"Lloyd E. Sponenburgh" lloydspinsidemindspring.com wrote:

It was also too good to scrap. I'd just gotten my son a new mid-range
digital camera, so we decided to make a Saturday afternoon project of
it.

Un-dimpled the dented leg, so the telescoping sections would slide.
Fabricated a new crank, complete.
Fabricated a new mount shoe with a cone-lock arrangement, and surfaced
the old casting to accept it.

Hell... it's better than any tripod he could actually afford to buy!

Did you make a plug to run down the leg to bump the dent out?

You done good. Pistol grip head, is that used for sports photography?

Wes