The New "Standard Scanner"

StevePoling · Post by **StevePoling** » 22 Mar 2010, 00:48

Can you screw eye-bolts into the top of those little boards the platen attaches to,

then run a sash cord to a pulley mounted atop the light support?

rob · Post by **rob** » 22 Mar 2010, 09:59

Dan, it seems that it is important to get straight 2x4s only for the front and back pieces where the drawer slides are placed for the cradle. Would it make sense to replace those two pieces with slices of the 3/4" MDF? Or is the MDF not strong enough not to bow under pressure?

Post by **daniel_reetz** » 22 Mar 2010, 10:10

Hmm, that's pretty interesting, good observation. One thing about this design as it is presently constructed/measured is that at least for A590s, if you just use the same thicknesses and types of material, they will end up almost perfectly centered by design. That only matters to me, though, because I'm not going to be operating this scanner. I don't mind aligning my own.

There's still plenty of room for improvement here, and ideas like this are almost certainly the right kind of thinking. It would be neat to have a large sheet of 3x4" MDF with a pattern on it that you cut out and slot together, and you're done! I could prototype it on the laser.

benjamin · Post by **benjamin** » 24 Mar 2010, 02:22

coupla quick notes/clarifications-

1. note that the column bolts should be at an angle rather than next to each other.
2. if you want to drill straight but don't have the money or space for a press, a doweling jig is a really nice tool to have around and very easy to use. (As a side note, dowels as fasteners have some advantages over screws, but require marginally more time/effort).
3. putting a star washer between the angle bracket & the camera support might help prevent slipping. then again, it might chew up the wood over time (i suspect not enough to matter, though)
4. if you don't have a t-square (or even if you do), carpenter's triangles are pretty great and a 12" one is sufficient for all the cutting in this project. it's also the easiest way to square up the base and column (though you can also do that with anything that has a 90 deg angle and will fit inside.
5. wood glue on those butt joints and the cradle supports will help add some rigidity and prevent the screws from getting loose over time (we're talking years, but still). My vote is always to put glue on any piece of wood that's attached to another piece of wood.
6. an all-in-one stain is the quickest way to get your 2x4 dark to combat reflection. MDF doesn't take stain well, though- if you want it dark better to just cover it with toolbox liner.
7. goggles & mask (especially when cutting MDF)! Also for smooth circular saw cuts, support and clamp both sides of the piece to be cut, or if you can't, leave as little overhang as possible.

oldmancoyote1 · Post by **oldmancoyote1** » 25 Mar 2010, 01:13

Poked around on the web a bit yesterday and found this $12.95 electric car window lift mechanism. It has a motor, gearbox, pulleys, cables, mast, etc. To raise and lower the platen it would need two toggle switches to reverse direction, a power supply, and a few odds and ends. Think it would this work?

http://www.surpluscenter.com/item.asp?i ... e=electric

StevePoling · Post by **StevePoling** » 26 Mar 2010, 16:00

benjamin wrote:... if you want to drill straight but don't have the money or space for a press, a doweling jig is a really nice tool to have around and very easy to use...

Thanks for the tip. If you're ever in West Michigan, please give me a chance to buy a round of your favorite beverage.

rob · Post by **rob** » 26 Mar 2010, 17:39

Another tip from experience:

When you use a piece of wood or thin metal as a guide for a circular saw, push the saw with one hand and hold down the guide with the other hand. Otherwise the sawguide will sort of push its way under your guide, and the next thing you know, your cut is not straight, and your workspace is dark from that enormous angry black cloud that suddenly appeared over your head.

sarcanon · Post by **sarcanon** » 27 Mar 2010, 18:32

Hello. I'm curious about the choice of cameras in the "Standard Scanner". There is lots of discussion in other threads about different types of cameras (the A590 seems to get the most ink), but this seems to be the first one that mentions the Powershot SX200.

Would you terrible mind explaining the reasoning behind that choice? I don't know much about that model apart from the reviews that are readily available on Amazon, most of which seem to think it is a fine choice for a general point-and-shoot. I'm just wondering what characteristics it has that makes it a good chocie for book scanning. Thank!

rob · Post by **rob** » 27 Mar 2010, 20:58

I just built the base with the keyboard slides, and I'd like to suggest one alternate way of attaching the slides:

First, you build the box. Then, attach these convenient brackets provided with the keyboard slide kit...

: IMG_0253.JPG (32.52 KiB) Viewed 11202 times

...to both sides so that they end up even. Remember to extend the slides as much as you can. This way you don't have to measure and screw things up when your measurements don't come out right.

: IMG_0254.JPG (35.08 KiB) Viewed 11202 times

Now, with anything convenient and hard, bang on the ends of the screws attaching the brackets to the slide to make an impression in the wood. Here, I use a wrench inappropriately.

: IMG_0262.JPG (32.07 KiB) Viewed 11202 times

And drill out a bit using the large bit so that the screw heads no longer get in the way of the brackets being flush against the wood.

: IMG_0263.JPG (24.17 KiB) Viewed 11202 times

Good going, dude. To permanently attach the brackets, do NOT use the screws that came with the kit. They are small and weak and will rip out under pressure. Use the big wood screws that you used to put together the box.

: IMG_0266.JPG (32.69 KiB) Viewed 11202 times

You made Mr. 19th Century happy.

: IMG_0267.JPG (36.39 KiB) Viewed 11202 times

Post by **daniel_reetz** » 27 Mar 2010, 21:04

Sarcanon, I'm honestly, seriously not harping at you when I say this, but I/we get this question ALL THE TIME EVERY DAY FOREVER.

In this forum, the A590 is a proven workhorse. The bottom line is this: If you want to use the USB triggers like other people use here, you must pick a camera that is supported by Stereo Data Maker. Everything else is graby.

People spend a lot of time handwringing over the cameras. We've had people not build scanners because they couldn't decide on a camera. We've had at least two dozen threads and I've had more than 70 odd emails on which camera to buy. All you need to do is pick from some camera on the list I linked above and you will be fine.

For more detail, and the longer answer I give every time forever all the time, please check this thread.

http://www.diybookscanner.org/forum/vie ... ?f=1&t=332

Since I don't want this build thread to turn into another "What camera should I buy" thread, I'm going to ask that any further camera-related questions go in the thread I just linked. I am in a small community in Northern Ontario right now doing some testing on the Standard Scanner prototype. I have a couple SX200s. If they somehow don't work, I'll report back here by Tuesday of the coming week. Otherwise, please assume they will work and buy the most camera you can buy for the money you have budgeted. Cheers!

DIY Book Scanner

The New "Standard Scanner"

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