What's Paul up to?

[PaulL]

I haven't reported my progress: I left this part sit fallow for a bit while working on a couple of others. Working up my nerve again, and thinking about @thestelster's one-cut technique and how to incorporate it intelligently in the order of operations. I'll come back to it.
Meanwhile, after a bit of swearing at my knurling tool:

And then mid-way through this little support arm:

The taper came out fine, though slightly off-center. I must have mis-aligned my hole centers fractionally, which might mean I wasn't fastidious enough setting up to drill them, or that I really do need a set of gauge pins.
Next will be to bore those out larger, one 3/8" clearance, and one for 1/2"x20tpi threads.

 

[PaulL]

Ok, I got the pin "done enough". First step was the fat end:

I was worried about this, but I guess I shouldn't have. Trammed it in easily, and then it cut directly on radius.
Next was running @thestelster's procedure, for which I had a ton of extra stick-out to test diameter with. It was clear that this part is flimsy enough that a second pass wouldn't work.
But even after adjustment it still wound up 10 thou under sized. I don't think it will affect the application:

If I need to, I now have all the know-how to make it again.