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solder-extractor

DIY Solder Fume Extractor

As many of the projects I create require soldering circuitry, such as the Only Sensor, I needed a way to safely use my workspace for soldering over long periods of time. Since solder extractors can be pretty pricy, I decided to design and make one instead.

The core element of a filter system for soldering is a quality HEPA filter. However, since these can clog up quickly, a cheaper charcoal filter in front comes in handy for longevity and eliminating smells. I decided to design mine around the below parts:

  • HEPA + Charcoal filters
    • These filters are affordable, and mass produced since they are commonly used in full-room air purifiers bought at major big-box stores. Only one of each is needed for this project, but this package supplies a lot of spares for other builds, and is why I chose it.
  • 2 x Delta 120mm 6000RPM fans
    • These fans are typically used in rack servers, and can pull a huge amount of air. Crank them up and your solder extractor will sound like a jet engine. Running these on low work great, but be warned, standard PC case fans don't have enough static pressure to pull air through the filter fast enough to pull in the solder fumes, even at close proximity.
  • 5 Amp 12v DC fan speed controller
    • Don't cheap out on the amperage. The above fans can overheat the smaller, cheaper models.
  • DC 12v connectors (5pcs Female1)
    • You just need one, for, you know, plugging it in.
  • 12v 8Amp power supply
    • The 5A would be fine, but I chose 8A because it was basically the same price.
  • Rubber feet
    • Because slide.

The 3D models I designed for this can be found on Printables: https://www.printables.com/model/1144358-diy-solder-extractor-filter

Here's what things look like disassembled:

full-view

Construction is really straight forward, just:

  • Print the parts
  • Glue them together
  • Connect up the red/black/blue wires across the board
  • Plug it in and you're good to go

And as you can see in the picture above, I also chose to put some stick-on rubber feet on the bottom to keep it from sliding around. I generally place it about 10"-12" away from my helping hands, and set the fans to as low as the controller goes. If I need it farther away, I simply crank up the fans to an appropriate level.

Bonus: It can also be used as an on-desk air purifier.