A drill stand is a stabilization device designed to hold an electric rotary device in position. Drills are loaded into stands and locked into the desired position for use. Hand levers or rotary wheels on a drill stand allow the user to manually lower the stabilized spinning drill bit straight down into the surface of the material. The drill bit is pulled straight up out of the new hole once it has been drilled sufficiently deep. Drilling a series of perpendicular and uniform holes is much easier with a drill stand holding the drill in place.
Many drill stands have adjustable brackets to mount rotary tools of varying sizes. Bolt or screw-in fasteners are loosened on the drill stand mounting bracket until the body of the power drilling device can be accommodated. Heavier drills may require that the stand be bolted or clamped down to the work bench to prevent tipping caused by the mounted machine. Materials are often stacked on the perforated platform base of the stand to drill through without damaging the work area.
Drill stands may require lubrication to continue to crank smoothly up and down. The teeth on the center column are like ladder rungs for the mounted drill to climb. Grit and dust caught in the gears may make the drill stand difficult to operate. A light coating of grease on the serrated side of the central pole often ensures an uninterrupted rise and fall of the bit. The grease can be evenly distributed by simply cranking the drill stand all the way up and down with the hand lever several times.
Switching out bits can turn a stand-mounted drill into a router or planer. Alternative drill bits come in a variety of shapes and cutting patters. A securely mounted drill allows for hands-free operation. Hard surfaces can be passed under the mounted specialty bit by hand to created grooved and beveled design patterns. Gouging a router or planer bit too deeply into a hard surface may send the stand toppling over.
Fatigue and serious injuries are typically reduced by the proper use of a drill stand. The weight of an electric drill usually becomes difficult to hold after more than a few minutes of use. Electric drill motors heat up and can make the drill assembly uncomfortably hot to hold without a pair of gloves. Drill stand mounts free the hands of the user to hold other tools and leave the heavy drill where it is.