DYI fume extractor ideas

[Industrial Toys]

Just for what it's worth. Would be no good for MIG.

That seems like a really nice surface to be welding on.

 

[dragoneggs]

Gene, a couple of suggestions. Not sure what your neighbor situation is but you might want to consider moving your shopvac outside and add a remote switch. That noise would drive me crazy in short order.

 

[MF RED in MT]

Yes you do need more CFM's for exhausting fumes, and I had to put ear plugs in to watch your welding video, ha.

KC

 

[yomax4]

When absolutely needed I use the same shop vac idea but I have beastly vac with with a 3.5" hose. I don't use a filter and sparks are out ( I hope ) by the time they get outside where the vac sits. Instead of a remote switch I just have a cord running in under the overhead and just plug in when welding. It's pretty effective and yet I seldom use it. It takes a bit to get it set up and the small projects are done by the time I would get it set up and the bigger projects would require a lot of moving it around. There's no good way on the cheap unless you are patient and forgiving. Good Luck !

 

[Gordon Gould]

A bigger "hood" and bigger vac will make it quite effective actually if you can set the hood up right where you are welding. I have a smoke alarm about 18' away and it doesn't set it off. But as the others said I hate the noise and it is a tight area not really good for welding so I only use it when I have to in the middle of winter. I remove the filter from the vac and place a cake pan of water in the bottom. I use a foot switch to turn on and off. I also stay down there for a half hour min after I am done welding just to make sure. Never thought of putting the vac outside - that is a super idea. Wonder if it will run at 20 below....



gg

 

[GeneV]

Just for what it's worth. Would be no good for MIG.

That seems like a really nice surface to be welding on.

Naw, I don't have a mig, just stick. Had a flux core too, I sold it.

 

[GeneV]

Gene, a couple of suggestions. Not sure what your neighbor situation is but you might want to consider moving your shopvac outside and add a remote switch. That noise would drive me crazy in short order.

Ha, that's what I did at first! That rocket vacuum cleaner you can catch a glimpse off in the video, that's what I used at first, and I just stuck it out the window and ran the sump pump hose from it. I had 2 problems, first the longer hose made a ton of whistling noise, it was so annoying! And then...it started raining. :shocked:

 

[GeneV]

Yes you do need more CFM's for exhausting fumes, and I had to put ear plugs in to watch your welding video, ha.

KC

Here's my other idea. This fella uses a 4" vent fan, says it works ok for welding fumes if he puts the hood close. I'm thinking of using a 6" fan, it's moves like 200 cfm's.

 

[GeneV]

When absolutely needed I use the same shop vac idea but I have beastly vac with with a 3.5" hose. I don't use a filter and sparks are out ( I hope ) by the time they get outside where the vac sits. Instead of a remote switch I just have a cord running in under the overhead and just plug in when welding. It's pretty effective and yet I seldom use it. It takes a bit to get it set up and the small projects are done by the time I would get it set up and the bigger projects would require a lot of moving it around. There's no good way on the cheap unless you are patient and forgiving. Good Luck !

Do you have it enclosed outside, what do you do about rain and stuff?

 

[GeneV]

A bigger "hood" and bigger vac will make it quite effective actually if you can set the hood up right where you are welding. I have a smoke alarm about 18' away and it doesn't set it off. But as the others said I hate the noise and it is a tight area not really good for welding so I only use it when I have to in the middle of winter. I remove the filter from the vac and place a cake pan of water in the bottom. I use a foot switch to turn on and off. I also stay down there for a half hour min after I am done welding just to make sure. Never thought of putting the vac outside - that is a super idea. Wonder if it will run at 20 below....

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gg

Oh that's a bigazz hood, yeh that's a great idea! The vacuum noise is annoying though, I'm with you right there. I'm curious what a 6" duct fan would sound like, that's where I'm starting to look with this fume exhaust thing.