DIY Desktop Fan from Old Microwave Motor

If you're interested in DIY-ing a desktop fan using the magnetron cooling fan from an old microwave, this article is worth checking out.

If you have an old microwave that's broken, and the motor of its magnetron cooling fan still runs smoothly, don't just throw it away. You can take it out, clean the plastic blades, and turn it into a homemade desktop fan. So, the question is, how do you modify it?

The materials you'll need are a wiring plug, a bookend, the microwave fan motor, and a switch.

You'll need to drill two holes in the bookend according to the mounting hole distance of the fan motor, then install it with the original screws. If you bend the bookend slightly, the airflow will be directed upwards when it's running. Next comes the simple wiring work: connect the unused switch and stick it under the base of the bookend with double-sided tape. Because the base of the bookend is quite large, it stays stable when blowing air. Finally, attach four rubber feet to the bottom to prevent slipping.

Since the fan spins pretty fast, it actually blows quite comfortably.

Another thing to note is that the exposed copper wire on the motor should be wrapped with clear tape to prevent electric shocks.

Front view of the finished fan is shown in the picture above.

Back view of the finished fan is shown in the picture above.

Top view of the finished fan is shown in the picture above.

The switch area is shown in the picture above—you can secure it with foam double-sided tape.

The anti-slip pads on the bottom are shown in the picture above. You can also bundle the wires neatly with cable ties.

The fan in action while powered on is shown in the picture above.

The end.