Hi All. I'm looking for recommendations on a bench top solder fume extractor. Below are the requirements that I know of so far.
1. Primarily lead-free solder
2. No ventilation to the outside, so must use a carbon filter(s)
3. Ideally be able to sit on the bench and not next to it on the floor
4. Reasonably quiet
5. Ideally adjustable height and angle
6. Less than around $150 at most
I did some digging based on the above and came up with the Edsyn FXF-11, http://www.edsyn.com/index.php?Mode=piw&pn=FXF11. Let me know your thoughts on this extractor and if you think anything else would work better. Thanks much.
bench top solder fume extractor
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Please be positive and constructive with your questions and comments.
- adafruit_support_mike
- Posts: 67454
- Joined: Thu Feb 11, 2010 2:51 pm
Re: bench top solder fume extractor
There are various schools of thought about fume extraction, and these are strictly my personal views, but:
- Even if you use solder with lead, lead doesn't vaporize at soldering temperatures. It doesn't even melt at those temperatures.. solder is what's called a 'eutectic compound' that melts at a lower temperature than any of its components. The risk of heavy metal exposure is negligible.
- Mostly you want to get rid of flux smoke. Fluxes are acids that aren't terribly active at room temperature, but get downright aggressive at a few hundred degrees. Rosin is the most common flux for electical work, because the really vicious stuff (usually zinc chloride) will eat through traces at room temperature if you let it sit long enough. Rosin smoke is basically a purified version of wood smoke.
- The amount of air treatment you need depends on the proportions of smoke and air for your average work session. For places with a hundred soldering stations going 10 hours a day, yeah.. fume extraction is an important issue. The average hobbyist soldering session doesn't put all that much particulate into the air though.
So.. with those points for background, I consider fume extraction at the hobbyist level to be a convenience issue, not a health issue, and certainly not a critical health issue. I personally use a small desk fan and expose myself to a hundred times as much similar particulate when I light a fire in the wood stove.
If you like the unit you linked to and are willing to pay the price for it, by all means buy it and enjoy using it. Dig into the details before spending money you really don't want to because someone has pressed the "eek! lead! fear!" button though.
- Even if you use solder with lead, lead doesn't vaporize at soldering temperatures. It doesn't even melt at those temperatures.. solder is what's called a 'eutectic compound' that melts at a lower temperature than any of its components. The risk of heavy metal exposure is negligible.
- Mostly you want to get rid of flux smoke. Fluxes are acids that aren't terribly active at room temperature, but get downright aggressive at a few hundred degrees. Rosin is the most common flux for electical work, because the really vicious stuff (usually zinc chloride) will eat through traces at room temperature if you let it sit long enough. Rosin smoke is basically a purified version of wood smoke.
- The amount of air treatment you need depends on the proportions of smoke and air for your average work session. For places with a hundred soldering stations going 10 hours a day, yeah.. fume extraction is an important issue. The average hobbyist soldering session doesn't put all that much particulate into the air though.
So.. with those points for background, I consider fume extraction at the hobbyist level to be a convenience issue, not a health issue, and certainly not a critical health issue. I personally use a small desk fan and expose myself to a hundred times as much similar particulate when I light a fire in the wood stove.
If you like the unit you linked to and are willing to pay the price for it, by all means buy it and enjoy using it. Dig into the details before spending money you really don't want to because someone has pressed the "eek! lead! fear!" button though.
- neslekkim
- Posts: 61
- Joined: Tue Apr 24, 2012 4:20 am
Re: bench top solder fume extractor
If I someday find someone who ships this for an reasonable price to norway, I would go for this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/230925749782
Or maybe just take an small computerfan and run that at an reasonable speed.
As for now, I solder while breathing out, just to remove the worst fumes, but I'm not afraid of this with the amount of soldering that I do
Or maybe just take an small computerfan and run that at an reasonable speed.
