Ditto...The 16 is a bit underpowered to really push it, so go slow and don't let it heat up. I've replaced tha armature once and the field once on mine. The Great Northern base is great- stable and can bevel more than 45 degrees (I think 60). I understand that the newer Makitas won't accept the older style base and I'm not sure if the aftermarket bases have been adapted to the new configuration. When I got mine, as I recall, they were only occasionally producing a run of a couple hundred. Good Luck.