Whilst perusing a popular on-line beer and wine making site I got a yen
for buying a plastic agitator rod -- retail $14.95US plus shipping. Being
somewhat of a cheapskate, I looked around for alternatives. I found a
plastic rod used for opening/closing window blinds for sale at a local home
building supply store -- $1.98.
I ended up buying a second one because when I was bending the rod to
look like the agitator rod in the catalog, I got it just a wee bit too close
to the flame from the propane torch. After I bent the end to suit me, I cut
the length to leave about an inch space between the drill chuck and the neck
of the carboy when the other end touchs the bottom.
Works great -- whips the heck out of the liquids and costs less than the
shipping charges on the thingy in the catalog, even including the second
rod.
By the way, if you make one for yourself, pull out the spacers and
stiffners from inside the rod.

On Mar 8, 4:40 pm, "Casey Wilson" > wrote:
> Whilst perusing a popular on-line beer and wine making site I got a yen
> for buying a plastic agitator rod -- retail $14.95US plus shipping. Being
> somewhat of a cheapskate, I looked around for alternatives. I found a
> plastic rod used for opening/closing window blinds for sale at a local home
> building supply store -- $1.98.
> I ended up buying a second one because when I was bending the rod to
> look like the agitator rod in the catalog, I got it just a wee bit too close
> to the flame from the propane torch. After I bent the end to suit me, I cut
> the length to leave about an inch space between the drill chuck and the neck
> of the carboy when the other end touchs the bottom.
> Works great -- whips the heck out of the liquids and costs less than the
> shipping charges on the thingy in the catalog, even including the second
> rod.
> By the way, if you make one for yourself, pull out the spacers and
> stiffners from inside the rod.

Hi Casey-

That rod you purchased might not be food safe- ie, it may have
plasticizers and chemicals in it that will leach out during use into
your wine. While the amounts might be small, they will be present.

You might want to consider making one out of Aluminum or Stainless
rod, instead. Won't need a blowtorch and won't have much to mess up
your wines.

Jason

> Hi Casey-
>
> That rod you purchased might not be food safe- ie, it may have
> plasticizers and chemicals in it that will leach out during use into
> your wine. While the amounts might be small, they will be present.
>
> You might want to consider making one out of Aluminum or Stainless
> rod, instead. Won't need a blowtorch and won't have much to mess up
> your wines.
>
> Jason

Hmmmm, I didn't think of that when I put on my cheapskate's mask.
Thanks....

Casey

On Mar 11, 1:43 pm, "Casey Wilson" > wrote:
> > Hi Casey-
>
> > That rod you purchased might not be food safe- ie, it may have
> > plasticizers and chemicals in it that will leach out during use into
> > your wine. While the amounts might be small, they will be present.
>
> > You might want to consider making one out of Aluminum or Stainless
> > rod, instead. Won't need a blowtorch and won't have much to mess up
> > your wines.
>
> > Jason
>
> Hmmmm, I didn't think of that when I put on my cheapskate's mask.
> Thanks....
>
> Casey

Heh you aren't the only one...

Ethanol is a GREAT solvent. Leave some in contact with plastic and
watch it leach colour out after only a day or so.

Jason

Take a trip to your local Home Depot or Wal Mart and I'm sure you can find
everything you'll need to make a food save degasser. Seeing that I just
broke ANOTHER plastic wine whip, I will follow my own advice and report
back.


"Casey Wilson" > wrote in message
news:0dXIh.1770$Bi2.1206@trnddc01...
>
>> Hi Casey-
>>
>> That rod you purchased might not be food safe- ie, it may have
>> plasticizers and chemicals in it that will leach out during use into
>> your wine. While the amounts might be small, they will be present.
>>
>> You might want to consider making one out of Aluminum or Stainless
>> rod, instead. Won't need a blowtorch and won't have much to mess up
>> your wines.
>>
>> Jason
>
> Hmmmm, I didn't think of that when I put on my cheapskate's mask.
> Thanks....
>
> Casey
>

I have a long plastic spoon I just flip over to go in the carboy.
That's cheap and pretty hard to break. (Yes, I broke my stirrer
too...) If you want to go really cheap just take one of those solid
racking canes and flip it over and spin that. Alton Brown would call
it a multitasker...
:0)

Joe