Welding Fume Extractor

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I'm looking for a decent fume extractor for welding in my garage. Wondering if any of you have used on or are still using one? I don't really have a budget for this but I'm looking for a portable one that either goes on a cart or has wheels, with a self supporting hose that I can point at the workpiece. I'd also prefer a quiet one if possible. I know some of them come with silencers. I see that Miller and Lincoln make fume extractors but I'm wondering what I should be looking for in terms of specs.
Reply:Several threads here and on other forums using a bathroom exhaust fan.  Here is a short video of one;http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=bGKdRIQ5IjEBy the way, the small, portable ones like from lincoln are nearly $3,000 ..... just to keep it in perspective.Last edited by caldwellcpl; 03-21-2013 at 06:24 PM.
Reply:I have an exhaust fan installed in my ceiling, a little more substantial than a bathroom exhaust fan, that I got used from a paint shop for a couple hundred bucks. It works great except that it blows all the heat out in the winter. A friend of mine runs one of the portable lincoln units that runs on 110volt, set him back over 3000 bucks but it does keep the air clean.
Reply:If you want in-shop and roll around, I'm sure I saw someones home build one. Basically a squirrel cage fan in a box. 4" hose in, some baffles to slow the air down and let the heavier particles drop out of the air stream. Hepa/charcoal furnace filter on one side as the exhaust. Could attach an articulated arm on the box to hold the hose in what ever position you need. 3/4" plywood, painted for the box. Could make a tin drawer for the bottom catch pan. Disclaimer: haven't built one. Saw one on line and was said to work well. Just a bit of coffee shop engineering. Those Miller/Lincoln units are great if you have unlimited budgets, like the Gov't....200amp Air Liquide MIG, Hypertherm Plasma, Harris torches, Optrel helmet, Makita angle grinders, Pre-China Delta chop saw and belt sander, Miller leathers, shop made jigs etc, North- welders backpack.
Reply:I just missed one on the Online auction it was on wheels with snorkel not as nice as a Lincoln but it went for just over $100   got home to late it had already run through.  I think one with filters would be good in the winter time otherwise a good one from a kitchen would be better than nothing, if your welding table is near an outside wall
Reply:Originally Posted by Econdron I'm wondering what I should be looking for in terms of specs.
Reply:I also posted a reply to a similar thread to this in the safety forum; here's my version of a fume extractor. Many moons ago I was a renovation contractor and at the end of the job a painter left behind his exhaust fan behind. When I told him about it he told me to keep it, the motor was dead. I got the motor rebuilt and sat it on my shelf until last year when I decided that I'd had enough of the smoke in the garage and I wanted to weld in the house over the cold winter as well. I decided that it was time to put this fan to good use, so that I could move it around as necessary and use it indoors as well. One day on CL, buddy was selling articulating arms for $65, he told me that he had renovated a research facility and he pulled 7 of these out of the bin. When I handed him the cash, he insisted that he would only take $45...I'm still smiling. So here's the result, the way the unit is set up is that it is used as a through unit, meaning that it'll take the smoke from here and move it there. I also picked up a room Hepa dust filter unit at a garage sale for $20 that I'm making a hood for the unit to pass all that crap through, hopefully it'll work so that I can keep from blowing the smoke (and heat) outside in the winter. Maybe I should attach the arm directly to it(!!) Here's a photo of the unit that I made, thank you bed frame and scrap. Last thing left to do is put a wood or steel top so that I can clutter it up. Love all the ideas and discussion here about these things, glad to see that people realize the importance of life-long health... Cheers!!     Attached ImagesWhen a welder tells you to "stick it", what do they really mean?"In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act." - George Orwell
Reply:That's a nice unit bearston! Good score on the arm.200amp Air Liquide MIG, Hypertherm Plasma, Harris torches, Optrel helmet, Makita angle grinders, Pre-China Delta chop saw and belt sander, Miller leathers, shop made jigs etc, North- welders backpack.
Reply:A little more permanent version here.http://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php...ghlight=jamlitIf you don't want to stand behind our Troops, feel free to stand in front of them.
Reply:Originally Posted by bearstonI also posted a reply to a similar thread to this in the safety forum; here's my version of a fume extractor. Many moons ago I was a renovation contractor and at the end of the job a painter left behind his exhaust fan behind. When I told him about it he told me to keep it, the motor was dead. I got the motor rebuilt and sat it on my shelf until last year when I decided that I'd had enough of the smoke in the garage and I wanted to weld in the house over the cold winter as well. I decided that it was time to put this fan to good use, so that I could move it around as necessary and use it indoors as well. One day on CL, buddy was selling articulating arms for $65, he told me that he had renovated a research facility and he pulled 7 of these out of the bin. When I handed him the cash, he insisted that he would only take $45...I'm still smiling. So here's the result, the way the unit is set up is that it is used as a through unit, meaning that it'll take the smoke from here and move it there. I also picked up a room Hepa dust filter unit at a garage sale for $20 that I'm making a hood for the unit to pass all that crap through, hopefully it'll work so that I can keep from blowing the smoke (and heat) outside in the winter. Maybe I should attach the arm directly to it(!!) Here's a photo of the unit that I made, thank you bed frame and scrap. Last thing left to do is put a wood or steel top so that I can clutter it up. Love all the ideas and discussion here about these things, glad to see that people realize the importance of life-long health... Cheers!!
Reply:Just showing you a picture of another type of blower you could make work, and is very easily found. This blower is out of an air handler found in every central AC system. I used this for a down draft paint booth, with some ducting you could make a fume extractor. The intake is the round duct that is 10 inches. The second picture the rectangle on the bottom is the exhaust air out. Third you can see the motor on the left  inside the squirrel cage, hope this gives you some more ideas. Attached ImagesMagazines have issues, everything else has problems
Reply:How much CFM is necessary to make an effective fume extractor without being too powerful in case it is placed above something you are welding?
Reply:Some people have made effective fume extractors with blowers as small as bathroom fans and range hoods. Personally I think that the larger, the better, although I would think that the larger units would be more appropriate for a stationary setup, but heck, even the space shuttle has wheels on it. If you find that your extractor pulls your shielding gas as well as your smoke, move the suction farther away from your work and if your workspace fills with smoke, bring it in closer. What works best is dependent on what you have to work with. I think that this thread shows that most anything is acceptable, but like beer, the larger the better, within reason. Hope that helps.  Last edited by bearston; 04-02-2013 at 04:14 PM.When a welder tells you to "stick it", what do they really mean?"In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act." - George Orwell