I agree that I could use a clock to dial it all in. BUT I thought it should be simple(easy) to align it with a bar and then perversity kicked in so as I originally said 'nothing in life is simple'.
One of my likes about diy engineering is the seemingly simple ideas people have thought up to overcome difficult machining problems and I am often amazed at what has been accomplished on the 31/2 Myford lathe usually without a mill etc.

Peter