Project: Clean Box

This is actually something I built back in September, that I wanted to share and write a little bit about.

Because of several factors, our house is always dirty:  we live in a dirty city, the windows are very drafty, and we get lots of wind.  For that reason, I wanted to be able to protect some of my electronic office equipment from the dirt.  However, you can't just put them in a box, or they'll overheat.  But unfiltered ventilation is just as bad.  So here's what I did:

I started with a wooden box that I purchased in the Cancha (same as in the dehydrator project) for 150Bs ($21.83).

Again, the Dremel 400XPR that I brought from the US came in very handy (shown with circle-cutter).

  
I cut a hole a rectangular hole in one end and set in an air filter (for a Toyota Corolla) for which I paid 38Bs ($5.53).

In the other end, I cut a circular hole, stuck on some screen (to keep little fingers out!).

  
The 6" computer fan cost 25Bs ($3.64).  The power supply for it was 35Bs ($5.09).  The power strip was a burned up unit I picked up for free from another missionary, which I then gutted and reworked.

I used some wood scraps to make a rack in the lid for paper storage.

Now our backup hard drive, wireless router, battery charger, and Vonage phone adapter live in clean comfort, with plenty of room for more, all for the low price of $31!  The interface cables are passed through notches in the wall of the box.

I keep an indoor/outdoor thermometer on it to monitor the interior temperature.  So far, it's doing great!