrong here, but I was in BPS the other day and I think I saw 6" Fin Bores for $42.......no idea what style handle it had though.

 

I wasn't really paying attention to the ice gear, but I seem to recall that price, and they did have a sale on some ice gear.

[Greencoachdog]

Guess I should have grabbed the one 8" Fin III they had left on the shelf. Back tomorrow. Also might grab a 4" Swede bore, if they have it, for my bilge pumping holes. No sense drilling an 8" just to get water. The 4" will be perfect for 2x4's and rope for tie downs as well, to just leave in the boat house at the lake.

 

 

There was only one left for a reason...

[tonyb]

Fin Bore III all the way Wayne.

I've used both, and the 8" Fin Bore III is a dream.

 

For guys talking about tag-teaming using a swede-bore with the flat top handle, that just makes my laugh. You hardly need any down-pressure with the curved blades on the Fin Bore, let the blades do the cutting.

 

The offset handle does take a bit of getting used to, but you get way more efficiency being able to get the spin going with both arms.

 

Cheers,

Tony

 

P.S. Both my old swede-bores are now collecting dust lol damn things.

Edited January 24, 2007 by tonyb

[camillj]

Quite possibly (likely) I'm wrong here, but I was in BPS the other day and I think I saw 6" Fin Bores for $42.......no idea what style handle it had though.

 

I wasn't really paying attention to the ice gear, but I seem to recall that price, and they did have a sale on some ice gear.

 

 

Uh oh ... Lew's checking out augers .. there's hope yet :)

 

Wayne, I havent used the offset .. I dont think (I have the circle on top model) - but I definitely use both arms .. just not at the same time.

 

Anyhow as long as your blades stay sharp I can cut through 30" of ice times 6 holes (when I take my kids) ... in no time flat ... need a coffee and a rest by the end of it ... but its definitely a way to warm up out on the ice

 

The key is not to put too much down pressure and to make sure your blades are SHARP .... which means no banging around on the ice and no 'chipping' at old holes ... its always better to start fresh than to mess around with yesterdays holes

Edited January 24, 2007 by camillj

[Uncle Buck]

curved blades is what makes it cut easier...

 

any auger that has curved blades will cut easier then a straight blade cutter.

 

i've got a 4.5" and an 8" Fin Bore III... ( both curved blades)

[misfish]

Once again the hand/manual auger question.

 

Hands down it,s the fin 3,the 6" and 8" cut the same. No pressure required when cutting,just turn the auger and let the blades do the work.I have had my 6 inch now 6 years my 8 two years.

 

I would not trade them for anything.

 

Hope that helps Wayne.

 

Happy turning

[firefisher]

Hey Irishfield

 

Just to let you know if you stop by walmart there hand augers are almost half the price as the indenticle ones at canadian tire. I believe the swede bore 8" was $55.

 

Cheers

[irishfield]

THANKS Everyone...it's a done deal. The one Fin III was still there so I grabbed it today, along with (of course) a few handfulls of jigs, new metal scoop etc......along with a couple prizes for Maureens Fishing for Tyler event. Going to make up a 12" or 16" extension for it in the shop tomorrow. Last year I was just about to the handle on Lake Temagami, before breaking thru, in March...and it was a bad ice year. Hard to turn the handle when you get down that low.

 

Firefisher if that's true it's $14.95 cheaper than CTC for the Swede Bore then as it's $69.99 at CTC.

 

If I have an excuse to go out the hwy to Walmart before it gets used I'll check if they have one and prices...but I'd rather feed Canadian executives than American ones. No offence to our southern contingent here...

Edited January 24, 2007 by irishfield

[Joey]

Well after reading your thread Wayne, we decided it was a good idea to go and get a hand auger (we had been thinking about it previously) so we don't always have to lug the power auger out.

 

You'll love this story. I get to CTC and they have the one mini Finbore 6" on the shelf (opened package) and nothing else. The staff member goes to the back and checks for the Finbore III, but there are none in stock, but finds three Swede bores. I opt for the mini finbore and when I get home I go online to see where the Finbore III is in stock at a CTC near me, incase we decide to trade the mini for the larger one.

 

So lo and behold, the store I just came from has the Finbore III in stock and their last inventory update on that auger was yesterday. So I called and said I was just there and it certainly was not in stock (I got the staff member that looked in the back for me). She agreed it was not in stock so couldn't understand why the internet said it was.

 

So I asked if she could order the Finbore III then, and she says "NO, BECAUSE IT SHOWS IT IS IN STOCK, WE CAN'T ORDER UNTIL WE ARE OUT OF STOCK."

 

I'm speachless (well, no, really I wasn't ) and asked her how she could logically respond to me that way under the circumstances. She said she'd take my name and number and have the manager call me.

 

And you wonder why people go postal

 

Joey