I lost my balls for a while, but thank fully I found them again,& they are still shiny and brand new.

When I use them I will post a full report.
Yes I think you need to cut from the side, and the proper drill press speed is essential. Hopefully your drill press is nice and tight with very little side slop in it,cause that woulld cause uneven cutting.
The Bridgeport Milling machine Idea is good, I just dont like to mix wood chips with steel and oil.