A 1*1*1 Foot Evaporative Cooler (Swamp Cooler)

I am a teenager and likes to make things this is my first Instructable.  I came up with this laying in bed because it was so hot.  I was going to buy a window air conditioner on top of our regular air conditioner.  Then I went to a swamp cooler and they didn't make a small enough one so I came up with the idea of making a mini one.  And it would be super cheap and it would be recycling things I would have thrown away.  Also please read the entire Instructable before you start. I usually make others things but I thought I would give it a shot of making something.  This is a swamp cooler that  I made from parts around the house.  Forgive me for the quality of this Instructable it is my first one.  Please No rude comments please feel free to post how to make it better and your opinions on it.  This was fairly cheap for me because all I had to buy was the Swamp Cooler Pad.  This takes some time, it is a great summer project.  It is fairly efficient, durable, and works very well in my opinion.  A way to help you decide to make this or if it is cool enough is to take a rag get it wet under the faucet ring out as much water as you can and put the rag on your face.  That temperature of the rag will be how cold the air will be directly out of the fan. 

I got this little swamp cooler to cool my 9 by 10 room from 75 degrees to 65ish degrees in about 1 hours with the doors shut and the windows shut and blinds shut.

**UPDATE**  
What I have found that works just as good is just take a spray bottle and spray the pads manually. Also the colder the water the colder the air! 

Step 1: Parts

What you will need is the following;

1. Approx. 28X32 sheet of Coroplast (Plastic Cardboard)
2. 20 ft. (just in case you mess up) of clear vinyl tubing (the width of whatever size of barb on the pump)
3. A submersible Pump (I got mine from a fountain from Harmons it is a Jebao)
4. A high power fan (works best with a ducted fan I got mine out of a blow dryer)
5. Lots of duct tape
6. A  Y split off for the tubing
7.  Synthetic evaprotive cooler pad I recommend the DIAL 28 in. x 34 in. DuraCool Pad for Evaporative Coolers from Home Depot   DO NOT USE ASPEN FIBER COOLER PADS TOO THICK AND SMELL FUNNY
8. A transformer that will run the fan Depending on the voltage the fan can handle
9. Hot glue sticks
10. Electrical Tape

Tools needed:

1. A Utility knife
2. Hot glue gun
3.Ruler and or tape measure
4.Drill
5. Rubbing Alcohol
6. Cotton Balls or cotton swabs
7. Soldering Iron with solder

"some photos are from internet"

Step 2: Cut Out

You will need to cut out 6 1 foot by 1 foot Squares out of the Coroplast

Step 3: Take the Squares

Take the 5 squares from last step and draw another square inside of the existing square an 8by8 square on inside than cut that out.  The 6th square is for the top of the cooler cut out a hole that your fan will stay mounted in.  Also if you have a laser cutter you can use that to cut it 

Step 4: Put the Squares Together

Take 4 squares and put the squares together by taking rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball and wipe were the duct tape will go for a clean bond.  Put duct tape on the edges that hold it together.  The side you put the duct tape will be the inside of the cooler.  After putting tape on the inside of the cooler do the same with the alcohol and the duct tape as you did on the inside.

Step 5: The Bottom

From some of the scraps you have left cut out four 8 inches long 2 inches tall strips.  Make a square out of the strips. Take a cotton ball put some rubbing alcohol on the cotton ball and wipe all of the areas of were the duct tape will go.  After making a square place it on the bottom panel were the 8 by 8 hole has already been cut.  Make it so that the 3d square is on top of the panel.  Attach with duct tape.  Take the base and tape the bottom to the top of the 1 foot by 1 foot by 1 foot square.  Don't forget to wipe the area that the duct tape will be with a cotton ball with alcohol on it! :)

Step 6: The Top

Take the top and cut the hole for your fan.  Once hole is cut make a air tight seal with duct tape or hot glue.  DO NOT ATTACH THE TOP TO THE REST OF THE CUBE.

Step 7: Cutting Out the Pads

This part is super easy to do.  First take your swamp cooler pad and lay it down flat now make a 1 foot by 1 foot square you are going to use this as a template so cut out 4 squares of the pad and than put them aside.

Step 8: Add the Tubing

This step is the one that uses the tubing and the Y split off.  First you will take the Y and cut a piece long enough to go around on top of the pads and put the 2 ends onto the y adapter the other side cut a piece long enough  to run from your pump to the top of your box. Now glue the tubing to the top piece that contains the fan. Now poke holes into the tubing that point down onto the pads. Sorry I didn't take any pictures I forgot to.

Step 9: Start Attaching Every Thing Together.

Take some duct tape now and put some on the inside of your box sticky side up. You now take the top of the cooler and set it down on top of the cooler pressing the duct tape onto the cooler.  Line the outside with duct tape.  Make sure the tube coming off the y adapter sticks out.

Step 10: Putting the Pads In

This step is pretty straight forward.  Push the cooler pads in through the holes in the sides.  If it doesn't fit trim a little bit off the side of the pad that needs trimming.

Step 11: You Are Done!

To cool it just plug in the wall wart that powers the fan.  Take a cup of water put your pump into it connect the pump to the hose that comes out of the cooler and plug the pump in. I recommend only putting in about 1 cup of water in it.  And also put hot glue on all of the areas that have duct tape.  You can just put it in the room it doesn't really need to be outside.  I may also recommend on your gluing job that you put the cooler in a dish or something just it leaks.