STIR PLATE

SUMMARY
This setup is relatively straight forward, and can be surprisingly inexpensive (depending on what types of goodies you have laying around. I didn't use yeast starters for a long time, but I would certainly recommend them to others. A yeast starter will kick start your yeast and increase its population, preventing weak fermentations due to under-pitching. Also, they make you seem legit.

SUPPLIES ($20 + Erlenmeyer Flask)
Cigar Box       
Power Adapter (use an old one from a Gameboy or Camera, etc)
Potentiometer
Computer Fan (80-100mm)  
Neodymium Magnets
Stir Bar
Flask 
PVC Coupling
Bolts & Nuts      
Felt                  
Power Drill
Hot Glue

The supplies list says cigar box, but you can use any project box you'd like. I chose a cigar box, because they are cool looking and I got it for $2 at my local smoke shop. For a power adapter, I simply used an old digital camera charging cord, but you could always buy one if you like. Also, feel free to use a smaller flask or any other container.

STEPS

     1) Plug the Computer Fan into the Potentiometer

     2) Cut the other end off of the potentiometer 

     3) Use wire strippers to expose part of the black and red wires. We will not use yellow.

     4) Cut the end off of the power adapter

     5) Strip the power adapter wires

     6) Attach the pot's red wire to the hot wire from the power adapter (solid black)

     7) Attach the pot's black wire to the ground wire from the adapter (black w/ white letters)

     8) Plug it in an make sure it works

     9) Unplug fan

     10) Drill holes in center of the cigar box bottom to hold the fan in place 

     11) Use nuts and bolts to lock the fan down

     12) Drill a hole in the front of the cigar box to hold the pot dial (secure with hot glue)

     13) Drill a hole in the back of the cigar box and pull adapter cord through

     14) Glue neodymium magnets to PVC coupling (be watchful of polarities)

     15) Glue PVC coupling to fan

     16) Glue felt to bottom of box (now it won't scratch stuff)

     17) Fire it up!

These steps are probably hard to follow, because I did not take any pictures during this build (I hadn't started this blog yet). Luckily, several other homebrewers have posted videos and tutorials. Here are a few:

     Stir Starters - this one is also kind of hard to follow, but Stir Starters makes some high quality stuff.
     Fo's Stirplate Video - this is essentially a video tutorial of my direction. If you're lost, start here.

LESSONS LEARNED
Take photos when you build stuff (I hadn't started this blog yet, but still...)
Yeast starters look cool