E
F
G
H
Fig. E: Mount the tin to a wooden stick with hot glue.
It can easily be removed, and your hands won’t get
all red! Fig. F: Attach the 7812 and the switch with a
few screws. Fig. G: Screen, filter, fan, and screen make
Then I marked the opening for the switch and
cut all openings with a Dremel tool and cutoff wheel
(Figure D).
Next I marked and drilled 2 mounting holes for
the switch screws and one for the regulator.
5. Paint and decorate.
I decided to paint the tin this time, unlike my
plain RuntyBoost ( makezine.com/go/runtyboost).
I chose a nice red Krylon paint. I hot-glued a scrap
piece of wood to the inside, so I could hold it while
I spray-painted it. Two quick coats and I think it
looks good (Figure E). Spray paint can be fairly
toxic and flammable, so paint outside and away
from everything! I’m happy with how it came out,
but it definitely needs some graphics to spruce it
up. Any suggestions?
6. Attach the regulator and switch.
First, screw in the 7812 using some washers and a
screw to space it slightly away from the side of the
tin (Figure F). I used a #6-32 screw and one washer
to keep it from the edge, but you can use anything
that fits. The screws and washer will also act as
a heat sink.
Finally, screw in the switch.
I
a nice little sandwich. Fig. H: All ready for your next
soldering project. Fig. I: It works great, it’s highly
portable, and your lungs will thank you.
7. Add the screens and filter.
Here you can see the screen-filter-fan-screen sandwich (Figure G). The screens are 50mm square and
the filter is 40mm square. You can buy replacement
filters for the commercial extractors at a reasonable
price and cut them to size.
Next, just hot-glue or epoxy the corners of the
screens to the candy tin, and sandwich the filter
and fan in between (Figure H). Compression will
ultimately hold it all together. You’re done!
8. Test your extractor.
I’ve run mine continuously for hours and have
had no heat buildup from the 7812, and the fan is
still running strong (Figure I). It works quite well,
and although it’s no replacement for a large fume
extractor, it will come in handy for small projects.
Remember, follow all safety guidelines when soldering, and work in a well-ventilated room, even if you
have a fume extractor.
Marc de Vinck is a member of the MAKE Technical Advisory
Board and a writer on makezine.com.
125 Make:
