Build Your Own Solder Fume Extractor for Just a Few Dollars
This device is cheap and is an easy way to protect yourself from the effects of breathing solder fumes repeatedly.
Soldering is one the most important skills in a maker’s arsenal, and you’ll likely find yourself soldering very frequently during most projects. But the fumes produced during soldering can be dangerous. Some solder contains lead, which is obviously toxic. Even lead-free soldering, however, can be a problem if you’re using flux that contains rosin. That has been known to cause or exacerbate asthma. Fortunately, it’s easy and inexpensive to protect yourself with a solder fume extractor, and MnMakerMan has a tutorial that will show you how to build one for just a few dollars.
The purpose of a solder fume extractor is to suck the surrounding air through an activated carbon filter, which traps harmful particulates. All you have to do is position the device next to where you’re soldering, and then you can breathe easy knowing that your lungs aren’t in danger. This is battery-powered, so you can move it around as necessary. It also has attachment points for four flexible soldering arms, so it can replace your standard third-hand and not take up any extra space on your work bench.
This design utilizes 3D-printed parts and readily-available components. An LED book light helps illuminate your work, and the light’s battery provides power for the fan. That fan is a standard 120mm PC fan, and it will quietly draw air in through the activated carbon filter. Those filters are inexpensive and easy to find online. A simple on/off switch, a LM317 voltage regulator, and a couple of resistors are all you need to wire up the circuit. The soldering arms are the flexible style that are made from the same segmented tubing that is often used for CNC mill coolant. The final product is cheap and is an easy way to protect yourself from the effects of breathing solder fumes repeatedly.