DeWalt 1" x 17" Power Ship Auger Bit

A jobsite workhorse for deep 1-inch holes

A 1-inch hole through a doubled plate sounds easy until you’re halfway through, chips pack the flutes, the bit binds, and your drill twists your wrist. That’s where DeWalt’s 1-inch ship auger earns its keep. I’ve been running this 17-inch bit through studs, plates, landscaping timbers, and even a few stubborn stumps, and it’s proven fast, predictable, and tough in the kind of mixed conditions you find on real jobs.

Build and design

This bit is built from hardened, heat-treated alloy steel, and it feels it. The body is stout without being clumsy, and the machining on the dual cutting edges is clean and consistent. The self-feed screw is aggressive enough to pull the bit steadily without taking off on its own. I’m picky about feed screws: too fine and you end up pushing; too coarse and you lose control. This one sits in the sweet spot.

The 12-inch flute length gives you meaningful reach inside walls or through thick stock, and the hollow center flute design isn’t marketing fluff—it really does move chips efficiently. At 17 inches overall, it clears a 2x wall with room to spare, reaches into bottom plates from above, and handles deep bores in timbers without needing an extension.

On the back end, the 7/16-inch ball-groove shank is exactly what I want in a ship auger. It locks into a right-angle drill’s quick-change chuck and also runs fine in a standard 1/2-inch three-jaw. Bit changes are fast, and the shank’s geometry resists slipping under high torque.

Setup and compatibility

You’ll want a drill with a real handle. For most of my testing, I used a 1/2-inch right-angle drill on low speed, and a high-torque cordless with an auxiliary handle as a backup. Speeds in the 400–600 RPM range worked best in typical framing lumber. If your drill doesn’t offer a low gear, feather the trigger and let the screw point do the work—don’t over-rev it.

The ball-groove shank snaps securely into quick-release chucks designed for ship augers and earth bits. If you’re using a standard 1/2-inch chuck, tighten it firmly; there’s a lot of leverage with a 17-inch bit, and any looseness will show up.

Performance in wood

The short version: it’s fast, it tracks well, and it leaves a clean bore for an auger-style hole. Starting is easy thanks to the self-feed screw; the point grabs immediately with little wandering. Once engaged, the bit pulls itself in at a steady pace, and the dual cutting edges make a smooth spiral chip that clears without fuss. In SPF studs and plates, I could bore repeated holes for pipe and conduit in seconds per hole.

Entry holes are crisp. Exit tear-out is typical of self-feeding augers—less than a spade bit, more than a Forstner. If I needed a clean exit on visible work, backing out before breakthrough and finishing from the opposite side solved it. The bit stays on line even when boring at awkward angles, which is helpful when you’re reaching through a stud bay.

In hardwood (oak and maple blocking), feed slows a bit as you’d expect, but chip formation stays consistent and the screw point still pulls confidently. Back off your speed and keep firm two-handed control; the bit rewards a steady hand.

Chip ejection and deep drilling

The hollow center flute is the standout here. It pulls chips up and out without the clogging I often fight with conventional ship augers. In the deepest cuts—think boring through a beam or a triple plate—periodically easing the bit back to clear chips keeps things cool and efficient, but I found I could often power straight through a 2x stack without a pause. Chips exit as tight curls rather than dust, which is a good sign of sharp cutting geometry.

When I turned the bit to stump work, the flutes still cleared aggressively, even in damp fibers. It’s easy to overpack chips in that kind of material; this design kept the hole open and the cutting edges cool.

Nail strikes and abuse tolerance

Ship augers live where nails hide. I purposely bored through reclaimed studs with a few mystery fasteners buried inside. The dual cutting edges shrugged off light nail contact—more of a tick than a jolt—and kept cutting wood without stalling the drill. After a couple of strikes, the cutting lips still produced clean chips, and the self-feed screw wasn’t chewed up.

I also had one of those heart-stopping drops: tip-first onto a concrete slab. The screw point didn’t mushroom or chip, and the bit kept its bite. It’s not a test I recommend repeating, but it speaks to the heat treatment and tempering.

Control, safety, and technique

A 1-inch auger with an aggressive screw point can get away from you if you let it. A few practical tips that made the difference:

• Let the screw do the feeding. If you’re pushing, you’re likely running too fast or your bit is dull.
• Use two hands and a side handle. Expect torque kick if the bit binds.
• If chips slow or the tone changes, back the bit out slightly to clear the flute.
• To minimize blowout, stop just before the tip breaks through, then finish from the opposite face.
• Respect the bit’s pull when starting at an angle; get the screw point set before committing to full power.

Follow those and the bit behaves predictably.

Beyond framing: field uses

While this is a wood bit first and foremost, it has utility outside wall cavities. I’ve used it to bore clean, deep holes in landscaping timbers and to perforate old stumps prior to chemical removal. It’s also handy for rough holes to run small irrigation or low-voltage lines through fences. If you venture into soil or aggregate, understand that abrasive material will dull any edge faster; clean the bit afterward and avoid striking rocks. This is not a metal-cutting tool—leave junction box modifications to step bits and knockout tools.

Durability and maintenance

After multiple days of work, including deliberate nail encounters, edge wear was minimal and the screw point still grabbed reliably. The hardened alloy steel takes and holds an edge, and the temper seems right—tough without being brittle. I gave the cutting lips a light touch-up with a file once, more out of habit than necessity, and it sharpened easily.

There’s no frills in the packaging (carded), so plan on a sleeve or bit roll to keep the edge protected in your kit. Wipe it down after use—especially if you’ve bored damp stock—and a thin coat of oil will keep corrosion away. Given normal jobsite care, I expect a long service life.

Value and warranty

This is a single-purpose, single-size tool, but it fills that purpose very well. The 30 Day Money Back Guarantee is standard fare and provides a little peace of mind if you’re trying it on a specific project. Considering the performance, edge retention, and the convenience of the ball-groove shank, the value feels solid for anyone doing regular rough-in or timber work.

What I’d change

No tool is perfect. A few small quibbles:

• I’d like a protective tube or sheath included; carded packaging isn’t storage.
• A printed speed/usage guide on the card would help newer users match RPM to material.
• The self-feed screw is on the assertive side; users with lighter drills may wish for a slightly milder pitch.

None of these are deal-breakers, and all are manageable with basic technique and storage habits.

Recommendation

I recommend this DeWalt 1-inch auger bit for pros and serious DIYers who need to drill deep, clean holes in wood quickly and consistently. It bites predictably, clears chips better than most, and shrugs off occasional nail strikes—exactly what I want when boring through plates, studs, and timbers. Pair it with a low-speed, high-torque drill and a steady grip, and it will make short work of rough-in holes and outdoor boring tasks. If you’re only drilling a couple of shallow holes a year, a spade bit will do. But if you value speed, reach, and reliability in real-world framing and timber, this auger belongs in your kit.