wrote in message
...
I'm a bit too tight to buy an expensive pillar drill, but my inability to
drill with accuracy has hampered a few DIY tasks over the years. I'm not
generally doing stuff at fraction of a millimetre tolerance, but results
better than my freehand efforts would be useful.

I have seen el cheapo pillar drills at 50 to 100 quid. I have also seen
drill stands to take a regular hand held drill for similar money. My drill
is an old-ish Bosch (650w power, IIRC). On the pillar drill front, lots of
the cheap ones get poor reviews, with particular criticism levelled at
side to side play in the chucks or the raising/lowering mechanism. At
least I know my hand held drill is quite well made.

The question, then, is which approach is better?

I got a very decent pillar drill at a garage/yard sale for peanuts.

Perhaps both my options are **** and I need to dig
deep, or forget it. Suggestions/experience please.