Specifically a Corning PC-351. Ebay. Bought it now for $99 w/free shipping. I had been bidding and losing for couple days, found a deal that was actually less than what I was bidding at when shipping was included so I snagged it. I'm excited!
From searching I've figured out to keep the heat relatively low, get a glass coated stirring bar and don't spin too quickly. Anything else I should know?
Get a set of conical flasks if you haven't already.
Yes; I'm flask shopping right now.
When I use my hot place magnetic stirrer I cover the flask/beaker with a coffee filter, allowing any alcohol to evaporate but no particulates to get in.
You can get the flask from amazon. Which have pretty good stuff, make sure it's Pyrex only or a german company. Do not get boriscolate glass, it will crack from heat. Also the plastic metal stirrer does aparently melt in heat, but I don't know at what temperature.
Pyrex = brand name of borosilicate glass.
Pyrex is the brand name, but from what I understand if it says Pyrex it's actually thicker then it just saying boriscilate. I order two different flask one Pyrex one boriscilate and they differ in thickness.
stir bar remover personally I just use my fingers
I found you can also just use a stack of magnets to pull it out by running them along the sides of the container the stir bar is in, or even using another bar if one is handy.