Show us your DIY stir plate!

[pshankstar]

So I re-did my stir plate and I'm calling this one "Stir Plate 2.0".

I bought a new speed controller but it wouldn't fit in the old box, so I had to source another cigar box. I also cut a large hole in the top so there would be less interfering with the magnet and the stir bar. Much cleaner design too!

 

[Mike_c]

Here is the finished product.
Fan from old PC, box from another project, magnets from an old HD. I picked up a pwm speed controller for $8.00 from amazon and a knob for $2.00 from Radio Shack.
Mounted the fan to the bottom of the box, and used a piece of PVC as a spacer. (Got the idea from a thread on here).
Thanks to everyone that posted how too threads, it really made it easy.

 

[Mike_c]

Duh. Here is the picture lol

View attachment 1453312148726.jpg

 

[LarMoeCur]

Here's mine in action.

View attachment 1453481010790.jpg

 

[HOPtuary]

Dual stir plate build

View attachment 1456521082855.jpg

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[BlurryEyed]

My ghetto fabulous stir plate:

1) AC Infinity Multispeed S4, Quiet 140mm USB Fan - $17
2) Stir Bar $5
3) 1000mL Flask - $10
4) Magnetic Badge Bar ($5)
5) Top of a tupper ware container (Free)
6) Old USB charger (Free)

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1PRHx4u0KY[/ame]

 

[mongoose33]

Duh. Here is the picture lol

Aha! I just remembered, I have a project box like that sitting on a shelf someplace. Perfect housing for my stir plate, which at this point looks like this:

 

[Natdavis777]

Old one took a poop so made a new one today

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1457488077.320334.jpg

 

[thehebs]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=575715

 

[vbwolpert]

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1467000690.331551.jpg
Now that's a stir plate.

 

[user 224599]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=575715

I like the digital display. The link to the eBay ad in your build thread is about thirteen bucks including shipping: The same unit is available from Amazon Prime for fifteen with Prime next day shipping:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QLYO7XU/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

There also others with smaller, two-digit displays for short money that may be easier for smaller enclosures:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FLYAG6M/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[thehebs]

I like the digital display. The link to the eBay ad in your build thread is about thirteen bucks including shipping: The same unit is available from Amazon Prime for fifteen with Prime next day shipping:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QLYO7XU/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

There also others with smaller, two-digit displays for short money that may be easier for smaller enclosures:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FLYAG6M/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Yea I am normally an amazon nerd, but it was out of stock when I went to order it.

I can modify the front panel if someone wants to use the smaller one. I just liked the bigger one for the aesthetics and such.

 

[JLump]

Super cheap stir plate. Case is an old CD drive case. 3d printed magnet holder on computer fan. Adjustable speed control via LM317TG adjustable voltage regulator w/ potentiometer (with 3d printed knob!). Works Great!

 

[krapou]

Here is mine, inspired by this thread :
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=525583
(thanks a lot GrayHiker )

And here it's stirring a 5L glass carboy using a 50mm stir bar :


This kind of motor and PWM speed control with a display are really effective for their price !

Parts and cost for those who would want to try :
- 7" 12v 80W radiator fan (20€ on ebay, incl shipping)
- 4 x 30x15x5mm N42 magnets : this is really overkill, each magnet is rated for 10kg, 2 magnets should be enough (15€ at first4magnets)
- CCM5D : PWM speed controller with display (7€ on ebay incl shipping)
- laptop power supply 12V 60W (7€ on ebay, no need for a stronger power supply since the CCM5D is only rated for 60W, and the motor will not be used over 50% of its full speed)

 

[Huaco]

Very nice!

 

[GreenMonti]

So, I went a different route. Not the most powerful stirplate but I'm hopeful it will suit my needs. I picked up a laptop cooling base from amazon. Like 13 bucks. Put a hole in the mesh top, epoxied on a washer I had kicking about, placed two neodymium magnets on it. Done. It runs dead silent. Fast enough for a small dimple on the surface (With water) on low speed in both my 1 liter and 2 liter flasks.

Running on low speed

Running on high speed

Running on low speed, 2 liter flask

Magnets from my local hardware store

 

[stpauliboy]

Had a fan, magnets, plastic, wall wart and screws. Only needed to purchase the speed controller and stir bar.

 

[rockinmarty]

Had a fan, magnets, plastic, wall wart and screws. Only needed to purchase the speed controller and stir bar.

Love it, nice clean and simple.

 

[danthebugman]

Here's my dual stir plate rocking out some recent yeast experiments.

 

[pista01]

I just posted this one on Thingiverse. I just recently started brewing and thought I'd start making yeast starters.

