Show us your DIY stir plate!
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Hang Glider
Beer Drinker
Bells Brewing maker of Bell's Two-Hearted and other fine ales, can answer that directly.
(click the link)...
(click the link)...
Couldn't find any crap computers yet but tore apart a DVD player and got to thinking any one ever use one of these I just took the DVD drive out cut the wire for the motor and tapped it into my power (will be getting speed control in next
Few days) and it worked and it's metal little topper so the magnet chills right on top here are some shots let me know what ya think
Few days) and it worked and it's metal little topper so the magnet chills right on top here are some shots let me know what ya think
Great idea! Let us know how it turns out.
In essence, you will be "breaking" the hot wire.
1. Attach the neutral directly to one of the two leads on the motor (If the wires are color coded it will be white, if not try to follow the wires to the plug prongs. The neutral will be the larger of the two if your plug does not have a round ground prong)
2. Attach the black wire on cord (or "other" black wire) to one black wire of your dimmer. Attach remain black wire on dimmer to remaining fan wire
3. If your cord has a round ground prong, then there should be a third wire in the cord that will be green or bare copper. This would attach to the green wire of the dimmer. If you have a two wire cord, simply cap/tape off the green dimmer wire.
LoloMT7
Well-Known Member
You can use a glass canning jar or something but a flat bottom surface is needed for the stir bar to spin properly. The Flask is nice also cause you can go straight from boiling your starter on the stove directly into an ice cold bath in the sink to cool
Check out this thread https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f14/erlenmeyer-flask-mason-jar-239409/Thanks a lot wiring was a breeze, exactly how you said to do it and she is working like a champ not to build my enclosure and get a stir bar this weekend prolly with some DME and yeast nutrient time to harvest some heady yeast going to try and see if the Conan in my cans from awhile ago will pull thru if not there new breed of yeast there using will be up in line
Stealthcruiser
Well-Known Member
What's that, that it is sitting on......The aluminum thingys?
The_Mad_Scientist
Well-Known Member
Just something to share with everyone. One of the cheapest flasks I could find...and the one I use with my diy stirplates
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003MYVV9U/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003MYVV9U/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
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Hang Glider
Beer Drinker
do your homework - my first flask did NOT take heat/cool well, like the good stuff should - it cracked and I lost all my starter in the ice-water cooling bath. My current flask is VWR (cat # 89000-370) and it does fine.
boochuckles
Well-Known Member
OMG that is a $150 flask! It better clean the kitchen when you are done for that price
Just go to morebeer.com and get the 2L flask with DME and Nutrient included. $23 bucks. Get more than $59 bucks and shipping is free.
Also keep in mind the batch size and appropriate starter size to suit. For 10G batches, a 2L flask is not big enough. I made that mistake already. I am looking to upgrade to a 4L or 5L soon.
That's true for a 10 gallon. Just get 2, 2L flasks. Then you'll be golden.
boochuckles
Well-Known Member
jeuentes said:
I tried using a 1 gallon jug but wasn't fond of having the use a pot to make the wort and then transfer after cooling. My intention is to use just 1 vessel. And, not all of us have 2 stir plates so I think I am sold on a larger Erlenmeyer.
Hang Glider
Beer Drinker
HDIr0n
Well-Known Member
I finally finished mine up, it will hold 2x 2L flasks. I will update with a pic later with both of them on there.
Here is the outside shot
2013-10-11 13.54.16 by HDIr0n, on Flickr
And the interior
2013-10-11 13.55.31 by HDIr0n, on Flickr
I was going to do a usb panel mount for powering the two fans but that was going to double the cost of the build so I just drilled 2 holes in the back to pass the usb cable through.
-G
Here is the outside shot
2013-10-11 13.54.16 by HDIr0n, on Flickr
And the interior
2013-10-11 13.55.31 by HDIr0n, on Flickr
I was going to do a usb panel mount for powering the two fans but that was going to double the cost of the build so I just drilled 2 holes in the back to pass the usb cable through.
-G
Finally got my videos uploaded, now I still don't have a real stir bar just sorta made one with a alum piece I was making at work with an earth magnet inside of it.
New alum stir bar lol:
New alum stir bar lol:
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boochuckles
Well-Known Member
Did the dimmer switch not work for the DVD motor? I have an idea and I'm hoping to find Potentiometer that is going to work for mine...
You know what I didn't even try it I might have to hook the other one up to the dimmer and see what it does. I think I might go for a different switch the dimmer if turned in the wrong spot sorta does a stutter
boochuckles
Well-Known Member
I went on my gut and picked one up from radio shack yesterday. It works just fine. I have to get everything together today now. I don't have a stir bar yet but i do have another magnet. How did you go about making that "tester" stir bar?
The one that worked was two pieces of alum I machined at work on the Cnc and I was looking at it and was like hell I got a huge stir bar here, but to test it put a piece of metal rod to one side of the magnet drop in and turn on let me see If that vid finally uploaded and I will post it if it did
Edit: found it
http://youtu.be/29iq-juAqng
Edit: found it
http://youtu.be/29iq-juAqng
dirkomatic
Well-Known Member
So, here's my stirrer (I hesitate to call it a "plate") operating during its first starter...
[ame]http://youtu.be/rxZfyBMsRJ8[/ame]
and during the initial test with water...
