I got a job boring a very large chrome plated cylinder rod. The customer told me that it was 8" outside diameter. I had planned on making a cathead (I think that is the term) to use in the steady to protect the finish. Well, they bring the material, it's 8 1/2". My steady will just barely accept the rod by itself, no room for a cathead. The rod is 8'' over length. That would be good because I could scratch it up on both ends and cut off after boring, but with the extra 8" my lathe is just shy of clearing the boring bar and the carriage will hit the steady. I have to bore the existing 3 1/2" bore to 4". The rod is 60" long now. Finished length is 52". Yeah, I know that is a mighty deep hole to bore, but I got that problem solved (I think). The tolerances are very loose and surface finish doesn't matter. It's just an oil passage. Can I cut it to length, use brass pads under my chuck jaws and let the steady ride on the chrome? The raw material was very expensive and I CANNOT ding it at all. Any suggestions?