how do you guys avoid the fumes

[stopstopsmile]

seriously i built a little project and damn the fumes were awful, i felt pretty crappy afterwards.  Maybe there is less toxic solder, less toxic parts or a different way of doing this.  Jeez, next time I might have to have a full body suit on just to put together something. 

[foxfire]

i don't know what kind of solder you're using but, i like the sell of flux in the morning.

[MarcoMike]

I'm kind of lucky about it... I'm a chemist, so I can use our fume hood for soldering.
I guess this is not the best thing to install in your living room (probably it will not match the style of you furniture...)

you may try to make a fumes-extractor, maybe just with a flexible pipe and a PC fan (the big one).

[markm]

i don't know what kind of solder you're using but, i like the sell of flux in the morning.

......it smells like Victory!  

[Hiwatt25]

I built myself a little solder fume abatement device.  It was pretty easy too.  I bought some flex duct, put a small fan in-line and attached it to a piece of scrap masonite that I cut to the size of my window opening.  This way, I can solder in doors. and the fumes get sucked out of the house. 

[Toney]

 Way to go!!!

Or... the simple method.
I like to set up a card table on the balcony of my apartment and (weather permitting) solder against a gentle breeze.
Bit of a bitch finding dropped components though...

I live in Melbourne Australia. It's a lot colder than you might imagine!

[Dragonfly]

its pretty simple to build a solder fume filter

get a small fan
get a "sheet" style carbon filter ...like the ones you use on top of a cat litter box

turn the fan so its facing away from you and attach cartridge so that air blows through it....it will suck the fumes away from you and force them top get filtered by the cartridge....

[foxfire]

I built myself a little solder fume abatement device.  It was pretty easy too.  I bought some flex duct, put a small fan in-line and attached it to a piece of scrap masonite that I cut to the size of my window opening.  This way, I can solder in doors. and the fumes get sucked out of the house. 

not to get all off topic and whatnot but, seeing the snow outside reminded me that summer is almost over. i can't wait to stop sweating.

[petemoore]

  Good system works great, doesn't require anything you can't either just find or get going pretty easily.
 A Similar system, I use.
  [..but...dude told of a 'tube' [say 1/4''] of metal connected to a flexible tube, the inlet opening is about 3/8'' from the tip of the iron at all times and pulls 100% of the fumes down the skinny tube, drawback is you need a 'hard-pulling' induction fan to get enough flow to actually pull harder than the heat convection does, I tried it with 'normal' fans in wierd shrowd/air induction tube/box/fan mounted in box and didn't get near enough pull...I know I wouldn't like the 'flexible' tube/and AC wire pulling on the iron all day either.
 My patented, yet to be field tested, alternative iron mount systemI put the tube sticking in a med/large box w/white inside, buncha light [close in, goosenecked quartz and fill lighting], and a soldering iron mounted so the tip angles down firmly under the exhaust tube [4'' tube has cooling fan in it].
 No-one else has reported/verified any improvements in:
 8Never dropping or getting burned by the iron.
 *Cleaner approach and retreats of solder iron tip to tight board access points, using a braced [with palm rest] left hand.  
 *Increased board population speed.
 *No need for third hand, Quicker board orientation [flip board quick with your left].
 *Keeps the iron under the exhaust tube.
 *Free Right hand feeds solder.
 I guess I'm still the only one who has tried this system.
 
 

[disto]

i actually didn't realise its advisable to work in a ventilated area until i was at uni. personally i dont really notice the smell unless I'm soldering for hours on end.
the cheap solution work by a fan or open window.

Hiwatt thats a very clean workspace  :icon_eek

not to get all off topic and whatnot but, seeing the snow outside reminded me that summer is almost over. i can't wait to stop sweating.

at least you had a summer, we've had really bad weather this summer, its starting to get warm again and it will soon be autumn

[Paul Perry (Frostwave)]

  I live in Melbourne Australia. It's a lot colder than you might imagine!

Tell me about it - I was soldering last night wearing a jumper, tweed jacket, and ski jacket (and pants!) and that was INDOORS! Yeah Melbourne Spring!
My friends driving across Arnhem land are warm enough, though... and just saw their first croc!

[BubbaKahuna]

  I live in Melbourne Australia. It's a lot colder than you might imagine!

Tell me about it - I was soldering last night wearing a jumper, tweed jacket, and ski jacket (and pants!) and that was INDOORS! Yeah Melbourne Spring!
My friends driving across Arnhem land are warm enough, though... and just saw their first croc!

, around here we consider the first Robin in the yard to be a sign that spring's coming.
You guys see your first Crocodile!
I love it. 

[msurdin]

I just have a fan blowing the fumes away..
Probably not a good thing that it blows them to the AC Unit....

[Timebutt]

I also use a fan but I make sure that the fumes blow in the direction of an opened window or door leading to the exterior. Makes sure you see all of the people passing by while you are working as well

[96ecss]

I've just been using a fan but I'm thinking about getting a fume extractor like this http://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&productId=684810

The problem with the fan is I work in my basement and there are no windows near my bench. This extractor will filter the fumes out and it doesn't need to exhaust out a window.

Dave

[Harry]

i don't know what kind of solder you're using but, i like the sell of flux in the morning.

So, what do you work at Radio Shack or something?

[markm]

i don't know what kind of solder you're using but, i like the sell of flux in the morning.

So, what do you work at Radio Shack or something?

I don't think there's a Radio Shack in existence that smells like solder.....Cell Phones maybe but, not solder! 

[8mileshigh]

//http://www.glassmart.com/fume_trap.asp

I bought this for my stained glass use and also use it for pedal work as well, it pulls away 90% of the fumes away from my working area.  Solder fumes still irritate my eyes though and I still prefer to solder outside. 

Chris

[96ecss]

i don't know what kind of solder you're using but, i like the sell of flux in the morning.

So, what do you work at Radio Shack or something?

I don't think there's a Radio Shack in existence that smells like solder.....Cell Phones maybe but, not solder! 

Don't forget iPods.

I bought Ferric Chloride there a couple months ago. The guy behind the counter asked what it does. I told him it's for etching printed circuit boards. He just stared at me with a blank expression for about 10 seconds.

Dave

[Harry]

i don't know what kind of solder you're using but, i like the sell of flux in the morning.

So, what do you work at Radio Shack or something?

I don't think there's a Radio Shack in existence that smells like solder.....Cell Phones maybe but, not solder! 

Who said anything about smelling?