Auger Care & Maintenance

General Blade Information for Both Hand and Power Augers

1. Keep blade guard intact when auger is not in use to protect the cutting blades.
2. After use, wipe blades dry with a cloth and spray a small amount of oil on cutting edge.
3. Check and tighten blade screws before each use to avoid loss of blades due to vibrating during cutting of holes.

Power Auger Care and Maintenance

1. Keep loose clothing, drawstrings, scarves, or the like away from the auger to prevent injury.
2. Do not allow the engine to run during transport or walking to another location. The throttle may engage the drill unit that may potentially cause injury.
3. Make sure to use the proper oil and fuel mixture ratio as prescribed by the engine manufacturer. Using too much oil can cause the auger to smoke, run rough, or not start at all. For best engine performance, use 91 Octane premium unleaded winter blend fuel (available November through April in most areas of the US).
4. Never fill the fuel tank completely; leave at least a half inch below filler neck to allow for fuel expansion.
5. When the drilling of holes is complete, firmly close the vent on the fuel cap to avoid leakage.
6. To prepare your auger for off season storage, choose one of the following:
   

   a) Dry tank storage: Run fresh fuel with stabilizer through the engine. This will prevent build up of varnish from fuel residue. Running the engine dry may result in the carb components to dry out, warp, swell or crack. In addition the needle may stick open or shut.

   b) Wet tank storage: Make sure to fill tank at least 1/4 full with fresh, stabilized fuel. Run the engine for 5 to 10 minutes. Then shut off and open fuel cap slightly to reduce the chance of pressure or swollen tank. For optimal storage, run engine once a month for 5-10 minutes.

7. Clean and re-oil the air filter every three months or 25 operating hours. Refer to your engine manufacturers guide to cleaning the air filter.

8. Check the spark plug every 100 operating hours.

9. To avoid bending of the drill unit, do not drill a partial hole in the ice and leave auger standing. Gravity will cause the weight of the power head to bend the drill unit and the auger may become stuck in the ice.

10. Store the power auger with the drill attached and suspended from a wall bracket.

11. Follow instructions in the owner’s manual in order to maintain the warranty and life of the auger.

12. Avoid slamming auger in hole when it binds or is cutting hard. The flighting and blades may become damaged which may prevent the auger from drilling holes.

13. Upon a cold start, let the engine idle for warm up for 1 - 2 minutes. This will ensure the best performance for drilling holes.

14. Tighten blade screws and collar bolt before each use.