Show Off Your 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

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duerig
Posts: 388
Joined: 01 Jun 2014, 17:04
Number of books owned: 1000
Country: United States of America

Show Off Your Scanner

Post by duerig »

If you take a look at the front page of diybooksanner.org then you will find a new gallery of builds, each one linking to the forum thread or webpage describing it. It shows a random one each time and you can then scroll through all of them with the buttons at the side. I built this using the links from the old master build index and by going through the recent threads in the forum. But, I may have missed your build.

If you have a scanner that you want to be featured on the front page, post a picture and a link to your webpage or forum thread below. I will add it to the gallery.

Bringing all photos together has been inspiring. Together, we have come up with a huge number of good, brilliant, and just plain whacky ideas for scanning books.

-D
dpc
Posts: 379
Joined: 01 Apr 2011, 18:05
Number of books owned: 0
Location: Issaquah, WA

Re: Show Off Your Scanner

Post by dpc »

Thanks for doing this. I was able to quickly find a simple scanner design that I had remembered seeing here a while ago but could never find it again. I wanted to show it to some friends that were interested in a cheap single-camera scanner and here it is!
Ralf
Posts: 6
Joined: 17 Jul 2012, 18:16
E-book readers owned: Kindle, iPad
Number of books owned: 5000
Country: Austria

Re: Show Off Your Scanner

Post by Ralf »

Where exactly is the gallery? I can't find it... :oops:
duerig
Posts: 388
Joined: 01 Jun 2014, 17:04
Number of books owned: 1000
Country: United States of America

Re: Show Off Your Scanner

Post by duerig »

dpc, glad I could help. :)

shusai, go to http://diybookscanner.org and look under 'we never update the news'. The position and size might be tweaked depending on what Scann wants. This was her idea and I am just the implementor here.

-D
Ralf
Posts: 6
Joined: 17 Jul 2012, 18:16
E-book readers owned: Kindle, iPad
Number of books owned: 5000
Country: Austria

Re: Show Off Your Scanner

Post by Ralf »

Thank you, duerig! :D
After realizing that "under 'we never update the news'" doesn't mean the link but literally the space under the link, I finally found the gallery. :lol:
It's a little bit hard to find as there is no title or some description, that is why I thought the picture was part of the Archivist-article right next to it...
wmalcolmk
Posts: 24
Joined: 12 May 2015, 04:39
Number of books owned: 500
Country: England

Re: Show Off Your Scanner

Post by wmalcolmk »

Many thanks duerig. The gallery has let me search many designs of scanner.
I am working on a two camera design which keeps the glass in a fixed position, and brings up the book to the glass.
I haven't been able to find one that uses that approach. The glass is always lowered onto the book.
Is there some killer problem that stops this approach?
I would be interested in any comments.
Malcolm
duerig
Posts: 388
Joined: 01 Jun 2014, 17:04
Number of books owned: 1000
Country: United States of America

Re: Show Off Your Scanner

Post by duerig »

wmalcolmk, I think that there have been relatively few such designs because it is more complicated and requires counterweighting the cradle. But the advantages of having fixed camera/platen/lighting geometry are pretty big.

There are a few scanners that have accomplished this, though. Read through Daniel's design document for the Archivist at http://diybookscanner.org/archivist for some inspiration. He has a lever which lifts the entire cradle assembly up. And it is counterweighted by two fixed bungee cords and one adjustable one. The adjustable one lets you tweak the tension so that you can counterweight both light and heavy books. The cradle itself rests on a pair of square aluminum tubes with ball bearing 'wheels' so that the book will more or less automatically center as it presses against the fixed glass panes.

If you have questions about the design or want to talk about other ideas for doing this, feel free to email me at duerig at tenrec dot builders any time. I've been making some kits of Daniel's design so I think I am the second-greatest authority in the world on the design of the Archivist. :)

BTW, there are other designs which preserve the camera/platen geometry even when the platen comes down on the book instead of vice versa. I think David Landin's PVC design does this, for example.

-D
wmalcolmk
Posts: 24
Joined: 12 May 2015, 04:39
Number of books owned: 500
Country: England

Re: Show Off Your Scanner

Post by wmalcolmk »

duerig - my first attempt at a fixed glass scanner (named 'The Footsie') is documented at
http://www.instructables.com/id/Book-Scanners/
This uses a foot pedal to raise the book via a pulley system. No counterweights are needed, and the cradle can be made very light with flexibility to let the book take up the correct position. The other advantage is that it leaves your hands free to guide the book into position. I am currently working on a simplified version with led strip lighting, and screening from room lights.
Malcolm
duerig
Posts: 388
Joined: 01 Jun 2014, 17:04
Number of books owned: 1000
Country: United States of America

Re: Show Off Your Scanner

Post by duerig »

wmalcolmk, that looks like a really interesting design. I'd like to ask you some questions and talk more about it. To avoid derailing this thread, I've created another thread with a link to your instructable here:

http://www.diybookscanner.org/forum/vie ... =14&t=3185

The only unfortunate thing about your instructable is that you don't have any picture of the overall finished product. The finished pictures only show bits and pieces of the scanner. Can you take a picture of the whole thing and post it somewhere? If so, I can add it to the gallery mentioned at the top of the thread with a link to your instructable.

-D
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