As for now, I solder while breathing out, just to remove the worst fumes, but I'm not afraid of this with the amount of soldering that I do
- adafruit_support_bill
- Posts: 88097
- Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 10:11 am
Re: bench top solder fume extractor
That's my solution. Economical and it works well. All you need is enough of a breeze to keep the fumes from going up your nose.Or maybe just take an small computerfan and run that at an reasonable speed.
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- Posts: 1
- Joined: Sun Mar 17, 2013 9:05 pm
Re: bench top solder fume extractor
I was thinking of making a computer fan version of a fume extractor that pulled the fumes into a carbon filter.
Then I thought of attaching a sensor that would automatically start the fan when fumes were present, any suggestions on what sensors might work for the setup?
Then I thought of attaching a sensor that would automatically start the fan when fumes were present, any suggestions on what sensors might work for the setup?
- adafruit_support_bill
- Posts: 88097
- Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 10:11 am
Re: bench top solder fume extractor
Not sure what would be the best sensor to detect fumes from flux. But I'd want to start the airflow before the fumes started. A sensor that detects when you take the iron out of the stand would be close to ideal.
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- Posts: 78
- Joined: Sun Dec 23, 2012 11:11 pm
Re: bench top solder fume extractor
I use this Hakko smoke absorber:
http://www.hakkousa.com/detail.asp?CID= ... 769&Page=1
It works great, and it's compact.
http://www.hakkousa.com/detail.asp?CID= ... 769&Page=1
It works great, and it's compact.
-
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Tue Apr 02, 2013 4:12 pm
Re: bench top solder fume extractor
Try the OK International BXV-100, it truly extracts and purifies the fumes.nemo000111 wrote:Hi All. I'm looking for recommendations on a bench top solder fume extractor. Below are the requirements that I know of so far.
1. Primarily lead-free solder
2. No ventilation to the outside, so must use a carbon filter(s)
3. Ideally be able to sit on the bench and not next to it on the floor
4. Reasonably quiet
5. Ideally adjustable height and angle
6. Less than around $150 at most
I did some digging based on the above and came up with the Edsyn FXF-11, http://www.edsyn.com/index.php?Mode=piw&pn=FXF11. Let me know your thoughts on this extractor and if you think anything else would work better. Thanks much.
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- Posts: 14
- Joined: Thu Apr 04, 2013 7:52 am
Re: bench top solder fume extractor
am i really the only one who likes the smell of soldering??
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- Posts: 78
- Joined: Sun Dec 23, 2012 11:11 pm
Re: bench top solder fume extractor
[quote]am i really the only one who likes the smell of soldering??
no, I like it so much that I just melt solder everyday for fun, sniff the fumes, swallow it, and feel it inside me...delicious.
no, I like it so much that I just melt solder everyday for fun, sniff the fumes, swallow it, and feel it inside me...delicious.
- brucef
- Posts: 215
- Joined: Tue May 03, 2011 4:51 pm
Re: bench top solder fume extractor
I like it well enough, and if I lived alone I'd have no problem with the idea doing my small amounts of hobby soldering (with leaded solder) on my kitchen table. I'm not sure what people are really concerned about - nobody suggests activated charcoal filters for camp fires, and I'm sure there's a few orders of magnitude more rosin burned in one of those than there is in your average kit build.monoloco wrote:am i really the only one who likes the smell of soldering??
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- Posts: 1
- Joined: Fri Aug 09, 2013 2:53 am
Re: bench top solder fume extractor
Pollution control device soldering fume extractor is also a type of specially designed to be used where soldering is done. These machines have suction capacity ranging from 250 CMH to 800 CMH, which is perfect for wide range of applications.
- Franklin97355
- Posts: 23912
- Joined: Mon Apr 21, 2008 2:33 pm
Re: bench top solder fume extractor
If you want to make your own there are many helpful options here https://www.google.com/search?q=diy+fum ... age=1&rlz=
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- Joined: Fri Aug 01, 2014 1:26 pm
Re: bench top solder fume extractor
Three things regarding solder that are legitimate concerns even for hobbyists:
1) Lead is always an issue but not due to smoke: Solder alloy components will not vaporize until you hit temperatures well beyond that of soldering (above 450 Degrees Celsius hits "silver soldering"/"hard soldering"/brazing). The biggest danger is that posed by solid transfer from handling lead to places where it might be eventually be consumed. Common sense goes a long way here as people have said. Also, if you are a little paranoid like me you keep some non-abrasive D-Lead soap around, as abrasive soap can cause absorption through the skin.
