Using a book scanner for non books (single sheets)?

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.

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suryandaru
Posts: 8
Joined: 04 Mar 2014, 00:52

Re: Using a book scanner for non books (single sheets)?

Post by suryandaru »

single glass platen
single glass platen
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angle (soldered)
angle (soldered)
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This is the photo of single glass platen that i have made with trash. I think it suitable for thin book, single paper, unbundling paper, map, and magazine.
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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
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Re: Using a book scanner for non books (single sheets)?

Post by daniel_reetz »

nicely done! thanks for the pictures.

it is entirely possible to use two cameras on one platen for more resolution, as long as you can remove lens distortion you can blend the resulting images easily.

I'll be shipping you a pair of cameras tomorrow, I didn't get them in the mail yesterday.
JotaPe
Posts: 12
Joined: 04 Mar 2014, 00:52

Re: Using a book scanner for non books (single sheets)?

Post by JotaPe »

Hello,
Xymenah wrote:yeah I dont want to run these pages through a normal flatbed scanner because they are historical documents and the direct light will damage them.
Are you sure? Cold light doesn't seem to be too harmful, even less than the natural light.

Juan
Cabe
Posts: 34
Joined: 04 Mar 2014, 00:52

Re: Using a book scanner for non books (single sheets)?

Post by Cabe »

From what I understand of "Cold Light" or Cold Cathode Fluorescents is that they emit no IR and only really low levels of UV-A (no UV-B) which is how you can sit in front of them for hours on end day after day (well....I do and it doesn't seem to harm us squirrels) when they are used in TFT's.

In contrast the flash from most cheap cameras produce plenty of IR and UV-A, the lens absorbs most of the UV-B and -C, thankfully, otherwise we'd be blasting people to death with our snapshots :)

The other problem is wattage, and the associated heat absorption of materials. A typical scanner is in the order of 10-20 watt seconds where as flashes can be upwards of 10 times that number. As an example scan your hand, and then flash your hand from short range with a camera. I suspect the latter may well impart some warmth.
Xymenah
Posts: 10
Joined: 04 Mar 2014, 00:52

Re: Using a book scanner for non books (single sheets)?

Post by Xymenah »

That flat scanner is beautiful. I am definately going to have to try and make one. All I know is that I did a bunch of searching for information about scanning historical documents and everything I found said that using a flat direct light scanner is worse for the document. That the better scanner to use would be an over head scanner. They also suggested photographing with a digital camera and brought up points on how to do it safely. I have a very nice digital SLR that I would be using for taking these pics and would probably use a long exposure which will help with the whole lighting thing. I am continuing to do more research on this issue but finding information on preserving these documents has become very difficult. I will be happy once I have proper digital copies of them and then can get certain pictures restored digitally and then I can put all of the documents away in a safe place for good and then study them on my computer. The only scanner other then a camera I currently have is a cheap feed through scanner (which i would never put a fragile document through). My cats sat on my flatbed scanner one too many times and really messed it up.
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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
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Re: Using a book scanner for non books (single sheets)?

Post by daniel_reetz »

I'm very happy to say that I just mailed some cameras to Suryandaru. Hopefully we'll see his scanners working soon.
dark_slasher91
Posts: 3
Joined: 04 Mar 2014, 00:52

Re: Using a book scanner for non books (single sheets)?

Post by dark_slasher91 »

If the concern about single sheets is sliding, you can use a felt sheet and cover the book cradle with it. I used felt paper in grammar school and found that its clingy enough for single sheets not to slip. It is also pretty cheap.
dark_slasher91
Posts: 3
Joined: 04 Mar 2014, 00:52

Re: Using a book scanner for non books (single sheets)?

Post by dark_slasher91 »

Xymenah wrote:That flat scanner is beautiful. I am definately going to have to try and make one. All I know is that I did a bunch of searching for information about scanning historical documents and everything I found said that using a flat direct light scanner is worse for the document. That the better scanner to use would be an over head scanner. They also suggested photographing with a digital camera and brought up points on how to do it safely. I have a very nice digital SLR that I would be using for taking these pics and would probably use a long exposure which will help with the whole lighting thing. I am continuing to do more research on this issue but finding information on preserving these documents has become very difficult. I will be happy once I have proper digital copies of them and then can get certain pictures restored digitally and then I can put all of the documents away in a safe place for good and then study them on my computer. The only scanner other then a camera I currently have is a cheap feed through scanner (which i would never put a fragile document through). My cats sat on my flatbed scanner one too many times and really messed it up.
I'll try to get some info on how to digitize historical items better. I work in a library (student worker)and see if the Archives department can help with lighting and such.
Xymenah
Posts: 10
Joined: 04 Mar 2014, 00:52

Re: Using a book scanner for non books (single sheets)?

Post by Xymenah »

Well I have been away for a few days as I have been studying for a board exam I wrote on friday. Anyway I am now back. I would love any advice on how to best digitize historical documents it would be very very much appreciated, infact any archival information would be appreciated. Thank you in advance. :) I hopefully will have some time now to track down some materials and start coming up with a design for my own book scanners (hopefully going to make a book one and a flat one). I will update later as I go.
Carlos Pombo
Posts: 4
Joined: 04 Mar 2014, 00:52

Re: Using a book scanner for non books (single sheets)?

Post by Carlos Pombo »

@ Xymenah
... I would love any advice on how to best digitize historical documents it would be very very much appreciated ...
About safe lighting:
3200º kelvin Quartz Halogen lamps are safe if placed far enough to avoid heating heritage goods more than 2 or 3 centigrade degrees (it is good practice to place in front of lights a translucent surface usually photographers use to diffuse light as this also absorbs IR/heat).
IR radiation of this kind of light is safe if not expose to long.
Quartz Halogen are Museum approved lighting for technical work.
Carlos
30 years of photography of cultural heritage.
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