How to Make an Affordable Soldering Fume Extractor

Written By: Chayton Ritter

Comments: 10

How to Make an Affordable Soldering Fume Extractor

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

30 minutes

Introduction

Soldering creates fumes that are better left un-inhaled. If you're tired of holding your breath or "playing dodge the fumes" then this affordable and simple fume extractor is for you.

Best of all, it's made from parts you probably have laying around. The only specialty part that you may need to order is the activated carbon filter. This guide uses Hakko A1001 filters.

Tools

Parts

Step 1

This fume extractor is composed of three main parts: a 12V computer fan, cardboard box enclosure, and activated carbon filter.
Solder often contains rosin flux. When vaporized during soldering, it's a respiratory and eye irritant and can cause health issues when inhaled long term.
This extractor pulls the harmful fumes into the charcoal filter trapping volatile compounds, removing them from the air.

Step 2

Position the fan over the box so that an exhaust cutout can be made.

Step 3

Use a pointy object like a screwdriver to poke four fan mounting holes into the box.

Step 4

Use a pen or pencil to mark the inside diameter of the fan onto the box.

Step 5

Use a razor blade to cut out the fan exhaust port.

Step 6

Poke four more holes about 1 cm out from the ones you made earlier.

Step 7

Flip the box over.
Use a pen or a pencil and a straight edge to mark out the intake port.
Leave a lip so the filter material won't fall out when placed inside the box.

Step 8

Use a razor blade to cut out the intake port in the box.

Step 9

Thread four zip ties through the fan mounting holes.

Step 10

Activated carbon filters come in all shapes and sizes. You may need to cut and modify the filter to fit your enclosure.
Cut the filter so it will fit snugly in the intake port.

Step 11

Insert the filter into the intake port.
If your filter doesn't span the intake port, you can use glue or tape to connect multiple filter sections together.

Step 12

Thread the zip ties through the fan's mounting holes.
Make sure the fan's intake side is placed against the box hole, or you'll end up with a soldering fume blower.
Secure the fan to the exhaust port by tightening the zip ties.
Clip the excess zip tie strap.

Step 13

Note and remember the power and ground pins on the fan connector.
Cut off the fan connector.

Step 14

Use a pointy object like a screwdriver to poke a hole in the box for the fan cable.
Thread the fan cable into the box.

Step 15

Use a pen or pencil to mark the outline of the switch.
Choose a convenient and easily accessible location.
Cut out a hole for the switch.
Pull the fan cable through the switch hole.

Step 16

Before soldering, make sure the fan is wired up correctly. If the positive and negative wires are switched, the fan might burn out.
Solder the switch between the fan's positive wire and the battery's positive wire.
Solder the negative fan wire to the negative battery wire.
Pull the excess cable back through and mount the switch to the box.

Step 17

Place the loose wires in the box.
Secure the 9V battery to the interior of the box using double sided tape.

Step 18

Rejoice! The days of holding your breath or inhaling solder fumes are over.
If your solder fumes are especially potent and are visible in the exhaust, you can stack additional filter material to trap them.

Conclusion

Now that you've created a fume extractor, check out some of our soldering guides or stop by our store for supplies you might need on your soldering journey.

10 comments

Nice job. As for those 9 volt batteries, you will find that when your smoke alarm starts beeping, the batteries still have plenty of life left for running the fan. No need to buy a new battery.

Phil -

how long will the battery last? why not use a battery connector? so changing out the battery would be a lot easier.

Russell G Stewart -

they do, it's easiest to see in the step 1 photo, but it's also there in step 17

X2Brute -

Why not put the fan in the box?

Why not reduce the inlet opening to the size of a smoke filter and thus save a filter?

Simon Martel -

Why not indeed! I hear a v2 in the making :)

Shahram Mokhtari -

I might addd that a 3 or 4 pin fan is a bit overkill. You just need something that spins. You don't need any comms in the fan for this project, so a 2 pin is fine and you'll pick that up for next to nothing on eBay. Might not last as long :)

stillsuit -

I used my old PC PSU as "the box". I Took all the components out, kept the fan as it was 12v and kept the switch. Filled the empty space with activated carbon sheets. It really looks the part :D

Jason Martin-Smith - 17/06/24

Hi Jason,

That's an awesome idea to create a rugged professional-looking fume extractor. We would love it if you shared more here!

Chayton Ritter -

Now that's GENIUS! Have a lot of old PSU lying around. I will also use a 110V AC > 9V DC power adapter instead of a battery. I have some from old gadgets that no longer work, but their adapters still do. Thank you for the tip! :D

Les Lesaca - 09/08/24

Great TIP! So much cheaper than buying one. I do want to replace the battery with a 110V AC convert to 9V DC instead. What do you think? How many amps would you suggest? Thanks!

Les Lesaca -