What is best material to make a vent hood?

dwgrant · #1 2012-03-02, 11:29am

I have read the threads on ventilation, but I haven't seen a discussion on what is the best material to use to construct a ventilation hood. I assume a vent hood needs to be made of a noncombustible material, but beyond that, what are the pros and cons.

Cement board: easy to find, can cut with a saw, but will be very heavey to hang.

Sheet metal: difficult to do yourself, I can't find anything on how to build yourself. If I go to a metal fabrication place with a design, what material and what thickness (gauge) should I ask for? (with cost in mind).

what other materials have people used? Aluminum siding? Foil backed insulation board?

Thank-you in advance for any comments.

Darrell

Lorraine Chandler · #2 2012-03-02, 11:30am

Mine is wood and plexiglass.

laserglass · #3 2012-03-02, 1:36pm

i have a kitchen hood, with a big ass fan on top. my baffles which extend to the bench are cement wallboard. so my hood is made of steel and cement, nothing flammable.

Three Muses Glass · #4 2012-03-05, 7:55am

I've seen pictures of someone using a water trough similar to this-
http://www.google.com/products/catal...=0CJMBEPMCMAE#

cheng076 · #5 2012-03-05, 10:22am

That trough is very similar to what GlassCraft(?) used for their hood in the kit they sold for a while.

margaret · #6 2012-04-22, 1:59pm

Lorraine, do you have a picture of your plexiglass wood set up? i need to make a hood out of something really attractive as my studio is just off the living room..

Lorraine Chandler · #7 2012-04-22, 4:18pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by margaret

Lorraine, do you have a picture of your plexiglass wood set up? i need to make a hood out of something really attractive as my studio is just off the living room..

That was my old set up, and I don't have a pic sorry. The one I have now is a frame from a metal shelving unit with plexiglass sides, back and front baffle. It captures fumes very well and my exhaust blower is killer! Here is a pic of it.

http://lampworketc.com/forums/showth...trailer&page=2

Posts numbers 10, 30 and 55 is where you can see the plexiglass and the baffle on the top front.

AmorphousDesigns · #8 2012-04-22, 4:29pm

here is how I made my cheap vent hood:

. went to a recycling type place that has lots of discards from home refurb/remodels and found a large SS kitchen hood

. asked a friend to cut SS sheet metal back/sides (1 large piece bent into shape).

. stood the back/sides piece on my table and mounted the hood to the studs at the right height to meet the back/sides

. used aluminum tape to seal the back/sides piece to the hood piece

. had a contractor mount & wire a free exhaust fan (he had leftover from restaurant remodel) and small amount of ducting

. voila