How to: DIY High Speed Book Scanner
Here’s a completely new project we haven’t yet covered on Hack N Mod. The closest we have come is to show you how to digitize a book and turn it into a PDF file. For this latest project, learn how to make your own high speed book scanner to immortalize your favorite classics and share them with the world. Watch the video above to see it compared to a commercial book scanner.
This DIY high-speed book scanner project will help you turn words into pixels. The great thing is that it is built entirely from salvaged materials, some hand tools and a drill. The author even shows you how to do a bit of dumpster diving to get the recyclable raw materials. If you are ready to get your hands dirty, then read the PDF for the materials required. Two halogen lights, two cameras, a book mount and holder with a display system to focus the cameras make up hardware of the book scanner.
The project will require you to put together quite a few parts. The tutorial walks you from an overview to the 79th step helping you assemble each piece one by one. The assembly is divided into stages:
- Acquire the materials
- Build the base
- Make the book holder
- Assemble the platen
- Arrange the lighting
- Setup the camera
- Put together a display system
- Mount camera supports
- Wiring it together
- Download the free software to process the scans
Go through the detailed steps to build yourself a book scanner. Also check out some of our other photography hacks such as:
