An ice making apparatus for making ice of the nugget-forming type from ice shavings that are compacted, comprising: (a) a refrigeration system (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35) for providing refrigerant to a freezing chamber (26, 110) of the hollow cylinder type; (b) a freezing chamber (26, 110) with a generally hollow cylindrical inner wall and means for receiving water therein for forming ice on said cylindrical inner wall; (c) a rotatable ice auger (22, 72) sized to fit inside said freezing chamber and comprising means for scraping ice formed on the wall of said freezing chamber and conveying the ice from the wall of said freezing chamber (26, 110), along said rotatable auger (22, 72); (d) means (23, 44, 55) to cause rotation of said ice auger; (e) means (25, 46) for supplying water to said freezing chamber; (f) ice compression means for receiving ice from said freezing chamber and compressing it into compacted solid form while squeezing water therefrom, and wherein said rotatable auger conveys said ice from said freezing chamber to said ice compression means; said ice making apparatus being characterized in that the ice making apparatus further comprises: (g) means for delivering formed ice to an ice transport tube (58, 60, 61, 27), said transport tube comprising a transport tube coupling that is generally hollow and cylindrical, said transport tube coupling being carried in a coupling housing, said transport tube coupling being movable in said coupling housing, said transport tube coupling being slideably mounted in a cylindrical bushing; and (h) sensor means for sensing axial strain on the transport tube from ice buildup therein and discontinuing auger rotation and refrigeration system refrigerant drive, wherein said sensor means includes an axially movable portion of the transport tube comprising said transport tube coupling and a spring for compressing under a preset force, said spring being located between said bushing and said housing, with the axially movable portion of the transport tube moving in response to spring compression caused by ice buildup in the transport tube; and with said sensor means including means responsive to axial movement of said transport tube portion for discontinuing auger rotation. (a) a refrigeration system (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35) for providing refrigerant to a freezing chamber (26, 110) of the hollow cylinder type; (b) a freezing chamber (26, 110) with a generally hollow cylindrical inner wall and means for receiving water therein for forming ice on said cylindrical inner wall; (c) a rotatable ice auger (22, 72) sized to fit inside said freezing chamber and comprising means for scraping ice formed on the wall of said freezing chamber and conveying the ice from the wall of said freezing chamber (26, 110), along said rotatable auger (22, 72); (d) means (23, 44, 55) to cause rotation of said ice auger; (e) means (25, 46) for supplying water to said freezing chamber; (f) ice compression means for receiving ice from said freezing chamber and compressing it into compacted solid form while squeezing water therefrom, and wherein said rotatable auger conveys said ice from said freezing chamber to said ice compression means; said ice making apparatus being characterized in that the ice making apparatus further comprises: (g) means for delivering formed ice to an ice transport tube (58, 60, 61, 27), said transport tube comprising a transport tube coupling that is generally hollow and cylindrical, said transport tube coupling being carried in a coupling housing, said transport tube coupling being movable in said coupling housing, said transport tube coupling being slideably mounted in a cylindrical bushing; and (h) sensor means for sensing axial strain on the transport tube from ice buildup therein and discontinuing auger rotation and refrigeration system refrigerant drive, wherein said sensor means includes an axially movable portion of the transport tube comprising said transport tube coupling and a spring for compressing under a preset force, said spring being located between said bushing and said housing, with the axially movable portion of the transport tube moving in response to spring compression caused by ice buildup in the transport tube; and with said sensor means including means responsive to axial movement of said transport tube portion for discontinuing auger rotation. (g) means for delivering formed ice to an ice transport tube (58, 60, 61, 27), said transport tube comprising a transport tube coupling that is generally hollow and cylindrical, said transport tube coupling being carried in a coupling housing, said transport tube coupling being movable in said coupling housing, said transport tube coupling being slideably mounted in a cylindrical bushing; and (h) sensor means for sensing axial strain on the transport tube from ice buildup therein and discontinuing auger rotation and refrigeration system refrigerant drive, wherein said sensor means includes an axially movable portion of the transport tube comprising said transport tube coupling and a spring for compressing under a preset force, said spring being located between said bushing and said housing, with the axially movable portion of the transport tube moving in response to spring compression caused by ice buildup in the transport tube; and with said sensor means including means responsive to axial movement of said transport tube portion for discontinuing auger rotation.