Solder Fume Extractor

I finally got tired of breathing solder fumes and made an ultra-low tech solder fume extractor. "Professional" versions of this device can be had for ~$100-$200 (for an example, see http://www.zeph.com/zt-4.htm). I decided this was too much money, and built one for $3.

Step 1: Assembly

Here's what you need:

(1) Carbon filter (found at Wal-Mart, I used the Hamilton Beach True Air Replacement Filter) - $3
(1) Fan (I used a Honeywell 3 speed fan I had lying around the house)
Some cardboard box and duct tape

Steps:
1. Cut 5 squares of cardboard of equal size, sizing them a little larger than the filter
2. Using 4 of the squares, build a cube with walls only in the X-Y plane (imagining a room, you would not create a ceiling or floor)
3. With the fifth square, cut a smaller square about 1/2 inch in from all sides and punch it out
4. Tape the filter to the fifth square
5. Tape the fifth square/filter assembly to the "ceiling" of the cube, charcoal side of the filter facing out
6. Tape the box to the "sucking" side of the fan, and tape any openings on the fan to ensure suction through the box/filter
7. Turn fan on and solder like crazy!

This really works like a charm, and the charcoal filter does a great job of scrubbing the fumes from the air. This is a pretty simple project, but thought I'd post it to possibly help out anyone who is suffering from solder fumes. I haven't had this running for long periods of time, so after a period of time it may prematurely burn out the fan's motor due to increased resistance to air movement.

Happy soldering!