VACDRILL vs a drilling jig or template
A jig tells you where. It does not tell the bit how.
What a template does well
Repeatable hole positions across a pattern, and fast set-out.
What it leaves to the operator
Perpendicularity, depth, feed rate and the reaction forces — all still human variables.
A template with a bushing helps the axis at the surface but does nothing about drift at depth.
They are complementary
Use a template to set out and a self-anchoring machine to execute. Position from the template; geometry from the machine.
Cost and time
Templates are cheap and job-specific. A machine is a capital item that applies to every job.
Questions about this
Does a template give the same benefit?
No. A template fixes hole position. It does not control axis at depth, feed rate, depth or reaction forces, all of which remain operator variables.
Can I use both?
Yes, and it is a sensible combination — template for set-out, machine for execution.