Stripping a Scanner for Parts (in 10 minutes)
I’m starting on a project that I’ll be using stepping motors and belts, and after looking for cheap parts online, I thought I could do better by stripping down some old scanners.
People are excited to get rid of there old computer stuff, the great thing is it doesn't matter if the old scanner works. Even if it doesn't turn on likely the motor and mechanical parts are still good for salvage. I posted a ad on Portland’s craigslist in the wanted section and got several responses, in a week I had a bunch of scanners for free, I only had to pick them up. I found that putting in the ad that you would be reusing the parts for a robotics project people were very interested.
Scanners are easy to take apart, they are pretty simple machines and generally there are some catches, and a screw or two around the edges of the top cover.