USB Fan | Stylish | Portable

Hi! Friends, In this tutorial I would like to show how to make a stylish and portable USB Fan for your desk. This design of USB Fan is inspired by an image that I have seen a couple of months ago which was a ready made product. And then I have decided to make one myself. In this project, the desk fan is powered by a USB cable so it can an be connected to your laptop, power bank, wall adapter etc. We use a PVC connector for the body, fan blade from a CPU Fan and 3-6 V DC motor (4800 rpm). You can also use a ready made fan blade for the motor from electronic shops or online stores. I prefer to use one from the CPU Fan just because I like it's design. The fan is supported by a leather strip to place it comfortably on your desk. Finally, whole parts are spray painted flat white.

[I'am not a native English speaker. So kindly forgive if my English is poor.]

Materials Required:

1. Fan Blade. Taken from an old CPU fan. You can also find a fan blade for hobbyist.
2. 3-6 V DC Motor (4800 rpm).
3. USB Cable.
4. 3/4" End Cap.
5. 2 3/4" PVC Connector.
6. Leather Strip or Foam sheet.
7. Wooden Stick.
8. Nut & Bolt

Tools Required:

1. Drill Machine.
2. Hot Glue Gun.
3. Screw Driver.
4. Soldering Iron Kit.
5. Flex Kwik. (Solvent Cement)
6. Hack Saw Blade.

The schematic of the USB fan is so simple. The fan blade is attached to the motor shaft using a plastic motor fitting that comes along with the DC motor. DC motor is attached to a self made motor mount and is powered by a USB cable (Black and Red wire). Motor turns with a maximum speed of 4800 rpm. The motor mount is fixed inside a 2 3/4 " PVC connector.

As we all know, the fan blade in a CPU fan blow air into the heat sink from outside.

Image 1:

1) In this project, in order to use this fan blade as a desk fan, it should rotate in clock wise direction with the inner face facing outward as shown in image 1.

2-4) Now, turn the fan blade upside down and place the plastic motor fitting at the center of the fan blade. Glue them using Flex Kwik ( a solvent cement).

Image 2:

1-4) This is an optional step. I would like to fill the empty hole in the front face of the fan blade using Plaster of Paris. It's light in weight (dry), does not form cracks and gives a smooth surface. So mix POP and water in a 2:1 ratio as required.

5-6) Pour the mixture into the empty space in the front side of the fan blade. Keep it untouched for a few hours.

7-9) Then using a 320 grit sand paper clean the surface of fan blade. And then it's painted flat white.

To make the motor mount,

Image 1:

1) Take the 2 3/4" PVC connector and mark it's internal circumference on a paper.

2) To find the center of the circle, draw a chord anywhere in the circle.

3-5) Draw a perpendicular line to that chord through it's middle point. Now we get the diameter of the circle.

6-9) Again draw a perpendicular to that diameter through it's middle point. Now the point at which both the diameters intersect is the center of the circle.

Image 2:

1) Extend the diameters outward.

2-4) Place the wooden sticks along the diameter as shown in the image. And using the flex kwik join them together.

5-9) Now trace that line on the wooden sticks through which the circumference of the circle pass behind. And cut the sticks at the markings using a hack saw so that it just fits into the PVC connector.

Image 3:

1-2) Drill a hole at the center of the wooden stick cross.

3-4) Now take the 3/4" end cap and drill a hole at it's center.

5-7) Place the end cap on the wooden stick cross as shown in the image. And using flex kwik join them together. Finally, it's also spray painted flat white.

Image 1:

1-2) Take the 2 3/4" PVC connector and drill a hole not too far from the bottom,

3-5) Take the leather strip and draw the template as shown in the image. The strip should have a length so that it fits to the PVC connector as shown in image 3.

6-9) Cut the template from the leather strip and drill a hole at both the ends of the strip.

Image 2:

1-5) Now place the strip on the PVC connector as shown in the image. Mark the points on the PVC connector at the drilled holes of the leather strip. And then drill holes at the markings on the PVC connector.

Image 3:

1) Both the PVC connector and leather strip are spray painted flat white.

2-7) Now attach the leather strip to the PVC connector using nut and bolt as shown in the image. Make sure that the flat side of the leather template comes below so that it could keep the fan in position on a flat surface. It's not necessary to tight the nuts too much so that the leather strip could rotate freely.

Image 1:

1-2) Take the USB cable and remove the green and white wire. We just need the red and black wire.

3) Now, insert the USB wire through the hole in the PVC connector.

4) And pass it through the motor mount as shown in the image.

5) Now, solder the red and black wire to the respective pins on motor so that the motor turns in the clockwise direction.

Image 2:

1-2) Using hot glue gun fix the motor inside the motor mount.

3-4) Attach the fan blade to the motor shaft.

5-6) Now place the motor mount along with the fan bade into the PVC connector and glue them together with flex kwik.

So we have our USB fan on the desk. Power it using a 5 V wall adapter or your Laptop USB port. Its recommended to use a noiseless DC motor for smooth functioning.

And please share your opinions and suggestions for this project.

Thanks For Your Precious Time!