Where To Buy A Stirrer Flea?

[braufrau]

After a very stupid day of brewing (missed the strike T, got low efficiency, left the fermenter tap open ) I poured my stirrer flea into the fermenter and a nano second later thought "hang on .. I need that next week!"

Anyone know where one can buy a stirrer flea?
Oh yes, I should know, because I have one .. but I didn't buy that one ..so anyone?

And the one I have is huge .. about 5cm long .. how big is everyone elses? Can you stir 1.5l of starter with a little one like we used to use in prac?

 

[PostModern]

Is that a magnetic stir-bar?

 

[Supra-Jim]

Flea market? h34r:

:icon_cheers: SJ

 

[braufrau]

Oh ha ha!

I thought about posting "stand in the sun" under the recipe for melanoidin thread. But I resisted.

Yes .. a stir-bar.

 

[samhighley]

And the one I have is huge .. about 5cm long .. how big is everyone elses?

I'm surprised that this has been left alone so long.

Perhaps the OP's gender is the issue.

 

[Ecosse]

Got mine from Livingstone International (Linky). Just avoid those with the pivot, unless that's your thing.

I bought a few at the time, luckily, cause the little soldiers have all done their tours in the fermenter. You'd think I'd remember not to tip them in by now.

Apparently Doc on the Brewing Network has a stirrer retrieval device (a magnet on a flexible thingy) to pull them from carboys. I haven't gone that far but I do now take his advice to label the fermenter with the stirbar so I don't pour it away if I'm not reusing the yeast. After doing it once of course.

And the one I have is huge .. about 5cm long .. how big is everyone elses? Can you stir 1.5l of starter with a little one like we used to use in prac?

I'm a little bashful about proclaiming that I have a little one...but I do. I've used both a 2 and 3cm stirrers on my tight arse stirplate for up to 3L starters without problem.

Remember its not the size of the boat but the motion of the ocean...er...starter.

There should be emoticon for hackneyed p*nis jokes.

 

[samhighley]

I buy mine from Livingstone.

[codebox]

MSB50X8 MAGNETIC STIRRER BARS.50X8MM W/O PIVOT 6.53
MSB50X8P MAGNETIC STIRRER BARS.50X8MM W/ PIVOT (loose) 6.82
[/codebox]

 

[samhighley]

I haven't gone that far but I do now take his advice to label the fermenter with the stirbar so I don't pour it away if I'm not reusing the yeast.

Ditto, I put a large label on my fermenter featuring "stir bar on board!" if I accidently dump a stir bar in there.

 

[domonsura]

We have 1 x 50 x 8mm stir bar on the shelf down here BF. Either that or you can borrow one of mine until you manage to fish yours out

 

[samhighley]

We have 1 x 50 x 8mm stir bar on the shelf down here BF. Either that or you can borrow one of mine until you manage to fish yours out

Now that sounds like the best deal. On ya Wayne!

 

[drsmurto]

Surely HWMBO can give you another one?

I have several if you want to borrow one ranging from small (15mm) up to the 50mm i use for the 5 and 6L flasks.

Having an extra few means if i do drop them into a fermenter/flask i can wedge another one into the end of some tubing and fish it out easily!

I have a Sigma-Aldrich catalogue in front of me now and they are referred to as both stir bars, or fleas! I've always called them the latter.

 

[razz]

When you order your next one Braufrau, order one of these also. http://www.livingstone.com.au/item_info_po...;item_id=162079
Makes it easy to retrieve a bar from a fermenter.

 

[braufrau]

Thanks everyone. Lots of options there. I'll have to think about it.
Thanks DrSmurto and Wayne for the offer of a loan.

I wonder if you could retrieve the flea with another magnet on the outside .. like those things they clean fish tanks with. It would depend where abouts it ended up in the fermenter. It would be ok if it was at the side, which isn't unlikely since the fermenter bottom curves.

And thanks DrS for clearing up the flea thing

I was gonna stick my hands on my hips and say "now which one of us has a Ph. D in chemistry" but I thought that would be rather pathetic.
Reminds me of the story I was told about Mrs Mulliken who was PITA trying to impress everyone with how important her husband was. Then when he won the Nobel Prize she had nothing to prove, so she suddenly became extremely gracious. I think about that a lot lately .. sad really.

 

[unterberg]

I think its a good idea to do smaller batches if you wanna try around.

I reckon ideally you would have a hotplate with a magentic stirrer.
Thereby you can set the temp as well. But they are expensive new. Might find something used somewhere or in the lab somewhere or make one yourself if you feel DIY like they did here.
I dont have any tools so I cant do that... would have to borrow the lab one

 

[drsmurto]

I wonder if you could retrieve the flea with another magnet on the outside .. like those things they clean fish tanks with. It would depend where abouts it ended up in the fermenter. It would be ok if it was at the side, which isn't unlikely since the fermenter bottom curves.

If the magnet on the outside is bigger than the one on the inside then you should be able to run it up the outside and get the magnet out that way without having to dip something in the wort. Its what i do at work.....

 

[drsmurto]

I think its a good idea to do smaller batches if you wanna try around.

I reckon ideally you would have a hotplate with a magentic stirrer.
Thereby you can set the temp as well. But they are expensive new. Might find something used somewhere or in the lab somewhere or make one yourself if you feel DIY like they did here.
I dont have any tools so I cant do that... would have to borrow the lab one

If you have a commercial stirplate this isnt necessary.

I find it heats up to 20-25C due to the motor inside working constantly, particularly when you have it going flat out like i do creating a massive vortex in even a 6l flask!

 

[warrenlw63]

Grain and Grape have both stir bars and mail order.

Here

Warren -

 

[samhighley]

Grain and Grape have both stir bars and mail order.

I have a hard time taking G&G seriously when their website looks like such rubbish using Safari for Mac.

Broken image links everywhere.

And that's before you consider the lack of detail and photos for most products.

 

[warrenlw63]

I have a hard time taking G&G seriously when their website looks like such rubbish using Safari for Mac.

Broken image links everywhere.

And that's before you consider the lack of detail and photos for most products.

Sammy if it bothers you that much I'm sure they'd be happy to take your phone call... Openly bagging a site sponsor will hardly win friends and influence people! <_<

Warren -

 

[unterberg]

If you have a commercial stirplate this isnt necessary.

I find it heats up to 20-25C due to the motor inside working constantly, particularly when you have it going flat out like i do creating a massive vortex in even a 6l flask!

I meant to post that in the other thread with ultramicrobrewing - Sorry!
Mash a 5l batch on the hotplate with magnetic stirrer...