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1887399

 

[schiersteinbrewing]

Harvested a fan and 120v adapter from a computer power supply. Bought magnets, china switch, pwm w/knob, 120v to 12v converter,and project box. I think I have about $30 bucks in it. I bought multiples of each part to fix my old external CD drive case stir plate.

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1479262714.943464.jpg
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My external drive hack job stir plate.

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1479262828.853215.jpg

 

[Le0]

Here is my attempt, quite happy with it. Able to make a huge vortex with 2l.

 

[FranklinNewhart]

How about a heated stir plate. Don't see one of those here.

 

[GoeHaarden]

Can I join the club? Figured it would be a good time to practice handcut dovetails. Scrap birdeyes maple and some sort of rosewood...

 

[Stealthcruiser]

Showoff......

 

[ParkCityBrewer]

Made from a Cohiba cigar box smuggled from Cuba before Obama lifted sanctions. Magnets from Home Depot, power supply from old cell phone and fan from amazon. Simple on / off and spins at perfect speed.

 

[Bigfly]

I made mine from aluminum angle that came from my dock frames after a tree fell on it.

 

[devils4ever]

Here's my newly finished dual stir plate.

Some details. Fans are 120 mm 12V for PC. I used 3/8" Baltic Birch plywood for the sides and 1/4" Plexiglass for the top. For the magnets, I used K&J Magnetics discs that are 1/2" x 1/8" thick, N42. They were Superglued to the fans. I used the Uniquegoods 6V 12v 24V PWM controllers.

 

[Addiktion]

Sorry to revive a dead thread but here’s mine. View attachment IMG_0230.jpgView attachment IMG_0229.jpg

 

[LickingGoatBrothersBrewin]

View attachment IMG_6233.jpgView attachment IMG_6234.jpgView attachment IMG_6271.jpg

Fun, cheap, simple build. I just stacked multiple magnets on each side of the fan hub until it was high enough to be close to the lid. This was much easier than trying to elevate the fan housing, plus MOAR Magnetism!

 

[Addiktion]

I love the beer cap throttle

 

[LickingGoatBrothersBrewin]

I love the beer cap throttle

Yeah, I wished it would have worked with just one, but I had to double up. Cap is from Fässla Brewery in Bamberg, from a Bottle of Zwergla.

 

[Jarvo_325]

My ghetto fabulous stir plate:

1) AC Infinity Multispeed S4, Quiet 140mm USB Fan - $17
2) Stir Bar $5
3) 1000mL Flask - $10
4) Magnetic Badge Bar ($5)
5) Top of a tupper ware container (Free)
6) Old USB charger (Free)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1PRHx4u0KY

Hi Mate

I have the same Fan, Did you just flip it upside down, remove the wire cage and glue some magnets in the middle?

Cheers

 

[ajw85]

 

[KYBLUE]

My cigar box build.

Didn't realize the speed controller had a notched off position until after drilling the toggle switch hole. The toggle may still be useful for retaining the last used speed position.

 

[Gadjobrinus]

Excellent build and equally excellent photos, Kyblue. Do you, or anyone else, have any thoughts on the max capacity of your stir plates? Stirstarter makes one they describe as a 5L starter; but I seem to have read somewhere here that it's less about the stirplate itself, and more about using the right size magnetic bar, to fit the flask volume.

 

[KYBLUE]

@Gadjobrinus I am curious as to the capacity myself. I do know at full throttle the vortex will continuously dip down, hit the stir bar sending out a spray of air bubbles and not throw the bar. This is with all but the smallest pea sized bar, didn't try it.

It seems pretty stout but haven't tested with anything other than the pictured flask.

 

[day_trippr]

fwiw I've found my home builts will comfortably spin up ~4 liters in a 5 liter e-flask using a 1" bar.
They'll swing up to a 2" but the rpms drop too much...

Cheers!

 

[Gadjobrinus]

@Gadjobrinus I am curious as to the capacity myself. I do know at full throttle the vortex will continuously dip down, hit the stir bar sending out a spray of air bubbles and not throw the bar. This is with all but the smallest pea sized bar, didn't try it.

It seems pretty stout but haven't tested with anything other than the pictured flask.

Great, thanks Kyblue. Thanks for the thread as well. And trippr, thanks as well, that really helps.

Heading out up north early a.m. guys, so if you happen to post something directed my way (not that you would) and I don't respond - I'm not rude. Just frozen solid.

 

[Mike Page]

Nearly free. Just had to buy stir bars. Used pretty much all old computer parts. No speed adjustment but with different size stir bars I can adjust the vortex if needed. Oh and a dollar store vase.