Project Box for DIY Stir Plate

I want to build a stir plate with the spare parts I got laying around in my office. Being an IT geek I got plenty of available case fans, hard drives for the magnets, a few potentiometers and wires etc. but nothing I would consider reliable as a box to put all this stuff inside of.

Anyone recommend a place online to get project boxes and/or a particular project box that will fit a 2000ml flask?

Thanks!

David

A lot of people use the black project boxes from radio shack.

Will have to take a look, from the online pics they didn't look big enough to handle the 2000mL flasks.

I have one (not sure what the dimensions are) but it handles 2000ml and even 5000ml flasks (with considerable overhang for the latter)... but you really just care about the magnet spinning and being protected anyway. I think they had 2 sizes of project boxes but it was a while back that I last looked.

Check out www.stirstarters.com for pictures. He uses the radio shack boxes for his.

My 2000ml fits just fine on it. The edges do hang off, but it's plenty stable.

You can also use a cigar box if you're so inclined.

tasq said:

Check out www.stirstarters.com for pictures. He uses the radio shack boxes for his.

My 2000ml fits just fine on it. The edges do hang off, but it's plenty stable.

You can also use a cigar box if you're so inclined.

Click to expand...

Guess for $6.99 + tax isn't a bad deal for a box. I was a little worried about the overhang but after watching the video on the site it doesn't seem to be horrible. Probably don't need to work as its not like I will be running the stir plate while crossing the Atlantic by boat....

Use the one from Radioshack. I use a 1 gallon jug as well as a 2000mL flask on it without issues. The info is in the stirplate link in my thread.

I use a wooden cigar box that I got at a garage sale for $0.25. Put a 2000ml flask on it all the time. Have even used a growler. Works great! Honestly, anything you can fit the fan in will work fine.

i use a plastic shoebox size storage bin. it was like $2 at home depot...

I made one out of wood when I built my final version.

I used different size tupperware containers when I was testing the distance between the fan and flask stir bar.

I fashioned a stir plate out of a sperm whales dried penis ...works fine.





















seriously i just used the project box from the shack.

Ordered my stirplate from Derrin (http://www.brewershardware.com/Brewers-Hardware-Stir-Plate.html). While of course I didn't build it (lazy), the Tupperware (or any plastic food container) makes a great base for any size flask.

Also has the advantage of being able to see it work!

I went to wally mart and got the cheapest tupper ware square flat container... think it cost me a buck! Works great

ikonis said:

Ordered my stirplate from Derrin (http://www.brewershardware.com/Brewers-Hardware-Stir-Plate.html). While of course I didn't build it (lazy), the Tupperware (or any plastic food container) makes a great base for any size flask.

Also has the advantage of being able to see it work!

Click to expand...

That there be one of those lock-n-lock containers....we got a @#$% ton of those as a Christmas gift a few years back....hmm might have to steal one from the wife....lol

Find yourself a Hobby Lobby (or similar craft store)...they sell little wooden boxes for around $5. Works perfectly for my stir plate!

I used a wooden cigar box. My friend works at a cigar bar so I got it free!

Being an IT guy I'm sure you have plenty of power supplies laying around. Open it up, take the board out and replace with needed circuit. If you have the kind that has a fan on the large side then your fan is already mounted in the right place. You even have the benefit of already having an on/off switch mounted. You might even find a pot that will fit in the hole where the wires were coming out of the box when it was still a PS.

adurotec said:

Guess for $6.99 + tax isn't a bad deal for a box. I was a little worried about the overhang but after watching the video on the site it doesn't seem to be horrible. Probably don't need to work as its not like I will be running the stir plate while crossing the Atlantic by boat....

Click to expand...

That is the box I am starting with, too. Hopefully, I will have all the odds and ends by the weekend to start - otherwise, next weekend. I plan on running 5000 ml starters eventually for yeast banking, and have considered that I might use a piece of Lexan to replace the top of the project box to provide a bit of overhang, if I am so inclined to do so. At the very least, enough of the mass of the flasks is centered over the box as to it making a sturdy base.