Building an OSHA-Approved Fume Hood to Make Chemistry Less Dangerous

[@LabCoatz_Science]

IMPORTANT NOTE! To get proper airflow, you need the right size ducting, and apparently, the 4" hose that I used is not sufficient to meet OSHA guidelines. So, I've purchased an 8" 720 CFM inline fan and 8" hosing, which should get things up to spec!

[@en2oh]

You might consider putting a set of counter weights to make the acrylic window a little easier to lift and close. You might also look at putting a flat piece of wood in front of the exhaust hose. This will direct the flow of gases up the sides of the box.

[@MadScientist267]

​​@@en2ohThere's a few issues with this design but under the thought of "anything is better then nothing", I'll just say anything is better than nothing. The upgrades I'd add to what you've mentioned already are things like the fan (something rated for chemical use), and place it near as possible to the building exhaust point... the ducting (aluminum is too reactive for this use case), the finish on the box itself (an epoxy topcoat probably not a bad idea depending on later intent).. but that topcoat bonded to a metal lining (stainless is good)... probably make the sash of thicker acrylic and give the track guides, both an effort to keep things in place if there's an event in the box. Wiring outside the box, but especially if flammable gases are expected.. H2 just for one has a really wide EL window. Put the strip at least outside (probably not the best choice to begin with for heating elements anyway)... in this way can disconnect power from the loads without opening the sash. Separate the fan and loads so the fan can remain on with everything else disconnected in a hurry (but still provide a switch to shut it off)... Quite a list... but as it sits, much better than doing anything done in this video out on an open bench. More than I can say I've had going myself at times, and I've been got by my indiscretion on occasion as a result... no bueno.

[@professorEduardoBrasil]

What are you planning to do with gases that may eventually reach your neighborhood?

[@Jasruler]

​@@MadScientist267 Agreed with everything. It needs everything you said, which kind of means a full rebuild. I get the "anything better than nothing" thing but in some ways I honestly think that box is worse. The fire risk inherent to the exposed painted wood is very worrying, if the sash has to be quickly shut it could easily bind up in the slots or chemicals could compromise the slots it slides in and it'll just plain fall out, there is no airflow monitoring, the acrylic is quite thin... it is just a false sense of security box.

[@Jasruler]

@@professorEduardoBrasil There are guidelines to follow, but I doubt they were: ANSI/AIHA Z9.5: “Discharged in manner and location to avoid re-entry into the laboratory building or adjacent buildings at concentrations above 20% of the allowable concentrations inside the laboratory under any wind or atmospheric conditions.” Exhaust stack: “Be in a vertical up direction at a minimum of 10 feet above the adjacent roof line as so located with respect to opening and air intakes of the laboratory or adjacent buildings to avoid re-entry.” NFPA 45: “Air exhausted from laboratory hoods and other special local exhaust systems shall not be re-circulated.” “Air from laboratory units and laboratory work areas in which chemicals are present shall be continuously discharged throughout systems maintained at a negative pressure relative to the pressure of normally occupied areas of the building.

[@Kaijuprintworks]

Put the plugs and switches outside of the hood before something eats though it or causes a spark while working on something flammable

[@llopgui]

best advise comment ever.

[@Jimdandymetals]

The bottom of the hood needs to be open to let fresh air in so it’s easy to run the cords out of the hood and use a different breaker for the hood than what you use for the hot plate so if it trips a breaker the fan will still run

[@SodiumInteresting]

Good thinking 😅​@@Jimdandymetals

[@y33t23]

Remember that you have aluminum hoses before doing anything with Bromine Might wanna switch to plastic before attempting that

[@MrDJAK777]

He could use Ammonium fluorosilicate to create a passivation layer of aluminum fluoride. Or is that not resistant to bromine either?

[@y33t23]

@@MrDJAK777 the issue might be that a on thin, flexible aluminum foil the coating will start to crack and expose the metal again if it gets bent or moved in any way

[@Protocol-X]

I am no expert, but it's probably safer to get one of the flexible pv hoses. They are Mae for ducts, are near impossible to tear, and made for chemical resistance. They are a little pricey, compared to those cheap easy rip aluminum.

[@MrDJAK777]

@@y33t23 very good point, thanks!

