Re: [Cameramakers] Scanner mods for enlarger

[CMills1324]

On 5/14/01 10:17:58 AM Central Daylight Time
[EMAIL PROTECTED] (Beau Schwarz)
Writes:

>2) Any suggestions on how to turn off the light source inside the scanner,
>and also then turning it back on for regular scanning?

>3) Any suggestions on a used scanner that would better suit this project?



The UMax Astra 3450 has a light lid for scanning trans\negs up to 4x5. The
3400 does not, but is otherwise the same scanner. Staples gets about $89.00
for the 3400 last time I checked. (I have no idea what the 3450 goes for) In
the software that comes with it, you can choose to use the "reflective"
(Internal lamp) or the trans\neg (Light lid) When the light lid is selected,
the internal lamp turns off. I bought several of both of these model scanners
recently. Most were damaged in some way during shipping, and the warehouse I
deal with just wanted to get rid of them. (I guess insurance covered it) Any
way, the glass was broken on some (Several) of them, and I was able to find a
good replacement at a reasonable price. (UMax wants $25.00+ for the glass!)
In some, the broken glass also damaged the internal ribbon cable(s). I have
not had time to repair all of these. I would think that this would be the
ideal scanner for what you are suggesting. (The light lid is removable, and
is connected via a short cable) These are USB scanners, so you would have to
have that (And Win 98 or Mac OS 8.0 or later) to use one of them. The two
scanners I have repaired are working very well. I scan 6x6 and 6x9 negs
regularly, and have had very good results. (To see an example, go to:
WWW.Junkman.freeservers.com. This unfinished web site has on the welcome page
a scanned B&W Neg which was on old Nitrocellulose film.) I would be glad to
sell one or two of the un-repaired scanners for just what I have in them plus
cost of shipping. (The shipping would probably be the biggest expense, I
don't know how much for sure) They have manuals, power supplies (in most
cases), and the drivers/application software, (Including Adobe Photo Deluxe
3.0, Windows or Mac... Some disks are original, some burned copies) plus the
expensive USB cable. I paid $10.00 each. (Because I bought the entire lot, no
cherry picking.) The cable alone is $20.00 at Walmart. I also have the cut
glass for them, which I had custom cut to fit. I could throw that in, as I
paid only $3.00 each for them. (I use double stick tape of the sort used to
put up shrink plastic on your windows, to put the glass in. Crude, maybe, but
it works. Cheap too.) I only have about two or three at the most of these
left. Some others I also have are of the 3400 model... No light lid, but
identical inside otherwise except the board doesn't have the part where the
light lid plugs in. You can put in the board from 3450 so software can turn
off internal lamp. (Because some of the ribbon cables inside were cut, have
take two to make one sometimes) No replacement for the internal ribbon cables
can be gotten, not from UMax, not from specialty houses who's business is
cables of all kinds. The ONLY source for them that I have found is another
scanner of the same or similar type. I just don't have the time for all this
anymore. Sometimes, the damage to the internal ribbon cables is so slight you
can't see it by eyeballing it. The only way to know if a cable is good for
sure is to put it in and try it. I'd love to see these put to good use by
someone. (They were headed for the landfill before I bought them)
If you want to take on such a project, just drop me a line and we can work
something out. (I'm easy, not profit oriented for something like this) I
usually would not use this list to try to sell something, but in this case, I
feel I'm not taking advantage of the list, but trying to help somebody out.
If this violates any rules, I apologize.

One other suggestion I have heard of, but not tried, is to put black tape
over the lamp.

PS, there were also some other scanners in the lot... Hewlett Packard's,
Visioneer, etc. Some are OK, some need attention. Many are missing something,
Power supplies, or cables, or software, something. One HP I checked out was a
ScanJet 5p, and once I got all the cables, software, SCSI card, etc., it
works GREAT!

Now you know why they call me:
The Junkman
AKA:
Chris Mills
Manager
First-PC, LTD.
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
3305 Virginia St.
Sioux City, IA
51104
(712) 277-0180