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Ed,
I would just hold it in my machine vice. Clamping between the two parallel end faces. Just make sure the boring bar can go all the way through before it hits the bottom of the vice between the jaws. Use a couple of spacers.
DaveH
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Dave,
That was my first thought also but the vise jaws are only about 1.5" tall and if I space the workpiece up from the vise so I can mill through the two walls, there's not much vise jaw left holding the 3.25" diameter workpiece. That doesn't seem like it would be a very stout setup.
Ed
Posts: 4,513
Threads: 139
Joined: Feb 2012
Location: Kempton Park. South Africa
Ed,
I think it will be fine, a .25" spacer (to space the workpiece up) will probably do. Just have to watch the drill points as well.
The main trouble you will have is drilling a large hole - that's going to cause all the vibrations, so you may not be able to drill a large hole as you first thought. Keep the drill speed slow and some cutting fluid. On drills past .5" dia. there will always be some vibration when you first start drilling because you are drilling on a round/ curved surface and not a flat one. Slow, slow and slow. Make sure all the beds are "locked" are put some "drag" on the Z axis.
DaveH