Timber Framers Guild Forums Tools Tool Forum ship augers

Hi all,
Ok, am now getting sick of the "high speed" ship augers that are sold everywhere... I would like a "low speed" auger that has a clean entry.
I would appreciate any suggestions that you may have in this area, I'm ready to get some decent augers, Specifically long bits(16") that will be used in a power drill.
thanks!

Hi Mark, These are my bits of choice, 2 side cutters, they make a nice clean hole.

http://www.irwin.com/tools/drill-bits/hand-brace-solid-center-auger-bits

You can get them with a hex shank for the power drill. 1-1/2" and 18" over all, 12" auger. I have been using the shorter ones in my boring machines. Had to cut the tapered square off and adapt a clean 1/2" shank.

What a joke the ship augers are. I guess they are fine of electrical work.

Check out the wood owl bits. Note that there are two (or more?) types. The "nail chipper" does not have spurs. The one you want is the "ultra-smooth".

http://www.timberwolftools.com/tools/woodowl/woodowl.html

I've also heard good things about the 2-spur version that Gary sells:

http://www.timbertools.com/Products/HolzMaster_doublecut.html

We do use the nail chipper version on site to pierce the tenons after assembly. They require less effort after the screw tip hits daylight.

THanks!!!
The Irwin looks good, have you tried these in the longer length?

I've heard about the wood owl bits now several times, thanks for the reminder.

clean holes make me happy...

I have not used the longer ones to bore deep holes. The long bit is too long to fit in my machines. But I have a bunch of through mortices coming up, 16" deep, I will come up with some plan at that time. I think I will bore as deep as the shorter bits will go, from either side and then switch over to the longer bits or hit it with the chain saw.

I know I can sharpen the Irwin bits, but the wood owl is in question. daiku, how do you address the sharpening of these bits?

mark, we've used that irwin in longer lengths and it is our bit of choice.

I prefer it to a wood owl -- easier to sharpen and the spurs are longer so they last longer (more sharpenings). even when sharp, the woodowl lead screw strips out in yellow pine and cypress which is very annoying.

Have not had luck sharpening them. We work mostly in softwoods. Gabel's right - it's the short spurs that make them hard to sharpen. A big difference in the style between the two is the amount of metal that is in contact with the wall of the hole. Look at the difference in the thickness of the auger portion. I think that makes the Irwin easier to "steer". It's up to you to decide if that is a good thing, or a bad thing. CB.

thanks again for info, sounds like the irwin is worth a try, just have to find somewhere to buy one....

Mark
Did you ever find a place to buy your augers? I'm having the same problem.
Rusty

Hello,

Yeah. All my augers get rusty too.

Greetings,

Don Wagstaff