Which Screwdriver Is Best For An Ice Screw

Which screwdriver is best for an ice screw: 6 reliable models Winter ice fishing is both active recreation in nature and a serious hobby that requires skills and good equipment. Along with fishing rods and a tackle box, an ice drill is needed. A screwdriver will make it easier to drill holes.

Makita DHP458RFE

This model differs from the 481RTE version in its ability to hammer very quickly, which will be very useful for home repairs, but not for fishing. Despite the similar price of about 20,000 rubles, this screwdriver’s torque value is significantly lower than 91 Nm, and the battery capacity is only 3 Ah.

What power should be a screwdriver

Experts have found out through practical tests that the minimum power of a screwdriver for use with an ice screw should be more than 60 Nm. Because most of these tools for standard use and with an acceptable price of 2,000-5,000 rubles have a torque of about 15-45 Nm, it becomes clear that this pleasure will not be cheap. According to preliminary estimates, screwdrivers with a torque of 60-110 Nm cost from 8,000 to 35,000 rubles. In addition, such a powerful device will weigh a lot of 2-3 kg, including the battery. This allows you to understand which screwdriver is best for the ice screw.

which screwdriver is best for an ice screw

But for inexpensive screwdrivers, manufacturers have made a kind of solution with an adapter with an integrated gear reducer, which reduces the output speed, thereby reducing the load on the screwdriver itself. This way you can save on the purchase of an expensive power tool if you already have a less powerful model. But the adapter itself with a built-in gearbox costs about 5,000 rubles.

Screwdriver for ice screw: rating of the best models

Our selection includes screwdrivers that have the right torque and very reliable and durable mechanics. If you already have an inexpensive, relatively powerful screwdriver for home use at home, then it doesn’t make sense to buy another one separately for fishing.It’s best to try an adapter with a gearbox. Perhaps he will be the best screwdriver for an ice screw. The rating of the models presented below will allow you to choose which cordless screwdriver for an ice screw is better and has an acceptable price.

Heavy Duty Performance

Agree that the rotation of the drill in ice requires quite a lot of effort from the screwdriver. My tests have shown that a unit with a torque of at least 60 Nm can cope with such work. The same figure is confirmed by other fishermen who are already drilling holes with a screwdriver. Therefore, when buying, you need to build on this value.

But in this place we must make the following reservation: not all screwdrivers, which will have a torque of over 60 Nm, will suit us. Among them there are those in which a large torque is achieved due to the impact mechanism. It is good for tightening nuts and bolts, but absolutely useless when drilling ice. Therefore, for ice fishing, models that achieve high torque due to impact are not suitable.

Heavy loads also require the screwdriver to be of a professional grade, since only then can it last a long time. Professional tools are made by the following manufacturers:

  • Aeg
  • Bosch (blue)
  • DeWalt
  • Makita
  • Metabo

The household class will not work, therefore we do not consider all sorts of bison, calibers, encores and other Chinese.

If you have drilled by hand before, you may remember how you sometimes got jammed during this process. Now imagine what happens if wedging occurs while drilling with a screwdriver your hands can easily bend. To protect yourself from this, it is necessary that the screwdriver has an additional handle in the kit, which is installed on the back of the main one. This way you can confidently hold the device by grasping it from both sides. This will keep your hands intact.

Let’s summarize this part like this: a large load requires a professional shockless screwdriver with a torque of 60 Nm. And for convenience and safety, an additional handle is also needed in the kit. With the factor of heavy load sorted out, let’s move on to the need for long-term work without recharging.

Which screwdriver for an ice screw to choose in 2020?

Hello! Do you love ice fishing but tired of manually drilling holes? A cordless screwdriver can make your life easier. You can easily fix an ice screw into it and drill 100-150 holes with one charge, depending on the thickness of the ice. True, not every model is suitable for this job. What characteristics a screwdriver should have in order to confidently cope with drilling will be discussed in this article. Read it to the end, as below will be presented specific high-quality models that can withstand the required load, but have the lowest price. This article is regularly updated, so it is always up to date.

I work as a sales assistant for power tools, so I am well versed in the range. In addition, I myself sometimes go on a winter fishing trip, so I can imagine the conditions in which a screwdriver will have to work. In general, having estimated these conditions, tested some models and talked with other fishermen, I figured out which screwdriver to choose for an ice auger so that he could handle this business with honor. Let’s start describing the required characteristics.

Features for long battery life

On the pond, no one will let you down, so the operating time of the screwdriver will depend on the amount of the stored charge. The charge reserve is equal to the battery capacity and is measured in ampere-hours. I think you understand that for drilling ice on winter fishing it is better to purchase a screwdriver with an increased battery capacity, which is at least 3 Ah. And you need to have at least two of them. Although, as I already wrote, we need a professional-grade device, and they are always equipped with at least two batteries.

By purchasing a screwdriver with a 3 Ah battery, you can drill at least 100 holes, and if at 5 Ah, then 150-170. Although this indicator, as mentioned above, also depends on the thickness of the ice.

Thus, when buying, we give preference to devices with the most capacious batteries. Now is the time to move on to such a factor as cold.

Batteries

So that a screwdriver for an ice screw does not turn into unnecessary ballast on a pond, it is important to choose the right battery for it. Today, tools of this type are most often equipped with two types of batteries: lithium-ion and nickel-cadmium. Nickel-metal hydride are less common. They all have both positive and negative sides. Below is a table that will help winter anglers make the right choice.

