Add-ons for six-armed third hand

prusaprinters

<p>With six flexible arms and a solid aluminium base this soldering help replaces the classic tumbly two short armed.</p> <p>Usually these kits are an angry fruit salad of parts. Luckily, at Aliexpress a black and white version was found and bought at NewAcalox. Some of these kits come with a small fan and an oversized torch light. The fan is claimed to cool solder joints and to blow away soldering fumes (in your direction). So I looked for a small printable fume extractor...</p> <p>The small extractors found have a filter at the front. This works fine for larger workshop fans, but a small fan needs to work much harder to overcome the reduction of air intake. Air volume decreases, so does efficiency and lifespan is lowered. Questionable that mesh size, thickness and surface of the filter in such a set-up is effective.</p> <p>My approach...</p> <ul> <li>Place the filter at the back of the fan. Slant it so fumes travel a longer distance. Double its surface so the fan doesn't have to deliver additional pressure at the expense of air volume.</li> <li>Design chassis and inner profiles aerodynamically for good air distribution. Optimize geometrically to print with a 0.4 nozzle.</li> <li>Twist-lock housing with small hooks to keep the filter at place.</li> <li>40mm fan for a fair balance between compactness and power.</li> <li>3D printable template to cut out filters.</li> <li>Screw-in holes for the fan chassis and splitter. No pre-drilling, tapping, metal inserts or nuts.</li> <li>Flexible wiring through tubes and splitter.</li> <li>LED light mounted flush in a tube.</li> </ul> <p>Bill of materials...</p> <ul> <li>Small power supply like an old phone charger with 5,5mm plug/jack. Either 5V or 12V will do.</li> <li>Ø 8mm through hole jack socket.</li> <li>Ø 5mm LED light, 5V or 12V with built in resistor, warm white and high luminosity.</li> <li>Threaded LED holder. Through hole diameter between 6mm and 7mm will fit inside the tube.</li> <li>Ø 3mm 5V or 12V LED lights with built in resistors.<br/> (These LEDs are optional. Glue them inside the small round holes of the cover. One LED to indicate the power supply is in the AC socket. Use a second one to indicate the fan is running.)</li> <li>Two standard switches for the fan and the Ø 5mm LED. Max body dimensions are 15mm wide, 8mm deep and 15mm high. Through hole radius is 6mm. </li> <li>One meter of wiring, two colours ≥ 0,25 mm2.</li> <li>Four M3 x 16mm and one M3x6mm screw with 6mm washers.</li> <li>40x40x10mm fan with finger guard. Sunon V1 type used here. </li> <li>4 to 5 mm thick active carbon filter as used for purification. The denser the mesh the better.</li> </ul> <p>About the files...</p> <ul> <li>Fusion360 base design included.</li> <li>Covers for 0, 1 or 2 LEDs to choose from.</li> <li>Remove the covers you don't wish to use in the 3MF file.</li> </ul> <p>Cheerio!<br/> David</p> <h3>Print instructions</h3><ul> <li>Design is optimized for standard 0.40mm nozzle.</li> <li>Print at least 3 perimeters to attain enough strength.</li> <li>Expect light stringing to occur between the openings in the filter housing when using PETG or similar.</li> <li>Model shown is printed with nGen by Colorfabb for additional rigidity and prideful beauty.</li> </ul>