Introduction: Easy, Cheap Portable VENTED Fume Extractor and Optional Fume Box

By www.youtube.com/channel/UCQHsoMe

An easy, cheap and portable vented fume extractor that you can take anywhere to keep you safe while you work! Make the fume box too, for the perfect duo, or just use alone......

Step 1: REQUIREMENTS

You will need for the extractor:

  • A DC fan (mine is salvaged computer fan)
  • A length of hose (again salvaged - heating duct hose)
  • A plastic container and lid large enough to fit the diameter of fan and diameter of venting hose. Mine is a take out noodle bowl.
  • Hot glue gun or other plastic glue
  • Saw, dremel or knife to cut plastic

You will need for the box:

  • A plastic container with lid at least large enough to work in
  • Enough plastic to cover opening of container (heavier PVC is good)
  • Hot glue gun or other plastic glue
  • Saw, dremel or knife to cut plastic
  • Piece of craft foam or foam weather strip

Step 2:

Take your container lid and cut a hole slightly smaller than diameter of your vent hose.

Step 3:

Now glue the lid to one end of the venting material.

Step 4:

Now you need to fit the fan into the bottom of container by cutting the appropriate sized hole for your unit. The inlet end of the fan (that sucks air in) needs to be outside and the other end that expels air needs to be inside the container. You want this to be a SNUG fit with no gaps. If you have any, fill with hot glue, foam, putty or whatever. You can see the hole cut in the container in the first pic and with the fan fitted in the second.

Step 5:

Now you can push the lid onto the container, making sure it fits firmly. Cut whatever holes or notches you need to allow your wires to feed through to the outside. You once again don't want any gaps - we are aiming for as airtight as possible. I also added a switch, but that is not necessary. You can just turn it on and off from your power source.

Step 6:

Connect to power source and your portable fume extractor is done!! I am using a 6 volt adaptor plugged into mains power, but could just as easily use a 6 volt battery. Now simply throw the end through a window to vent fumes outside and attach the fan to a box (as is shown next) or just hang it above your work area.

Take it with you and use just about anywhere! In a pinch, even a cardboard box could work if you cut a hole for the fan.......

Step 7:

To make the fume box, it is simply a matter of cutting an appropriate sized hole in the roof of the plastic container and pushing fan snugly into hole. I cut a foam "gasket" to fit around hole to ensure a good fit.

Then cut an access hole out of the side of the container. I chose to use my box on it's side, so l cut the centre out of the lid. This gave me a "frame".

Then secure plastic over the gap you just cut. I used 3 overlapping pieces of heavy PVC plastic, hot glued along top and sides of the box and part way across bottom on both sides, leaving centre piece free. This gives me a "flap" to gain access while keeping most of the plastic firmly in place. See pic of flap lifted - easier to show than write.

I then replaced the lid frame to keep the whole thing firm and secured with a few clips.

Step 8:

As an added bonus, you can also remove the fan unit, fold up the vent and store the whole thing in the box! You can also clearly see the fan hole with the foam gasket in this pic.