Air Filtering system

If you've used ABS material before you'll know it gives off a bad smell that can make you noxious if inhaled. I have my printer in a very small room so the concentration of the fumes is very exaggerated. After going in and out of the room for several hours while printing, I did feel a little sick.


I can enclose the printer to contain the fumes, but I don't think that will be enough. So I wanted to pose a question to the 3DPB reprap community:

Has anyone implemented an air filtration systems into their reprap? What other methods have you used to avoid breathing ABS fumes? Is an airtight enclosure good enough?


thanks,

-Brian

Box, MDF on three sides and the top, acrilic on the front. HEPA vacuum particulate filter (Dyson DC01 - nice and cheap) with a 12v bilge blower fan (cheap and strong) sucking the air out. front acrylic panel is slanted to give a better view.

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Originally Posted by 3dkarma

Box, MDF on three sides and the top, acrilic on the front. HEPA vacuum particulate filter (Dyson DC01 - nice and cheap) with a 12v bilge blower fan (cheap and strong) sucking the air out. front acrylic panel is slanted to give a better view.

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Seems like a pretty good setup!

Do you have issues with warping ABS? It would seem like the blower fan would suck out the heat from inside the enclosure as well.

The fan is on a speed controller. I keep it to the bare minimum to get some kind of suction while keeping drafts down.

I wonder if a container with activated charcoal inside the enclosure (or with the airflow from a fan) would absorb the fumes?

The charcoal won't attract the fumes to it - you have to have airflow through the filter.

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Originally Posted by CaptainObvious

I wonder if a container with activated charcoal inside the enclosure (or with the airflow from a fan) would absorb the fumes?

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Good idea! After you mentioned that I looked around other forums. People have built custom filters with loose granular activated carbon. Looks like its easy enough and worth a try. Plus a small fan can pull the fumes through the filter and create a small vacuum in the enclosure at the same time...