[@lollolgameslp]

Same thought

[@jamjamamam4139]

I would recomend to add some "lip" on fromt to prevent leaks of overspills or tipped glass

[@djdrack4681]

depending on how much volume he works with, or how dangerous the chems...having taper to left/right edges, with 'gutters' into a glass pale/carboy (and neutralizing chem) could be a +1 if a spill onto floor etc = really bad or expensive. Although if I gotta go this route, I'd prob take the neutralizing chems and have 1 'acid neutralizer' and 1 'alkaline neutralizer' tank with valve...then in emergency you slame front panel of the fume hood--->turn valve and 'flush everything'. ...Again, most likely OVERKILL, but always something to consider as one works with more volatile compounds: if you can avoid having to don a hazmat suit or even just replace your flooring = good thing

[@ahuman2533]

Correct me if I'm wrong but I think I just realized that not even explosion and fire has a fume hood lmao. He has just been doing everything that makes toxic gases outside on his backyard under the schorching australian sun instead of getting or making a fume hood. He literally went and bought a 2000$ fire extinguisher before investing in a fume hood... Tom is just on a another level

[@lagrangiankid378]

Well to be fair all chemistry in history except the last 200 years has been done without fume hoods. And until the second half of the 20th century fume hoods were combustion driven only. The outside is very good at taking care of dangerous vapors/aereosols and gases.

[@ahuman2533]

@@lagrangiankid378 yeah but might as well get one they are so convenient

[@2ftg]

He's using the free fumehood called the great outdoors.

[@Dippedinsilver1974]

Honestly, I’m relieved you’re taking your safety more seriously. I was honestly worried about you after the last couple videos. Great job on the fume hood!

[@WhileTrueCode]

24:53 labcoatz: nowhere in the garage does it smell neighborhood: are we a joke to you

[@2ftg]

Yes.

[@tomashubelbauer]

The sigmacaffeine video was hysterical, but I definitely like to see you take safety seriously and appreciate you talking about this. There are too many people on KZbin who downplay the risks of whatever they are doing, be it chemistry, woodworking, whatever and given that being safe is extra effort (combating laziness, sacrificing the extra prep time, suppressing cowboy attitude), it is genuinely cool to have someone say they don't want to encourage unsafe behavior and want to present a good example.

[@bnasty267]

With extraction fans like that, you generally want the entire fan assembly to be outside so that only negative pressure hoses/ducts are inside. This is so that if the exhaust duct disconnected or got a hole in it, you wouldn't be pushing bad air directly out of the hood into your environment. Areas with radon require that the radon fan itself is either mounted outside or in a non-living space like the attic for the same reasons.

[@morningstarsci]

Coat the MDF with a chemical and fire resistant epoxy. You can easily find it on google. Also, add a lip to the front bottom of your hood to contain any spills. Also, you might want to get a plastic tray fit the size of the hood counter to add additional protection. Also, drill a hole in the front of the side wall where the acrylic slides through to thread a bolt with a knob through. The bolt will apply pressure to the acrylic sheet and allow you keep in place with friction.

[@OtherWorldExplorers]

I installed one of those in my bathroom. That last experience with Taco Bell was devastating...

[@koga7349]

Assuming you are going to crack your garage and run the tube out. If so, be sure to run it way outside. The exhaust will create negative pressure in your garage and air from the outside will get pulled in to equalize. You don't want your exhaust fumes getting pulled back into the garage

[@LabCoatz_Science]

Yeah, I used about 50 feet of that hose, so it reaches pretty far into the driveway (and totally doesn't look suspicious, lol). I was planning to have a barrier or something similar go along the bottom of the garage door to help stop the wind from blowing anything back inside, but that proved to trigger the door's safety mechanism, preventing it from closing.

[@highlander723]

​@@LabCoatz_Science No officer I don't know what you're talking about I don't see how that looks suspicious...... No I've never seen breaking bad!

[@Quickened1]

​@@LabCoatz_Sciencejust unlock the door from the opener when you're using the hose for ventilation, then lock it back in for normal operation when you're done!

[@jerryxpgaming4682]

19:19 he’s doing the landlord special painting over the screws 😂

[@justinbanks2380]

2:03 that shirt!!! I literally just got that for myself and have had so many funny comments and laughs already when I wore it. I should probably be worried so many people think it's appropriate for me, but I'm going to take it as a sign I'm doing things right, lol

[@steadfasttherenowned2460]

I was hoping more eyeball suction cups with tubes

[@OtherWorldExplorers]

I'm strangely intrigued to see that. Edit OMG, are you referring to David Lynch's Dune Lol love it...

