Beta Build

[cratylus]

Yeah, I like it a lot. It's pretty fast. The fam gets a little bugged out with a camera in their face all the time though.

I'm posting this pic to show the slides between the base components.

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Joel

[daniel_reetz]

How do you plan to mount your cameras?

[cratylus]

Nothing more inventive than a small tripod. You see, I built the scanner around existing photo hardware and accessories. Except for cost, I think it's hard to beat the virtues of a tripod.

I did notice though when I was designing and thinking about these things that many of the small point-and-shoot cameras have mounting hole off-center to their lenses. That's a bummer in that it requires an additional level of adjustability to account for the subsequent asymmetry of a left and right camera.

I like how ATIZ favors their posts toward the front so that their mounted cameras end up centered. Works to reduce lifting/lowering torque too. I toyed with similar concept when Beta was Alpha and had the slides mounted to the side. I thought it'd be neat to run 1/4-20 rod up from a captured nut throught the PVC, and you could just mount the camera on top. Maybe Alpha will become Gamma when the weather turns nice! I actually think that the side mounted slides have the potential to work better (but have a slightly larger footprint).

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Joel

[argumenterror]

I've started making one of these in my room.

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I can't paint it black because it would be too messy.
I also used black pipe since it was cheaper than galvanized pipe.

I'm just wondering why you put drawer slides into it & how you crafted the triangular platten things holding the glass. How do you make a little indentation like that in the platten to hold the glass? Should I just take two triangles (one slightly smaller than the other) and put them together?

[mathesonmd]

First of all, I really like the enginuity in this build. A couple of questions. I made a trip to Lowe's to check out their availability in my area of the parts you used.

#1. I saw the schedule 80 grey conduit and was wondering if that wouldn't be a better material for the 1" posts as it seemed very rigid (S40 would still be needed for the sliders since the 1 1/4" S80 has an internal gauge narrower than 1").

#2. In order to allow this thing to breakdown for portability, could I leave the Ts and cross bar holding the spring unglued such that they could just be press fit and then later pulled apart for disassembly (assuming I could unscrew the uprights from their bases? Would that leave the tower too loose and flexible?

#3. I am wanting to make some fixed camera mounts and was thinking the telescoping nature of these two gauges of pipe could also be used to make height adjustable mounts. Any idea how I could say use a thumbscrew or something to tighten or loosen the two pieces allowing them to slide then lock?

#4. My biggest debate before proceeding is whether the uprights should be together at the back or shifted to the sides supporting either side of the platen. The side mount seems to work great with drawer slides, but with the pipe would be much more likely to bind, and you'd need to rig up two springs for counterweight to reduce this binding.

Any thoughts before I bite the bullet and commit to this design with these possible mods.

[cratylus]

Arguement,
I used drawer slides to allow the cradle to move to the right or left, so that the book/cradle can "self-center" as you flip from front to back.
I used a router with a rabbeting bit, but that's probably out of the league of most DIY-ers. You could certainly use two triangles, maybe even out of 1/4" MDF. You could also accomplish the effect using a carefully aligned circular saw or a table saw. Alternately, I could just make like 10 pairs of these things if there was interest. It's easy for me.


Matheson,
#1 I chose Sch.40 becuase it is both strong (stiff) and smooth. Electrical conduit is not as smooth as Sch.40. HOWEVER, in the electrical aisle, I think you might find cheaper anchors/bases, but they are dimensionally different.
#2 If I had to do it all over again, I'd leave the Tee's out altoghter and simply span the two supports with a threaded rod fished through the loop at one end of the spring. As it stands, nothing in mine is glued anyhow.
#3 Hmm, interesting. I'd have to think about it.
#4 All I can say is experiment for yourself. I've learned a lot through the building of this design. One concern is that the platen is prone to binding IF you just indiscriminately lift, BUT once you learn how to lift it's pretty smooth. I think you'd probably have less binding with a side mounted system, but I don't know. You'd have to alter the platen design. I'm toying with a new design myself.

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BUT, I'd love to hear other's expereinces with both the build process and then use of the Beta Build.


Joel

[argumenterror]

Hey Cratylus,

If there's any way you could cut some triangles, I would love to purchase 2 from you. I can most certainly forward some $ from paypal for all the expenses.

[cratylus]

Sure. What size?