Stir Plate

[DesertPunk1981]

What's up everyone. Just finished successfully building a homemade stir plate for my yeast starters out of a computer fan. I will post a how to video on our website eventually CrudeBrewCrew.com Anyways, my question is... Where is the best place to buy cheap magnetic stir bars? I started the project by using a paper clip in a coffee pot (cause I built it while at work), and it made a vortex just fine. But I would like to use an actual stir bar in the yeast... Seeing as I was a cheap-a$$ building it, it makes no sense to spend a fortune on the stir bar (LOOKING FOR A DEAL)! I added a picture to this so you can see the prototype. I used a cardboard box as a control panel & added a start/stop switch, as well as a speed control knob. I wired these to a 12V DC plug and put a plastic CD case above the computer fan. Eventually I will build a case for it, but it was fun & easy to make while bored at work!

 

[outside92129]

ebay has a bunch going for a couple of dollars each. Be sure they're coated so they don't rust and scratch/break your container, and also make sure they're new ones. Used ones may have come from a lab and who knows what they used them for. The autoclaving may have cleaned off all the bad stuff but a pitcher full of yeast isn't worth risking on brew day!