Jiffy Model 30 ice auger not cutting well

[lenb12]

Hi :

I have a Jiffy Model 30 (10 inch) that is 8 years old. The RPM seems ok for the shaft. I have a new blade. The head seems to have some play(and the manual mentioned that this is "normal" when I first installed the shaft).

I have to lean heavily on the auger to cut a hole. Does anyone know of a reputable shop that can diagnose the issue.

Len

[clint]

i don't know what the proper name for it is, but if the pointed tip at the end isn't sharp then that will happen regardless if you have new blades.
its really easy to sharpen, just use a file or sharpening stone and follow the angle of the point. it only takes 10 minutes or so.
I'd try that first before spending any money on bringing it into a shop.
if I'm around Perth this weekend i could even show you how to do it.
if you fish the miss I'm out there 3-4 nights a week and all weekend long.... i can show you out there and then you can try it out right away.

[cgates]

One thing to check is are you blades on the right way and are they the right blades for the auger
Chris

[toddc]

i concur, that tip doesnt have to be razor sharp but at least a good edge,. I doesnt take much to fold the edge on the blade even if there new. You should be able to cut with no or little pressure

[clint]

found this on the jiffy website:

http://www.jiffyonice.com/EComStore/pag ... gtips.aspx

the pilot point is what i was talking about, it doesn't matter how sharp your blades are if they aren't getting a chance to bite into the ice.
I have a very very old strike master auger with the same blade setup and i am still using the original blades on it, just by keeping that tip cleaned up it makes a world of difference. i sharpened that up and i can almost drill holes 1 handed now.

[OntarioRider]

Thanks for the tip.
Going to have a look at my old Jiffy now.

[rex.stpierre]

I had new blades this weekend, i cut a hole under a bridge where the ice must of had dirt in it. One half hole and the blades were useless. I put new blades on and my auger cuts with me putting no weight on it again. What do you mean by new blades? The blades are suppose to be as clean And sharp as a good knife.

[clint]

It all depends on what kind of cutting system you have, I believe all jiffys (and my strikemaster) have the chipper style blade I'm not sure what other brands have that style as well. Its the style that's in the link I posted earlier.
From the sounds of it your auger has the shaver style blade and they are much more susceptible to damage from dirt and being banged around.
The chipper blades are more like little teeth not like a knife at all.

[Splake_Hunter]

I find that if it is really cold, my Jiffy will start a hole, but won't finish. It happened again on Sunday. Cut first hole, no problem, second hole made it half way and that was that. I dipped the auger blades in the first hole to get all the ice and snow off, and finished the second hole with no issues.

Maybe your blades are freezing up or snow and ice is building up so you aren't cutting very well like mine was?

I guess if you don't have a cut hole to dip the blades in, you're SOL, but just a thought.

[mikemicropterus]

a lot of things can screw up an auger cutting properly and one of the most common is ice build up on really cold days....

I see blades put on backwards and bent shafts but mostly ice and like clint said the point is not sharp.....most blades now are chipper......also strikemaster has a section for do's and don't and one it not to stand the auger up in a half finished hole....I used to do this.....it can bend a shaft....

the last time I was out it was very cold and after 10 holes I had to clear the built up ice........very hard to cut through the ice.....it was mostly around the point....if you are in a hut or have a heater melt the ice off and see if it makes a difference...