Update Jul 29, 2012: Here is the latest artwork.
Assembly instructions Updated 1/15/2013 Not 100% completed, but this will get you quite far.
Shopping list for hardware you'll need.
Here is a directory with a bunch of pics of an assembled unit. Many more pics to come!
Here's a video that answers most technical questions about the scanner. Sorry about the length and my speech; I haven't slept in a few days. I will follow up with videos and writing about the broader idea here. For now, check out my speech at the Open Hardware Summit as well as this brief piece from the BBC. This thread also has some discussion and questions. Please, remember that this is not a final product but a work in progress!
FAQ:
1. When will the design files be available?
1A. Now. BUT THEY ARE BETA, NOT-PRODUCTION QUALITY AND MAY CONTAIN MISTAKES.
2. How much will a kit cost?
2A. I will not know for at least a month or more. Less than $500, more than $150, without cameras.
3. When can you send me one?
3A. I don't know.
4. What size books can it scan?
4A. 12"x9"x3" maximum. Works best at sizes smaller than that.
5. What cameras work best?
5A. That is a complicated question determined by your budget and what you plan to scan. I plan to "endorse" three models of cameras - low, medium, and high-end - so that people can make this decision on their own.
6. I have more questions!
6A. I will be updating this post regularly, and it is now a "sticky" post at the top of this forum so it is easy to find. Filling out this information is my highest priority. By the end of October it will be fully fleshed out and the parts and documentation files should be further along.
The files:
These files are Open Hardware (OSHW 1.0). They contain notes for CAM as well as general build notes. I am pasting the build notes here for people who don't want to download the files:
THIS DIY BOOK SCANNER IS DESIGNED TO BE CUT FROM A
SINGLE SHEET OF PLYWOOD ON A 4X8 FOOT CNC ROUTER.
WHEN DISASSEMBLED, IT WILL FIT IN CHECKED LUGGAGE
FOR TRANSPORT. THE MAXIMUM BOOK SIZE THAT IT WILL
ACCOMMODATE IS 12X9X3 INCHES.
THE WOOD SHOULD BE .72 INCHES THICK, OR
ADJUSTMENTS SHOULD BE MADE TO SLOTS
TO ACCOMMODATE DIFFERENT THICKNESSES.
OTHER MINOR ADJUSTMENTS MAY BE NECESSARY.
PROTOTYPING WAS DONE WITH ARAUCOPLY
4X8 23/32 S2S. THE BARCODE ON THE BOARD
READS 85744200073, AND WAS PURCHASED AT
HOME DEPOT.
MOST 3/4 INCH AND 23/32 INCH PLYWOOD IS ACTUALLY
.72 INCHES; TAKE A CALIPER TO THE LUMBERYARD
TO CONFIRM.
THE PROTOTYPES WERE DESIGNED ON A
CNCROUTERPARTS.COM CRP4896 OPEN SOURCE
CNC ROUTER.
MOST FASTENERS ARE 3/16 INCH BUTTON CAP SCREWS
FROM FASTENAL; PART NUMBERS WILL FOLLOW.
ALL BEARING POCKETS ARE DESIGNED TO BE PRESS-FIT
FOR SKATEBOARD BEARINGS. THE BEARINGS WILL
PORTRUDE SLIGHTLY; THIS IS NORMAL AND BOLT TENSION
WILL HELP BRING THEM IN.
ZOOM IN ON THE ARTWORK ITSELF TO SEE SPECIFIC
INSTRUCTIONS FOR CAM PROCESSING OF THIS ARTWORK.
I WILL RELEASE G-CODE DESIGNED FOR THE CRP4896,
NO EFFORT HAS BEEN MADE TO OPTIMIZE IT WHATSOEVER.
IN PARTICULAR, THE POCKETING AND CORNERING OPERATIONS
COULD BE RE-DRAWN OR RE-DONE BY SOMEONE WITH MORE CNC
EXPERIENCE.
I used two applications to author these files. Corel Draw X4 and Vcarve Pro. I would like to move these files into an open-source environment like Inkscape or Heeks CAD. Any help with that would be most welcome.
All of these things will improve with time. Consider this a preview of a beta. I will be working on this as much as I can. Do not ask me when something will be finished, please.
