a task specific desk fan
Temperature control is not only important for things like computers and other sensitive equipment, it’s also pretty important for the organic components of the working environment (namely me). Now that i am drawing pretty much exclusively on the Cintiq, there is only one little issue i have with it and that is the fact that the area where my hand usually rests has a tendency to get pretty warm. Hot, even.
This issue is pretty easily solved by directing air flow from a desktop fan over the surface of the cintiq (you can see the fan i’m using to do this in this photo of my work area.) It’s not something that needs to be on all the time, in fact i hate to have air blowing on me all the time. It works fine, cools things down, and then i turn it off.
The problem is that this little Honeywell desk fan, as good as it is, is a little TOO good. Even at it’s lowest setting, the air flow is too high to be blowing on my hand like that. So as dumb as it sounds, i’m looking for a solution. Pretty easy, right? There are lots of fans out there to choose from.
Well, not really. What i want is a small fan that makes very little noise, is of high enough quality that it won’t burn out after a month of use, and has variable fan speeds (not the 2 or 3 settings that most fans have). Someone has to make a fan like that, right?
Not that i’ve seen so far. -_-
The closest i’ve come to seeing something that will probably do the job is one of these two Vornado fans, the “Zippi” desk fan or the “Flippi” desk fan (could they have stupider sounding names?). One of these will probably do the trick, but it’s STILL not quite what i was looking for…
The thought struck me that what would be REALLY cool would be a custom fan of some sort that was made using CPU or Computer Case cooling fans and some sort of control with a potentiometer to adjust the fan speed to whatever felt most comfortable… it might be something i could even cobble together myself.
Any thoughts?
(and this kind of thing is exactly what the fredart blog is perfect for, little stuff like this :P)
May 8th, 2008 at 3:09 pm
Did you check the Zippi “Vornado”? At least the name is cool - http://www.amazon.com/Vornado-FA1-0007-06-Zippi-Desk-Black/dp/B000E19MQ8/ref=pd_sim_k_img_1
May 8th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
Piro… dude..
that fan you got is running directly from the current in the wall, rigth?
no fancy converter inside it but a resistor wich you can put in preset levels where the lowest isn’t low enough…
here’s what you do..
you get your hands on an adjustable resistor, kinda like the one you have for lightbulbs wich dims the light, and you place it between your fan and the wall.
I actually have one lying around (set for 220V though since I’m in Denmark) and I’m sure that somewhere in the states you can purchase such a thing, maybe as a set you solder together yourself.
by placing such a box before the fan you will be able to adjust the input current and lower the lowest level on your fan to what you prefer.
hope this proves a possible sollution, keep up the good work
May 8th, 2008 at 4:01 pm
forgot to read the finishing remark concerning it running from the cpu.. got an idea though, hit me up on the mail and I’ll explain
May 8th, 2008 at 4:06 pm
As for making one, just buy that fan component, get a variable resistor (one of those little sliding things), and a battery holder of some kind, wire them together, and ta-da, you have an adjustable fan.
May 8th, 2008 at 4:37 pm
Perhaps a desktop ionic breeze. Not sure where to find one but its a thought none the less.
May 8th, 2008 at 5:11 pm
Hmm…everyone seems to be pointing in the same direction…specifically, hook up an existing fan to a dimmer switch.
The nice thing is that is a fairly easy project, and you don’t really even need to modify the fan itself. Just get yourself a double-gang electrical box for wet environments, a wall outlet, a dimmer switch (analog or digital, it shouldn’t matter…analog would be less expensive) and a lamp cord. Wire them together, plug your new dimmer control into the wall, then plug your fan into the control. Viola!
May 8th, 2008 at 5:39 pm
kind of like this, huh?
http://tinyurl.com/6mkobl
or a ready made ones:
http://tinyurl.com/ad3q7
The only concerns i have is that of heat and fire hazard. This is the fan i’ll be powering:
http://tinyurl.com/b4392
I’ll have to poke at this, it might be just the solution. A well assembled version of the DIY modification listed about might be the safest.
May 8th, 2008 at 7:37 pm
Slightly different variation, but yes, it’s the same concept.
Depending on the dimmer you get (think ceiling fan controller), heat won’t be much of a concern, and you shouldn’t have much fire hazard concern as long as you follow basic wiring safety. Considering the galvanized switchbox that DIY link uses, you can get cable clamps (which I notice he doesn’t use) to hold the wire in place so you won’t pull it out accidentally.
May 8th, 2008 at 7:47 pm
Hm… There’s a Radio Shack at Briarwood.
May 8th, 2008 at 8:08 pm
I had a similar problem to this once. I solved it by buying a dimmer switch (Available at any hardware store that carries electrical supplies) and installing it so that it controlled the outlet my fan was plugged into, the dimmer switch worked perfectly and cost me no more than $20, a couple of hours work and a rather nasty cut on my hand where the screwdriver slipped (my fault)
Maybe something similar would help here?
May 9th, 2008 at 12:02 am
Well, I don’t know how adjustable the fan is, but there’s this:
http://www.thinkgeek.com/clearance/gadgetscomputing/9573/
And it’s on sale right now, so who cares if you don’t need the crappy webcam that comes with it!
May 9th, 2008 at 12:49 am
Too much voltage on your Honeywell? Voltage divider it down with a resistor connected between the two prongs.
May 9th, 2008 at 1:33 am
Fred:
FWIW, the Owner’s Manual for that particular fan says “To Reduce The Risk of Fire or Electric Shock, Do Not Use This Fan With Any Solid-State Speed Control Device”. Also, pretty much any of the ready made slide style dimmers, like http://tinyurl.com/ad3q7 are made only for the load that a lamp would put on them. Not the load that an AC motor, such as the kind in the fan you’re thinking of, would put on them.
That said, putting a varistor in the fan’s power cord is a good idea. You’ll probably want to use something rated for fans, as Knightsabre recommends, rather than lights. Get one like http://tinyurl.com/58jm8a (the variable speed one) and to put it into a case like http://tinyurl.com/3lztzf. Or, for a bit more electrical safety, please take a look at http://tinyurl.com/4obfzw. Of course, you’ll need to put it in something like http://tinyurl.com/3zmrmc.
Your idea of using a variable voltage control on DC powered fans is a very workable solution if you don’t mind putting in the work. Here’s the rub. You’ll need an AC/DC adapter to change the 120vAC house voltage to the 5-12vDC that most computer fans look for. http://tinyurl.com/66ctzy should turn the trick. Just put your variable speed control device between the adapter and the fan(s). For putting together a variable speed DC controller may I suggest that you have a look at http://tinyurl.com/58jqxe or http://tinyurl.com/3pzt2r?
Happy motoring.
May 9th, 2008 at 1:36 pm
Get a small 12v solar panel and a fan that uses 12v power. To make it go faster or slower, cover and uncover part of the panel or re-aim more or less directly at the light source. This solves the variable speed problem and also makes it a simple do-it-yourself. It would run off being place in the window during the day and under a strong lamp that’s probably already used when drawing at night.
May 9th, 2008 at 4:29 pm
I have absolutely nothing to contribute to your search. However, the idea of calling a fan “seksi” absolutely kills me.
The end.
May 9th, 2008 at 5:15 pm
Just a word of caution before attempting speed control of a cheesy little portable fan motor DON’T speed controllers must be suitably matched to the motor and a dimmer is for lights. mismatching them will turn wasted energy to heat (motor heat) and well you get the idea.