My first book scanner.

Built a scanner? Started to build a scanner? Record your progress here. Doesn't need to be a whole scanner - triggers and other parts are fine. Commercial scanners are fine too.

Moderator: peterZ

Post Reply
User avatar
IcantRead
Posts: 95
Joined: 17 Sep 2009, 02:56
Number of books owned: 0
Country: United States
Location: Arizona

My first book scanner.

Post by IcantRead »

So this is my third design, the other 2 were not worth posting. I am thinking about building this one and wanted to know what everyone thought. I went with the slides in the front and back because I thought it would give better support than on the sides, and I didn’t want them to get in the way of the cameras. I plan to improve it in the future by making it automated, so I wanted to make sure everything was very sturdy and the platen could go strait up and down. Similar to this design, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlOQuuLYavY. I am a big fan of this scanner, and my second design looked very similar to this, but the cost was to expensive for scanner rails long enough to scan with instead of length. So my idea is to use the same type of page turning mechanism with cameras instead of scanner rails.
Platen.jpg
Platen.jpg (96.81 KiB) Viewed 22570 times

The platen is just 2 pieces of glass with a 90 degree piece of wood Gorilla glued to it.
Book Scanner 2.2 2.jpg
(259.19 KiB) Downloaded 19180 times
Book Scanner 2.2.jpg
Book Scanner 2.2.jpg (281.2 KiB) Viewed 22570 times
Woeka
Posts: 12
Joined: 04 Mar 2014, 00:52

Re: My first book scanner.

Post by Woeka »

It looks nice, but I'm wondering if the slide in the front is not making it hard to flip the page?
I've not build or used a scanner myself so maybe someone who did can collaborate on that..
User avatar
IcantRead
Posts: 95
Joined: 17 Sep 2009, 02:56
Number of books owned: 0
Country: United States
Location: Arizona

Re: My first book scanner.

Post by IcantRead »

I was worried about that also. But after I was watching the video of Dan doing the speed test compared to the auto book scanner I was less worried because his arms did not cross the middle were I am placing the support. It could still be a problem for seeing though, I'm still worried about that. But like I said I'm planning on making it automated so ill put up with looking around the bar for awhile.
User avatar
daniel_reetz
Posts: 2812
Joined: 03 Jun 2009, 13:56
E-book readers owned: Used to have a PRS-500
Number of books owned: 600
Country: United States
Contact:

Re: My first book scanner.

Post by daniel_reetz »

If you lift with your right and and page turn with your left, it shouldn't be too bad. But it won't make page turning easier. ;)
User avatar
IcantRead
Posts: 95
Joined: 17 Sep 2009, 02:56
Number of books owned: 0
Country: United States
Location: Arizona

Re: My first book scanner.

Post by IcantRead »

So i was doing some thinking. I think i am going to cover my book support with the soft side of velcro. This way i could make a few triangle in different sizes to match book spline sizes, that would fit into the support. They would have the other side of velcro on them to stick to the book support. Ill put some pictures because I dont even understand what I'm writing.
book spline supports.jpg
book spline supports.jpg (111.34 KiB) Viewed 22520 times
These are the different sized triangles
book support.jpg
book support.jpg (97.67 KiB) Viewed 22520 times
And this is one velcroed in
User avatar
rob
Posts: 773
Joined: 03 Jun 2009, 13:50
E-book readers owned: iRex iLiad, Kindle 2
Number of books owned: 4000
Country: United States
Location: Maryland, United States
Contact:

Re: My first book scanner.

Post by rob »

Dan had this idea for a cradle. It's one of those ideas that make you smack your forehead. Maybe you can build something like this.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bkrpr/3752 ... 810508728/

Then you won't need velcro, or triangle wood. Just adjust the two side pieces, and you're set!
The Singularity is Near. ~ http://halfbakedmaker.org ~ Follow me as I build the world's first all-mechanical steam-powered computer.
Woeka
Posts: 12
Joined: 04 Mar 2014, 00:52

Re: My first book scanner.

Post by Woeka »

That's a very nice idea for holding a book. Just putting some sliders beneath and some screw-like-thingy to be able to adjust for the thickness of the book and you're done. Definitely something I'm going to use on my bookscanner.
jradi

Re: My first book scanner.

Post by jradi »

My advice. Just build it. Accept that you'll build another. After you build the first one, the second one will be MUCH cheaper because you can reuse many of the same parts. You'll never be able to anticipate all the little flaws until you've used it for a while and you'll want to tweak it.

At first I was excited about your design, my current scanner makes it hard to turn the pages because the distal part of the platen doesn't rise very high and so I have to slide the pages underneath as I turn pages. But I'm not sure which I'd find more annoying, having to far side of the page under the platen or having to reach around that bar every time you turn a page. Give it a try, you could always move the slides to the sides...
User avatar
IcantRead
Posts: 95
Joined: 17 Sep 2009, 02:56
Number of books owned: 0
Country: United States
Location: Arizona

Re: My first book scanner.

Post by IcantRead »

So I took your advice Rob, and I drew up a design for a book holder like the one in those pics. Also jradi I plan on building it as soon as possible I’m just not at home very much because of school. So the only time I get to work on it is the weekends and I was sick this last weekend. HOPEFULY ill get to it this weekend.

The left side (I couldnt get the pic to load). It has the square nut glued in, so the other side can screw into it. And holes for the slider bars.

This is the right side. It consists of both slider bars (that are glued into this side) on the outsides, and the screw bar. The screw bar is fixed in place by nuts that are tightened in onto them selves, on both sides of the wood bar. This allows the screw rod to spin freely. Then just above that is a piece of masonite glued into the slide groove.
right side of cradle.jpg
right side of cradle.jpg (99.53 KiB) Viewed 22418 times
This picture is both sides together from a bottom view.
cradle 1.jpg
cradle 1.jpg (106.38 KiB) Viewed 22418 times
And from the top.
cradle 2.jpg
cradle 2.jpg (124.69 KiB) Viewed 22418 times
And this is it in the scanner
scanner with new cradle.jpg
scanner with new cradle.jpg (120.51 KiB) Viewed 22418 times
And from the bottom
scanner with new cradle 2.jpg
scanner with new cradle 2.jpg (107.71 KiB) Viewed 22418 times
This allows for a 3in spine I think I would have to look hard for a book that big.

I just realized a problem I won’t be able to spin the knob on the cradle if it’s on the table. I guess ill just cut an access hole out of the side.
StevePoling
Posts: 290
Joined: 20 Jun 2009, 12:19
E-book readers owned: SONY PRS-505, Kindle DX
Number of books owned: 9999
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
Contact:

Re: My first book scanner.

Post by StevePoling »

IcantRead wrote:I just realized a problem I won’t be able to spin the knob on the cradle if it’s on the table. I guess ill just cut an access hole out of the side.
My grandfather had a tractor with a starting crank that fit through a hole to engage the engine that was set back inside a ways.

You could drill a small hole in the side. Stick a crank in the hole, engaging the knob. Turn the crank to adjust.
Post Reply