[@Protospacer]

It might be a good idea to put the blower at the far end of the exhaust hose. That way nothing will get blown into the garage if the hose gets pierced by something.

[@sladoid]

On safety, you remind me exactly of my friend from college. He got into energy drinks really hard, then into alcohol, etc. I'd recommend trying to stay sober as long as possible.

[@NuttyGeek]

Wow! That's a nice setup and lab improvement. Grats! It is definitely not the safest one, though, but surely a decent starting point.

[@J.C...]

I feel you on the hot garage. Same in Louisiana. I leave at 9am and it's already 95* in my garage according to my ambient temp sensor in my truck. When I have to work in there, I work for 5 or 10 mins at a time, then go in and cool off for 5 or 10 mins. I've also opened thr door into the kitchen to let some cool air in from the house since I'm usually working right on the other side of the door. That means I feel the air flowing through the doorway into the garage. Oh. I also wait and work on my vehicles at night. 11pm to 4am because it's usually much cooler 😂😁

[@LabCoatz_Science]

Yeah, I much prefer doing my garage work in the winter, but in the summer, I do try to get up early and work before it gets too hot.

[@arcanealchemist3190]

i appreciate being on the level, and willing to admit that you havent had an ideal track record in the past. it takes a big person to admit they could have done better and intend to improve. and this is an excellent step towards that goal. as with any risk, they were yours to take, and i appreciate you putting things out there that dont necessarily paint you in a bad light. that said, i would hate to find out i had inadvertently contributed to someone hurting themselves while doing chemistry by spurring them on with my views, so im relieved to hear this. might want to consider adding some sort of lip for spills and heavy gasses, as other comments have said, but your hood seems more than adequate as is! that was a lot of chlorine. cool video!

[@BrnEyedGrl83]

14:17 I friggin lost my mind in a good way because you did the thing. Thank you!

[@Moritz___]

i build a fumehood like yours in my basement some weeks ago just with a larger extraction fan and 6inch hard pvc wastewater pipes. i actually occasionally smell the stuff i work with but i guess that this is either coming back through the (mostly closed off) window or im carrying the chemicals out on my gloves or while cleaning glasware. what i like most about my setup is that the acrylic is mounted on a pulley system with a counter weight(like a chalkboard that can be height adjusted) so you can just push it up or down whenever you need it without having to adjust pins or whatever. another thing to remember is to keep the turns with your piping as shallow as possible as sharp turns really limit the airflow. furthermore i suggest always leaving the sash open by a little so that the stink doesnt have a chance build up inside the hood anyways great project. like to see the tutorial when i build my hood there was really minimal information on the internet of either really shitty or really high end selfmade fumehoods. have fun

[@rkirke1]

Nice! If you want a surface that's more resistant to stains, corrosion etc, PTFE sheet (or even just polyethylene ~1mm thick) is pretty reasonably priced from plastics retailers. For fiery stuff, a cheap source of stainless might be metals scrapyards that charge by weight if you have them if your area. If you're lucky they might let you angle grind the side & bottom out of a catering sink or similar and just pay for the weight of the metal.

[@BackMacSci]

Sick project and I enjoyed seeing your build inn real time. And hey! Getting real close to 100k subs! CRAZY!

[@MadScientist267]

When cutting acrylic, flip the saw blade around so it is effectively turning backwards. This creates a much cleaner cut.

[@sandmehlig]

When adding an AC unit to your lab add an air intake to your fume hood, that connects directly to the outside to keep that sweet cool air in. 😀And borrow a fog simulator to check for unwanted air inlets.

[@koga7349]

When you mark your cutout, cut it out from the front where you can see it 😂

[@Mix1mum]

Just a table saw tip homie, when cutting with the rip fence, the smaller part has to be on the drop off side. If that's not possible, you need to lose the fence. I'm not gonna safety police you for no guard, riving knife, hold down bearings; I don't use any of that either, shit you'd be lucky if I use a push stick, but I also don't set myself up for things to somehow pinch, twist, kick back or pull my hand in. It happens faster than you can react, and it happens to people more skilled than you or I, so, just prethink your order of ops when you cut. Have your feet properly set, movements planned, etc. A table saw is such a basic component it's easy to think it's benign. Just saying, a little respect while you still got all the digits might be wise. Cheers.

[@jhyland87]

You should also keep a lookout for fume hoods on Govdeals. Its not uncommon for colleges (among other places) to get rid of used ones when they upgrade. I got a great condition 4' Labconco fume hood for less than $400 from the local ASU college. Hell of a steal.

