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 | [log in to unmask] 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 The guy there does a great deal of large |format drawing reproductions for the city and enjoyed doing the |historical documents I would bring him out of 'historical curiosity'.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 | |_________________________________________________________________ |Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! 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