How best to scan thousands of index cards??
 

Have approximately 6,000 signed index cards and GPC's. Want to somehow get an image of each to inventory and sell. Are there any machines or techniques that can be used to get the job done quickly and efficiently?

Thanks,

Tom C

http://www.pandigital.net/search.asp...Type&TypeID=22

I don't know if this is your best option, but it could be a starting point. I have one I used to scan a bunch of family pictures with. It is super fast. May work for raw index cards. I never used one of those scanning wands. Just my 2 cents.

I'm currently getting ready to test both the Epson GT-50 and Fujitsu ScanSnap 1500s for just such a purpose. They both retail for about $400 each but I managed to pick up one of each on sale plus coupons and reward credits for much less.

Both are duplex scanners, so they will do both sides at once and very fast.

I'll have some results in a week or so.

I would be very interested to know the results as well. Having handled collections of 1000+ such items on several occasions, I can tell you scanning with a flatbed scanner is no picnic, especially when scanning both sides. I'd be interested to know how they perform with photographs and postcards as well.

For a project like this, I'd use a digital camera. Much much faster.

I am very interested too. Since I do some auctions I sometimes have hundreds of things to scan at once. Scanning takes a ton of time and anything to cut down the amount of time would be great. Please keep us updated on how you do.

Tom - I sent you a PM. Thx!

Fujitsu
 

I have a Fujitsu Scansnap that I use for my accounting business. I thought it could be a good answer as it is very fast and does both sides. Would have to figure out the scanning software so that it keeps each scan separate instead of saving everything in one huge file. Also, was not sure if the Scansnap would be too harsh on the index cards. Perhaps I can send a few blank ones through and tinker with the software to figure it out.

I will give it a try this week and post the results.

Tom C

Any feedback is appreciated but my main emphasis is baseball cards (I understand this is an autograph section so any info will help members). Raw cards as well as slabbed ones take quite a while to do with regular flatbed scanners.

I had a couple of thousand photos done by a company similar to this:

http://atlanticphotosupply.com/shoeboxscanning.html

I sent a box full of photos ("Shoebox special) and they were all scanned and returned for $130.00.

If you do this, instead of just using blank cards consider "signing" them, so you can get an idea of the quality of the image of the autograph being scanned. As "inscriptions," you can note the different settings you use so that you can easily see which ones work or don't work.

I saw a site called checkoutmycards.com my friend lists cards on there. They actually scan EVERY card they put on there. And this is a ton of really cheap cards! they have some technology but don't really say how. But they say you can contact them. Go on this link and look at the 4th FAQ...

http://www.checkoutmycards.com/FAQ.aspx

it worked!!
 

I used my Fujitsu Scan Snap and it worked incredibly well. Scanned about 50 at a time and they were none the worse for wear. All came out of the machine just as they entered. The software saved the scans individually...so now I will just go back and rename the scans. Wow this is a big surprise. And a rare happy one!

Tom C

Tom, I hope you'll indulge a few questions, as I've looked at that particular scanner with some interest, but haven't had the courage to invest the $ in a piece of equipment that might not work for my purposes. Here goes:

1) How are the output files handled for scanning both sides of a card? Does it combine them into one image, or split into 2 (and if the latter, how does it name the files)?

2) Does it automatically correct the scan for cards entering slightly askew?

3) Does it leave any kind of border around the cards, or crop the scan right up to the card edge? (Probably not a problem for index cards, but I try to leave some blank space around other cards when I scan them so that it doesn't appear that I have "digitally trimmed" potential wear on the edges and corners).

4) What is the widest card or paper that the scanner will accept?

5) Have you had any issues with the scanner becoming "dirty" and causing lines in the scans?

Sorry if all that sounds picky, but you're the first person I've encountered who had one of these who was not also trying to sell it to me :D

1. As of right now it keeps the front and back scans separate. I am almost positive that some tinkering with the software will save them as one....though I have not yet figured this out. It names the files a generic number based on date and number the scan is.

2. The askew situation was not an issue with the index cards because you can adjust the feeder to squeeze items that are the same size. I used it in my tax practice this year and it did its best to auto correct.

3. I have to check back about the border. I believe that it leaves one but will have to check on that.

4. It will scan items slightly wider than 8 1/2 inches wide.

5. It isn't old enough to have any dirt issues. Bought it in January of this year. It has done tons of scans and so far so good.

Tom C