[@LateNightHacks]

ok, aside from all the issues others have pointed out, there is also the issue of the size, you don't really have enough height for a fractional column or anything tall, even the width is kinda too narrow, a vacuum distillation setup would take the whole length more or less, and no room for much else like say a trap or a neutralising solution, or a gas wash bottle... plus, you don't want to have to take out contaminated glassware right in the middle of work to make room, you could sit them in a corner and move with syth till you can setup a proper neutralising bath

[@nicks3608]

I'd look into the r-rated insulated ducting. It'll have a quality plastic ducting (foil devlopes and sometimes comes with tons of needle-holes) with an insulation (noise) and an outer wrapping. This will avoid any accidental damage from rubbing against the fan. It's pretty affordable for a small run of it. Just a thought! Also the power box can have some leaks where it screws onto the housing (it should be sucking in, so not a problem.

[@bowlseriw]

the shirt absolutely slaps

[@philbaxter487]

I loved the table saw asmr, bro. No matter how you use a table saw, someone will complain. If I had a KZbin channel, I just wouldn’t include any footage of using a table saw.

[@samorakaos3695]

If you wrap the cables in glass wool, there will be no problem. You can also use plastic instead of aluminum pipe.

[@darianjcarroll]

You ideally want the blower motor outside or as close to outside as possible, that way the hose before the motor is under vacuum and the hose after the motor is under pressure, so if there's a leak it won't just leak back out into your space.

[@DeathbyKillerBong]

add pully and counterweight to plexi door

[@biganddaft1981]

Maybe put the extraction fan on a differnnt outlet than the other electric items, then if you need to cut power the extraction won't stop.

[@mollago]

Cool! Hope it helps in future videos to show you have the equipment in place as a professional would. It's not like you're going to accidentally light your eyes on fire or anything

[@ericlondon5731]

Put in a fresh air duct from outside ( coming from another area than the exhaust ) to have air to move. Otherwise, the exhaust gasses might get sucked right back in due to the negative pressure of the closed room.

[@mr.nicejay6378]

switch the aluminum hose, it will rott away imediately... try to install plumbing tubes or might get some out of ldpe preferably... secure all electronics please!!!! and get a nice filtering chamber with enough ventilation to pass trough....i can recommend charcoal/ion exchange resin, mixed up with bentonite (kitty-litter) spray the mixture with high fraction - whiteoil/sillicone oil and dont forget to cover the suction vent with a good fleece-type sieve....but the allaround concept of your hood seems pretty durable. NICE

[@henricoderre]

I used electrochemistry to make sodium hydroxide. I used two 250ml high-density polyethylene (HDPE) bottles to make my electrolysis containers. I used plastic because chlorine is very corrosive, and sodium hydroxide is said to etch away glassware. I'd drilled two holes in the sides of each bottle, then inserted a clear polyethylene hose in which I'd inserted a piece of cotton to act as a diaphragm. Both bottle holes were sealed at the joints to make sure no chlorine gas would escape. In my haste to retrieve the sodium hydroxide, I removed the cap immediately after the electrolysis was completed. My face was close to the opening of the bottle containing the chlorine gas. When I unscrewed the cap I quickly moved away from the chlorine smell, but it was too late. I suddenly felt soffocated. There's no doubt, Chlorine gas is extremely dangerous to inhale. I later found out it had been used during WWI to kill enemy troops in their trenches. A fume hood would have been indispensible in my case, and I wish I'd had one. What about testing heavy smoke? You don't want anyone who sees smoke to think your lab is on fire. You're learning, and unfortunately, mistakes will happen. However, it's good to know that you're concerned about yourself and other people's health, and are willing to take the necessary precautions to reduce any risks involved in experimentation. I have also done some careless things, but have since been more cautious. As a spectator, I'm not interested in watching or seeing someone kill themselves for the sake of chemistry. I prefer watching someone who takes all the precautions necessary to keep everyone safe.

[@mr.nicejay6378]

ELECTROLYSIS IS A OWN KIND OF SCIENCE; hmm? dont forget the in-situ creation of HHO... there are some fine nurdrage videos on how to build an electrolysis box securely.... as for the gases, try some ion-exchange resins mixed with calcium carbonate / activated charcoal pellets....but why to make NaOH in first place? obviously not for the sake of getting some.... did you had the urge to understand the solvay process, i might ask?

