WCD milling pockets for bearing blocks

[TD78]

We have a 1995 Wells Index 520...pretty good condition considering it was free. Seems to be fairly rigid...didn't do any heavy machining (only <=1/4" aluminum plate or square tubing).

Last year for any tubing I flipped over the part and used a hard stop or indicated rather than milling straight through. I am intrigued though by milling the top and bottom of a, say, a 1x2 inch tube (through the 1 inch direction) rather than flipping. Sounds like a carbide endmill might be better (more rigid) for that sort of operation.

I have a few ideas about workholding. I have a vise and hard stop and it worked very well. Thought about getting a second vise to hold long pieces.

Another thought was taking a 1" thick aluminum plate that is wider/longer than my table and drilling/tapping a hole pattern for the clamps. The plate would be bolted to the table. This is response to a bit of trouble I had in making a part that is wider than my table, and supporting the ends that hang off the front and back (y-direction). The plate would also be sacrificial, so I could clamp the material right to it.