Soldering fume extractors?

[MUD DAWG]

Once in a while I'll have to do some soldering on a bench in the basement, and I'm looking for a fume extractor. A fan, and a vent straight outdoors would work great, but I don't want to cut a hole in the house or add more heat loss. So next best option I guess is a desktop fan.

What do you guys use? Seems really easy to make one and add a carbon filter to it. But how well do the desktop fans really work in filtering the smoke and just recirculating the air?

Thanks

 

[unslow1]

Do you have any windows to exhaust it through? Maybe a furnace exhaust to pipe it through? Something like a kitchen or bath exhaust to a dryer vent tube directing it.

 

[MUD DAWG]

Do you have any windows to exhaust it through? Maybe a furnace exhaust to pipe it through? Something like a kitchen or bath exhaust to a dryer vent tube directing it.

Tying into the other vents is a bad idea. I'll be creating back drafts, and will end up pushing dryer fumes into the basement, or solder fumes in the kitchen or bath. I'm pretty sure this is against code, and for good reason.

I could make a temporary window insert to use when I solder, but it'll be a bit of a pain and eye sore.

Lots of big name manufacturers create table top re-circulation fans to deal with solder fumes, so it must work, but I can't find any good info on their effectiveness.

 

[ScottsGT]

Years ago a coworker hot glued a "4 pic fan to a 1' long by 3" diameter PVC pipe to pull fumes away from his face. Mounted it to an articuling arm to position it.

 

[Sine Swept]

I just built one for my shop bench, it is only temporary but seems a good thing to have. I have a 2 foot section of 3" pvc that I glued a small piece of plywood to the size of a PC fan which I mounted to the bottom. I used an elbow at the top and glued it. I have another 2 feet of tube that I put inside the elbow and vent to outdoors. It only draws 1/4 amp of power for peace of mind.

 

[toolenthusiast]

Lean back or hold your breath. Lol

 

[MUD DAWG]

Lean back or hold your breath. Lol

That's what I do when I vote. Results aren't very good.

 

[tym]

I just try to keep my face from being directly above the work.

Not really the best solution.

Didn't there used to be little tabletop air purifiers for smokers? Maybe something like that would work?

 

[mrborohachi]

Just buy the foam filters and rig up a larger version of a PC fan. The ones at my work barely worked. I had to have the PC boards I was soldering within 2" for the smoke to be pulled away.

 

[Bert_]

I've never used anything. If your worried just get a small fan to set on the bench next to you, it's not like your doing production soldering for hours on end right? The fumes are minimal.

 

[MUD DAWG]

I just try to keep my face from being directly above the work.

Not really the best solution.

Didn't there used to be little tabletop air purifiers for smokers? Maybe something like that would work?

I assume this is the same thing I'm talking about. Probably just a fan, with a carbon/charcoal filter.

Just buy the foam filters and rig up a larger version of a PC fan. The ones at my work barely worked. I had to have the PC boards I was soldering within 2" for the smoke to be pulled away.

I have a good size fan in a box. I'm doubtful a small PC fan would do much either.

I've never used anything. If your worried just get a small fan to set on the bench next to you, it's not like your doing production soldering for hours on end right? The fumes are minimal.

No production assembly, but I don't want those nasty toxins in the air, especially in a basement. In the summer time, in the garage with the doors open, or fan blowing, it's no big deal. But in the winter, I'd rather reduce that stuff in the house air as much as possible.

 

[Sine Swept]

I soldered 2 alligator clips to a piece of mechanic's wire and mounted them below the fan to hold a wire there while I solder it, much better than holding your breath.

 

[mautotech]

I use a Hakko FM-430.
It works great but its a little loud if you are soldering for a long time.
http://www.hakko.com/english/products/hakko_fa430.html