[@chanheosican6636]

Yeah i am planning to have an fume hood environment in my lab outside and more ventilation I also have all the windows in the house downstairs near by. An fumehood is not possible but lots of fans etc is practical. I am trying to make a Passive system as well. Not sure if it will work. Planning on that.

[@scoophaines]

Grow tent manufacturers also have carbon scrubbers that do a decent job

[@SkyWatcher_GU3]

Should have put a baffle pannel on the back... to create a desk level air flow

[@josephgauthier5018]

brooo, you're a fellow okie?!?! less gooo!

[@josephgauthier5018]

and yes, the heat sucks XD

[@LabCoatz_Science]

At least it finally rained today, now I can work without worrying about heat exhaustion!

[@josephgauthier5018]

@@LabCoatz_Science oh yeah. was definitely not expecting to wake up to upper 60's and it be that way all the way to like 1 or 2 in the afternoon lol

[@infinitivez]

@6:30 This is where I would go get a new board, and cut to fit. Me and cutting acrylic, are not friends! I haven't hit play yet- - will this be foreshadowing your experience? lol

[@chanheosican6636]

In my lab I don't work as much with flammable vapours or know the risk and have a vent system. I mean hydrogen in extremely small amounts like with metals and Aqua regas the mix normally is not explosive (NO2, H2, Cl2, NOCl2) I had good ventilation but better ventilation may work.

[@jonnymakeschemicals2714]

yeah i used aluminum hosing before and it literally fell apart within about half a year of use. and the plastic has been going strong for almost 2 years.

[@SysOpQueen]

i just woke up, all i saw was The Hood Saved my Life

[@Gman193]

Get yourself a eyewash bottle, in my opinion it is one of the most important peaces of first aid equipment there is for chemistry (or anyone working with corrosive substances).

[@lohphat]

How dilute must exhaust gases be to conform to local regulations? Or is there need for some form of filtration or neutralization chemistry to keep it from causing local concern?

[@yoctoflop]

this is oklahoma

[@LabCoatz_Science]

Honestly, I have no clue. Those laws might only apply to large-scale chemical manufacturers, idk. Normally, I would just do these projects with the garage door up and let the fumes escape, so this is basically just an extension of that. Most of the stuff that gets pumped out is actually just the vapor from solvents that would normally just evaporate into the environment anyway, like xylene (paint thinner), acetone (nail polish remover), etc.

[@lightdark00]

Never apologize!

[@romanglinnik8073]

Perfect shirt for a project like that

[@marconiandcheese7258]

The trolling with the mic and tablesaw is hilarious

[@tedmounsteven621]

You look tense, uptight. I hope you're back to your relaxed yet informative self soon :)

[@86Kiaser]

It's either a power brick or surge protector.

[@OLCarmel]

GRT vid. Very informative.

[@DangerousLab]

There are many more recommendations than I gave on Patreon, I guess Fumehood V2 will be out very soon🤣

[@AnonNopleb]

Try flame-polishing the plexiglass, it'll look stunning and makes working with that fumehood even more exciting, because any drop of organic solvent will have a chance of cracking it

[@imikla]

Soooo… 🤔 probably no fractional distillation or refluxing in there. I'm guessing it's kind of small for space reasons, but it might have benefited from being a bit taller. Also as others have said, that vent and fan is a weak link. Corrosive things may eat the vent "pipe" and kill the motor. Something to keep an eye on for sure. Very nice otherwise, and I'm glad you have it. Definitely much safer than not having it.

[@LabCoatz_Science]

I have been able to run refluxes in the hood, but a fractional distillation is definitely out of the question...fortunately I don't really do those often, if ever!

[@imikla]

​@@LabCoatz_Science I'm probably influenced by my own glassware, I don't think I have a reflux condenser that would fit on a flask on top of a hotplate in there. I hope that's in an upcoming video, I'm interested to see that!

[@LabCoatz_Science]

@@imikla It's actually in the "legal meth" video I've been working on! Not sure if it'll make it to the final cut though, because that particular part was kind of a failure...let's just say too much lithium aluminum hydride in too little THF, lol

[@cragonaut]

Where's the riving knife on your table saw? It's a pretty important safety feature and there's literally no reason not to use it. It's not like it gets in the way for the cuts you're doing.

[@LabCoatz_Science]

Not sure, I don't use that saw very often, and it's pretty old (it's also not my saw). I'm not even sure I have a riving knife for it at this point...

