MicroFence Plunge Base & Bosch Pony - What would you do?

[Doug Shepard]

My MF base was waiting for me when I got home (Ser. Nbr 85 which sort of surprised me). It looks to be every bit as excellent as their edge guide & circle jig. But halfway between shipping and arrival I started wondering if I ordered the right thing. MF makes 2 units - one pre-bored for the Porter Cable PC 310, the other for the Bosch PR20 (Pony). I have neither. My trimmer is a DeWalt 670 and takes an adapter ring. I also bought an adapter for my Dremel. When I talked to MF and had to decide between either PC310 or PR20 bore, they pointed out that the PC310 could always be returned and bored out to the larger PR20. So in terms of "what if my DeWalt ever dies and I replace it with something else?" I chose the PC310 bore thinking it was the most flexible of the two.
Since then, I've seen some raving good comments on the PR20 here. Hopefully the DeWalt will never die, but if I were ever to buy a PR20 later I'd have to return the base to get it bored out (not sure of the cost on that) plus a new adapter ring for the Dremel ($39.95). Is the PR20 that much better than either the PC310 or another DW670 if I have to replace?

Should I return the base, Dremel adapter, and DW670 adapter now, before I even open the plastic and exchange them for the PR20 bored versions?

Like I said - the issue may never come up, but I'm just wondering if I made the wrong choice.

Any thoughts?

[Bruce Page]

Doug, I've about finished my rendition of the Micro Fence plunge base. I machined it to fit my new Bosch PR20EVSK Colt. I do not have any experience with the PC or the DeWalt but the Colt is a sweet little router.

[Brian Buckley]

Doug,

I recently purchased the Micro Fence plunge router base for my Bosch Colt. It is an amazeing set up (as it well should be considering the cost).
I am trying to learn how to properly do inlay work. This set/up has helped me a lot.
I think the Bosch Colt is the slickest tool to come along in quite a while. Useing the Pat Roberts off set base it excells for edge routeing. I prefer it over my PC trimer.

Brian

[tod evans]

doug, i swear by the pc 310 it`s been around for lotsa years with a fantastic track record......02 tod

[Doug Shepard]

Well that's 2 votes for the Bosch and 1 for the PC. I started thinking a bit more about this and decided to just keep the one I ordered. I tend to over-analyze too much and the option of sending it back for the Bosch version was only as a future "what-if" scenario anyway. I think maybe what I'd pay to ship it back and forth might negate some of the benefit of not having to buy the replacement Dremel adapter if I ever have to replace the DeWalt and end up switching to the Bosch later. I'll definitely take a look at the Colt if the DW ever dies.
The other factor in my decision is the burning desire to unwrap this thing and start playing with it.

Bruce - hope you're going to post some pics of the home-brew version you're working on.

Thanks for the input y'all.

[Cecil Arnold]

Doug, I don't want to confuse you but I find I completely agree with Tod, I've got the 310 and think it's great. Tod, does that make me a bubba?

[tod evans]

Doug, I don't want to confuse you but I find I completely agree with Tod, I've got the 310 and think it's great. Tod, does that make me a bubba?

don`t think so???????i`m a transplant myself:) by the way doug, the 310 has the spindle bearings mounted in metal not so with the bosch. the only glitch i`ve ever found with the 310 is a sticky collet and for me that`s a small trade off for the quality of the rest of the unit......02 tod