A little.. well, sort of little… project from last weekend.

What do you get when you combine Alaskan ingenuity with the need for a tool? The application of a angle grinder, cutoff saw, and a wire feed welder to some heavy pipe and an old shovel, that’s what!

My newest addiction that’s taking up my weekends, no secret, is ice fishing. But without a ice auger, and no funds to get one, I’m at the mercy of only going out with a friend that has one…

Not a problem on average since he’s a great guy, and fishing alone can be a bit monotonous… But then there are the days where I’m out to that end of town anyway, mid week, and stopping for a couple hours on my own could be nice…

An auger’s not really needed this late in the year, with so many holes already out there, and they “soft freeze”, with ice that isn’t as hard after they’re drilled, you can open them pretty easy with an ice spud (really big ice chisel).

Next problem; I can’t justify the cost of an ice spud this late in the season euther… I’m spending any available cash on prepping for my bigger trips this summer.

SO:

I Made me an ice spud/ ice chisel out of about 6′ of 1.25″ pipe with a 3/16″ wall, and an old Tru Temper USA (GREAT steel!) Spade shovel that the tip was guttered on… Good heft, a chisel ground tip, should eat the ice well.

Didn’t make it to the lake as planned last Sunday, beenwaiting all week to get out, maybe this afternoon, or tomorrow..