SCANNERS-PHOTOS-L Archives

Archiver > SCANNERS-PHOTOS > 2002-07 > 1027293815


From: "Lance" <>
Subject: RE: [SP] How to copy (scan) small book
Date: Mon, 22 Jul 2002 09:29:22 +1000
In-Reply-To: <00b801c23110$2297b2c0$5af830d1@willperk>


Perhaps you may have more success if you take the book to a quality copy
shop. Have them photocopy the pages, as they will have a copier that
will accept books. Then scan the photocopied pages with your scanner.
You realise that you will need an OCR (optical character recognition)
program if you wish to have the result as a text file? Otherwise the
image will be just saved as a ".bmp" or ".jpg" format, not quite what
you are looking for, I should imagine.

Lance

-----Original Message-----
From: William F. Perkins [mailto:]
Sent: Monday, 22 July 2002 9:41 AM
To:
Subject: Re: [SP] How to copy (scan) small book


Hello, all -

I have a flatbed scanner (Plustek UT12 USB), but am a novice at
scanning. I would appreciate some guidance/suggestions on how
to proceed with the following project.

A cousin has loaned me an 'out of print', limited edition small book
to copy.
- It is a softbound book; with pages glued to binding at the spine.
- The pages are held together via three small staples at the spine.
- It is about 3-1/2" w. x 5-1/2" h. x 1/4" thick.
- There are 68 numbered pages, plus a bibliography and index.
- There are about 28 lines per page.
- The printing width on each page is about 3-9/16".
- Both the fore and aft margins are about 5/8" wide.
- Th book was published in 1968.

I wish to scan this book into a text file. However, to do this on my
flatbed scanner, I have to open the book and lay it flat on the glass.
It is evident the book has never been opened back in this manner, and I
feel certain it will ruin the spine - which does have the title and
author's last name printed on the spine.

I also tried opening the book just 90* and laying the page to scan
on the glass, with the other side hanging down beside the scanner.
However, the scanner is built with a metal trim piece ~3/4" wide all
around the glass. Hence, there was about 1/4" to 3/8" of text on each
line which would not get scanned.

I have looked on e-bay for "hand held" scanners, and reviewed the
comments on several styles. I am leaning towards trying out a
hand held scanner having a "scan-head" width of about 4+ inches. I
believe I could slowly pull this type scanner down each page, and in
that manner, scan a full page in a few seconds.

I would welcome suggestions or experiences of others in the use of such
hand held scanners. Also, alternative means of scanning this small book
will be welcome.

-- William Perkins


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.377 / Virus Database: 211 - Release Date: 2002-07-15


This thread: