Now there's a market niche going unfilled... A precision drillpress jig with replaceable bushings and accurate indexing pins, all packaged with carbide center and spotting drills and tap, for the DIYers to drill and thread their own rods. Probably have to supply a floating holder too to prevent instant tool breakage on the inevitable $40 bench drillpresses LOL
EDIT> on the previous machine part, I bet you had a nice broad gantry base with a good spread between bearings. Makes a huge diff in deflection just how much free span there is, but that would probably be for some other thread
Tiger