# DIY Stir Plate



## Ants_Elixirs (Apr 10, 2015)

This weekend I plan to start a batch of Peach Mango wine.

But, I though I would start a yeast culture first. But, I didn't have a stir plate.

The rare earth magnet is glued on with epoxy. Can't wait for it to dry so I can try it out.


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## vacuumpumpman (Apr 10, 2015)

No offence - but someone else has just posted the same idea 

http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=49438&highlight=stir+plate


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## Ants_Elixirs (Apr 10, 2015)

vacuumpumpman said:


> No offence - but someone else has just posted the same idea
> 
> http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=49438&highlight=stir+plate




No offense taken.

I guess it's my fault for not saying that I had inspiration. I didn't mean to come across as if I had invented this myself. I watched a few DIY videos and went from there.

I was just being a little proud of my contraption.


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## sour_grapes (Apr 10, 2015)

Quite a nice job, in fact. Good work!


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## vacuumpumpman (Apr 11, 2015)

very nice by the way !

Looking forward to seeing the end results and pics after the epoxy dries


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## Ants_Elixirs (Apr 11, 2015)

Looks like some tweaking is in order. The fan won't run without a me giving it a startup spin.. It seems I used a bad fan. I'll have to dig around for a *better* one.

Oh well, the journey begins.


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## Ants_Elixirs (Apr 30, 2015)

vacuumpumpman said:


> very nice by the way !
> 
> Looking forward to seeing the end results and pics after the epoxy dries




Works great once it starts up. I have to open the lid and tilt the beaker to give it a spin to get it going. The fan is on it's last leg and I didn't know it.


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## dralarms (Apr 30, 2015)

How does that stir?


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## Ants_Elixirs (Apr 30, 2015)

dralarms said:


> How does that stir?



There is a rare earth magnet glued to the fan. Put a a magnetic stir stick in the beaker. The magnet in the fan grabs the stir stick through the glass. When the fan spins, the stir stick inside the beaker spins.


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## dralarms (Apr 30, 2015)

Oic, why?


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## Ants_Elixirs (Apr 30, 2015)

dralarms said:


> Oic, why?



Yeast culturing.


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## BernardSmith (Apr 30, 2015)

But yeast starters are typically used more in brewing than wine making, aren't they ? Brewers often use liquid yeasts and they may need to produce a larger culture before they pitch the yeast when they have five or six gallons of wort. Wine yeasts , I think, tend to be dry yeasts and there are enough active cells in any pack to inoculate 5 or 6 gallons of must, although there are certainly folk who choose liquid ale and lager yeasts to inoculate meads and ciders. Which is not to say that a stir plate will do any harm. It won't. And not to say that your plate certainly looks good. It does.


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## Ants_Elixirs (May 1, 2015)

BernardSmith said:


> But yeast starters are typically used more in brewing than wine making, aren't they ? Brewers often use liquid yeasts and they may need to produce a larger culture before they pitch the yeast when they have five or six gallons of wort. Wine yeasts , I think, tend to be dry yeasts and there are enough active cells in any pack to inoculate 5 or 6 gallons of must, although there are certainly folk who choose liquid ale and lager yeasts to inoculate meads and ciders. Which is not to say that a stir plate will do any harm. It won't. And not to say that your plate certainly looks good. It does.



Not really sure if the value, if any. At this point, I'm just experimenting. Plus, I like tinkering around. Not that I really need it, but yesterday I made a carboy cleaner from a bucket, lid, piece of PVC, coupling and a submersible pump.


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## BernardSmith (May 1, 2015)

So perhaps I can tap into your "skill set" - and I ask this here 'coz this may be of interest to others. I have some plastic BB carboys (3, and 5 and 6 gallon) but none are ported. I would love to use some of these as bottling buckets. Is there a simple and effective method of drilling a hole towards the bottom of such a carboy (to insert a spigot) that prevents the drill from wandering when you do not have a milling machine and no obvious effective way to clamp the carboy either vertically or horizontally? Thanks.


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## richmke (May 1, 2015)

BernardSmith said:


> Is there a simple and effective method of drilling a hole towards the bottom of such a carboy (to insert a spigot) that prevents the drill from wandering when you do not have a milling machine and no obvious effective way to clamp the carboy either vertically or horizontally? Thanks.



The typical hole bit. Drill a pilot hole. That pilot hole is used to steady the hole drill bit (center bit) as the collar cuts out the larger hole.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Vermont-American-Carbon-Hole-Saw-Set-With-Mandrel-5-Piece-18398/202256379


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## BernardSmith (May 1, 2015)

richmke said:


> The typical hole bit. Drill a pilot hole. That pilot hole is used to steady the hole drill bit (center bit) as the collar cuts out the larger hole.
> 
> http://www.homedepot.com/p/Vermont-American-Carbon-Hole-Saw-Set-With-Mandrel-5-Piece-18398/202256379



No problem... but what inhibits the drill from wandering when you are drilling a pilot hole? I have heard that the secret is to cover the area you are drilling with painters masking tape ... but again.. how would that be effective if I am drilling into a container that is round, hollow, not fixed to the table, is being pushed by the drill and which at best is being held in one hand...and which I am drilling into the air - as I cannot think of any way to put any piece of wood, for example, behind the wall I am drilling into... In short a recipe for a drilling disaster, I would think.. but then I don't have the knowledge to know how best to keep everything fixed and firm and suitably immobilized.


