How to quickly record/photograph large paper drawings?

[Edward Sheetmetalhands]

Hello,

I am being given access to some vintage engineering drawings; over a hundred sheets. Many are large drawings, such as 5-footers.

What is the best way to quickly record all of the data? Obviously too large for a scanner, so I guess photography. What digital cameras (under $400) or other method might be able to record the data? I will be importing them into AutoCad to start over as they will be my basis for a similar design (importing as .jpg). I would like to be able to see as much as possible detail wise, and not have too many problems of the flash blinding the photography. Any pointers on this scenario? My photography experience is very limited. I have a Kodak easyshare CD33 but am willing to upgrade.

Any ex-CIA guys that know about this stuff?

Tim

Last edited by Edward Sheetmetalhands on Sun Aug 29, 2010 12:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Second Air Force]

Search the Yellow Pages for printing shops and I'd bet you'll find one with the capability to scan and print large documents. I've had a large number of airfield blueprints copied at several different shops with good results.

Scott

[Edward Sheetmetalhands]

Thanks, Scott. I'll try that. It is in Tulsa. I guess if all they are doing is scanning, that ought to be cheaper than printing. If anyone has any recommendations on shops in the area...

[Cvairwerks]

A lot of the FedExKinko's can copy E size and larger drawings. I don't know if they have scan to file capability too. Worth calling around a bit. Not going to be cheap....probably a couple of bucks a foot for copies.

[barnbstormer]

Most towns & cities should have numerous shops that are set up to cater to architects and home-building contractors. I took a whole pile of giant aero bluprints & plans to the local shop that made copies for the contractors who were building homes. And I could not believe how cheap they were, (was only a couple of bucks each, for the copy PRINTS, so who know how much JUST for a high res scan to CD or DVD?) to be scanned by their high quality, multi-thousand dollar scanners & printed out as clear copies. With the curent state of the home-building market, I think they might be happy to make you a package price to scan all your dwgs. and have some work to do..

[Edward Sheetmetalhands]

Thanks guys...

I did some calling today. One shop quoted $1.25/sheet to scan an E series, plus a $50 fee to write them all to a CD. More reasonable than I thought and quite doable. Recently took a large print job to a printer in Wichita and got high-grossed pretty bad on ANSI-D's so I may have been a little gun-shy ($220/60qty by the time they hit me with lots of fees-and they didn't do a good job at that). I will do a little more shopping around and then run the idea by the owner to see if he will go for it.

[tulsaboy]

Here in Tulsa, Ridgeway's also does a really nice job.

kevin

[RyanShort1]

THIS is helpful. I've been wondering about getting scans as well.

Ryan

[Edward Sheetmetalhands]

Thanks Kevin, I'll be sure to get a quote from Ridgeway's...

[mustanglover]

Thanks Kevin, I'll be sure to get a quote from Ridgeway's...

Keep something in mind, unless you already know the answer through experience.

My Autocad and KeyCreator (especially KeyCreator) CAD programs do not like to import .jpg files. I usually use .tiff files with good results.

I have all of the T-6/SNJ and FM-2/F4F drawings on CDs as .jpg files. Right now I am unable to import these into my CAD programs.

[Edward Sheetmetalhands]

Thanks Kevin, I'll be sure to get a quote from Ridgeway's...

Keep something in mind, unless you already know the answer through experience.

My Autocad and KeyCreator (especially KeyCreator) CAD programs do not like to import .jpg files. I usually use .tiff files with good results.

I have all of the T-6/SNJ and FM-2/F4F drawings on CDs as .jpg files. Right now I am unable to import these into my CAD programs.

Sometimes I get really lucky doing stuff, but I have been right clicking on the .jpg's in My Documents, copying, then pasting them into model space (I think I enter a "0" for orientation) with no problems on AutoCad 2009 and 2010. I am not doubting what you are saying, in fact when I tried importing them as blocks I would run into problems sometimes, then just tried it like I described and they went in ok; though they do have to be loaded in my computer's drive every time the .dwg file is brought up so they get reloaded through that path. Not conventient if you use different computers a lot. I also tried putting them on photobucket and describing this path to AutoCad and have never been successful though the book says it can be done. I have never worked with .tiff files, if for some reason I am unsuccessful with .jpg, how does one convert to tiff?? Or must I ask for .tiff when they are scanned? Do the std windows viewers and photography softwares work ok with .tiff?

[wacoykc]

We scan all the large Waco drawings at Fed Ex/Kinkos. If you do the scanning yourself they will burn to a CD....pretty cheaply I might add.