Inspired by MrSaLTy's post @ https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=8850&highlight=stir+plate
So I went the cheap (and easy) route and made myself a stir plate. The only thing I had to buy was a new beaker ($12), a magnetic stir rod ($3), and some magnets as I did not have much luck with the magnets I removed from a few old hard drives. I bought the magnets on eBay for $10 for 10 + $5 shipping. They are 1/2 x 1/4 Neodymium discs with an N48 rating (read: crazy strong). I only needed 2 magnets but I couldn't find anyone selling them in less quantities.
I found an old 120 MM 12v computer fan and an old switchable voltage AC Adapter. I sacrificed the AC Adapter and hard wired it directly to the fan. After some experimentation it turns out that about 6v is about perfect. After the starter thickens up, I can crack it up to 7.75v without throwing the rod. I experimented with the magnet placement and side-by-side, like show below, worked best. I robbed the glass out of one of my wife's small picture frames and placed it on top with some spacers.
Here is the starter right when I turned it on around Midnight
Here it is the next morning
And here it is when I called it "finished"
So I went the cheap (and easy) route and made myself a stir plate. The only thing I had to buy was a new beaker ($12), a magnetic stir rod ($3), and some magnets as I did not have much luck with the magnets I removed from a few old hard drives. I bought the magnets on eBay for $10 for 10 + $5 shipping. They are 1/2 x 1/4 Neodymium discs with an N48 rating (read: crazy strong). I only needed 2 magnets but I couldn't find anyone selling them in less quantities.
I found an old 120 MM 12v computer fan and an old switchable voltage AC Adapter. I sacrificed the AC Adapter and hard wired it directly to the fan. After some experimentation it turns out that about 6v is about perfect. After the starter thickens up, I can crack it up to 7.75v without throwing the rod. I experimented with the magnet placement and side-by-side, like show below, worked best. I robbed the glass out of one of my wife's small picture frames and placed it on top with some spacers.
Here is the starter right when I turned it on around Midnight
Here it is the next morning
And here it is when I called it "finished"