Hi Bud
I did rework the bit guard and the fence so I could pop in a vac.hose and pull the chips up and away that's one reason I think I will go with the PC base ,it's has holes all the way around it and it should let the vac.pull them up and away I hope.
I don't think a hole in the back of the cabinet for a vac.pick will pull them out because like you I don't want to close the front off and it would take that to make air tight..so to speak...
That's good it will take the PC guides from the get go and the screw in guide set I got also as a apt.so it take the PC guides also...
The PC base plate I think I'm going to use is 5.750 in dia. that should help or I may use one of the other ones that is 6.625 in dia. may need all the room I can get I know I could have got one of the sq. 7" ones from Oak-Park but the over size center hole held me back from that...it's not that's it's over size it just that I so many PC type (1 3/16" ones on hand) and I'm a cheap SOB, as you know
Bj