I've read about that type of thing being done for very high value archival work for example where an old, rare text on vellum was mostly erased and then written over. Apparently by taking pictures at different light wavelengths, they can read the erased text. But I think that requires special cameras or modifying your camera to remove the UV filters, since they are built into most (all?) consumer cameras. Google for UV or IR photography to see some of the camera and equipment modifications people do for this type of photography. Of course, then you have to have some decent software to make use of the images at the different wavelengths and presumably combine them.spamsickle wrote:I wonder if it might be worth considering taking blacklight pictures in addition to the standard ones.
A scanner for fileslips and field notebooks: It's a Box!
Moderator: peterZ
Re: A scanner for fileslips and field notebooks: It's a Box!
Re: A scanner for fileslips and field notebooks: It's a Box!
Thanks folks. One of the advantages of Dan's design, is that it should normalize the lighting—that was something I was really concerned with but there wasn't much I could do, aside from opening the blinds and trying to come at a certain time of day. (I actually did that, if you can believe it.)
Sharpness, white balance, and contrast are definitely parameters that I need to learn to tweak. (They're probably programmable through CHDK scripting.) As it stands I'm not really sure how to know when I've got them right. This particular project (and similar ones that I hope to complete in the future) involved several separate days, and I'm afraid I wasn't as consistent as I would like to have been.
spamsickle, I believe that the faded writing on the left that you're referring to is either the flipside of that fileslip, or the one below it showing through.
Is leaving the fileslips in a stack while I'm scanning a bad idea? It seems a bit faster to work that way—what I was doing was to take down one shoebox, and then take out a short stack (a few hundred fileslips), and then flip through that until I was done, and reload.
Sharpness, white balance, and contrast are definitely parameters that I need to learn to tweak. (They're probably programmable through CHDK scripting.) As it stands I'm not really sure how to know when I've got them right. This particular project (and similar ones that I hope to complete in the future) involved several separate days, and I'm afraid I wasn't as consistent as I would like to have been.
spamsickle, I believe that the faded writing on the left that you're referring to is either the flipside of that fileslip, or the one below it showing through.
Is leaving the fileslips in a stack while I'm scanning a bad idea? It seems a bit faster to work that way—what I was doing was to take down one shoebox, and then take out a short stack (a few hundred fileslips), and then flip through that until I was done, and reload.
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Re: A scanner for fileslips and field notebooks: It's a Box!
Well, I finally got some time to work on this. A whole weekend to do whatever I want. And I want to build a new kind of scanner, hopefully rather quickly.
Two clamp lights: 6.99/ea
One outlet strip: 5.99/ea
Two Daylight 6500k 13W CFLs: 5.99/ea
Total so far: 31.95.
This project begins with parts. Two clamp lights: 6.99/ea
One outlet strip: 5.99/ea
Two Daylight 6500k 13W CFLs: 5.99/ea
Total so far: 31.95.
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Re: A scanner for fileslips and field notebooks: It's a Box!
After a day of drawing, I'm leaning toward a design that is sort of slot-together. Any way I try to make the box, it becomes difficult to collapse. If I make it kind of a slot-together thing, it can lay flat and is very suitable for transport in a messenger bag or whatever. I'm going to try cutting one of them real soon here and see what things look like outside Corel Draw.
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Re: A scanner for fileslips and field notebooks: It's a Box!
Here's the first prototype. Doesn't yet have a camera mount, but I'm thinking about just using an ordinary L-bracket instead of lasering something. Chief complaint is that it is not extraordinarily stable side-to-side, chief benefits: folds up, costs very little, dead simple.
Comments, plz. Wish I had some index cards handy.
Comments, plz. Wish I had some index cards handy.
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- Step 1- take the lights apart and chuck the misc stuff. You only want the switchable sockets.
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Re: A scanner for fileslips and field notebooks: It's a Box!
Oops, those pics:
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Re: A scanner for fileslips and field notebooks: It's a Box!
This is fantastic, I'm... well, stoked.
Thoughts:
Thoughts:
- Could the side-to-side stability issue be handled with some sort of slotted crossbar, or maybe even something like a pair of short bungie cord that made an x? Not sure how the attaching would work, if it would be better to be solid and fit into slots, or if tension would suffice? Is the wobbliness enough to be of concern, or just a matter of getting things set up right and then benig careful not to nudge it?
- This sort of ziggurat shape is better than the box -- much more room to move things around, it seems much less cramped.
- I like the fact that normal, everyday lightbulbs and sockets are used. It makes everything very replaceable, it's easy to reproduce, and it's reasonably stable.
- Is the board on the table part of the rig, or is the idea that you'd just use it on a table?
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Re: A scanner for fileslips and field notebooks: It's a Box!
Not part of the rig... thinking of it as a tabletop.# Is the board on the table part of the rig, or is the idea that you'd just use it on a table?
I like the crossbar idea, it might also be possible to solve it using rubber feet. I will investigate when I go L-bracket shopping tomorrow...
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Re: A scanner for fileslips and field notebooks: It's a Box!
Another option would be for me to double up on plywood or use heavier-grade stuff, like model aircraft ply. It doesn't cut as easily, but it wouldn't have any flex at all. I will think about it a bit.
One really nice thing about this design is that it all fits on a single 12x24 sheet, which is a standard laser cutting size. I can imagine a few variations that would open it up even further (would be nice to be able to swing your hand in and out with ease), and I might try them, even if it means spilling onto another sheet.
One really nice thing about this design is that it all fits on a single 12x24 sheet, which is a standard laser cutting size. I can imagine a few variations that would open it up even further (would be nice to be able to swing your hand in and out with ease), and I might try them, even if it means spilling onto another sheet.
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Re: A scanner for fileslips and field notebooks: It's a Box!
Yes sir, this this approach with no fasteners on the frame is nice. Interlocking rabbited-style joint system (or whatever it's called). Like a true carpenter....with a lazzzer.
" sharks with frickin' lazzzer beams attached to their heads!"
" sharks with frickin' lazzzer beams attached to their heads!"