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One thing that has always caught my eye, aside from a beautiful aircraft, are pictures of other peoples workbenches and shops. I love seeing the way people organize and layout their supplies and tools. I thought my desk might excite some of you out there. I have always HATED having to vent my paint fumes out a window. Its ugly and obnoxious and it makes for an extra workspace, and in almost all cases having the fan(s) behind your work. I am currently a mechanical engineering student at the U of U, so last semester for my term project I decided to solve this problem. Here is what I have come up with: Starting with my generic Office Max art desk, everything was built onto/into it. The top surface is 1/4" acrylic glass with 3512 1/16" holes drilled in it (yes by hand with a 20v drill it was horrible). Beneath that I have a .3 micron HEPA furnace filter to capture the large particulate, which is then pulled through by two 110cfm computer fans. The exhaust pipe then leads to a homemade activated carbon filter to clean the remaining small particulate and smell out of the air, which is then diffused right back into the room (carbon filter not connected in photos, we just moved). No stink, no window obstruction, and a vent built in right beneath my actual work surface. So far it seems to be working pretty well, hands-down better than my previous window model. My brother and I ran some tests with him smelling the exhaust as I sprayed various liquids through the system and he very rarely could guess right. I have noticed it even captures sanding dust to a certain degree. I mounted my airbrush compressor to the top and wired it and the fans to a large yellow master switch on the right. The fans are far more quiet than the compressor. I am already working on a list of improvements for my next build, but I think the concept is a winner so far. The guys at my local model shop and my professor convinced me to file a copyright application for the idea (just in case right?!). If anyone has further input I would love to hear it. Thanks for looking!

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Zackattack,

Your interesting design is brilliant and SO WICKEDLY COOL,!

Hope you have patented it being a engineering designer..great innovative idea. You never know you could sell it to manufacturers.

Way to go Sir. :worship:

Edited by HOLMES
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You might want to try experimenting with a top that has three or four rows of holes around the perimeter leaving the center of the work area solid. The result should be greater vacuum that pulls the particulates down and away from the object you are working on. Much like the down draft systems used in commercial industrial paint booths. Also the more holes the more places dirt will become trapped. Its better to have such debris pulled away from the area you are working.

I'll assume you are using acrylic for the vented top. Acrylic is prone to promoting static electricity. Consider creating it so the center is either glass or another non conductive material. A wooden frame with the ventilation holes that holds a separate center piece. A glass center would be nice to have especially if it can be back lit from below, a light box for trimming decals or other applications light boxes are used for by modelers.

For those who use petroleum based paints, the acrylic top would fog and craze after cleaned with strong enough solvents to clean any overspray residue or paint spillage. I do think you've got a GREAT and practical idea here! Go for the utility patent!

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You might want to try experimenting with a top that has three or four rows of holes around the perimeter leaving the center of the work area solid. The result should be greater vacuum that pulls the particulates down and away from the object you are working on. Much like the down draft systems used in commercial industrial paint booths. Also the more holes the more places dirt will become trapped. Its better to have such debris pulled away from the area you are working.

I'll assume you are using acrylic for the vented top. Acrylic is prone to promoting static electricity. Consider creating it so the center is either glass or another non conductive material. A wooden frame with the ventilation holes that holds a separate center piece. A glass center would be nice to have especially if it can be back lit from below, a light box for trimming decals or other applications light boxes are used for by modelers.

For those who use petroleum based paints, the acrylic top would fog and craze after cleaned with strong enough solvents to clean any overspray residue or paint spillage. I do think you've got a GREAT and practical idea here! Go for the utility patent!

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Thank you for the ideas, especially Hawkeye, i will be looking into all the things you named for my 2.0 version. I assume your of the former Hawkeye hobbies? I have one full bottle of raptor sheen remaining, i will treasure it and use it wisely.:-(:-(:-(

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