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Designed / Built my own ice chipper


NAW

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It's not finished yet, but here's a few pics anyhow.

 

Her name is "Bud". The Spud.... You know. From the bright red mud :whistling:

 

Spud7.jpg

 

The main pole and handle are 1" OD - 0.090" wall DOM tube. The head is 4140 PH.

 

Spud3.jpg

 

Spud2.jpg

 

This is round 2, the first angle didn't cut ice very well. If this angle chops good, then I'm going to case harden the head. It's 28-32 HRC right now. Hope to bring it up to around 50 HRC.

 

There's knurling on the handle. A note, if you plan on making our own. Don't knurl do deep. It's really hard on my office hands. I need to wear gloves to chop holes with this thing!

 

Spud4.jpg

 

I slapped a quick sheath together just for the time being. It's made of steel re-enforced timing belt (brecoflex 100 AT 10). Currently I just have two peaces of rubber straps to hold the sheath on. With little tabs to you can pull them off and to the side with your gloves on. I'm going to make the design a little "sexier" when I get more time. This will do for now. Hopefully I don't loose it.. (White sheath..White snow :wallbash:)

Spud6.jpg

 

Spud5.jpg

 

 

The finishing touches will be a nice coat of paint. And 1" increment markings on the main pole, from the top of the cutting head up. This way, once you chop a hole, you can hook the head under the ice, and measure the thickness.

Edited by N.A.W
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Met the man in Carleton Place 30 years ago. The Mississippi Hotel. Got tanked with him after his set.

What a Character.

Excellent chipper.clapping.gif Think about putting a lanyard on it in case it slips out of your hands when it breaks through the botton of the hole.

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Got tanked with him after his set.

Think about putting a lanyard

 

The good old days eh!

 

I was thinking about a rope thru the handle.

 

 

Just curious Nick , is the T handle made so its wider then the hole in the ice would be so it can never be lost

 

For a guy who doesn't Ice fish, you sure seem to have a good sense about how things work..

 

I know there are at least 2 nice spuds on the bottom of Nipissing. :whistling:

 

Yes.. And my brand new LED Mag Light. Directly under where your hut was last year :blink:

 

A lanyard is good. But what do you do. Wrap it around your wrist when your hacking a hole?

 

I was trying to think of some way to make it float, but I can't think of anything that's not bulky..

Edited by N.A.W
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There's knurling on the handle. A note, if you plan on making our own. Don't knurl do deep. It's really hard on my office hands. I need to wear gloves to chop holes with this thing!

 

If you are outside in January or February, standing in the middle of a lake, holding on to a piece of metal... wouldn't you want to be wearing gloves anyway?

 

The deep knurles will provide a better grip.

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The good old days eh!

 

I was thinking about a rope thru the handle.

 

 

 

 

For a guy who doesn't Ice fish, you sure seem to have a good sense about how things work..

 

 

 

Yes.. And my brand new LED Mag Light. Directly under where your hut was last year :blink:

 

A lanyard is good. But what do you do. Wrap it around your wrist when your hacking a hole?

 

I was trying to think of some way to make it float, but I can't think of anything that's not bulky..

 

Now you know why i don't have to ice fish....................lol

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If you put at V notch on the tip of the point it will chip the ice better. Did that with mine and works great.

 

I was also thinking about something like that. My fishing partner make one similar to this one. But his had a step in the blade. Hopefully I can test it out this weekened, and fine tune things before I case harden the head.

 

Thanks for the input guys.

 

I put a rope through the handle last night.

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Looks solid and well built Nick. thumbsup_anim.gif

 

I've built several myself over the years due to friends losing them down the hole and if I could offer one bit of advice (beyond adding a rope) it would be to keep the cutting end at about 1" in width.

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Don't hit a rock with it. "BOINGGG".

 

Heavier is better with those things, my bro has a real old one made with a wood handle and a very large metal tip and its very heavy.. Three hits and he's thru 6 inches of ice. My 4inch finbore is still faster though hahaha

 

This should made your early season/unknown lake adventures a little safer! Nice piece!

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