Scanner problem

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AnneL

AnneL

SPFG, Supreme Picture Framing God
Joined
Jul 11, 2001
Posts
15,946
Location
Wautoma, WI USA
I'm hoping someone can help me. The glass plate on our scanner has acquired a scratch through wear and tear. Is there anyway to replace the glass or get rid of the scratch (other than having to fix it in Photoshop each time, that gets old real fast with the number of photos/negs we scan each year. :rolleyes: )
The model is an Epson perfection 1240U. Thanks!
 
Hi there

I believe they use a special tempered glass that probably costs more than the scanner; unless it was a very expensive one. Any Epson dealer should be able to get the glass.

Another option (if its a cheap scanner) is to just replace it. If you check www.thedailydeals.com, they often have specials for brand new scanners at $25-$50 each. (after coupon codes and sale prices combined, and often rebates)

Another possible idea is to reverse the glass so the scratch is at the opposite end of the scanning surface. (Depending on how bad it is and how big the area is)

It's "just like framing"... Consider it a big plastic shadowbox and you'll be all set
The glass usually pops off with a couple screws.

Just some ideas

Mike
 
Thanks, Mike. Unfortunately, the scratch is in the middle. It's not very wide, but long and it shows up as a fine line on scans of both prints and negatives. The scanner was one of the more expensive ones and it would cost a bit to replace it. I think I might have Gary check into getting new glass. Meantime, I guess I'll just have to keep cleaning it up in Photoshop, I usually have to dust spot anyway no matter how clean we keep the scanner.
 
I can replace a 1240U for $129.95 now. I gave mine to the kids when I replaced it with a 1650. I should have waited for the new one. Would you mind telling me how you scan negatives? My scanner is setup to do that, but I only get black strips in the twain.
 
Le, do you have the slide scanner adapter? You need to have that to scan a negative. It is a seperate lid that you replace the normal one with and it comes with holders for various size slides or negatives. I think I'll just live with the damage for now if I can't replace the part while we consider what kind of scanner would fit our future needs. We have converted our studio to digital capture, so we don't scan as much as we use to. It still gets to be time consuming if we do film for something and need to scan the negatives to remove the scratches. :rolleyes:
 
If the scanner is over $100, it's probably worth it to get the glass. The glass will probably run 20-40, which is cheaper than the scanner. That scanner currently sells for $123 + $9 freight, so its worthwhile to do.

Mike
 
Here is another alternative(while they last), in today's daily deal:

BestBuy has the Visioneer 5800 USB Scanner for $20 (after $30 rebate) Search for "Visioneer" to find it. Shipping is FREE.

Granted this is a low end scanner, but is good enough for what most folks use.

Enjoy...
 
Originally posted by Mike @ GTP:
Granted this is a low end scanner, but is good enough for what most folks use.
Click to expand...
....and probably better than the $500 one you bought 3 years ago....
 
Unfortunately, Mike, I'm not "most folks". I use my scanner in our photography business to scan negatives and photos so I can work on them in Photoshop, send them to the lab to be printed, and then deliver them to my customers. Anything I get needs to deliver a good quality scan. Gary is my tech person, he reads up on the specs on any equipment we buy and decides if it will fit our needs.
 
The cheapie can do 600x1200, while the Epson you have can do 1200x2400 and negatives (with optional kit)

Both of these are considered low end models, but they blow the socks off the scanner I bought 6 years ago for $1200.

The replacement glass can be ordered from an epson dealer/repair shop.
 
Be careful with the visioneer. A good scanner but no support for some. Some are USB only and W95 doesn't support USB and even though I found some help to load on XP it wouldn't work. Visioneer is not buying the license for them from MS. So that $20 scanner became a gift.
 
Hi JPete,

Win95 is 8 years old now (from 1994) and very scarce, but there are ways to use USB with it; if desired.

If you ever have the need again, here is a link to the drivers:

http://www.aesystems.com/usb_install.html

Enjoy
Mike
 
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