Need advice on stirrer plate

[imperialstout]

Just starting to make yeast starters. Noticed the cell count is much higher if a stir plate is used. Stir plates run from $70 to over $200. What do you use? Want one that runs quietly.

Currently use a 3 L wine jug with a cap drilled and grommeted for an airlock. What would be the benefit of getting a 3 L flask, assuming the stir bar will remain centered in the concave bottom of the wine jug? Any thoughts on what size stir bar to get?

[davidgzach]

http://www.stirstarters.com/

Use the stir bar that comes with it.  It works great in my 5L Erlenmeyer.

Dave

[hokerer]

Currently use a 3 L wine jug with a cap drilled and grommeted for an airlock.

You want max growth with a starter which, among other things, means maximum oxygen exchange.  For that reason, it's better not to use an airlock for a starter.  Just cover the top with sanitized aluminum foil.

[hopfenundmalz]

http://www.stirstarters.com/

Use the stir bar that comes with it.  It works great in my 5L Erlenmeyer.

Dave

I have one. Like it. Dan backs up his product.

[Mark G]

http://www.stirstarters.com/

Use the stir bar that comes with it.  It works great in my 5L Erlenmeyer.

Dave

I have one. Like it. Dan backs up his product.

Another vote for Stirstarters. I use it with both 2 & 5L Erlenmeyer flasks.

[deepsouth]

i use a stirstarter as well.

[heavyeng]

I just put my DIY Stir Plate project to use tonight.

Under $30 bucks from start to finish.

[gmac]

I just put my DIY Stir Plate project to use tonight.

Under $30 bucks from start to finish.

Pictures?

[Pinski]

Stirstarter, good product, good price, great service.
The only thing i don't like is having to carefully balance my 5L flasks, but it works like a charm.

[chuckd76]

Another user of the stir starter here. Although I did feel kind of foolish after I opened it up and saw that it's a pretty simple build. Also got a Midwest Supplies yeast starter kit but I find that the best thing I like about it is the foam stopper as the flasks and the DME can be found anywhere.

[heavyeng]

I just put my DIY Stir Plate project to use tonight.

Under $30 bucks from start to finish.

Pictures?

Fan 4.05 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007JPNE7A/ref=ox_ya_os_product
Flask 14.56 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001BLOHVK/ref=ox_ya_os_product
Stir Bar 7.33 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002VBW5HW/ref=ox_ya_os_product
Rare earth magnets @ Wally World 4 each in a blister pack for 3.79
8X10 piece of acrylic at Lowes 1.79

I had the hardware and the 12VDC power supply on hand.

The acrylic is enough for two.
The fan with four magnets creates a good vortex in a 1L flask.

[stadelman]

For those interested in a StirStarter, Bell's carries them for $40.  They have 10% Off Site Wide right now...

http://www.homebrewfinds.com/2013/01/bells-general-store-10-off-for-hbf.html

That brings the cost down to $36 + shipping.

Or, if you get a StirStarter directly from StirStarter, there's a free stir bar offer toward the bottom of HBF's Top Finds Page...
http://www.homebrewfinds.com/p/top-finds.html

Also 1 Liter Erlenmeyer for - $9.99...
http://www.homebrewfinds.com/2013/01/reader-tip-1000-ml-erlenmeyer-flask-999.html

[davidgzach]

I just put my DIY Stir Plate project to use tonight.

Under $30 bucks from start to finish.

Pictures?

Fan 4.05 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007JPNE7A/ref=ox_ya_os_product
Flask 14.56 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001BLOHVK/ref=ox_ya_os_product
Stir Bar 7.33 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002VBW5HW/ref=ox_ya_os_product
Rare earth magnets @ Wally World 4 each in a blister pack for 3.79
8X10 piece of acrylic at Lowes 1.79

I had the hardware and the 12VDC power supply on hand.

The acrylic is enough for two.
The fan with four magnets creates a good vortex in a 1L flask.

Nice!

[Kaiser]

FYI: I recently played with PWM (pulse witdth modulation) for fan speed control and it works much better than using voltage to control fan speed. But it does require a few more parts and soldering skills.

[hopfenundmalz]

Stirstarter, good product, good price, great service.
The only thing i don't like is having to carefully balance my 5L flasks, but it works like a charm.

I saw that Dan has a larger model that a 5L sits nicely on.