What kind of stir plate am I looking for?

[kenpotf]

All,

I have a diy stir plate that everyone on here has - project box, pc fan, rare earth magnets, etc. It works, but I was watching Brewmasters on Netflix recently and they have one that vibrates. I emailed them yesterday and haven't received a response yet. Does anyone know what kind of plate that is? It looks like they set their flask on it and the whole thing shakes/swings. I'd like to buy one of these if I could figure out what it is.... I don't think you need to use stir bars with it if that helps...

Thanks!

 

[kenpotf]

I think I found it - of course after posting. It's called an orbital rocker/shaker. There are other types out there...do any of you use these? Dogfish Head does, so I'm assuming they would be great for keeping yeast in suspension...

 

[jekeane]

I doubt there would be any difference in the outcome between the two stir plates, unless there is something dramatically wrong with your diy version. If you absolutely must spend money buy something to improve your fermentation temperatures. Or just send it to me so I can get a mash paddle and refractometer.

 

[sejasba]

I doubt there would be any difference in the outcome between the two stir plates, unless there is something dramatically wrong with your diy version. If you absolutely must spend money buy something to improve your fermentation temperatures. Or just send it to me so I can get a mash paddle and refractometer.

I second that. What's wrong with your DIY stir plate? I'm sure the end result is the same. Seems like you'd only need to "stir table" if you have a bunch of starters you're making at once. I imagine that's the only reason for it?

I watched the same thing you watched on Netflix last weekend. Did you watch the 120 min. IPA episode?

 

[kenpotf]

I just think it would be easier than messing with a stir bar. I have a 3 gallon cider jug that was having an issue with throwing the bar. I moved my starter to a flask and it fixed the issue which got me to this thought. The stir plate works fine with a flask, so I think I'm buying a 3L flask instead of the shaker.

I did watch it


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[Beernik]

I've never seen one outside of a lab, probably because they start at $400.

Jugs tend to have convex bottoms, which makes it hard to spin a stir bar. Flasks have flat bottoms.

 

[BlkWater_brewer]

Make a DIY shaker plate with a cheap orbital sander with a slow speed. Only limited by imagination should be pretty easy just need an AC potentiometer for speed control if needed. Cheap orbital sander new is around $20 -30.

 

[Smellyglove]

Classical homebrewers stir plates, although professionally produced, are also used in laboratorys. There is nothing wrong with a stir plate that works.

 

[Riot]

As long as what you're using provides adequate agitation/aeration, why does it matter what the design is?

 

[sandyeggoxj]

I use a fisher scientific stir plate. Works great. Don't see why you would want it to shake too?