[ame]http://youtu.be/2jUgP1it39s[/ame]
The support structure is built with an old test tube rack which I didn't use at all. I cut out the center portion to fit the fan, but left the bottom, which is now the top of the stirrer. The fan and speed control are a Rosewill RFX-80from newegg (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835200020), 1/2 x 1/4 magnets from totalElement via amazon (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001KUURP2/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20) and 1 x 5/16 stir bar from SEOH via amazon (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001ACM05U/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20). The switch is an automotive switch that Radio Shack had on clearance for $1. The power supply is an old phone charger which supplies 7.5 volts. I hacksawed a 1" threaded PVC coupler in half for a spacer and used JB-Weld WaterWeld to secure everything.
This combination seems perfect to me. Using water, I can turn the speed all the way up without throwing the bar (I ran it that way for 30 minutes... Maybe it would eventually throw at that speed, but I kind of doubt it.) I was able to throw the bar running at really slow speed (as seen in the test video,) but that's not something I'll be doing ever.
[ame]http://youtu.be/rxZfyBMsRJ8[/ame]
and during the initial test with water...
[ame]http://youtu.be/2jUgP1it39s[/ame]
The support structure is built with an old test tube rack which I didn't use at all. I cut out the center portion to fit the fan, but left the bottom, which is now the top of the stirrer. The fan and speed control are a Rosewill RFX-80from newegg (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835200020), 1/2 x 1/4 magnets from totalElement via amazon (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001KUURP2/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20) and 1 x 5/16 stir bar from SEOH via amazon (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001ACM05U/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20). The switch is an automotive switch that Radio Shack had on clearance for $1. The power supply is an old phone charger which supplies 7.5 volts. I hacksawed a 1" threaded PVC coupler in half for a spacer and used JB-Weld WaterWeld to secure everything.
This combination seems perfect to me. Using water, I can turn the speed all the way up without throwing the bar (I ran it that way for 30 minutes... Maybe it would eventually throw at that speed, but I kind of doubt it.) I was able to throw the bar running at really slow speed (as seen in the test video,) but that's not something I'll be doing ever.
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sar_dog_1 said:
A new stir plate, and a "I see dumb people" coffee mug. Life is good at the sar-dog house!
What are the knobs (?) off the sides?
barneyfife
Well-Known Member
cheap Made in China radio I won at christmas party. Use it in my shop. Waay too much time on my hands.
barneyfife said:
So it's still a working radio? Nice work!
barneyfife
Well-Known Member
Yup, radio still works. Wife thinks this one looks better than the ghetto one i made and use on her kitchen counter.
Barney
Made from the parts of my first attempt at a stir plate with a pastic project box. It sucked and wouldn't work with my 5L flask. I went from a 5v power source to a 12v source and a fancy new box. Both of these bad boys were found at the thrift store for $1 each.
stamandster
Well-Known Member
Once I get my magnets, stir bar this'll be a monster Also going to use it for agitating water in my herms pot.
Also going to use it for agitating water in my herms pot.
johns
Well-Known Member
interesting thread:rockin:
I have bought everything necessary using the OPs shopping list. Having looked around the house I found several boxes I could use and some people here have recommended the 100 ohm rheostat, instead of the 25 ohm one.
Now I am thinking that I could return the project box and exchange the rheostat for more ohms. Also I could not take off the magnet from a hard drive (it has really small torax screws) so I bought ceramic rectangle ones from RS. They look like they will work well. I found a 12 volt/1.5 amp power supply that I also use for my chinese pump.
Now for the questions. Will the PS work for a fan that is rated at 0.14 amps? Also I could not find a 4 in fan, but I have several 3 inch fans available to me. Will a 3 inch fan work as well as a 4 inch fan?
Any advise or suggestions welcome.
I have bought everything necessary using the OPs shopping list. Having looked around the house I found several boxes I could use and some people here have recommended the 100 ohm rheostat, instead of the 25 ohm one.
Now I am thinking that I could return the project box and exchange the rheostat for more ohms. Also I could not take off the magnet from a hard drive (it has really small torax screws) so I bought ceramic rectangle ones from RS. They look like they will work well. I found a 12 volt/1.5 amp power supply that I also use for my chinese pump.
Now for the questions. Will the PS work for a fan that is rated at 0.14 amps? Also I could not find a 4 in fan, but I have several 3 inch fans available to me. Will a 3 inch fan work as well as a 4 inch fan?
Any advise or suggestions welcome.
boat_eggs
Well-Known Member
both should work, the 100 ohm one will just allow you to slow the speed down more
i dont think the ceramic magnets will be powerful enough. i once used a hammer and flathead screwdriver (tapping gently) to get the magnets out of a harddrive after taking the torx out with a really small flathead. might give that a shot.
the PS will be fine (you want more current than required, but not excess voltage) and the fans should be fine too
boat_eggs
Well-Known Member
Here is mine, I built a double thinking that I may never need more than one but did not want to have to build another later or rebuild this one.
Got the PWM from amazon for ~$4, the fans from newegg for ~$2 each, the wood was like $5 and the plastic top was about $8. Can't remember how much the hardware was and the switches/magnets/wires are from ye ol' crap box. The PS was from an old router and I unsoldered the plug from the router circuit board so I did not have to keep the PS attached. I'm thinking of adding a parts box to the underside between the fans to store my stirbars.
Got the PWM from amazon for ~$4, the fans from newegg for ~$2 each, the wood was like $5 and the plastic top was about $8. Can't remember how much the hardware was and the switches/magnets/wires are from ye ol' crap box. The PS was from an old router and I unsoldered the plug from the router circuit board so I did not have to keep the PS attached. I'm thinking of adding a parts box to the underside between the fans to store my stirbars.
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