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02-14-2011, 09:29 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Hoplanta, Georgia
Posts: 712
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This was one of the easier and more fun projects that I've completed.
I got the project box, a switch, potentiometer, and a female power plug from Radio Shack and the rest scavenged from around the house.
Parts List
Project Enclosure (8x6x3")
25-Ohm 3-Watt Rheostat
Rocker Switch
Fan from Computer Power Supply
Magnet from Hard Drive
Stainless Steel Washer (don't know size)
9V Power Plug from old cell phone
4 Screws, 8 nuts, 4 nylon spacers, and some washers
Some wire (~ 2 ft)
I drilled up the project box for the power plug, switch, and rheostat, then soldered everything up as shown in the pictures below.
I had 4 machine screws and some matching washers and nuts lying around the garage. I had to slightly drill out the holes in the fan for these to pass through.
I used the stainless steel washer as a spacer to keep the magnet off the fan. You have to use a non-magnet spacer here otherwise the magnet will interfere with the fan. I attached the washer to the fan with industrial velcro and the washer is glued to the magnet. This allowed me to adjust how the magnet/washer sat on the fan to better center it. If its not centered well, you the stir bar is more easily thrown.
I have a 2" stir bar that I want to trade out for a slightly smaller one.
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02-22-2011, 04:33 PM
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#2
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← Huge Member →
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: ☼ Clearwater, FL ☼
Posts: 9,722
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In my experience, the hard drive magnets will throw a 2" bar. I built a couple of these types of stir plates, and each time I stacked 3 magnets. It would spin a ½" bar great, but not the 2".
If you really want to spin that 2" bar, try two sets of magnets, spaced apart. One of the piles needs to be inverted to get the opposite pole facing up. I did this and it works great.
See this post for pic.
__________________
Nag Champa FTW. Mmmm.
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02-22-2011, 04:38 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 2,234
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Very informative thread. I have seen these DIY builds on here before and was always planning on someday building a stirplate, but never got around to it.
After seeing this and also having to deal with a nagging SWMBO about the spilt wort on the tile counter due to me shaking a mason jar a little too furiously, I am definitely going to build this.
Cheers!
__________________
B.A.R. 106 BREWERY - "Brew Against Rules"
eHERMs BREWERY BUILD
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Secondary/Aging/Lagering: Grape Mead (2/12/12), Amarone Wine (12/26/11)
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Bottled: Grapefelwein (1/29/12), Brown Trout Stout (2/26/12)
Up Next: Baby Day Barleywine
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02-22-2011, 05:17 PM
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#4
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← Huge Member →
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: ☼ Clearwater, FL ☼
Posts: 9,722
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Sorry to hijaak your thread... here's how the magnets look in order to spin a 2" bar. Remember to reverse polarity on one of the piles! (circular metal plate was cut from a coffee can with tin snips and hot-glued to fan... makes mounting magnets a breeze).
__________________
Nag Champa FTW. Mmmm.
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02-22-2011, 07:22 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Hoplanta, Georgia
Posts: 712
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i have used my 2" without issue for days. I do have to center it perfectly. it usually takes me 2 to 3 tries to get it right. I will be getting a 1" eventually, but the 2" is working, so why fix whats not broken.
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02-25-2011, 05:01 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 2,234
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Just to let you know, the rheostat you are looking for is a 25 ohm rheostat, not 5. I spent like 5 minutes in radioshack looking for a 5 ohm one. I guess I could have been less lazy and clicked the link.
__________________
B.A.R. 106 BREWERY - "Brew Against Rules"
eHERMs BREWERY BUILD
GOOGLE+
Primary: Amarillo Blonde Ale (4/21/12), Two Hearted Clone (4/22/12)
Secondary/Aging/Lagering: Grape Mead (2/12/12), Amarone Wine (12/26/11)
Kegged: Two Hearted Clone (4/22/12), Amarillo Blonde Ale (4/21/12), Skeeter Pee (2/4/12), Haus Pale Lager (2/12/12)
Bottled: Grapefelwein (1/29/12), Brown Trout Stout (2/26/12)
Up Next: Baby Day Barleywine
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02-25-2011, 09:21 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Hoplanta, Georgia
Posts: 712
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by kpr121
Just to let you know, the rheostat you are looking for is a 25 ohm rheostat, not 5. I spent like 5 minutes in radioshack looking for a 5 ohm one. I guess I could have been less lazy and clicked the link.
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Updated OP. Thx |
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03-10-2011, 12:12 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Acton, MA
Posts: 1,687
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Nice stir plate... looks some what familiar...
__________________
I'd rather have a bottle in front of me, than a frontal lobotomy.
--Tom Waits
You can't be a real country unless you have a beer and an airline - it helps if you have some kind of a football team, or some nuclear weapons, but at the very least you need a beer.
--Frank Zappa
My Cheap and Easy Stirplate
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03-10-2011, 01:46 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Hoplanta, Georgia
Posts: 712
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Hell yeah, i copied the heck outta you. Nice quotes by the way.
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03-10-2011, 02:47 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Northbrook, Illinois
Posts: 367
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by passedpawn
Sorry to hijaak your thread... here's how the magnets look in order to spin a 2" bar. Remember to reverse polarity on one of the piles! (circular metal plate was cut from a coffee can with tin snips and hot-glued to fan... makes mounting magnets a breeze).
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What size magnets did you use?
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