[@jimdelorme4758]

Fume hood is great as long as you don’t lose your power

[@prodigal_southerner]

I wonder if there are any epoxy coatings that would resist chemical fumes / spills, unless that was a special paint.

[@mfree80286]

Need to swap out those aluminum ducts for polypropylene. A marine store would be a walk in, maybe RV suppliers as sewer hose but most of those are vinyl. McMaster has PP duct for less than $10 a foot so it'll be much cheaper as a 'misused' product. You'll likely find in a few days that your aluminum is already degrading since you put chlorine through it. It won't take much to burn through.

[@LabCoatz_Science]

It's actually held up pretty well, possibly because the interior is coated in a thin plastic film. But yes, PP tubing would be optimal, although for the 50 feet I want at $10/ft, it would be pretty darn expensive!

[@mfree80286]

@@LabCoatz_Science $10/ft was a maximum, McMaster-Carr is where you get stuff you can't get anywhere else and they know it.

[@stg.sparky5070]

Hey you should look into lining the inside at least because particleboard has a tendency to be destroyed by water.

[@steadfasttherenowned2460]

Where did you find bare Particle Board in 2024? When you upgrade, get melamine board. It's particle board covered in melamine plastic.

[@jasonpatterson8091]

So you didn't watch the video?

[@mollago]

​@@jasonpatterson8091Did you watch the video?

[@LabCoatz_Science]

I just picked it up at the Home Depot, mostly because it's so cheap (about $8 per 2'x4' sheet) and much flatter than plywood or similar. Melamine wouldn't be a bad idea though!

[@justinbarnett9808]

@@LabCoatz_Scienceit also falls apart when it gets wet and I believe it’s quite flammable. I’d use some plywood (you can get a 4x8 sheet cut and it’s much cheaper than buying smaller pieces), then line it with hardiebacker (cement board), and then cover that with something like Formica. The Formica is very durable, and the cement board adds a degree of fire resistance as well. For ventilation, you can get solid coated ducting for use in wood stoves that’ll be far more heat and chemical resistant than anything like that dryer vent. That, or some flexible hose made for dust collectors from a woodworking shop.

[@jasonpatterson8091]

@@mollago The original comment I replied to said that if he didn't paint the MDF it would fall apart. Not sure if the edit changed the comment significantly or if KZbin or I managed to reply to the wrong comment.

[@Balingy]

The hat looks good on you.

[@kalebsnyder6530]

Can you show the rest of your tubing set up like the output in like a youtube short or something?

[@OngVoELstuffs08]

Heyeveryone, welcome back to Labcoatz is my beloved slogan

[@djdrack4681]

I guess my immediate thoughts on it are: what about highly acidic/alkaline vapors? is the coating on walls/ceiling able to withstand them? more importantly is the fan/etc able to? I'd think more 'industrial' fans that are just metal would fare badly, unless coated in maybe teflon, ceramic, etc...Its odd that there aren't borosilic. glass fans, cuz that'd make 100% sense for use in something like a fume hood.

[@Mateo-wf1yz]

its too small, how you gonna fit a flask plus condensers in there?

[@LabCoatz_Science]

I've got pretty short condensers, so this actually fits most of my setups quite well (except for a full fractional distillation, which I rarely employ anyway).

[@RiehlScience]

14:20 THANK YOU

[@josephgauthier5018]

nice fumehood! glad to see the fan wasnt too anemic. did you plan on doing a simple window unit install, or were you thinking about installing one of those diy minisplits that can also heat in the winter?

[@LabCoatz_Science]

Eh, it's not even my house, so I can't install anything permanently...I will when I get my own place though! That, or I'll just install a better hood inside, lol.

[@josephgauthier5018]

@@LabCoatz_Science well, when you get your own place, hmu if you want some help installing one of those mini splits. ive installed two units myself before. i even have some hvac vacuum pumps that can be used to remove the air from the lines (for those that dont come with precharged lines). now i may or may not be available when the time comes, but feel free to ask me when you want to mess with it. also, you'll likely still need a licensed pro to come inspect it so that the warranty will be honored by the manufacturer, but it'll be a lot cheaper for just an inspection than a full install

[@Microwavingmetal]

Minor thing but it may be better to have it standing on its side, especially for distillations where you need height. over all though I like the design.

