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Relatively Poor Mans Laminar Flow hood
    #6792902 -

THE RELATIVELY POOR-MANS LAMINAR FLOW HOOD.


Ok, first off it's my duty to state this concept isn't originally mine, and that I have not yet constructed one myself, though am at the moment. Credit is due to one Philip Ross... you may worry about which one if you wish.




OVERVIEW:

This project uses a small off the shelf hepa air filtration device and a plastic "tote" type bin with clear sides to make an effective micro laminar flow hood. The filter being mounted 50/50 in and outside of the Bin. Very inexpensive in a relative sense. Some of the lab grade ones end up costing a LOT more cash than most of us have.



MATERIAL LIST:

1.) A small, boxish type home air purifier with HEPA technology. Available in stores like Wal-Mart etc. for roughly $30.

2.) White, silicone based caulk sealant. Not sure, but it can't be more than $5.

3.) Translucent plastic file bin or whatever. Just make sure you can see through it. A total cost of approximately $5.

4.) Drill and drill bit (This is only to create a suitable start point for the required cuts in the BOTTOM of the bin. It's not required so long as a CLEAN cut can be achieved). The bits might be replaced by a hot poker or something of similar effect. If you seriously must have everything prim and proper you can expect to pay around $40 if you're CHEAP this would be a good area to cut costs.

5.) A bleach and water solution (preferably coupled with a water spritzer for later sanitation reasons. The bleach is $1 and the spritzer is $3 making a grand total of $5 after tax.

6.) Key hole saw or jig. I know they can be purchased for roughly $5 at franchised hardware stores.

7.) A bottle of isopropyl rubbing alcohol. $1.



PROCEDURE:

1.) Fashion the hole

1a.) Determine the outermost perimeter of the air purifier then (with a permanent marker) trace the outline onto the bin.

1b.) Drill or burn the pilot holes at the corners of the line you just made.

1c.) Use your key-hole saw and cut out your outline. BE PRECISE (WITH EVERYTHING!).

2.) Insert your HEPA air purifier.

2a.) Insert the air purifier in the outline hole. Make sure the intake side of the unit is on the outside of the chamber. Stabilize the two pieces the best way you see fit.

2b.) Now seal the gap with the caulk. I recommend doing it on the inside AND outside if at all possible (safety IS key afterall).

3.) Cleaning your hood (which should be regular maintenance between every operation).

3a.) Use a warm soapy water to clean the hoods surfaces inside and out.

3b.) Use the bleach water and spritzer to disinfect ALL surfaces as well.

3c.) To cater an added sense of paranoia one should start the fan and further sterilize the inside of the hood with rubbing alcohol.



END PROCEDURE:

There you have it, one very inexpensive laminar flow hood, micro. What you do with it from there is up to you. There are many things. Enjoy!

Extras: Filter Print Post Top
Re: Relatively Poor Mans Laminar Flow hood [Re: stinkbuttdog]
    #6792938 -

HEPA is a designation that gets thrown around a lot these days.

You want really high efficiency filters (+99.97% @ 0.3 microns) if you want an acceptable success rate using a flow hood.

I wouldn't trust a $30 purifier.


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Re: Relatively Poor Mans Laminar Flow hood [Re: Hypercube]
    #6792942 -

.2 isn't good enough? I found one for $20 today.


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:regularshroom: :amanitajar: :1upshroom:  :dancingshroom: 至高教祖菌専斎 will bless with GREAT SUCCESS!!! (CLICK HERE!!!) (AND HERE!!!):dancingshroom:  :1upshroom: :amanitajar: :1up: 



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Re: Relatively Poor Mans Laminar Flow hood [Re: stinkbuttdog]
    #6792965 -

What is its efficiency rating?


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Re: Relatively Poor Mans Laminar Flow hood [Re: Hypercube]
    #6792989 -

It has an onboard ionizer and has a rating of 99.97%


--------------------
:regularshroom: :amanitajar: :1upshroom:  :dancingshroom: 至高教祖菌専斎 will bless with GREAT SUCCESS!!! (CLICK HERE!!!) (AND HERE!!!):dancingshroom:  :1upshroom: :amanitajar: :1up: 



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Re: Relatively Poor Mans Laminar Flow hood [Re: stinkbuttdog]
    #6793002 -

Well damn!
I'm interested to hear how it works out for you.


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Re: Relatively Poor Mans Laminar Flow hood [Re: Hypercube]
    #6793016 -

I suggest all try it who wish to have one of these flow hoods!

