We are doing around 500 units in a run, with lengths between 30'' and 80'' long. That barrel spinner would require a lot of hand held work. We actually considered a long bed lathe(ish) machine and a handheld or carriage mounted belt sander, but rejected that idea as too much hand work and too slow. The goal is to speed up the process while reducing the amount of handling we have to do.
If this machine works OK, we'll most likely add a magazine type auto feeder, and maybe come up with an auto stacker system or maybe an industrial robot to stack from the outfeed. We have been considering an industrial robot to load and unload some of the labor intensive parts in both the mill and the lathe. Just to give you an idea of the volume we are producing, we buy about 10,000 lbs / month of stainless steel and aluminum.
The ultimate goal is to shove raw material in one end of the shop, and have finished product come out the other, all while we sit on the beach and sip drinks with little umbrellas in them.
The pucker factor goes way up in situations like this when the machine rapids to position. 
We used to clean up our conveyor rollers on the big lathes . We made up a belt sander which mounted on the tool post and engaged the feed . Saved countless hours . Always found your projects enjoyable Jim . Keep us posted on the progress .
