Well after a very frustrating weekend of playing with magnets (should have been brewing). I finally figured out that the 5 dollar ebay spin bar I got just wasn't working for me. If I dropped a nail or screw or anything else in the flask it would spin just fine! I tried spacing magnets further apart or closer together, changed magnets, voltages, spacing up and down and on and on... It just wouldn't do anything but bounce the stupid stir stick around or throw it to the side.
I finally found this page and built my own spin bar out of 5 small earth magnets and some tubing and sealed the ends closed. Dropped it in and it spins perfectly now.
http://kbcbeer.com/stirplate.html
I ended up scraping the router shell in the end as I didn't like the way the flask sat on it with the top of the router being curved etc..
Final build:
12 Volt 80mm fan (had laying around)
1 hard drive magnet placed just off center
8 Volt DC wall adaptor (from an old logitech remote charger)
Lid from Droid Razr Maxx box
2000ML Flask only 15.95 at LHBS that's cheaper then I found online
5 neodymium rare earth magnets for the homemade stir bar
I do have a question. Are stir bars supposed to be magnetic? Or just have metal in them? This one I got on Ebay acts like it has a super weak magnet in it maybe? It won't even hold itself to the refrigerator..
Thanks all.. Here are a few pictures of my now working stir plate :rockin: