Show us your DIY stir plate!

[bmickey]

Looks like I found my next project.

 

[azscoob]

Here are a couple pics of mine:

 

[hs0656]

Thats a cool idea. What is that? A PVC pipe coupler?

 

[azscoob]

Thats a cool idea. What is that? A PVC pipe coupler?

Why yes it is, and a twin disk magnet from a name tag.

 

[motorhead69]

From these pics and other posts I now have a cigar box stir plate... I've got some stir bars on order, and can't wait to use it. in the pic i just have a bar magnet spinning around. I even have room to put a 2nd fan in if i want to have 2 going at once.

 

[MI_Craig]

Used a cigar box myself and it turned out great. However, my potentiometer gets really hot. Anyone else have that issue?

 

[hs0656]

Used a cigar box myself and it turned out great. However, my potentiometer gets really hot. Anyone else have that issue?

If your potentiometer is getting really hot, she's wired wrong. You only need 1 wire running in (+), and 1 wire running out (+). The PT doesnt get grounded. If you ran a ground to it, that explains why its hot to the touch. Check your wiring and get back to us...

 

[digg1es]

Here's Mine

 

[ere109]

How are people handling magnet placement? With one magnet, my stir bar flies off even at low speed. Two magnets won't allow my fan to spin at all. I'm not sure if I'm getting polarity wrong, or if the single magnet just has to be lifted further from the fan. Right now, my magnets are about 1/4" from the bottom of the glass. Does lifting them away help?

 

[MI_Craig]

If your potentiometer is getting really hot, she's wired wrong. You only need 1 wire running in (+), and 1 wire running out (+). The PT doesnt get grounded. If you ran a ground to it, that explains why its hot to the touch. Check your wiring and get back to us...

Yep, attached the ground. I'll remove and see if that fixes it. Thanks!

 

[hs0656]

Yep, attached the ground. I'll remove and see if that fixes it. Thanks!

Glad to be of help, needless to say, youre not the only one who made that mistake. ; ) cough cough

 

[Hang Glider]

How are people handling magnet placement? With one magnet, my stir bar flies off even at low speed. Two magnets won't allow my fan to spin at all. I'm not sure if I'm getting polarity wrong, or if the single magnet just has to be lifted further from the fan. Right now, my magnets are about 1/4" from the bottom of the glass. Does lifting them away help?

I had to space my magnets off the fan - they were interrupting the motor I've got two hard drive magnets stacked, and when the system is off, I line the stir bar up with the magnet, then turn the device on very slowly. I can maintain a nice stir on the minimum speed that turns the stir bar, but it throws anything faster. I can feel a slight "pull" when I line them up, guessing it's between 1/8 and 1/4"

And wort spins MUCH different than water - I can get water to kick ass.

 

[matt415]

here is my ghetto stir plate. i built it completely from scrap parts i had hanging around so it didnt cost me a thing.

 

[enohcs]

I cheated. I work for a scientific distribution company. I have ways of getting all sorts of fun stuff for free. This stir plate came from a customer who "traded it in" for a better price on another piece of equipment. The 2L flask came from a sample supply I ordered, and my cost on stir bars is only a few cents.

 

[barrooze]

Here's my first one. No pics, but a stupid movie I took of it when I first got it going. VERY GHETTO!
Old Case

After it krausened and overflowed, the "case" was a bit destroyed so I upgraded to this guy.

Front

Innards

At work

 

[Catt22]

The new twins:

 

[CidahMastah]

Just curious, was chekcing out stir plate bars at stirbars.com

Any reccs on bar type? I was looking to have the ability to do a gallon stir plate, and a quart sized

 

[Catt22]

Just curious, was chekcing out stir plate bars at stirbars.com

Any reccs on bar type? I was looking to have the ability to do a gallon stir plate, and a quart sized

I prefer the 2" stir bars with a pivot ring. These will work well with most any size vessel. IMO, bigger is better when it comes to stir bars. I've also had excellent results with the 3" x 3/8" stir bars. I think you could stir a 5 gallon carboy with one of those bad boys!


Here's a video using a one gallon jug with the 3" x 3/8" stir bar:

 

[CidahMastah]

Awesome! funny that was the one I was considering the most of the group. I am planning to use a 1 gallon jug like that too. Thanks for the info - much appreciated!

 

[CidahMastah]

Just curious - saw a stir plate on AHS for 50 bucks - anything wrong with just grabbing this? Seems like a deal seeing as how it comes with the stir bar too.

http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?products_id=12699

 

[CoalCracker]

Nothing wrong with it. It's just pricier and there is no DIY involved. I built mine for about 5 dollars.

 

[CidahMastah]

Nothing wrong with it. It's just pricier and there is no DIY involved. I built mine for about 5 dollars.

So i assume you hijacked all the parts from around your house, but where did you get the stir stick? The ones I were looking at were like 25$+

I like DIY, but hey, if I can buy it cheaper premade, I might go that route. Hell, I built and electric system for my brewing, I know I could handle the stir plate. Just curious if I "should".

