By the way, I finished a wooden tripod to go with the camera:
http://www.geocities.com/bonezphoto/WoodenTripod.html.

Very nice.

I would have suggested lignum vitae for the head
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lignum_vitae
but I see it is now on the cites list...

You may want to look at these folks:
http://pobcoplastics.com/td_pob_b.htm
for inserts.

And Rock Maple has a long history as an engineering
material, when impregnated it makes a good bearing:
http://www.woodex-meco.com/
http://machinedesign.com/article/woo...-bearings-0520

And also tripod legs, oil impregnation not needed, as bronze and
stainless steel are used as bearing materials:
http://www.riestripod.com/tripod.htm

I have always thought yew - of yew bow fame - would make
good tripod legs.

--
Nicholas O. Lindan, Cleveland, Ohio
Darkroom Automation: F-Stop Timers, Enlarging Meters
http://www.darkroomautomation.com/da-main.htm
n o lindan at ix dot netcom dot com