Alt-BEAM Archive
Message #01334
To: beam@corp.sgi.com
From: Enci beam@puppet.u-net.com
Date: Sat, 06 Mar 1999 02:57:22 +0000
Subject: [alt-beam] Inhale. Exhale.... Inhale.. exhale...
Soldering fume extraction.. an Idea.
I personally use tip extraction. I have tried other methods,
eg laminar airflow, but have always found tip extraction to be the
easiest to use and cheapest.
Fitting a fan and blowing away the fumes does work to a fashion.. but where
do those fumes go?
For those of you that dont know, tip extraction means just that. A flexible
pipe runs up with the power cord of my soldering iron where it hooks onto
a metal pipe. The metal pipe is slightly larger than a drinking straw.
That pipe then runs parallel with the heating element down to the tip of my
iron,
where it sucks pretty much all the solder fumes as they are generated.
Cool eh? :)
Before I started using a professional tip extraction system, I did have an
idea
for a cheap alternative.
1) Buy a clip on fume extraction kit for your soldering iron.
Cost: 20 UKP, about 30-40 US Dollars
Better yet, buy a soldering iron with the pipe built into the handle.
2) Get a 12V portable vac, like a Handy Vac which sits in a charging dock.
Cost: Cheap second hand.. free if you can find any vac, evan a mains
powered
will do, just dont mess with mains wiring or voltages unless you know what
you are doing.
3) Use a foot switch to turn on vac only when you solder.
ok, these are usually expensive, but I have in my parts bin an old foot
switch
from an old sowing machine.
As I said, I havent tried this.. but I think it will work. Just have to
think about directing the vac exhaust.. if at all?
Anyhow, I think the low voltage one is better cus its safer and you can
control
the flow rate by adjusting the voltage.
Mind you, I think some systems use a "choke" valve.. I think those work
pretty well. ;)
Finally, bear in mind that you are cooling the tip when you turn on the
vac, so ideally
you would have a temperature controlled iron designed to work with fume
extraction.
Naturally. :)
If not, buy a hotter tip for a couple bucks. :)
IF you do try this, do post here with practical experience.
Enci.
--
"Minds are like parachutes, they don't function well unless they are open."
- Unknown
"Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler."
- Albert Einstein
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