Battery type pros Minuses
Lithium-ion (Li-Ion) Easy maintenance, high energy consumption, low self-discharge, light weight, fast charging Poor resistance to low temperatures, rapid wear, high cost
Nickel Cadmium (Ni-Cd) Works at extremely low temperatures (up to 50˚С), can be stored in a discharged state Memory effect, rapid loss of energy consumption (10% per year), high weight, noticeably heavier instrument
Nickel Metal Hydride (Ni-Mh) Increased energy intensity, resistance to cold, low weight Limited capacity, memory effect, high self-discharge, short shelf life in a discharged state (up to 3 years)

Ice screw screwdriver review of the best models

Not a single self-respecting winter fishing fisherman appears on a frozen reservoir without an ice ax. This is as much a must-have for ice fishing as a fishing rod or a box. Of course, you can go without it, counting on the holes left by your colleagues, but even after a slight snowfall, finding them will be very problematic. Walking is also not the best option. If the ice is more than 20 cm thick, you will have to work until you sweat, after which fishing becomes not a joy. With an ice pick, everything is easier, especially if its knives are well and correctly sharpened. Drilling will take only a few minutes, and the rest of the time you can enjoy your favorite pastime.

In recent years, an improved tool has become very popular, which is a symbiosis of an ice ax and a construction screwdriver. The connection of the screw with the screwdriver is an unusual solution that allows you to get an excellent automated device for drilling ice of any thickness and structure without any effort. Today the fishing market offers drills already adapted for a screwdriver. The famous Swedish company Mora can boast of such products, but not every fisherman can afford this rather expensive tool.

But there were craftsmen who learned how to make automated ice axes from domestic products. This job requires certain skills and knowledge. It is not enough just to cut off the handle of the angle grinder, you need to know how to connect the auger to the power tool, and most importantly choose the right one, because a low-power model will not cope with the task at hand. So, which screwdriver is best for your ice ax? Let’s try to figure it out, but first we will finally make sure that this really needs to be done.

Advantages and disadvantages of ice axes equipped with a screwdriver

Compared to manual models, automated ice axes have a number of advantages. First of all, these are:

  • Saving time. When the fish is passive, sometimes you have to look for it for a long time, making many holes. With a hand drill, you can spend hours searching, and the winter day is already short.
  • Saving energy. No physical overstrain, just a little effort to hold the tool in an upright position.
  • Great opportunities. The redesigned ice ax is capable of handling any ice, even the driest and densest.
  • Noiselessness. When the ice cover is clear, without snow, there is a loud echo from the blows of an ice pick on the reservoir. After that, the fish will not fit under the hole for a long time. An automated ice ax is another matter. It works not only quickly but also quietly.
  • Multifunctionality. It is not necessary to store the fixture fully assembled. The screwdriver can be removed and used in everyday life for its intended purpose.
  • Self-esteem. Not every ice fishing lover has such a device. Competitors who continue to hammer with an ice ax in the old fashioned way will glance at the work of the miracle ice ax with undisguised envy.

Unfortunately, fishing shows some of the weaknesses of the power tool.

  • Ice fishing takes place at low temperatures, which is a major problem. If at 10 ° C the device still somehow copes with its function, then in a more severe frost, you have to take out the battery and keep it in your bosom.
  • Devices with ice axes in which the auger rotates counterclockwise are unstable. After a certain number of revolutions, the adapter loosens and begins to slip in the chuck.

As you can see, such a tool has much more advantages than disadvantages. They made it popular.

Advantages and disadvantages of ice axes equipped with a screwdriver

Compared to manual models, automated ice axes have a number of advantages. First of all, these are:

  • Saving time. When the fish is passive, sometimes you have to look for it for a long time, making many holes. With a hand drill, you can spend hours searching, and the winter day is already short.
  • Saving energy. No physical overstrain, just a little effort to hold the tool in an upright position.
  • Great opportunities. The redesigned ice ax is capable of handling any ice, even the driest and densest.
  • Noiselessness. When the ice cover is clear, without snow, there is a loud echo from the blows of an ice pick on the reservoir. After that, the fish will not fit under the hole for a long time. An automated ice ax is another matter. It works not only quickly but also quietly.
  • Multifunctionality. It is not necessary to store the fixture fully assembled. The screwdriver can be removed and used in everyday life for its intended purpose.
  • Self-esteem. Not every ice fishing lover has such a device. Competitors who continue to hammer with an ice ax in the old fashioned way will glance at the work of the miracle ice ax with undisguised envy.

Unfortunately, fishing shows some of the weaknesses of the power tool.

  • Ice fishing takes place at low temperatures, which is a major problem. If at 10 ° C the device still somehow copes with its function, then in a more severe frost, you have to take out the battery and keep it in your bosom.
  • Devices with ice axes in which the auger rotates counterclockwise are unstable. After a certain number of revolutions, the adapter loosens and begins to slip in the chuck.

As you can see, such a tool has much more advantages than disadvantages. They made it popular.

Batteries

So that a screwdriver for an ice screw does not turn into unnecessary ballast on a pond, it is important to choose the right battery for it. Today, tools of this type are most often equipped with two types of batteries: lithium-ion and nickel-cadmium. Nickel-metal hydride are less common. They all have both positive and negative sides. Below is a table that will help winter anglers make the right choice.

Battery type pros Minuses
Lithium-ion (Li-Ion) Easy maintenance, high energy consumption, low self-discharge, light weight, fast charging Poor resistance to low temperatures, rapid wear, high cost
Nickel Cadmium (Ni-Cd) Works at extremely low temperatures (up to 50˚С), can be stored in a discharged state Memory effect, rapid loss of energy consumption (10% per year), high weight, noticeably heavier instrument
Nickel Metal Hydride (Ni-Mh) Increased energy intensity, resistance to cold, low weight Limited capacity, memory effect, high self-discharge, short shelf life in a discharged state (up to 3 years)