Tolerances on steel tube for a drill pillar

[Deadeye]

I have an elderly, bench-mounted pillar drill that I'd like to floor mount - which should be as trivial as fitting a longer steel pillar, except the pillar is imperial: 2.75" diameter.

So some questions:
I can get thick walled 70mm tube relatively easily. I'm unconcerned about the fit to the base, table and safety collar as these all have a split and get clamped by bolts. However, the current tube is a snug fit to the head casting... so I'm not sure the extra 0.15mm will go in? I thought of cooling the tube and warming the head. If I did manage to make that work, would the head then jam on so hard I couldn't move it/ever get it off again? Might it damage the head casting?

Assuming it won't fit when warm, and that force fitting is a poor plan, anyone know a source of true 2.75" thick wall steel tube? I see some suppliers claiming to have it, but closer inspection shows they mean 70mm.

Any other suggestions?

 

[marcros]

no experience here, but...

are you saying that you are looking for 69.85mm tubing but can get 70mm easily enough?

Can you not use some abrasive on the top foot or so if necessary? I would be surprised if the tolerance was that accurate, because on my drill the head drops easily if I loosen the clamp, so there must be a bit of a gap. it isn't sloppy, but there is no sticking. I expect that if you need to do anything, it will be little more than polishing.

 

[flh801978]

I’ve done this before on a startrite floor drill but i could only get 70mm solid bar
It took minutes with a drill mounted abrasive flap wheel to get the head and table to fit and base mounted

 

[Deadeye]

Thanks both.
70mm solid would go through my floor!