Andy says...

I'm thinking of getting a "Drill Guide" or "8inch Drill Stand" ($27 and
$40 by Craftsman) as a temporary substitute for a drill press. I know
they're not replacements, but space and money are both issues right
now. Has anyone used either of these products? Is one style better
than the other? Are there better brands available for a similar price?
I'm mostly interested in drilling right-angle holes (for dowels, shelf
hangers, etc.) but it'd be nice to use a spindle sander too.
Thanks

Don't have any experience with the Craftsman models, but I owned the one
by General and it was worthless. I took it back and then bought the one
from Harbor Freight. The HF model was bigger, sturdier, made better and
half the price. The runout on both of them is pathetic. This
translates into bit wobble, which in turn makes the whole thing wiggle,
shake and vibrate in use. It was so bad on the General, that was why I
took it back. Still, the one from HF is useful enough that I didn't get
rid of it. It is good for some things that you can't get to a drill
press, like drilling dog holes in a bench, but by and large they are
junk.