true true, about all you have written.
i have been looking out for a hand held scanner for a while now but they are very hard to find.
When i do a serarch for hand held scanners all i seem to get are those hand held bar code scanners.
Im sure i have read some where on this forum some one has scanned back glasses. I can't remember who it was, if i did i would send them a p.m.
gap i am talking about is only a couple of mm. but as you said if i could find a scanner with a thinner border then that would help.
i have 2 scanners, 1 is a scanner only the other is a printer scanner combo.
but you have given me an idea, the  stand alone scanner needs the frame to keep the glass inplace which inturn keeps the scanning bar in place.
if i remove the plastic frame and hold the glass inplace with duct tape around the border i think i will have a winner.
thanks again 
the other alternitve is a 3d scanner but they are a bit out of my price range.
i think i will go with the duct tape idea.