I guess I should not rely so much on the top crank and make more use of the carriage feed. the compound itself is rigid and the cross feed is good. The bearing upgrade may be a future to do project... many thanks homebrewed for the link!
McMaster-Carr (and I'm sure other sources) sell handwheels with fold-away handles. That might be a safe alternative. The way McMaster's website is set up, I can't offer a working link. But if you go their site, search for "handwheel folding handle" and scroll down till you see:Warning: you want to remove the crank if you are using the power feed or threading. The crank handle thrashing around could be hazardous to your health! More sophisticated hand crank designs provide some way to disconnect the crank.