Fantabulous idea! I will be copying it immediately.
Nice job!I'm with you on the making do at home. I use drills, grinders, and vee blocks a lot to shape and even things. I also use an inexpensive Menard's drill press in conjunction with a couple general purpose hardware store ball bearings (I mean the entire bearing-not just the balls) to get things spinning and resist side thrust so I can sort-of machine things with a file a few thousandths at a time.