How to choose and use a punch "Caliber"?

The quality of the repair and construction work is equally dependent on both the characteristics of the tool used and the skill of the master. Our article is devoted to the features of the selection and operation of the "Caliber" perforator.

The production of punchers of the Kalibr trademark is carried out by the Moscow company of the same name, established in 2001. In addition to drilling, the company also produces other types of power tools, as well as welding, compression and agrotechnical equipment. When developing new models, the company goes through the modernization of existing ones, thanks to which successful technical findings are developed.

The assembly of the company's finished products is partially carried out in China, and then passes a multi-stage quality control in Moscow, thanks to which the company manages to achieve an acceptable price-quality ratio. Service centers and representative offices of the company can now be found throughout Russia - from Kaliningrad to Kamchatka and from Murmansk to Derbent.

Most models, with rare exceptions, have a standard pistol grip design with a removable, adjustable grip. All models are equipped with a regulator of the number of revolutions and the frequency of beats per minute, and also have three modes of operation - drilling, hammering and combined mode. The mode switch is equipped with a lock. All models use the SDS-plus drill fastening system.

The model range of perforators of the company is divided into two series - tools for household and semi-professional use and a series of professional perforators "Master" of increased power. All models of the "Master" series are equipped with a reverse.

The following products are included in the line of standard models.

• EP-650/24 - the budgetary and least powerful option at a price of up to 4000 rubles, which, with a power of 650 W, allows the screw speed to reach 840 rpm. / min. and the frequency of blows up to 4850 beats. / min. The impact energy of this model is 2 J. Such characteristics are quite enough for making holes in metal up to 13 mm deep, and in concrete - up to 24 mm.
• EP-800 - version with a power of 800 W, drilling speed up to 1300 rpm. / min. and the frequency of blows up to 5500 beats. / min. The impact energy in the tool is increased to 2.8 J, which increases the drilling depth in concrete up to 26 mm.

• EP-800/26 - at a power of 800 W it is reduced to 900 rpm. / min. rotation speed and up to 4000 beats. / min. the frequency of impacts. In this case, the impact energy is 3.2 J. The model is equipped with a reverse function.
• EP-800 / 30MR - the characteristics of this model are in many respects similar to the characteristics of the previous one, but the maximum depth of drilling in concrete reaches 30 mm. The device uses a metal gearbox, which increases its reliability.
• EP-870/26 - a model with a metal gearbox and increased power up to 870 W. The number of revolutions reaches 870 rpm. / min., and the frequency in the shock mode - 3150 beats. / min. at an impact energy of 4.5 J. A distinctive feature is the handle-bracket, which increases the operator's protection from possible injuries.

• EP-950/30 - 950 W model with reverse function. Drilling speed - up to 950 rpm. / min., in shock mode, it develops a speed of up to 5300 beats. / min. at an impact energy of 3.2 J. The maximum depth of holes in concrete is 30 mm.
• EP-1500/36 - the most powerful model from the standard series (1.5 kW). The rotation speed reaches 950 rpm. / min., and the shock mode is characterized by a speed of up to 4200 beats. / min. with the energy of one blow 5.5 J. Such characteristics allow making holes in concrete up to 36 mm deep.The model is distinguished by the presence of a handle-bracket.

The series "Master" includes the following tools.

• EP-800 / 26M - characterized by a speed of revolutions up to 930 rpm. / min., impact frequency up to 5000 beats. / min. with an impact energy of 2.6 J. Allows making holes in concrete up to 26 mm deep.
• EP-900 / 30M - with a power of 900 W it allows drilling concrete to a depth of 30 mm. Drilling speed - up to 850 rpm. / min., the frequency of blows - 4700 beats. / min., impact energy - 3.2 J.
• EP-1100 / 30M - is characterized by the presence of a handle-bracket and a power of 1.1 kW, differs in an impact energy of 4 J.
• EP-2000 / 50M - in addition to the main one, it has an auxiliary handle-bracket. The most powerful model of the company - with a power of 2 kW, the impact energy reaches 25 J.

• The main advantage of the "Caliber" perforators is their low price in comparison with the majority of analogues with a higher energy of one blow.
• Another plus is the availability of most spare parts for the company's tools and the presence of an extensive network of SC.
• Finally, the scope of delivery of many models includes many useful additions - a tool case, hole depth stop, a set of drills and drills.

One of the main disadvantages of almost all models of the tool in question is the low reliability of the collector, which often fails even during the warranty period. Unfortunately, it is impossible to call the "Caliber" perforators very convenient for use due to high vibration and noise accompanying their operation, as well as due to their large relative to models with similar mass power (about 3.5 kg for all household variations).

• Before starting work, after a long break, you need to let the tool work for a while in the drilling mode. This will redistribute the lubricant inside it and warm up the engine.
• Failure to comply with the operating modes recommended in the instructions is fraught with overheating, sparking, the smell of burnt plastic and, as a result, a quick failure of the collector. Therefore, you should not try to make a series of deep holes in one pass, you should allow the tool to cool down for 10 minutes.

• You can increase the reliability of the rock drill manifold by periodically grinding it. The signal that the time has come to carry out this operation will be an increase in the intensity of sparking. For grinding, the manifold must be dismantled and secured to the end of the rotor shaft in a drill through a foil gasket. Before grinding, be sure to center the rotor in the drill chuck. Grinding is best done with a file or emery cloth with finer grains starting from # 100. To avoid injury and to improve the surface finish, it is best to wrap the sandpaper around a wooden block.

In general, the majority of owners of "Caliber" rotary hammers are satisfied with their purchase and note that for their money they received relatively a high-quality and powerful tool that allows you to perform the entire range of work necessary in everyday life and small construction. Many users in their reviews separately praise the quality of the device's network cable, which is made of dense rubber and tolerates low temperatures well. Some note the presence of a suitcase and a full set of drills in the delivery set, which saves on the purchase of additional accessories.

The greatest criticism is caused by the rapid overheating characteristic of all Caliber models, which is accompanied by noticeable sparking and an unpleasant plastic odor.Another drawback of all models of rotary hammers, which most users find extremely inconvenient, is their higher weight compared to analogues, which makes the use of the tool less convenient. Some craftsmen find the lack of a reverse mode in budget models inconvenient.

In the next video you will find a review of the "Caliber" EP 800/26 hammer drill.