Acetone Vapor Bath Fan (for 5 gallon bucket)

thingiverse

Disclaimer: Do not perform an acetone vapor bath to smooth ABS parts indoors or near hazardous environments. Performing these baths is extremely dangerous and should only be done outdoors in well-ventilated areas. You do so at your own risk. I use a 5-gallon bucket with magnets and paper towels dampened with acetone for my vapor baths. The bucket is placed upside down, and the lid serves as a shelf to allow the vapors to reach all parts of the print. To improve results, I created a shelf that allowed the vapors to move freely around the print. However, this still wasn't enough, so I added an external fan without an engine to blow across the top of the bucket and disperse the vapors more evenly. Make sure to place this fan outside and away from the acetone bucket at all times. Do not use a motor inside the bucket or in the vapor environment. The fan is propelled by a house fan placed outside, which blows air through a small hole in the bucket and into an internal fan that gently disperses the vapors around the entire area instead of letting them stagnate. The parts I printed were two fans and two keyed caps, but you'll need to source the shaft and a small bearing separately. I used a pencil as the shaft because it's lightweight, sturdy, and inexpensive, making it easy to replace if needed. Only glue the keyed caps to the pencil in case there's an issue, so you can reprint just the caps instead of everything else. The bearing I used is a roller skate or skateboard wheel bearing that you can find on Amazon. Be sure to use PLA only when printing this object, as ABS can melt. Print with a .25 resolution and 50% infill for sturdy results, and assemble with crazy glue by attaching the keyed caps to the shaft and letting gravity hold the fans in place on the caps and the bearing. Don't glue the bearing or it may not turn properly. This setup decreased vapor bath time from three hours to just 45 minutes, but remember: do this outside and keep a safe distance between the bucket and any potential ignition sources. Avoid smoking around acetone vapors at all costs, and never perform these baths near open flames, motors, or any possible sparks. You don't want an explosion that could harm someone or start a fire. The upper fan is a remix of Thingiverse's #7487, while the internal fan is a remix of Thingiverse's #2187837. If you need a tray to hold your parts, consider using this bucket fan in conjunction with Thingiverse's #3024218.