I've been ploddingly welding strange cast metals together recently.
All went well so far, until I tried tapping for handles on my pillar drill yesterday,
and I waited to get my fancy tap set and correctly sized bit and all.
Might have worked if I were using correct rods, but not with the ones I used.
The metal split on the weld/braze line, so need to weld on the handles this time round.
Lesson learned I suppose, don't and try braze or weld stress points.
It wouldn't be much bother to make that entire part from mild steel.
And possibly whilst you're at it, should the tool rest is a bit shoddy with some nibbles which would be excessive to file out..
It might be worth seeing if you can get that made aswell, maybe a long and a short one?
Only a few bits of metal in it which could be scrounged up, and should you prep it all,
A few good tacks would be enough to get it solid, and maybe good opportunity to do the rest for aesthetics sake yourself at a later date, should you pick up a welder for cheap sometime.
Tom