got a new idea for a stirplate. i got a $7 plastic fan at wal mart, the one with 3 settings and took it apart, just the fan blade and the potentiometer. got an old cigar box big enough to house the whole thing, and 2 big magnets from Lowe's for another $2. cut out a hole in the cigar box just big enough for the potentiometer, and glued the mags on the center of the fan, cut a small enough hole on the top of the box so the mags would have no interference thru the wood. got a big stainless steel bolt and hacksawed both ends off, the head and the threads, filed the ends down to make it smooth and shiny, to use as the stir bar. tested it out with a glass growler full of water, and it works great. even has the adjustable speeds that i might need. kept the whole thing under $10, and the best part is, i used a cigar box for the whole thing. what do you think?

I think that its been done. I used a small plastic bucket for my base though. I will be posting pics as soon as I get my desktop fixed. I suggest that you try and coat the "stir bar that you have made with teflon or some other protective coating.

Cheers,
HH

HH - why coat it? The stainless steel is fine. You can sanitize it with heat or chemicals, and coating could leave it worse than before.

I think stirbars are coated because they themselves are magnets. Mine are anyway. Also to reduce friction. Seems like the threads wouls scar the bottom of your flask or jug or whatever after a while. I dunno, just thinking out loud.

Good point... but if he buffed the bolt enough, it probably wouldn't scar the bottom.

I know I've certainly buffed MY bolt enough.

well, as i said in the beginning of this thread, i cut the head of the bolt off, as well as the threads. i made sure to file down the ends so that no burs were sticking off. it's a nice, shiny, well-rounded solid piece of stainless steel, with nothing on it to scratch the glass bottom. i don't see a reason to coat it, since stainless steel is harmless to the brew. i'll post in a few days and let you know how my first starter with my new homemade stir plate turns out.

DRINK BETTER BEER!

Sorry dude. I should have read your original post more closely. No threads. no scarring. Groovy.

I'd worry about dropping it an my flask and breaking my flask...