Fumes Extractor??

[PinakBERT]

After soldering up RPM's DMX Dongle, which is pretty small. I was wondering do any of your guys have a fumes extractor? Did you make your own or buy? If you buy which one do you have? Or do you just open up the windows.

I was only able to solder at night after the babies were all asleep. I was in a room down the hall. All the fumes from soldering that small board and cleaning the tip were a lot. And was kinda cold to open up windows.

With the Ren24SS group buy in the delivery stages and the Ren64 GB almost shipping. And looking at the 2 empty boards I already have for the 24SS. Looks like a lot of soldering fumes.

[IdunBenhad]

Hi:
Put a small fan in the window and face it outward. That will suck the fumes out. You could use a blanket to cover the opening in the window and then work as close to the fan as you can. If you close the door to the room, you should have no problems. I don't think the fumes from soldering are toxic, just annoying.

I have soldered for over 50 years and never worried about the fumes. Maybe I should have, but didn't. I have worked in factories and in my basement and enclosed areas with no apparent ill effects.

[chilloutdocdoc]

Usually when I solder, I sit a small PC case fan next to the board to draw it away from my face. (It gets to be an annoying smell after a while.)

Some people make their own extractor using a fan and a piece of carbon filter (http://www.instructables.com/id/Solder-Fume-Extractor/)

Either way, there is a lot of conflicting information as to whether it is or isn't bad for you, at the very least, wash your hands after soldering (it is lead bearing after all) and if you wish, make a small fume extractor.

[ErnieHorning]

I use a small muffin type fan simular to this http://www.sciplus.com/itm_photos/92940-websm.jpg.
It has a 36 volt DC motor that I run on a 9 volt DC wallwart. I point it away and it draws just enough air to pull the fumes away. It's just fumes from the flux (no lead) but though I've never heard of anyone having issues from breathing this in, I would try to avoid them.

[mikentn]

Usually when I solder, I sit a small PC case fan next to the board to draw it away from my face. (It gets to be an annoying smell after a while.)

Some people make their own extractor using a fan and a piece of carbon filter (http://www.instructables.com/id/Solder-Fume-Extractor/)

Either way, there is a lot of conflicting information as to whether it is or isn't bad for you, at the very least, wash your hands after soldering (it is lead bearing after all) and if you wish, make a small fume extractor.

I used to have a couple of those Tru-Air air filters around here somewhere. Need to ask the DW what she did with them. Seems like it'd be easier to use it than tape a filter to a fan.

[christmas-light]

Here is how I did it last year ;)

http://doityourselfchristmas.com/forums/showthread.php?8483-My-flux-smoke-blower-)/page2&highlight=flux+smoke

[Matt_Edwards]

I use as similar one too.
120mm fan rated at 12V with a variable PS in a box to mount the fan. a Wall wart powers the whole thing. I found being able to run the fan full speed is useful when soldering large cables for my RC friends.
I added a foam filter that i simply wash occasionally
http://www.altronics.com.au/images/prod/F/F1034.gif.

[PinakBERT]

Thanks for the suggestions and links