I've just written up how to build a DIY IBM 80 Column Punch Card Reader by using an Arduino to control a CHDK firmware equipped camera.
The Arduino is just used to do the image capture, the images are then processed on a PC using some python code, this makes for a fairly easy project on the hardware side of things.
Movie overview:
That is a great project, I really enjoyed reading about it. Amazing to see someone who still has some punch cards 
Nice childhood memories.
florinc:
Nice childhood memories.
I guess that makes me feel old, since I started programming in high school on an IBM 1130 with cards.
I started programming in high school on an IBM 1130 with cards.
Oh, me too. I was a kid then (like everybody at age 14).
Actually, I started by punching the cards (on a Juki machine). Programming with those cards came a bit later.