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## richmke (May 1, 2015)

BernardSmith said:


> I have heard that the secret is to cover the area you are drilling with painters masking tape



That works because the tape is easily drilled into, and then keeps the drill bit from wandering.

You can also use progressively larger drill bits. Start with a really small drill bit. That won't wander much. Once you have a small hole, a larger drill bit will seat into the hole. Repeat until the pilot hole is a little smaller than the drill bit for the hole saw.


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## BernardSmith (May 1, 2015)

OK. Makes good sense but how would you keep the carboy from moving? I am thinking about putting it on its side , nose inside a milk crate , the crate pressed against a wall but the force of the drill will surely be far greater than any force my hand or knee can exert.. What is the secret to immobilizing the carboy itself?


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## sour_grapes (May 1, 2015)

We are talking about a thin plastic carboy, right? I'd just put it on its side, hold it between my knees, and drill. The only net force on the carboy will be downward (and the floor, obviously, will counteract that). The tiny torque from the drill will be countered by your knees. There will be no net force in any other direction.


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## Ants_Elixirs (May 1, 2015)

I'm guessing you are going to cut the top of so you can put a backing nut and washer on the spigot?


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## BernardSmith (May 1, 2015)

Ants_Elixirs said:


> I'm guessing you are going to cut the top of so you can put a backing nut and washer on the spigot?




Arghhhh!!! I never thought about how I was going to attach the washer and nut... Thank you for that intervention... Just saved me about $30 or thereabouts..


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## Ants_Elixirs (May 1, 2015)

BernardSmith said:


> Arghhhh!!! I never thought about how I was going to attach the washer and nut... Thank you for that intervention... Just saved me about $30 or thereabouts..




Lol one of those V8 moments. Good luck!


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## sour_grapes (May 1, 2015)

I assumed it was a Big-mouth Bubbler. That is still a possibility.


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## BernardSmith (May 1, 2015)

Better Bottle... but it may be possible to insert a spigot although this will take some thinking. BB use a tube to insert their racking adapter (spigot) and although it is configured differently from a standard spigot - their spigot costs as much as the carboy - it may be possible to rig a contraption to locate the washer and nut against the drilled portal and to locate it in such a way that I can prevent it from spinning and so insert the spigot into the nut and washer rather than insert the washer and nut onto the spigot... If I can come up with some device that will hold the nut in a fixed position and which will allow me to guide that nut to the port... hmmmm... a plastic spring loaded "clamp" that I can attach to a rigid PVC tube might hold the nut enough to enable me to screw in the spigot and if I Jerry-rig a line attached to a small piece of wood that I can use to pull the nut and washer against the wall of the carboy then I may be able to screw the spigot in tightly enough to form a good seal..(the idea being to pull the washer nut onto the wall rather than push them) .. Will need to test this idea using a cheap plastic container before I start drilling a hole in my BB.
Won't be able to move forward on this project until Sunday night... 
Apologies Ants Elixirs for hijacking your thread. Not my intention at all. I am very sorry.


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## sour_grapes (May 1, 2015)

BernardSmith said:


> Better Bottle... but it may be possible to insert a spigot although this will take some thinking.



First check that the nut will fit through the neck of the carboy.


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## Ants_Elixirs (May 2, 2015)

Good idea as well.

In the end, I'm thinking you'd be better off with a bucket instead carboy. I think getting a nut on and tightened through the neck is going to be much harder than you realize.


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## HillPeople (May 2, 2015)

A step drill works very well.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Klein-Tools-1-4-in-to-1-3-8-in-Step-Drill-Bit-59009SEN/100662408


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## BernardSmith (May 2, 2015)

But at $64.00 for a step drill bit I could by a couple of ported BB carboys with the spigot already attached...


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## Jimyson (May 2, 2015)

BernardSmith said:


> But yeast starters are typically used more in brewing than wine making, aren't they ? Brewers often use liquid yeasts and they may need to produce a larger culture before they pitch the yeast when they have five or six gallons of wort. Wine yeasts , I think, tend to be dry yeasts and there are enough active cells in any pack to inoculate 5 or 6 gallons of must, although there are certainly folk who choose liquid ale and lager yeasts to inoculate meads and ciders. Which is not to say that a stir plate will do any harm. It won't. And not to say that your plate certainly looks good. It does.




I have one for this exact purpose but since I am moving into juice buckets, I'll also be using it while testing for TA using the pH meter method. This will help ensure that things are mixed while adding the reagant.


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## HillPeople (May 3, 2015)

BernardSmith said:


> But at $64.00 for a step drill bit I could by a couple of ported BB carboys with the spigot already attached...


I wasn't thinking single use
I've had a couple for over 30 years and use them a lot on any thin material I need to put a hole in. They get borrowed a lot as well.


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