Fume extractor
I’ve used the usual free-standing table top fume extractors, but they’re noisy and always seem to be in the way.
So, when I was reconfiguring my bench, I built the extractor into it.
It consists of a cheap $10, bathroom vent fan with a couple of PVC connections from the intake that run through the front of the bench. From the exhaust side, a long pvc pipe runs along the back of the bench, and blows it against the floor 6 feet away. Sorry, no pictures of the steup on the back of the bench… although it is on wheels, the fully loaded bench weighs a few hundred pounds, so I don’t move it often.
The intake is Loc-Line anti-static vacuum tubing, from loc-line.com This is a series of 2.5 inch diameter, hard plastic segments that interlock to make a flexible tube, and capped with a rectangular nozzle. Part numbers: 81302AS, 81304AS.
Nothing fancy, there’s no trim ring around the intake. The switch on the left of the intake controls the fan.
The flex-tubing is connected to a PVC elbow, that elbow is just press-fit into the intake. This has worked well, it is easy to remove and to adjust.
Corgitronics 
Pingback: DIY Solder Fume Extractor Built Into Electronic Workbench - Hacked Gadgets – DIY Tech Blog
Pingback: Workbench With Built-In Solder Fume Extractor
Pingback: rndm(mod) » Workbench With Built-In Solder Fume Extractor
Pingback: Workbench With Built-In Solder Fume Extractor - RaspberryPiBoards
Pingback: Workbench With Built-In Solder Fume Extractor — Blog of MPRosa
Pingback: DIY Solder Fume Extractor Built Into Electronic Workbench | Hi-tech news
Pingback: Workbench With Built-In Solder Fume Extractor | Hack The Planet
How did you mate the PVC to the intake on the bathroom exhaust fan?
I didn’t take a picture of the installation, which is behind the bench… But, if I recall, the fan has a 4″ diameter intake, and I used a PVC 4″ to 3″ reducer (from the hardware store). I attached the 4″ reducer to the fan intake with a couple of sheet metal screws. That was all.
I’ll see if I can move the bench and get a photo of the inelegant installation.
The only inexpensive fans I can find are intake-less. That is, they don’t have a convenient intake port that you can attach things to. The entire face of the fan that is exposed to the bathroom (these are bathroom exhaust fans I’m looking at) is what draws air into the fan. There’s no easy way to mount a PVC pipe to a square that is 8.5″ on all sides. I may have to do some 3D printing to create a two-piece shell that fits the fan and PVC.
While shopping for parts today, I measured the OD of the Loc-Line/PVC adapter’s mating surface, and it’s 3″ exactly. Apparently, in the US, a 3″ PVC fitting is actually 3.5″, exactly. This caused some frustration. I haven’t actively wished for Metric conversion until today. Since when is 3″ actually 2.5″? Or.. wait.. 3.5… hmm, is it 2.5 or 3.5 that’s actually 3? Both? Yep. Neither? Yep.
Very nice setup. I will incorporate some changes to my bench that you have done..