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How to Make an Activated Charcoal Ashtray

Activated charcoal is found in many types of air and water filters, and it excels at removing the odors caused by smoking. You can build your own smokeless ashtray, powered by a computer's USB port. You can use a standard desk lamp as the basis of your smokeless astray. This requires wiring a fan to the lamp to pull the smoke into the activated charcoal.

Things You'll Need

USB cable
Utility knife
Wire strippers
Heat shrink tubing
Desk lamp
Screwdriver
Modelling glue
PC cooling fan
Soldering iron
Hair dryer
Metal ashtray
Activated charcoal filter

Instructions

- 1
  Cut the end off of the USB cable with the utility knife. Strip 1/2-inch of insulation from the wires with the wire strippers. Slide heat shrink tubing over the end of the wires.
- 2
  Twist together the wires for the USB cable to the wires for the PC cooling fan. Solder the wires using a soldering iron. Slide the heat shrink tubing back up so it covers the soldered area. Shrink the tubing using the hair dryer.
- 3
  Unscrew the socket from the desk lamp, and then remove the cover. Apply the modeling glue along the edges of the PC cooling fan. Insert the fan into the cover and press to adhere the glue.
- 4
  Remove the bottom cover of the desk lamp with the screwdriver. Locate the wires for the power switch and remove them using the soldering iron. Solder the remaining wire from the USB cable to the power switch.
- 5
  Reassemble the lamp and then plug the USB cable into a USB port on your computer. Turn on the lamp to verify that the fan is working.
- 6
  Glue the metal ashtray to the base of the lamp. Place the activated charcoal filter into the light socket hole in the cover.

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