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Re: Relatively Poor Mans Laminar Flow hood [Re: stinkbuttdog]
    #6793048 -

post some pics of your creation:borat:


--------------------
TRUST IN THE FLUSH

Take Salvia Cuttings Successfully

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Re: Relatively Poor Mans Laminar Flow hood [Re: flushme]
    #6793068 -

It's been done dozens of times before. I hate to burst your bubble, but they don't work, and they don't produce laminar flow. If they did, we wouldn't be spending several hundred dollars on a 12 X 24.

Laminar flow HEPA's are at least 5" thick and made from aluminum and ceramic, not paper.
RR


--------------------
Download Let's Grow Mushrooms



semper in excretia sumus solim profundum variat

"I've never had a failed experiment.  I've only discovered 10,000 methods which do not work."
Thomas Edison

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Re: Relatively Poor Mans Laminar Flow hood [Re: RogerRabbit]
    #6793079 -

How about the ionizer function? It's true, the filter itself is pitifully small, but couple it with an ionizer, what would that do?
(The filter is 1" thick with two pre-filters prior to the High-Efficency)

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Re: Relatively Poor Mans Laminar Flow hood [Re: flushme]
    #6793090 -

I should have pics done up tomorrow. And for the record so we all may lay this one to rest, I shall perform tests as well so we may have user tested results for a change... I hate just giving up, I wouldn't do this for a hobby otherwise!

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Re: Relatively Poor Mans Laminar Flow hood [Re: RogerRabbit]
    #7271621 -

what if you took a squirrel cage fan that you would use to clear a room of dust. of course it would probably have to be a smaller one. but if you put that in an pre cut hole and sealed it couldnt u stick a hepa filter in frome of the fan and one over another hole cut in the box wouldnt that work? it would fan it out with enough pressure i would think. then just seal her up after getting some gloves installed. dunno might be a dumb idea or already thought of. just sayin


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Eat right stay fit DIE anyways.

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Re: Relatively Poor Mans Laminar Flow hood [Re: stinkbuttdog]
    #7273171 -

Don't call it a "laminar" flow hood, because the flow won't be laminar.

However, despite what RR said, it does work. I've built two myself and tested them with open petri dishes.

It's not the same as a laminar flow hood, but they are commonly used in the lab. RR continues to dispute me even though I've posted several pictures of non-laminar flow hoods made by professional biotech companies and detailed my experiences with them in several threads.

I can assure you that they do work, however there are several tricks to getting them to work right. You have to make sure that your opening is small enough that you maintain a constant outward flow across the entire opening. There is the possibility of generating eddies at the edges of the opening which can suck dirty air back into your chamber. You need to make sure that your flow is adequate to make sure these eddies form on the outside rather than the inside of your flow hood. You also need to make sure that your HEPA unit is sealed. That is to say that some filters suck in air after the HEPA, and some have "blow by" where some air goes around instead of through the HEPA. Hot glue and duct tape can solve most of those problems.

I don't have the time to summarize everything about flow hood design, but I've posted many times on the subject before. I just did a search of my posts and have come up with a few threads that you will find informative. RR and I have argued many times on the subject and you would do well to read these threads and decide for yourself weather it's worth it to build one yourself or just pony up the cash for an very expensive professional one. I've had great results with homemade non-laminar flow hoods, but YMMV.

Below are some threads showing and describing designs that myself and others have made and used with good success. I also go into details about design and building. PM me if you have any specific questions as I might not check this thread again.

http://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/5925679
http://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/5906909
http://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/5888185
http://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/5876374

Here are some pics of another member's design. I built one similar but much more heavily constructed. He claims that it works well and I believe him. My design used countertop material and had a sliding front piece of plexiglass.





No disrespect RR, but we have argued this in the past and I continue to disagree with you. Laminar flow is not a requirement to have a sterile chamber. The only requirement is proper filtration and a one way flow of air.


-FF

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Re: Relatively Poor Mans Laminar Flow hood [Re: fastfred]
    #7273343 -

Laminar flow will prevent eddy currents that swirl contaminants into your work. If a $20 paper filter that is 2" thick could replace a 6" to 11" thick ceramic filter that costs ten times as much, we'd all be doing it. I have four or five of those plastic 'hepa' filters. . .stacked on top of each other collecting dust in my storage shed. The rate of contamination when I did the above suggested tek was higher than when using my still air glovebox.
RR


--------------------
Download Let's Grow Mushrooms



semper in excretia sumus solim profundum variat

"I've never had a failed experiment.  I've only discovered 10,000 methods which do not work."
Thomas Edison

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