A Hand-Cranked Butter Churn

(Page 2 of 2)

July/August 1974
By the Mother Earth News editors 
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The ends of the shaft were rounded (for ease of turning) where they were set into the uprights of the frame. A foot or so of three-inch board was fitted over one tip of the axle at right angles, and a short round peg was attached to the plank's other end for a handle.

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About 19 pieces of four-inch lumber or 13 of six-inch would be needed to form the circumference of the churn. These boards have to be fitted together at a slight angle to make the circle, and I seem to recall than they were tongue and-grooved to prevent loss of flour through the joints. If the whole machine is soaked water before use, the wood will swell enough, I think. stop any leakage. A cloth lining for the drum would help, but I'm not sure that the interior could then properly cleaned to prevent odors which would spoil Ice cream. A metal brace might be fastened over the outs. of the machine to give it added strength.

The inside of the drum's curved surface was studded with maybe six or eight slightly rounded-off wooden paddles. They were almost as wide as the churn itself (about one foot), and jutted about six inches into the interior. The effect was something like a balding porcupine turned inside out.

We'd pour in the cream, plug the hole and just crank away while the paddles beat the contents into fresh, sweet butter and I honestly don't remember how long it took, but the time was well spent.

Well, there it is, and I hope somebody can use the information. Happy buttering or how about a part-time churn business?

Copyright (C) 2001-2002, Ogden Publications, Inc.
All rights reserved.

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