Engine stand mounted slant 6

you cant setup a slant the same way you do a small block, which you have done neither... rule of thumb is align the bore of the stand to the bore for the cam.

on a slant I get the bore of the stand as high as I can twords the head, but centered, not to the cam side.

re adjust and try again

P.S. makes it much easier to pull the head first

Yes ^^^. You try to rotate it the way it is and you may get rotated right along with it. Remount it and get closer to the center of gravity.