[phillamb168]

I have a carboy and corny cleaner with detachable cleaning pads. I looked at the pics of mix stirs and they seem to operate on exactly the same principle. So, can I fabricate my own? Any ideas on how it should be designed?

[Slowbrew]

I would think it shouldn't be too difficult.  It's a pretty simple concept.

If you can get 5/16" or 3/8" stainless steel rod, and you have a drill press available to you, you could cut the rod to the length you want and then cut two pieces of rod to 1.5 or 2" long.  Drill a hole through each piece so you can slip a SS bolt through the three.  Make sure the bolt is long enough to accept a self-locking nut and still allow the pieces to move freely but not so long it doesn't fit down the neck of a carboy.

Sanitize it and chuck it into your drill.

Paul

[hamiltont]

If you go that route be sure to test it with your carboy before final assembly. With the bolt & hardware it may not fit through the neck of the carboy. Don't ask me how I know this....    Cheers!!!

[phillamb168]

I would think it shouldn't be too difficult.  It's a pretty simple concept.

If you can get 5/16" or 3/8" stainless steel rod, and you have a drill press available to you, you could cut the rod to the length you want and then cut two pieces of rod to 1.5 or 2" long.  Drill a hole through each piece so you can slip a SS bolt through the three.  Make sure the bolt is long enough to accept a self-locking nut and still allow the pieces to move freely but not so long it doesn't fit down the neck of a carboy.

Sanitize it and chuck it into your drill.

Paul

Hrm, so just the two rods to stir, and not some sort of paddle-shaped thing? Although I guess the idea is to make this basically like a stirplate in reverse...

[tschmidlin]

Phil, is this because you want to build one or because you don't want to pay for shipping from the US?

If the latter, you might be able to find a drill mountable paint stirrer at the hardware store.  They're pretty cheap here, not sure about there.  It won't fit through the neck of a carboy, but aren't you moving to larger fermenters soon anyway?

[Slowbrew]

I would think it shouldn't be too difficult.  It's a pretty simple concept.

If you can get 5/16" or 3/8" stainless steel rod, and you have a drill press available to you, you could cut the rod to the length you want and then cut two pieces of rod to 1.5 or 2" long.  Drill a hole through each piece so you can slip a SS bolt through the three.  Make sure the bolt is long enough to accept a self-locking nut and still allow the pieces to move freely but not so long it doesn't fit down the neck of a carboy.

Sanitize it and chuck it into your drill.

Paul

Hrm, so just the two rods to stir, and not some sort of paddle-shaped thing? Although I guess the idea is to make this basically like a stirplate in reverse...

Pretty much.  I was basically laying out how to make the mix-stir thingies I've seen on online sites lately.  I think what you lose in surface area is made up a bit by the speed the drill runs at.

As Tom said you can get a brand new paint mixer at the HW stores here for a few bucks that work in a container with a larger opening than a carboy has.

Paul