Solder Fume Exhaust System

Description

This is a window-mount solder smoke / fume extraction and exhaust system. It sits on your workbench and vents all the nasty soldering byproducts out your window. Compared to my current Weller charcoal fume extractor, this one has better extraction, a larger work area, and vents the fumes out of my workspace rather than simply blowing them around in there.

You can also use just the window assembly and a 4" flexible dryer hose to vent your 3d-printing enclosure out a window.

Parts Required

This system does NOT include the 12V power supply & control required to drive the fans. I leave this up-to-you to build and/or source. I have a custom 12V fan controller I've designed and built but it requires custom PCB's, a dozen passive components and an Arduino. Let me know in the comments if you want me to upload the files and you can build one too.

These hardware components are required:

• 12x M3-20 hex cap screws
• 12x M3 hex nuts
• 4x 6-32x2" machine screws
• 4x 6-32 hex nuts
• 2x Sunon MEC0381V1-000U-A99 120mm tubeaxial fans
• A 12V power supply/controller to drive the fans
• 4" diameter flexible dryer exhaust hose
• 2x 4" metal hose rings for securing dryer hose

Print Instructions

You WILL have adhesion problems with this print. It will want to warp something terrible. I've included built-in brims to try and help, but ended up having to use Kapton tape to secure the print to the bed and it STILL warped. It's just the nature of printing big empty boxes right to the edges of your heatbed.

Orient the parts however works best for you. I've designed most of them to print without supports. The desktop cone requires supports, but not too many if your bridging is dialed-in on your printer.

The assembly in the pictures was printed at the following settings:

• Printer: Prusa i3 MK3S+
• Print Settings
  • 0.8mm nozzle
  • 0.55mm layer height
  • 2 shells sides
  • 3 shells top and bottom
  • 15% infill
• Filament: Prusament Galaxy Silver PLA + Prusament Azure Blue PLA
• Supports: required on some parts
• Brim: required on some parts

Assembly Instructions

1. Print all the components in whatever orientation works best for you. Add supports if you need them.
2. Place both fan mounts in the window assembly. Line up the wire routing holes.
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3. Join the 2 large window assembly pieces together using M3 screws and nuts.
4. Place a fan in each fan mount:
   1. Carefully route the fan wires into the middle between the 2 fans.
   2. Secure each fan into its mount using 6-32 screws.
   3. Ensure the air is blowing OUT of the window assembly (sticker faces outwards).
5. Solder the fan wires in parallel so they're both powered off the same voltage supply and route the wires out the left/right hole in the window assembly:
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6. Use a bit of hot glue to secure the fan mounts in the window assembly
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7. Assemble the remainder of the window assembly with M3 screws/nuts and hot glue.
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8. Cap the wire holes with the appropriate cap and gently thread the 4" hose connector into the bottom:
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9. Print the two pieces of the desktop air collection cone. Use EVERY TRICK YOU HAVE to keep the pieces from warping too badly. Paint supports where indicated in the attached photos.
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10. Assemble the desktop collection cone using M3 screws/nuts. 
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11. Design & print any spacers you might require to get the window assembly to fit snugly in your window. Connect the 4" dryer hose and secure it with hose rings.
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12. Enjoy that nasty solder smoke finally going somewhere other than your face!
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