First I must confess that I'm a bit of a cheap bastard, some say it's in my Scots blood but I tend to think it came from life on a tight budget. but I digress.

The real reason I'm writing this crappy monologue is I need a new tripod for my Graflex Graphic View II 4x5 view camera. The reason for the name drop on the camera is not pride of ownership (although I do like it and the price was right, FREE) or bragging about its quality (there are both newer and far better cameras out there that are WAY easier to use) but because for those of you that may have run across one of these beasts in your life you know that they have a unique tripod mount, the mount is also a complete panhead so mounting it on most tripods gets a little weird because you end up with a panhead on top of whatever head the tripod has on it. Not the most stable or desirable of circumstances. So, I decide maybe it's time for a dedicated stand for my trips into photography history and since I'm dealing with an antique camera maybe a wooden tripod from yesteryear would be a good idea as it damps (absorbs shock and vibration) better than aluminum and cost less than carbon fiber (I've owned cars that cost less. Okay, crappy cars but still).

Ever priced a wood tripod because if you thought a good aluminum one was expensive wood's got that beat. Used on the ole' auction site where the pickings are slim and prices weren't much better wasn't much help but then I remembered I got an A in woodshop in school and could build one myself but I might need help with a design.

Well, the net hasn't been much of a help on the design front and that's where you come in, if anyone has plans, a thought or idea, anything it would be sincerely appreciated. I really want to seriously use the beast again I miss it.

Please help, if your idea works I'll make you one for the cost of material.