On Monday, March 25, 2013 2:17:27 PM UTC-7, Cydrome Leader wrote:
whit3rd wrote:

Instead of doing a lot of cuts with a long rod, I'd start by making about-the-right-length

cylinders (maybe just with a hacksaw), and holding them in a collet

or (even better) soft jaws in a 3-jaw chuck.

If I had or got a 1/2" collet, what would be the maximum "overhang" ratio
for clamped to unclamped material?

Less than one would think; holding a tack by the head while cutting
to make the pointy part... would work. Soft jaws in 3-jaw chuck is best.
Hard collets, not so grabby (but you can get soft collets to
custom-bore for this kind of task).

How would you cut the stepped part, by hand if you had to?

A live center in the tailstock can keep the work bottomed in a chuck
while you do the cut in conventional fashion. Many chucks (and collets)
can be fitted with a stop so the work bottoms at a repeatable depth.

I've actually done this kind of work with a file, chucking half
inch rod in a drill press. Not recommended, but it DID work.