Yet Another Stir Plate Build

[cegan09]

A friend and I sat down and built up a couple stir plates last night. Usual formula: cheap fan, speed controller, magnets, and a box. I cut out all the box pieces using a large CNC laser table as well as the magnet spacer.

My stir bars show up tomorrow so I'll get the magnet arrangement tested out then.

Box glued together

The speed controller is held on through a hole in the front

I cut two pieces of acrylic to glue to the top of the fan and space away the magnets. The top pieces is thin and has two holes to locate and hold the magnets.

Top cover lifts off to let you store the power supply inside while not in use. (I still need to do some wire management and tie down the loose fan wires)

A small cutout in the back lets the wire come through while in use

The box was designed using AutoDesk's Fusion 360. If anyone wants to copy my design I can upload the DXF files for all the pieces, or I think there is a way to make the fusion project public so anyone can grab it and use it.

The top has that donut cutout simply so the DXF can grab both circles. I use the outer one to engrave a circle for flask placement and the inner is the cutout so the magnets are closer to the flask.

 

[user 224599]

I've gotta do this shortly... I'm the IT guy in a manufacturing facility that uses rare earth magnets in our products. The things are literally everywhere here.
Fans are a no-brainer of course, and I already have the speed control.
All I need is a box. I'll either go the cigar box route, or look for something here. Perhaps something skeletal with bent lexan?

 

[Stillraining]

Nice...Bet its nice to have access to such a cool tool.

 

[cegan09]

Nice...Bet its nice to have access to such a cool tool.

It's amazingly nice. The laser is owned by a local makerspace. Besides the laser we have a full CNC mill for metal, manual metal tools, welders, car lift, full woodshop, 3D printers, electronic rework equipment, and a whole bunch of other stuff. It's a very cool place.

 

[cegan09]

Threw some stain on it tonight. Can't wait for the small flask and stir bars to show up tomorrow.

 

[cegan09]

Well after much experimentation I settled on a final setup. The circular magnets would only really work for specific stir bar sizes and speeds. It threw the bars way to easily. So I bought the 1" bar magnets that others are using and used those. I left the original magnet holder and put the new one on top to get the magnets closer to the bar. Works awesome now. I've tested with bars from 0.75" through 1.5" and can run them all full speed without chucking. Super happy.

My first starter is on it now. Some Conan to throw into a blonde and build up.