How to do it yourself bar code scanners?

I've heard commercial bar code scanners are very expensive. I'd like to make one myself, hobbyist style. Care to help?

How to do it yourself bar code scanners?
Radio Shack gave out a reader device


called the cue cat. free ( no longer available)


But you can usually get one on e-bay for about


10 bucks or less.


Anyway there are places where you can Hack the mouse


(and learn alot about barcodes in general)


I do have one of these that was hacked and it does read


ok just not well enough for commercial applications


( sometimes have to swipe it 2 or 3 times)


Listed is a source for the hacking etc





Hope this helps





eek


:-)