Stir plate finished

Stir plate complete - works a charm! A very simple 'how to'....

Components:

Box big enough for pc fan - mine is a cigar box from tobacconists - £2 donation to charity of their choice
PC fan!
Neodynium (rare earth) magnet - both the magnet and fan from old computer (free)
12v dc power supply (I had a wifi router upgrade, used supply from the old one - free)
Pack of M6 x 50 bolts/washers/nuts from B & Q - about £4
2 pole rocker switch - Maplins £2.49
Syphon tube, x4 pieces 10mm length (had one knocking around - free)
Strong glue

How to:

Mark hole dead centre of whatever box you are going to use
Drill pilot hole (3mm)
Cut hole big enough to expose most of fan blade (I used 90mm circular cutter borrowed from friend)
Align fan centrally over hole, mark fan fixing holes
Drill holes to take M6 bolts, and countersink
Attach fan to underside of lid, using x4 10mm syphon tubing as anti-vibration dampeners between fan and lid
Drill hole through back of box for power cable, and through front for 2-pole switch
Connect positive from ps cable to one pole of switch, positive from fan to the other
Connect negative from power supply directly to negative on fan
Glue magnet to DEAD CENTRE of fan hub (off centre it will shake itself to death!)

You can if you wish add a variable resistor to start off slow (ensuring the stir bar spins rather than jumps) but I haven't found the need)

Nice work :thumb: Think the box really makes it look good (as opposed to an old Tupperware tub). You got a flask and stirrer bar to go with it?

Pictures and 'how to' added...

Nice work. Just using it for starters or are you planning to culture up some bottle dregs too?

Was looking into making a stir plate, think i could maybe make one of those no solder jobbies from youtube but I'd be worried I'd burn the whole appartment block down in a massive electrical fire due to my cack handedness :?

MyQul said:

Nice work. Just using it for starters or are you planning to culture up some bottle dregs too?

Was looking into making a stir plate, think i could maybe make one of those no solder jobbies from youtube but I'd be worried I'd burn the whole appartment block down in a massive electrical fire due to my cack handedness :?

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For both mate. It took about 30 minutes to build, and the twice I've used it for starters it looked like something out of betelguise!!

Not familiar with no solder jobbies so can't comment, but I haven't soldered my connections yet - twisted around the poles until they are tight!

Doh!..............................

MyQul said:

Doh!..............................

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Even if you had to buy the bits I reckon less than £20. But half the fun for me is seeing how much I can get away with for free!

ManseMasher said:

For both mate. It took about 30 minutes to build, and the twice I've used it for starters it looked like something out of betelguise!!

Not familiar with no solder jobbies so can't comment, but I haven't soldered my connections yet - twisted around the poles until they are tight!

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You've got me tempted to have a go now. Shaking a pop bottle works OK but a stir plate sound the business

Showing my ignorance but what does one use a stir plate for and what makes it ideal for the task?

Also, am I the only person on here who couldn't build a Lego house let alone anything involving hole cutters, fanny magnets and reverse polarity or whatever it is you did?!

Damn you handy types.

Well, I've only ever once been described as a a fanny magnet, and it's very possible I misheard what was said....

As for a stir plate - when you are making yeast starters some recommend stirring continuously for 30 minutes. Doing that by hand hurts apparently, hence stir plate!

ManseMasher said:

Well, I've only ever once been described as a a fanny magnet, and it's very possible I misheard what was said....

As for a stir plate - when you are making yeast starters some recommend stirring continuously for 30 minutes. Doing that by hand hurts apparently, hence stir plate!

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I was under the impression you leave the stir plate on continuously from the time you put the yeast in the starter wort till the time you pitch. Or have i misinterpreted the stuff I read on doing this kind of thing

MyQul said:

I was under the impression you leave the stir plate on continuously from the time you put the yeast in the starter wort till the time you pitch. Or have i misinterpreted the stuff I read on doing this kind of thing

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You haven't misinterpreted! Different schools of thought on t'interweb as to speed of stir plate and how long it should be on for - some say high speed then reduce to just below the point the vortex is created (hence variable resistor), some say max revs all the way through, some say 24 - 48 hours, others quote 'until the yeast has done its thing'. It doesn't have to be on until you pitch IMHO though, as long as you've created a good healthy starter you can take it off the plate, bung up the neck of the jar ( I use clingfilm) and pitch when you are ready.

Great how to MM :thumb:

Showing my ignorance but what does one use a stir plate for and what makes it ideal for the task?

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Showing mine, what actually stirs it?

Chippy_Tea said:

Great how to MM :thumb:



Showing mine, what actually stirs it?

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Magnetic stir bar

[ame]http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PC6oYz1Zev4[/ame]

ManseMasher said:

Magnetic stir bar

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:hat:

.........

Think we need some shots of that bad boy in action too! :thumb:

MyQul said:

Think we need some shots of that bad boy in action too! :thumb:

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