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DIY Dust Collector For Cleaner Workshop Air
A lot of dust can be generated in the workshop, especially with power tools. The dust is neither healthy nor pleasant to breathe. Effective air filtration in small workshops need not be expensive or complicated, here we show how to make a cheap effective versatile air filter for dust and particles from a box fan, furnace filter(s), and 3-D printed clips (or the handyman’s secret weapon: duct tape). For years in our wood shop we’ve used this 20″ box fan with a fine 20″ wide furnace filter taped over the back or inlet side of the fan. Having served us long and well she’s past retirement condition, so I worked in some upgrades while replacing it. I love duct tape as much as the next hacker or DIY’er (RIP Red Green), but I never liked its permanence in this application. The fan made a great air filter but no longer could easily be used to move more air for ventilation, so I designed and 3D printed some simple brackets that allow easy placement, removal, and exchange of different filters on two of our fans. At home I also use the more fiberous high flow air filters to collect the majority of over spray when spray painting. I designed the bracket in FreeCAD, 3D printed it and a mirror copy in Polymaker PLA on the makerspace’s Quidi 3 Plus 3D printer. The source FreeCAD file, STL, and Step files are included in this zip. The part is simple, but I was sure to design in generous tolerances and an access hole for the screwdriver needed to install the part (two concepts I wish the VORON team had embraced as well as Prusa has). I had to select longer sheet metal screws from the makerspace’s generous eclectic fastener collection, as the stock screws were only long enough to hold the grating on, with no length to spare. Now filters are easily dropped into the brackets and removed. There is no need for a tight fit in the brackets as when the fan is on the filter is drawn tightly to the rear grating. So happy with the first one, I printed and installed a second set on the other fan. I noticed a slight difference in the dimensions of the second fans plastic grating caused the brackets to be bent outward slightly. I could have updated the dimensions of the design and printed another set, or I could have used a knife to shave a little plastic off the edge of the fan grating, but I decided the easiest thing to do would be use a heat gun to deform the brackets on the fan, which could even have been done with a hair dryer on PLA. Bonus content: Big Feet You may have noticed that we replaced our fan’s feet with boards. We find the fans are far less likely to tip, blow, or get knocked over in the shop with the broader base, which also turns out to be more durable than the stock plastic fan feet. (The first thing I ever designed for 3D printing was a replacement foot for a 20″ box fan ) Note the base extends farther from the back of the fan than the front to better handle the force of the airflow. One fan has a base held on with zip ties, the other employs sheet metal screws. One of the zip ties had broken, that was an easy repair. While I had the back grating off I replaced the broken zip tie through the spacer we fortunately had not lost, tightened, and cut off the plastic end with end nippers so as not to leave sharp corners. The other fan had not yet had its base replaced but Tom and I decided to re-use the base from a fan that we wore out last year and chose to install it with more sheet metal screws. We carefully aligned the foot to the bottom of the fan and clamped the foot to the table, then punched the hole locations to the sheet metal. After drilling the pilot holes (not pictured) we selected four matching broad head short sheet metal screws and assembled the fan base. Voila! Two affordable versatile shop air filters with the bonus of a sturdy base. What will you make at your makerspace? The post DIY Dust Collector For Cleaner Workshop Air first appeared on Workshop88 .
IFS 1707
Spark Curiosity: 3 Hands-On STEM Projects to Try at Home This Weekend
As autumn settles in and the days get shorter, it can be a challenge to keep young minds engaged and excited. That’s where a little hands-on STEM fun comes in! Below are three simple but powerful projects you can try at home this weekend – no expensive gear required. These activities foster critical thinking, creativity, and confidence (all things we nurture here at MakerKids), while also giving your child a chance to be creative, build, and experiment. If these mini-projects spark curiosity, we’d love to help carry it further. Our Weekly Classes , PA-Day Camps , and Birthday Party STEM experiences are designed to amplify that maker-momentum with guided challenges, peer collaboration, and access to 3D printers, robotics kits, Minecraft modding, and more. Build a Balloon-Powered Car What you’ll need: a balloon, a small cardboard or foam board base, four bottle caps for wheels, two skewers or straws, tape, and a little imagination. Why it works: This project gives kids a tangible way to explore forces (air pressure pushing the balloon-car forward) and engineering design (how do the wheels turn? what shape is the base?). It’s simple to set up and easy to iterate: change wheel size, angle the balloon differently, increase balloon volume, and measure speed. Tip: Challenge your child: “Can you tweak the car so it travels farther? Faster? Or turns?” These open-ended prompts build a ‘maker mindset’ — trial, error, redesign. Parent moment: Use questions like: “What changed when you used a larger balloon?” or “Why do you think your car went farther on carpet vs. tile?” These deepen the learning. Code Without a Computer What you’ll need: a hallway or room, sticky notes, and a willing sibling/friend or parent. Why it works: Often at MakerKids , we say coding isn’t just about screens—it’s about thinking logically. In this activity, you’ll write a “program” (sequence of commands like: “take two steps forward”, “turn left”, “hop once”, “raise hands”) on sticky notes and have your child execute them blindly. Then swap roles. Maker challenge: Who can write the shortest program that still gets the “robot” to reach the goal? What happens if you add errors or loops (“repeat until you hit the wall”)? Parent moment: You’re modelling debugging: when the robot doesn’t reach the goal, together review the commands, fix them, and try again. This is core to how real programmers work. Leaf-Powered Boat Race What you’ll need: leaves from the backyard (or nearby park), small trays of water (bathtub, sink, or buckets), straws, paper sails, and tape. Why it works: This combines natural materials and engineering: kids build tiny boats and test how leaf bases move through water when pushed by wind (a straw’s puff). They observe fluid resistance, sail design, buoyancy, and experimentation. Maker challenge: Which leaf shape works best? Does a bigger sail help? What about weight (adding small pebbles)? Encourage recording times, distances, or even making graphs of results. Parent moment: Share a story: Engineers often look to nature for inspiration. Leaves, shells, birds. Nature’s designs are full of lessons. Why These Projects Matter At MakerKids , we believe that real learning happens when kids make – when they explore, tinker, tweak, break, and rebuild. These experiences don’t just teach “coding” or “engineering” in isolation – they build confidence, curiosity, resilience, and the joy of discovery. Here’s what these hands-on adventures give your kid: Agency: I made this. I changed it. That gives ownership and pride. The first try might not work. And that’s okay. It’s part of the process. Cross-disciplinary Skills: A balloon car project touches physics, design, measurement, and even art. Story & Meaning: Kids remember what they created, not just what they’ve been taught. Getting Started – A Few Tips Set up a Maker Zone: Even just a small table or tray where materials live helps signal that it’s time to create. Gather materials ahead of time: Many of these projects use everyday stuff. A quick trip to the backyard, fridge, or recycling box can be golden. Let them lead: Ask “What do you want your project to do?” rather than prescribing the goal. Celebrate the failures: When the car doesn’t run or the boat sinks, ask, “What might we change?” These are rich learning moments. Document it: Have kids take a photo of their build. Record a mini-video explaining their design. Reflection deepens learning. Let’s make this season one of curiosity, creation and confidence. Your kid doesn’t just use tech, they build with it. Happy making! October 24, 2025 The post Spark Curiosity: 3 Hands-On STEM Projects to Try at Home This Weekend appeared first on MakerKids .