[@mfree80286]

I'd also spray the inside of that cabinet with epoxy appliance paint now, before the paint you have gets attacked. Should be a lot more resistant than anything else you can get at a big box hardware store. Might want to run a little smooth bead of clear silicone or glue down a little strip of plastic from side to side just inside the door so minor spills can't run out the front. Regarding the epoxy spraypaint... if you do it with the cabinet running, OUTSIDE, you stand a chance of: A) protecting your hoses, at least a little bit, and B) finding out pretty quickly if that extractor fan is going to be a long term item, and giving anything bare inside it some protection too. If you're going to work with volatiles, think about oxygen reduction. Could be as simple as a bowl of dry ice in the back of the box. Also consider some grounding for spark protection if (when) you move to polymer hoses. Look at wood dust collectors for clues how to deal with that, and also marine engine vapor purge systems (you have to ventilate enclosed vessels while fueling to avoid potential 'inadvertent rapid disassembly').

[@rick5078]

An addition to your fume hood that would be a good idea to add would be those square carbon filters and hepa filters. This would help protect the fan from the more nasty type of fumes, and reduce issues if there is a leak in the exhaust hose. you can add a section on top to house the filters. Also, having that power strip on the inside is not a very good idea, not only do you have to still reach inside the funehood to disconnect cables, the powerstrip can fill with fumes which leave residue that can cause shortcircuits or if the fumes are corrosive, they can eat away at the contacts. That cable passthrough is large enough to pass through cables, plugs and all. I would place the power strip on the outside of the hood and have the cables for the hotplate etc go out of the fumehood into the power strip. That way, if you have a bad run-away reaction and need to kill the heat for instance, you can quickly unplug from the outside while closing the acrylic sheet.

[@lagrangiankid378]

Problem with filters is that they reduce the pressure of the fan to a large degree, and this can lead to an inadequate front face velocity, especially with a fan not that strong. But I agree in placing powerstrips on the outside.

[@rick5078]

@@lagrangiankid378 Those fans are designed to pull/push air through can style carbon filters such as those used in the cultivation of cannabis. Those can style filters offer a lot more resistance than the square box style filters so even with the smaller fan, the box filters should be perfectly fine. leaving plenty of force for air extraction.

[@Jawst]

better late than never 😅

[@ChildrenOfOwls]

Builds fume hood for safety: Still wears short sleeves in it EDIT: Jokes aside, I'm glad you're taking steps to be safer, we don't want to lose a chemtuber

[@TheOneAndOnlyNeuromod]

My only question is - how do you handle the output - are you running it through activated carbon or just venting out? I feel you on the hot garage - same with Texas - just load up a shop fan at the least and keep the air flowing.

[@custos3249]

Are we taking bets on how long it'll take him to fog up the acrylic?

[@Chemixtrea]

Way to go!

[@SetTheCurve]

My biggest question is: does your fan motor create sparks?

[@LabCoatz_Science]

Probably. If my hood ever ends up in a situation where that becomes a issue though, it will probably be due to something else going horribly wrong, in which case I might have bigger issues to manage lol.

[@TheOneAndOnlyNeuromod]

You woodworking people need to chill. I think he did alright. And he made what he intended and it works. Sometimes, you have to do it yourself, and figure it out yourself - and you just want to get back to work.

[@sobertillnoon]

How did you not already have a fume hood???

[@LabCoatz_Science]

At first, I didn't feel like I needed one. Most of my chemistry was pretty safe, and when it wasn't, I just opened the garage door, put on a full-face respirator, and limited my exposure time. But, the odors I've produced have made the people living with me uncomfortable (mostly from the smell of certain solvents or sulfur compounds, nothing seriously harmful), and since I've been planning to work with some more "interesting" chemicals, it felt like the right time to build a hood.

[@polishonion6292]

17:00 Perfect

[@blablabla1000able]

Would have liked to see it with a reaction that produces lots of visible fumes.

[@Robb403]

Was it the accident or the ER bill that got your attention? Anyway, this is OK for a beginners fume hood. There are different grades rated for different types of chemistry and it's important that you understand the limits of yours. You appear to have used a booster fan and clothes dryer ductwork. Understand that it can't handle certain chemicals. If the blower isn't a sealed brushless type, it wouldn't be safe with flammables. So, read up on what your components limitations are and don't blow yourself up.

