solder fume extractor

[Rigby]

Peeps!

I want to make a solder fume extractor that does more than simply remove the smell.  I want the particles captured, as much as possible.  Activated charcoal alone doesn't do that, so I want to use a HEPA filter (something like this: http://www.amazon.com/Holmes-True-HEPA-Filter-HAPF600D-U2/dp/B000065DKE/ ) to actually remove the particles from the air.

I have a pretty good idea of what I need to get this particular filter mounted and such, so what I'm looking for is advice on a better filter, or a good as-quiet-as-possible fan to actually draw a good volume of air through the filter.

Does anyone have any experience in home-made HEPA flux fume filtering?

My wife and children have allergies, and they react to just about everything.  Also, I am no longer interested in performing soldering work in the uninsulated, unheated, and uncooled garage.

Thanks!

[Fsck]

any chance you can just vent it outside? that's the best solution.

otherwise something like: constant volume fan (think you'd call them squirrel cage fans), hepa, hepa, prefilter, activated charcoal,  prefilter   <--- air in. and you can route it to a hood above your soldering.

problem is, good filtering systems are loud, due to the resistance of such systems. unless you go with extremely large and thick filters.

[simpson]

I have experience with HEPA filters -- I have several HEPA air purifiers in my home.  I would suggest getting yourself such a unit that is small enough to fit on or near your work area and then, if necessary, rigging up a way to vent your solder fumes away and directly into the thing's intake.

[Rigby]

I have experience with HEPA filters -- I have several HEPA air purifiers in my home.  I would suggest getting yourself such a unit that is small enough to fit on or near your work area and then, if necessary, rigging up a way to vent your solder fumes away and directly into the thing's intake.

That's what I was planning...  Putting the fan and filter inside a box lined with sound absorbing foam, and running an intake tube right up to the workpiece.  Seems sound to me but I've never done this before, so what the hell do I know?  Little, that's what.

[Fsck]

I have experience with HEPA filters -- I have several HEPA air purifiers in my home.  I would suggest getting yourself such a unit that is small enough to fit on or near your work area and then, if necessary, rigging up a way to vent your solder fumes away and directly into the thing's intake.

that's a bit dependent on air contamination. I'm from the wild wild north (Yellowknife, NWT) and moved to Edmonton Alberta for school. Air sucks here, compared to home.
HEPA filters are expensive to replace so I've been running box fan - HEPA - MERV 11 or 12 prefilter and the prefilter eats most of it, and you can sometimes get them on sale pretty damn cheap (~5$/u)

if I ran just the HEPA, I'd probably be blowing 40-80$ every 6 months.

[nanofrog]

FWIW, I'm still strongly considering modifying one of these I've got sitting around. Size wise, mine will have to sit on the floor as it's sized for an entire room, but it's just a modification (riveted sheet metal & silicone caulk to seal seams?) around the outer intake vent to fit a pipe. Internally, it's a pair of round filters (outer is carbon dust, inner is HEPA; pic of the pair), a squirrel fan, and a switch.

Professional solder fume extractors use 0.3um HEPA filters for those I could find a published spec (seems not all are when I was looking before).

Whether you use a round one, or the flat type you linked, it's quite doable IMHO. DIY wood box would be sufficient for noise IMHO, or you could modify whatever unit the filters you linked fit (think this might be less expensive, assuming you need to buy everything to DIY build from scratch).

As per loudness, the squirrel fan used in mine isn't that loud (a bit quieter than a 10k BTU window A/C unit in fan only mode <fan running at max>). I can open mine up and get you the fan specs if you wish.

If you're interested in an intake piping system like what Hakko uses, take a look here (2.5" ID segmented vacuum hose kit). Could give you a little flexibility & less clutter on your bench (i.e. HEPA on a shelf above your soldering area & bend hose wherever you need it), and it's the most reasonable source I could find.

Hope this helps.