 

[ryclo]

Here is my little no frills stir plate! :fro:

 

[CoalCracker]

So i assume you hijacked all the parts from around your house, but where did you get the stir stick? The ones I were looking at were like 25$+

I like DIY, but hey, if I can buy it cheaper premade, I might go that route. Hell, I built and electric system for my brewing, I know I could handle the stir plate. Just curious if I "should".

I work IT so I had all the parts from various projects. The stir bar I just picked up for 4 and some change at brewmasters warehouse.

 

[CidahMastah]

Very cool coalcracker. I probably have most of the stuff from an old PC, but can't get my hands on a cheap stir bar.... We will see what I can dig up.

 

[barrooze]

Very cool coalcracker. I probably have most of the stuff from an old PC, but can't get my hands on a cheap stir bar.... We will see what I can dig up.

Keep an eye out sites like Amazon. I got my 60mm stirbar on there for $1.58. Now it's $12.75. I think it's called a "spinbar" on there.

 

[JetSmooth]

I cheated. I work for a scientific distribution company. I have ways of getting all sorts of fun stuff for free. This stir plate came from a customer who "traded it in" for a better price on another piece of equipment. The 2L flask came from a sample supply I ordered, and my cost on stir bars is only a few cents.

I call shennaniganins!

One does not simply walk into a DIY thread and flounce about with a pretty, commercial product like that.

I DEMAND SATISFACTION, SIR! *gloveslap*

(Can you get me one? )

 

[HopHead24]

I have mine on the BTV episode that dropped today. Check it out.

http://www.brewingtv.com/episodes/2011/7/12/brewing-tv-episode-40-bad-ass-brewery.html

 

[CidahMastah]

I have mine on the BTV episode that dropped today. Check it out.

http://www.brewingtv.com/episodes/2011/7/12/brewing-tv-episode-40-bad-ass-brewery.html

Very cool man - killer set up too.

Makes me want to get some ribs going, and some brew this weekend. Love the hood! Thinking of installing something like that in my garage to vent out moisture, but I have an electric kettle.

really like the hair dryer adaptation, simple, efficient.

Man can't stop thinking about those ribs.

 

[BBL_Brewer]

I decided to make 6 stir plates that all run off the same power supply. I used a transformer and ran 6 mono speaker cables with 1/4 plugs from the power supply. I ordered some variable voltage regulators off Ebay. They are LM317's but they came complete with heat sinks and LED power indicators. I bypassed the on-board pot and soldered connections for an external 10K pot. From there is was pretty simple. Found some cheap enclosures from Walmart and mounted all the componets. I installed 1/4 jacks on the enclosures for the power inputs. I can run all 6 stir plates simultaneously or individually. Here's a basic parts list.

LM317 - see pic below
12v 4 amp transformer
1/4 mono speaker cables
1/4 jacks
80 cm muffin fans
hard drive RE mags
10K external mount pots
on/off switch
enclosures
mounting components for fans

 

[cfrazier77]

That is a lot of starters!

 

[Grimtas]

Been awhile since I've posted but here's mine

 

[beerloaf]

Here is mine. It's a 130 mm PC fan I had laying around attached to a Rubbermaid plastic box. Speed controller is the only thing I paid for. That was around $6. I've used for the last 5 starters and all worked out well. Oh yeah, before I get funny comments. That's one of my wifes vases since I just broke my 2000 ml Erlenmeyer flask.

 

[Black Island Brewer]

My DIY Stir Plate, using a 9V power supply ($3), used cooling fan ($3), Radio Shack Rheostat and Switch ($10) the magnetic back off my nametag ($0) and a cigar box ($0). The stir bar was the most expensive single item, 1 7/8 octagon bar, $4.99 shipped off of eBay.

Life is Good!
David

 

[cdubbaya]

Will be making one of these soon! Subscribing for inspiration!

Thanks!

 

[ClaudiusB]

Variable speed, thermoelectric temp controlled and air.

Fixed speed, temp controlled and air.

 

[captwalt]

This is the maiden voyage for this bad boy

 

[TzeentchPlayer]

Here's my beauty. An old sandwich box cut in half, a hard drive magnet, a computer fan, and a molex connector spliced to an old 12v charger. I used a cut out piece of cardboard and an old malt extract bucket top from AHS to put some space between the magnet and flask.

 

[dpittard]

Just got mine up and running, using the super cheap method of an old computer power supply and a few hard drive magnets. It really helps to be in IT! I only had to buy a stir rod which was $5 at the LHBS.

 

[Flomaster]

so after reading the other 200 page DIY thread about using an old computer fan, hard drive magnets, radio shack potentiometer and a random power supply I attempted to build my own. after many a failed attempts and finally getting a working combination using a 18V JBL power supply I found it was spinning to fast for my liking even on the slowest setting.

I saw another thread about this usb fan on amazon.com and said WTF might as well try it out. well let me tell you this works fantastic and is super easy to put together.

http://youtu.be/f9Oij-NCWds

Video Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9Oij-NCWds

here is a link Video Link: http://www.amazon.com/Thermaltake-Mobile-Fan-External-Cooling/dp/B00080G0BK to my fan its an 80mm fan I didn't think I needed to spend the extra coin on the 120mm fan.

-=Jason=-

This