Cheap Homemade Computer Fan Dust Filter

In a recent article I wrote, I discussed how to make a simple computer fan dust filter out of a disposable clear plastic lid and used stockings. The filter material worked very well.

Shown below is the dust filter when I took out from the computer case. Notice the grayish circles on the filter?

They look like holes, but they're not. They're actually patches of collected dust. They took on the round shape of the air vent holes. The reason for this is because the filter material (stocking) was too close to the air vent holes of the computer case cover panel.

Since the filter was almost touching the computer case, these patches on the filter quickly collected dust. Over time, the dust accummulation will clog up all the air vent holes completely.

Better Design for an Improved Computer Dust Filter

The flaw in the old design is the proximity of the filter material to the air vent holes. Because the filter and the air vent holes were almost touching, dust that was sucked tend to collect where the holes were located. Over time, the holes will effectively become clogged.

With blocked air vents, no (relatively cooler) outside air could be blown by the fan to help remove the trapped heat inside the computer. And when no air could be blown by the air-intake fan, overheating results.

One obvious solution to this would be to create a layer of space between the computer case's air vent holes and the filter material. This can be done by projecting the actual filter material outwards and away from the air vent holes. The space (2 cms in the sample build below) will prevent the computer fan from sucking the filter material towards the air vent holes.


How to Make the Cheap Homemade Computer Dust Filter

Materials

• Clear plastic lid - Old plastic lid from those disposable clear containers commonly found in supermarkets. The plastic lid should be large enough cover to the screw holes of the air-intake fan on the cover panel. See the photo below for reference.
  
  
  
  
  
• Plastic tub or container - Old plastic tub or container commonly used for margarine, butter, and other sandwich spreads. The mouth or opening of this tub should be large enough just to cover the air vent holes of the air-intake fan on the cover panel.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Old or used ladies' stockings or pantyhose - Any color of any kind of ladies stockings with fine mesh. The finer or tighter the mesh, the more dust particles may be filtered, but may restrict air flow intake for the air-intake fan.
  
  
• Masking Tape
  
  
• Rubber Band
  
  
• Hot Glue Sticks
  
  

Tools

• Phillips screwdriver
  
• Pen marker
  
• Vise grips or locking pliers
  
• Nail
  
• Candle
  
• Sharp knife, cutter or razor blade
  
• Scissors
  
• Hot glue gun
  
• Ruler
  

Procedure

1. Position the clear plastic lid over the air-intake ventilation holes. Be sure the lid covers the screw holes of the air-intake fan.
   
   
2. With a pen marker, mark points on the plastic lid where the screw holes of the air-intake fan are located. There are two marked points for the screws in the example below.
   
   
   
   
   

(See Part 2 for the continuation of this article)