Scanning service for Blueprints (in Chicago)?

December 2, 2004 4:08 PM

I have blueprints that I need scanned on to disc. (jpeg, tiff, something like that) Any ideas where to go? (In Chicagoland)

The obvious answer to me was Kinkos, but they don't apparently have the equipment. HELP!

posted by Steve_at_Linnwood to Technology (10 answers total)

Go to any standard blueprint shop. They should have something, or know where you can find it. Chicago, home of SOM, should have no problem with this kind of thing.

FWIW, "blueprints" at my office have been completely done away with, and our drawings are now scanned and copied intstead of blueprinted.
posted by LionIndex at 4:11 PM on December 2, 2004

Large format scanning in Chicago, IL. (Not trying to be an ass; it just seems the most useful answer I can provide.)
posted by Danelope at 4:13 PM on December 2, 2004

Response by poster: These are blueprints for a 1928 Italian Renaissance mansion that is is being submitted for the National Register.

My girlfriend is a Historic Preservation Graduate Student at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.... so I get to help with all her fun projects....
posted by Steve_at_Linnwood at 4:17 PM on December 2, 2004

link
posted by LionIndex at 4:41 PM on December 2, 2004

Another option for large format items is called a copy stand. It's essentially an adjustable camera mounted above a flat surface with tungsten lights on either side. I've used them in libraries for photographing artwork or illustrations. The idea would be to photograph the blueprints on slide film, then scan the slides.
posted by Jeff Howard at 4:47 PM on December 2, 2004

My girlfriend is a Historic Preservation Graduate Student at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago

The Art Institute doesn't have large format reproduction facilities?
posted by Doohickie at 5:19 PM on December 2, 2004

Yellowpage or superpages for: blueprinters

Let your fingers do the walking, and ask if they have Oce' copiers, which scan, print-from-file, and copy. (Oce' is pronounced Oh-say)

Many Kinko's have them as well. Look for Kinko's with Large Format depts.
posted by loquacious at 6:54 PM on December 2, 2004

The Kinko's I've been to have Oce's that will copy large format drawings, but not necessarily scan them and give you and image file (although I know such machines exist). YMMV

Large format reproduction != large format scanning

The idea would be to photograph the blueprints on slide film, then scan the slides.

Or just take the picture with a digital camera.
posted by LionIndex at 7:51 PM on December 2, 2004

A good old friend of mine (Rob May) owns this place in Evanston. He might be able to help you, and perhaps shoot you a deal if you tell him I sent you.

On the other hand, he might just charge you more. He's funny that way.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 11:02 PM on December 2, 2004

Many Kinko's do have the OCEs or similar machines - but since Kinko's made a corporate decision to lay off it's training staff in 2001/2002 - most of their people don't know how to use them to scan. Call around though, if you have a tenured "team member" at a nearby branch, they might know how to do it.
posted by FlamingBore at 6:37 AM on December 3, 2004