I've delayed getting back to you because I've been mulling over an ethical question with this. Its pretty obvious that Whaley has invested time and money in the design, manufacturing, and marketing of his device. I didn't see any indication of copyright or patent, but he certainly has some intellectual property rights. The electronic operational concepts behind this type of device are not complicated, and with a small, cheap microcontroller it would be simple electronic design. Thought there is a cost in making it into a usable physical unit. I do not mind helping you create a one-off for your own use, but when you mention: "There would be a tremendous need for a low cost timer such a this." I get the feeling that you might be considering taking a design and going commercial with it. So giving you existing, off-the shelf kits that can be combined with some understanding of the overall design and for you to find someone who can put it all together to simulate the concept for your use is within my comfort zone.
I had someone copy a design of mine for commercial sale without asking permission or offering compensation for my efforts.
If you think there is a large, low end (how low?) market you might approach Whaley about producing it.
Ken