[@LabCoatz_Science]

Honestly, it was more because I've been meaning to do so anyway, and this was a good excuse to finally build it. I'm planning to work with more risky chemicals (I just finished working with formaldehyde, and hydrogen fluoride looks like it'll be on the list soon), and also the people I'm living with are tired of smelling the solvents I frequently need to distill. I'm aware of my hoods limitations, but considering I don't frequently pump large volumes of corrosive gas through my reactions, I'm hoping it will hold up for a decent amount of time.

[@lagrangiankid378]

​@Kalle1995If he can make that much chlorine without even smelling it, it's a decent setup.

[@justinbanks2380]

32:23 you're not supposed to be THAT into chemistry 😂

[@FlaccidNamerTag]

Question about the fan you choose: Do the internals of the fan have exposed metals? Just wondering about possible corrosion to the fan's internals could cause the fan to stop working if something like the motor is exposed. I also dont know if the fan is expensive or not in the first place 🤷

[@LabCoatz_Science]

Not sure, but I have been concerned by the same thought...the fan itself wasn't terribly expensive, but I would rather not replace it every time after I use HCl or chlorine. If it does fail, I will definitely be looking to more resilient options!

[@chemdelic]

@@LabCoatz_ScienceI use a plastic bladed exhaust fan made for cannabis. Works very well, however when I had to boil down an aqueous solution of HCl it did fuck my fan up a little. It still works, it just went from super quiet to jet engine in the shed.

[@rick5078]

@@LabCoatz_Science all the internals of those fans are exposed to the air/fumes that goes through it. hence my suggestion in my comment of adding those square activated carbon filters and maybe hepa filters. They are cheaper than the typical filters used for cannabis cultivation, while still just as effective.

[@mfree80286]

I'm willing to bet the fan's using an induction motor... or at least I hope so. There aren't any electrical contacts in those, the coils are part of the frame and spin a solid rotor. Still have to worry about the bearings, but if you get in there and give the exposed part a liberal smearing with plumber's grease (silicone grease) they should be fairly protected. The inside of that power strip is probably already green, though.

[@rick5078]

@@mfree80286 Those cheap fans usually arent sealed and have the coils exposed. Though even if the coils are sealed, the plastic of those cheap fans get affected easily by fumes such as acetone fumes.

[@assabjorn]

Be yourself it’s=called scientist -hello be you ok professor and all normally people will thank you

[@jamesleishman8025]

Are you going to put a filter on?

[@justinbanks2380]

26:45 Tom from fire&explosion would say you failed because it's yellow 😂 (before anyone tries and 'well actually' me, I know chlorine gas is supposed to be yellow, lol)

[@stroopyy]

brother i have a fume hood right below my eyes

[@lrmackmcbride7498]

That fan is not going to be sufficient if the hood is open more than 8 inches. You need a 100 fpm face velocity. For a 3 foot opening that is going to be less than 8 inches.

[@lrmackmcbride7498]

Ps. Chlorine smell is not the worst. But you are a lot better than other people even if it doesn't meet osha requirements.

[@LabCoatz_Science]

Correct. Normally, I only have it open 6" or less, so it should be fine until I can afford something larger.

[@JamesWoerner]

My goodness, you're precious. Y'know, you could just buy a used fume hood for a couple hundred bucks... ❤

[@makylemur7019]

You should have a current copy of Bretherick's Handbook of Reactive Chemical Hazards.

[@llopgui]

please, dont do woodworking ever again, was very painful, you are a chemistry master. 😆🤣😘😜

[@markedis5902]

Everyone needs to learn, but I agree it was painful

[@llopgui]

@@markedis5902 jk, just a kinda meme/troll comment 😆😜

[@justinbanks2380]

I saw this comment as the video started playing... 😂 It's gonna be a good one! (Being myself more woodworker than chemist, lol)

[@geertmyny9279]

Exactly 😂😂😂

[@TheOneAndOnlyNeuromod]

I think he did alright. He ended up solving the problem he needed to solve - and making what he wanted to make - that’s success for DIY - no wasted money on outside help, and he did it.

[@Sucralose2]

"I didn't wanna be unsafe so I enabled myself" *makes flourine gas* hey btw where is your fume hood venting, just like... onto the ground? and the garage door is also open and passively sucking air back in?

[@littleCHEMMICAL]

I am glad you seem to take your health more seriously now. I was afraid to subscribe because I worried I might unintentionally support and enable your self-destruction and recklessness.

[@talkingdot]

hey wait, a fellow Okie doing cool and dangerous chemistry like me?!