# Fume Exhaust Box



## elody21 (Jan 18, 2005)

I got this idea because of the terrible smell casting acrylic causes.
 I happen to have and acrylic box the perfect size and then took a trip to the Science Surplus Store. I got a 18 volt fan and cut a hole in the back of the box. Over this I placed a rectangular plastic cone type object and drilled a hole in it to fit some old vaccume cleaner hose. The hose runs up the wall and is connected to the fume exaust fan that my husband put in for me. All this is is a bathroom exaust fan vented to the outside. I have also run into the problem of it being too cold in the workroom for the acrylic to set well so I solved this with a clip on desk lamp. I used an old airline tray and cut it to fit into the box. I can slid it out part of the way when mixing the acrylic and when mixed I slide it back in and close the lid. The entire time while mixing I had the fan in the back of the box and the ceiling exaust fan on. I still had on a vapor mast but the smell was decreased at 75 to 80% while mixing and even more durning the drying stage while the lid is closed. I made sure to put all of the mixing cups and anything that had the acrylic on it in a seperate plastic bag form my usual garbage and that was taken out to the garage right away.
My son always complains that the smell comes right up through the furnace vent into his room but when using this he didn't even know I was doing any casting!


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## KKingery (Jan 18, 2005)

Now that is one great invention!


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## Fred in NC (Jan 18, 2005)

Very ingenious, Alice !!!  And thanks for posting, I sure can use this setup!


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## PenWorks (Jan 18, 2005)

Wow, your getting pretty hi tech around here [] I'm still opting for the WW II gas mask. Makes me feel cooler []
But I'm sure your son appreciates IT.


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## bajacrazy (Jan 18, 2005)

Great idea! I have several fans like the one in your photo. I'll have to put something together. Thanks for sharing. [8D]


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## jwoodwright (Jan 19, 2005)

Nice set-up.  Some of those chemicals are really pungent.[xx(]


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## btboone (Jan 19, 2005)

Excellent idea.  Are those glass test tubes you're using, or are they plastic?  What are the blue things in or on the tubes?  Are they foam stoppers?


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## elody21 (Jan 19, 2005)

> _Originally posted by btboone_
> <br />Excellent idea.  Are those glass test tubes you're using, or are they plastic?  What are the blue things in or on the tubes?  Are they foam stoppers?


The tubes are a very odd kind of glass tube I found at the science surplus store. The top is like a normal test tube but the bottoms have a plug. This makes it easy to push the acrylic out after it is set. Because there is a small lip on the tube I need to remove the blanks while they are still flexable, before they harden completly. The blue on the tube is just tape to sho me where 1 oz. is which ends up being 2 1/2" for these tubes


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## Gregory Huey (Jan 19, 2005)

Not having poored resin yet but getting ready to you have given me a leg up. I had no idea the odor was so strong. You may very well have saved me another nag section about smells comen from the shop.


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## btboone (Jan 19, 2005)

The light bulb went on.  I realized that I have a box like that that's already vented to the outside.  I can use my laser cabinet for that!


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