When I had a large scale map scanned by a local  mapping agent we
sandwhiched the document between sheets of mylar.  This worked very well,
producing an excellent  TIFF file for archiving.

Patricia Davis-Perkins | Canadian Culture Online Projects | Canadian Museum
of Civilization | 100 Laurier Street, P.O. Box 3100, Station B, Gatineau,
Quebec, Canada, J8X 4H2 | Phone: 819.776.8456 | Fax: 819.776.8491 |
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Learn more about the Canadian Museum of Civilization at www.civilization.ca 

|-----Original Message-----
|From: Rick Olsen [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
|Sent: Wednesday, September 14, 2005 10:09 AM
|To: [log in to unmask]
|Subject: Re: reproduction of blue prints and architectural drawings
|
|I have done an extensive amount of this type of reproduction. (or had it
|done I should say)  Printing and reproduction companies often have large
|format scanners that can scan blueprints and save them as Tiffs or PDFs.
|The most common width is a maximum of 36'.  The longest document I have
|had scanned is 45 feet long.  The quality is very good if the person
|doing it takes their time.  In some instances the reprints I had done
|from the scans came out cleaner than the original document (go figure).
|	The only concern you need to have is the blueprint is scanned by
|being fed over the scanning surface, so there cannot be large tears in
|the print.  (it does not function like a flat bad scanner where the
|scanning surface is move, rather the document is moved over the scanning
|surface)  If the document is so fragile that it would further damage it
|to be fed through the scanner, then having it photographed would be your
|best bet.  That I know can be done, just have no experience in it.
|	I don't know of any in Florida, but I can refer you to the one I
|had used when in Baltimore.  The guy there does a great deal of large
|format drawing reproductions for the city and enjoyed doing the
|historical documents I would bring him out of 'historical curiosity'.
|He took great care in handling very fragile documents and will wear the
|white gloves and all if you ask him.
|
|His name is John Goodwin with Gardens Reprographics located in
|Baltimore, Maryland and their phone number is 410-539-2763.
|
|If you don't want to send or hand carry documents to Baltimore, I am
|sure there should be a company that has large format scanners in your
|area.
|
|Hope this helps,
|Rick
|
|Rick Olsen
|Director of Operations & Curator
[log in to unmask]
|
|Indiana Railway Museum
|P.O. Box 150
|French Lick, IN 47432
|1-800-74-TRAIN
|www.indianarailwaymuseum.org
|
|
|-----Original Message-----
|From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
|Behalf Of R J
|Sent: Monday, September 12, 2005 12:23 PM
|To: [log in to unmask]
|Subject: reproduction of blue prints and architectural drawings
|
|Dear Fellow Listers,
|
|I have about 15 blue prints and architectural drawings that need to be
|reproduced for a publication, but I am not sure how to go about this.
|All
|are from the 1910s. Conditions range from fair to poor. Some are
|brittle,
|others torn. There are pen on linen drawings (good contrast), as well as
|
|blue prints (umptieth generationand poor contrast.) Sizes range from 24
|x 40
|in. to 36 x 85 in.
|
|Do you have experience with this? What would be best, scanning or
|photographing? In one lab they said they would have to use a carrier
|(acetate sheet?), which would result in some loss of detail. For the
|blue
|print with minute details and little contrast that would be a problem.
|They
|will not run the scanner without protective carrier, and even then I
|would
|have to sign a disclaimer.
|
|What about detail of the reproduction? If you want a scan with enough
|detail, would that mean you'd be dealing with a humongous file that a
|computer wouldn't even be able to handle? Is it doable to stitch
|together
|the image from part-transparencies?
|
|The unicorn tapestry comes to mind, and while the problems are similar,
|the
|budget is definitely not, to say the least . . . :)
|
|Any suggestions?
|
|Thank you!
|
|Remko Jansonius
|Collections and Archives Manager
|Vizcaya Museum and Gardens
|Miami, Florida
|
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If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).