2) Even to hobbyists flux fumes can trigger latent health issues: What I mean is that while there is a certain amount of surreal and unfounded fear regarding how people consider a campfire safe but not solder flux the simple truth is we don't know. In all fairness campfires have been around much longer than solder flux. Also, it is well established that regular bronchitis and asthma will affect people in industry without the usual precautions at a significant 1 in 5 rate (in the US anyways).
3) Hobbyists have workspace concerns that professionals don't: By this I mean kids, the fact that your workspace is near or in your living space and landlord/code issues. I live in a smoke-free registered building and it was made very clear to me that any tobacco smoking of any kind, outside or inside would result in eviction. Before I attempt to sneakily get away with a tiny bit of soldering I am trying to find a precedent (which might not be in my favor, nixing my hopes) that treats solder flux fumes in a different way than tobacco smoke. I have honest intentions as I will not do any soldering is there is any danger it would cake on the walls or make the building unsafe for people with tobacco triggered health issues. I mean... I can cook which produces far more smoke particulate matter. But you get the idea that for me as a hobbyist not working in industry this is a potential issue.
1) Lead is always an issue but not due to smoke: Solder alloy components will not vaporize until you hit temperatures well beyond that of soldering (above 450 Degrees Celsius hits "silver soldering"/"hard soldering"/brazing). The biggest danger is that posed by solid transfer from handling lead to places where it might be eventually be consumed. Common sense goes a long way here as people have said. Also, if you are a little paranoid like me you keep some non-abrasive D-Lead soap around, as abrasive soap can cause absorption through the skin.
2) Even to hobbyists flux fumes can trigger latent health issues: What I mean is that while there is a certain amount of surreal and unfounded fear regarding how people consider a campfire safe but not solder flux the simple truth is we don't know. In all fairness campfires have been around much longer than solder flux. Also, it is well established that regular bronchitis and asthma will affect people in industry without the usual precautions at a significant 1 in 5 rate (in the US anyways).
3) Hobbyists have workspace concerns that professionals don't: By this I mean kids, the fact that your workspace is near or in your living space and landlord/code issues. I live in a smoke-free registered building and it was made very clear to me that any tobacco smoking of any kind, outside or inside would result in eviction. Before I attempt to sneakily get away with a tiny bit of soldering I am trying to find a precedent (which might not be in my favor, nixing my hopes) that treats solder flux fumes in a different way than tobacco smoke. I have honest intentions as I will not do any soldering is there is any danger it would cake on the walls or make the building unsafe for people with tobacco triggered health issues. I mean... I can cook which produces far more smoke particulate matter. But you get the idea that for me as a hobbyist not working in industry this is a potential issue.
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- Posts: 10
- Joined: Sat Feb 21, 2015 3:26 am
Re: bench top solder fume extractor
Hi everyone. I thought I'd jump in and register just for this thread as I am considering the need for a fume extractor.
I do electronics soldering, however recently I started stained glass work. This uses 60/40 tin/lead more often than not, plus tip temps of up to 800°C. The flux is commonly liquid or gel. How does this change the game? Extractors are commonly-seen "in this game" however I'm unsure how the reasoning above translates with these rules.
I'm in Finland so perhaps the same kind of solution as the OP might be on the cards for us too.
I do electronics soldering, however recently I started stained glass work. This uses 60/40 tin/lead more often than not, plus tip temps of up to 800°C. The flux is commonly liquid or gel. How does this change the game? Extractors are commonly-seen "in this game" however I'm unsure how the reasoning above translates with these rules.
I'm in Finland so perhaps the same kind of solution as the OP might be on the cards for us too.
Please be positive and constructive with your questions and comments.