The whole setting fires and being in Europe thing makes me think about Frankenstein.

The Europeans are drinking less and then theres the financial crisis and then all this other stuff, etc ...

Running Dry: Belgium's Looming Beer Crisis

DIY Stir Plate

Short story: I made a stir plate.

Longer story:

Of course I needed a stir plate if I wanted to be an excellent homebrewer, or maybe it was just because someone gave me a 110v Hofmann Engr. fan. Of course I was going to make it myself, in the spirit of homebrewing, DIY all the way, or something. First, it was great I could just plug it into the wall. I needed an enclosure, I could have just bought one from RadioShack, but that would have been too easy. I started by trying to use some scrap polycarbonate to make a box. After a while of cutting, with much effort, I tried to drill some pilot holes. Wow, that was incredibly difficult and to be honest the box was wonky. The scrap was still scrap and I lost a few hours of time. Then I bought a project box. Then I returned the box project. Happenstance! is awesome.  It was perfect. I found a near empty First Aid kit. I then ordered some rare earth magnets from Hong Kong.  Then after a few trips to all the hardware stores near my house and buying and returning different fan controls I was set to go. I should mention that I found the bolts, washers, adhesive and the only rotary fan control (not just three speeds and the least expensive) at my local Do-It Best.


I then set everything into place and soldered it in and used some silicon on the nuts so they wouldn't move from all the vibrations. I plugged it in. I set it up wrong. Short Circuit. Working in old house, wire inside wall actually breaks. etc etc. Needless to say I fixed it and it now works.