A fume hood is essential equipment when working with chemicals.
Fume hoods come in all sizes, depending on their application. The vast majority of home units can accommodate almost any project requiring venting. This hood will provide exhaust through a ducted system to vent to an outside area. It also has a clear Plexiglas window in front to facilitate viewing the work area.
Instructions
The Box
1. Locate the center of one plywood board. This will be used as the top of the box. Draw a 4-1/2 inch square around this center point on the top board. On the inside of any one corner of the drawn square, drill a 3/8 inch hole. Use this as a starting hole for the jigsaw and follow the drawn line to cut out the entire square hole.
2. Arrange three plywood pieces into a U-configuration (they'll form a U if you look at them from above). The top board from Step 1 should be the middle of the U. Apply adhesive to where the corners of the boards meet in the U-configuration. Nail the three boards together to hold them firm.
3. Apply adhesive to the top edges of the entire U-configuration. Place the last board, the back board, on top of the entire U. Nail the back board to the edges of the U-configuration. This completes the hood enclosure.
4. Flip the box over 180 degrees so the back rests on the table. Place the Plexiglas sheet over the opening facing upward so that the sheet touches three plywood edges. This is the window on the hood's front side. Apply adhesive to the edges of the Plexiglas sheet and ensure all edges are even. The Plexiglas sheet should rest evenly atop three plywood edges.
5. Drill two left and two right 3/32 inch holes through the Plexiglas sheet edges and into the plywood. Drill another three holes along the middle edge of the Plexiglas sheet. These are needed to nail the Plexiglas to the plywood to affix the window to the box. Nail the Plexiglas sheet to the plywood through the drilled holes. Turn the hood over so that the 3-foot-square opening rests on a bench or table, the side with the square hole is on top, and the Plexiglas window faces forward.
Fan and Duct
6. Fashion a coned flange over one end of the dryer hose using the cardboard and duct tape. Use duct tape to permanently affix the small end of the cone to the dryer hose. Make sure the perimeter of the larger, open end of the cone is the same as the perimeter of the pancake fan motor.
7. Secure the other, larger end of the cardboard cone to the edges of the pancake fan motor with duct tape. The direction of fan's airflow should be toward the hose.
8. Place the pancake fan motor on the box's top, over the cut-out square hole in the plywood. Apply adhesive to the pancake fan motor edges and place it evenly over the plywood hole. The power wire can either pass through the square hole and into the box or can remain outside the box, depending on the desired result. Allow all adhesive to dry overnight.
9. Direct the free end of the dryer hose so that it directs outside the work area, preferably through a window or door.
Tips Warnings
A shop light or desk light can be placed inside the hood for added illumination.
The box interior can be lined with aluminum foil to help the hood resist fire.
The pancake fan motor likely does not have a grill to protect fingers. Keep fingers away when turning it on.
Do not use the hood before the adhesive dries.
Because the box is wooden, do not use flames inside the hood.
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