#HTE

Cool Tools: Wabeco’s Portable Drill Stand

You’ve probably seen one of these cheapie $40-$50 drill guides before, that promise to let you drill perfectly plumb into workpieces when you don’t have a drill press:

I could use that in my shop, but they tend to not get great reviews, and I’m skeptical that they work well.

Woodpeckers makes what looks like a well-made version…

…but it’s out of my price range at $370.

I spotted this thing on designer Daniel Rybakken’s Instagram:

I looked it up, and that drill stand is made by German manufacturer Wabeco. It looks like a heavy-duty piece of kit, yet surprisingly, it’s cheaper that the Woodpeckers offering: It comes in four sizes, ranging from a 500mm-tall €149.99 (USD $164) version up to a 1000mm tall (USD $254) version.

If you’re curious about it, this is the best video review of one I could find:

While it’s coming close to having the same footprint as an actual drill press, for a tight shop I think this could be tucked away far easier, and it’s certainly cheaper than a floor-standing model.