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How To

How to Install Ice Auger Blades

Contributor
By John L
eHow Contributing Writer
(0 Ratings)

Ice fishermen must maintain sharp blades on their manual ice augers, tools that drill holes in the ice. In order to drill the hole, you have to turn the auger, pressing down to cause the blades to chew through the ice. Dull blades make this task more difficult and sometimes impossible.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging
Instructions

Things You'll Need:

  1. Step 1

    The first step is turn the auger upside-down and remove the blade guard. Hold the auger securely but avoid grabbing the blades. These blades will cut you even when dull. You will remove one blade and install a sharp one before doing the same to the other.

  2. Step 2
    Flat side faces you.
    Flat side faces you.

    Observe the blade carefully to see which way it must go back on the auger. Take a marker pen .and mark the top with an "X." Realize that if you install the new or sharpened blades upside-down, the auger will not work. Look at the blades before taking them off and hold the replacement blades next to them. Mark the replacement blade as well, so the correct side will be facing you when you install it. Remember that the flat side of the blade is the top and the side with a beveled edge is the bottom.

  3. Step 3
    Loosen screws with an Allen wrench.
    Loosen screws with an Allen wrench.

    Use an Allen wrench to loosen the two screws that hold the blade in place. The heads of these screws are on the underside of the head of the auger. Slowly turn one screw with the wrench and then the other until the screws are loose enough to turn with your fingers.

  4. Step 4

    Unscrew the screws by hand and take off the dull blade. Place the sharpened blade on the auger in the same position as the dull one. Take a screw and place it in the hole from under the head. Hand-tighten it as far as you can before doing the same with the other screw.

  5. Step 5

    Finish tightening the screws with your Allen wrench. Avoid tightening them so much that you strip the screws. They are tight enough when it begins to seem difficult to turn them using medium force. Repeat this procedure with the other dull blade and install the sharp one before putting the blade guards back on.

Tips & Warnings
  • If you are still confused about which way is up on your blades, find the side that has the company name and the blade size written on it. This side faces you as you install the blades. Purchase an extra set of blades with your manual ice auger. Replace the dull original blades with the extra set and bring the originals to your local sharpening surface so they will be sharp when the extra set becomes dull.
  • Always keep the blade guard on your auger when it is not in use.

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