I’m still struggling with how to vent my studio. I’ve searched
through the archives and I cannot exhaust out with a fan. I’ve been
looking at products such as “Filtermate Fume Extractor” from
Progress Tool page 401 or “Air Cleaning System 250” from Gesswin,
page 180. Does anyone have any info on these products? Are either
one of them sufficient to vent one soldering station that doesn’t
get used to often (plan to more in the future)? Thank you!
Debbie Parent
Note From Ganoksin Staff:
Looking for a soldering station for your jewelry projects? We recommend:
Both of these units are particulate filters, they will remove solid
particles from the air down to 0.5 microns in size. They will not
remove gasses, vapors, or fumes that are not particulate in nature
so the combustion gasses like carbon monoxide and the fumes from the
fluxes will not be removed. You really need to have a way to exhaust
the air from your soldering station otherwise you are endangering
your health.
Jim Binnion
James Binnion Metal Arts
Phone (360) 756-6550
Toll Free (877) 408 7287
Fax (360) 756-2160
@James_Binnion
Member of the Better Business Bureau
I hope your not working in a sealed room. That said:
Try a plumbing supply house. There is pvc duct work which is easy
to work with and several types of fans that can be used to draw the
fumes through the line. That is the set up in my retail shop.
I have a small gable fan in my other shop. ( It’s like a small 12"
attic fan ) It vents though 1/2 of the window. The other 1/2 has my
handler dust collector venting out.
If you can vent to the outside of your building you don’t need
anything fancy just fuctional. There is also a type of 4" duct work
for dryer hose that is flexible, stiff, and metal. It’s easy to bend
too. The metal tubes and pvc are a little more difficult to shape
around corners. I don’t suggest the plastic dryer hoses. They tend
to colapse on themselves.
Get a squirrel cage fan capable of moving the volume of air you
require and contact a heating and cooling installer to place the
device with a fan hood over your bench. A job done properly is time
not wasted in employee health loss prevention. It is a simple job but
deadly unless done correctly, for to shuffle air from one zone
without concern for where it goes thats another problem!
A stove hood has worked for me for many years, available at almost
any hardware store make sure you attach the external vent and it
doesn’t dump in an unfriendly place.
Although a simple homemade set-up my soldering station venting
system has made a huge difference to my working environment and
health. If you have a window or other means of accessing the
outside of your working area then you should be able to rig
something up. It doesn’t have to cost very much and can be low
tech, as mine is. To show how simple it can be, I’ve placed a link
to show the way I’ve done it, perhaps it will give you some ideas,
but you must promise not to laugh.
You should NOT work without venting your soldering fumes.