stir plates

[mrobertson]

so been looking into stir plates and my question is are they worth it? also how do you avoid losing the magnetic bar in the beer without leaving behind some of the yeast?

 

[strange-steve]

Yes they're definitely worth it, especially when you can build one yourself for less than a tenner (have a look at my how-to here).

You can hold the stir bar in place with a magnet on the outside while you pour the contents.

 

[foxbat]

so been looking into stir plates and my question is are they worth it?

Totally worth it, and "it" doesn't have to be much if you follow the guide on here to build your own.

also how do you avoid losing the magnetic bar in the beer without leaving behind some of the yeast?

When you're done spinning you take a powerful magnetic like one of those neodymium button magnets you can get on ebay and use it to drag the stir bar up the inside of the flask from the outside and you leave it stuck there. It won't come off until you want it to.

 

[LeeH]

Or throw it into the FV and recover it later.

 

[mrobertson]

cheers guys definetly going to build my own

 

[Oneflewover]

I'm going to have to get my xxxx together and build one too

 

[Henders]

Definitely worth it. It's made harvesting and growing yeast feel much more approachable for me. I built an over-engineered, under-designed one with an Arduino and my 3d printer. Now I'm waiting on the parts used in the above ones to make a second one for a friend.

 

[Dutto]

........... how do you avoid losing the magnetic bar in the beer without leaving behind some of the yeast?

I leave myself a small reminder ...

... but being a total ****, I have still had to fish it out of the wort with a telescopic magnet on two occasions!

 

[Bigcol49]

I have still had to fish it out of the wort

Note to self - do not ignore note to self

 

[Henders]

Maybe you need just one small note in small print! I always see the small print and then miss the huge "KEEP REFRIGERATED" sign!

 

[Linalmeemow]

Definitely build your own, it's a half hour job once you've got the bits to hand and with the exception of the potentiometer you'll probably have everything around the house...

 

[Dutto]

Definitely build your own, it's a half hour job once you've got the bits to hand and with the exception of the potentiometer you'll probably have everything around the house...

Definitely make your own.

I well remember the one knocked up out of a plastic Quality Street (?) container; and thinking "Why didn't I do that?"

 

[Drunkula]

Mine cost about 8p and can start a tornado that will kill any point-of-compass witch of your choice within the hour - test me, brah. My trophy cubbord fulla broom.

 

[divrack]

Best part is you feel like a scientist, mad or otherwise, especially if you have a conical flask or "Erlenmeyer flask" if you need to up the science levels even more.
Commence mad laughter and shouting it's alive! Only when you see first signs of activity.