"making it as large as my ancient Minolta flashmeter III that is like a brick compared to my other meters ..."
I still have exactly that meter, and though seldom use it or anything else since the advent of Matrix Metering à la Nikon, as it certainly tells you where to start with flash, I wouldn't dream of dumping it. Why, if it works? Hardly a brick - more like something for the old-fashioned weekend, when men were men and enthusiastic.
Rob C