DIY Solder Fume Abatement

[Hiwatt25]

It has officially gotten too damned cold for me to solder in the garage so I came up with this winter version of my garage setup.  I hooked a small in line fan up to some flex ducting to help diminish some of the solder fumes since I'm indoors now.  I coated the masonite with Polyken tape to help give it some weahter resistance.  We'll see how it holds up.  It pops in and out really quickly and the room stays nice and toasty. 

You can see from the picture that this bench is pretty bare bones but it's getting the job done until spring and the garage is just out the door and three steps to the right. 

[zachary vex]

that's better venting than most manufacturers have.  i've consulted with many people who have solder stations at their place of work and often, all they use is a carbon-filter mounted in a box fan by their work.  your system looks a lot more effective.

[JonFrum]

I use the "huff and puff" system. I work under a magnifying lens, and when I start to see smoke, I blow under the lens to send it away. 

[Fuzzy-Train]

Since winter came along I just keep a fan behind my back on the oscillating/rotating setting, and hold my breath when the smoke starts... I used to be a swimmer so I can still hold my breath for about 2 1/2 mins if I want to... I think the longest I ever did was 3 something... that's actually not that high BTW.

[jlullo]

I use the "huff and puff" system. I work under a magnifying lens, and when I start to see smoke, I blow under the lens to send it away. 

Me too! and that's why i'm sure you and i are going to die at a very, very young age 

[dennism]

OK, now you guys have me worried.  I'm sure this has been discussed before, but is this something I really need to worry about  (breathing fumes from solder I mean)?

[Hiwatt25]

I've read differing accounts of the hazards of solder smoke and honestly, I think my little system is probably an overreaction.  I'd be interested to read what R.G. thinks.  I think that guy's been soldering for 136 years and judging from his video, he's still a healthy and might I say handsome man. 

BTW Zach, thanks.  I'm going to label it the "Fume Factory"...wanna license it? 

I use a similar system at work (which is where I stole the idea).  We often do paraformaldehyde decontaminations of biologically contaminated equipment and use a small fan to pull the contaminated air through a carbon filter and back into the room.  Works like a charm cause believe me, if it leaked formaldehyde gas....anyone near that thing would know.  Formaldehyde has this funny ability to KILL EVERY DAMNED THING IT TOUCHES.  Except Mad Cow...that stuff is really scary, but this is officially a tangent.

[Snuffy]

My setup looks like that except for I just have a standard desk fan aimed right at the window.
But I'm still nervous about the headaches I sometimes get....

Can somebody elaborate on some safety precautions to avoid massive brain tumors?

[puretube]

Can somebody elaborate on some safety precautions to avoid massive brain tumors?

stay away from cell-phones!!!

[RaceDriver205]

And power lines, and diet coke and... Maybe you should just become Amish.

[JonFrum]

I use the "huff and puff" system. I work under a magnifying lens, and when I start to see smoke, I blow under the lens to send it away. 

Me too! and that's why i'm sure you and i are going to die at a very, very young age 

I'm fifty-two, and still goin' strong. Well, at least goin'.   


When I worked in an aluminum/zinc foundry, I'd go home and cough up soot-balls every night. The exposure to nastiness was hundreds of times worse than a little pedal-jockey work. All things are relative, my friend...

[puretube]

And power lines, and diet coke and... Maybe you should just become Amish.

stay away from forums...

[KerryF]

I basically just solder in my room.  Dont know how much ventalation I am getting, but its probably not too good for me.  I usually hold my breath for a few seconds, or turn my head away to breathe.

[Paul Perry (Frostwave)]

As I've said many times before - with references - the main danger is asthma. It is possible to develop it from exposure to solder fumes. The lead isn't a problem.
What do the pros do? They have a very light metal tube mounted on the soldering iron barrel & this sucks the fumes away very efficiently. If you have eg. a Hakko you can buy the tube & mounting bracket, then build the rest of the system from scrap parts.
if you are in a confined area, then I guess an ioniser dust collector would help... that smoke that 'disappears' is just circulating around the room over and over and over. Not every (or even most) ioniser is designed to actually trap the particles, though.

[Rafa]

Quote from: JonFrum on February 10, 2007, 11:28:48 PM
I use the "huff and puff" system. I work under a magnifying lens, and when I start to see smoke, I blow under the lens to send it away. 


Me too! and that's why i'm sure you and i are going to die at a very, very young age 

I use the same system but without the magnyfing lens.

When Im going to solder much I put a fan next to me.

[StephenGiles]

And power lines, and diet coke and... Maybe you should just become Amish.

stay away from forums...

- I've just lost my mobile phone!

[calculating_infinity]

I live in a house with 7 other people.  I have a half bath in my room so I usually solder in my bathroom with a fan on high blowing outside the window.  I usually wear safety goggles and a cheapy dust mask (I know I need a resiprator).  I need to move out and get a better workstation!

[Sody54]

I'm also a scale model builder and have a small (24" cube) vented paint booth that I solder in.  Nice and bright and all the fumes get sucked out through an aluminum dryer vent tube to the outside.

Brian

[zachary vex]

we all gonna die.  some gasping.

[Paul Perry (Frostwave)]

That's certainly true, Zach.
But in my experience, smokers seem to have the most unpleasant deaths, usually.