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Diagonal-Blade Shouldered-Breaker Churn: Pitched Blades on Uneven Arms Turn Under the Shoulders of Two Breakers
Buttercup

Created by

Buttercup

11. November 2026IE
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Diagonal-Blade Shouldered-Breaker Churn: Pitched Blades on Uneven Arms Turn Under the Shoulders of Two Breakers

Lester Day of Buffalo, New York, received US 26,970, dated 31 January 1860, for a churn. An upright shaft carries short upper arms and long lower arms, each with a rectangular blade set diagonally and adjustable along it, the two of a pair at different distances so neither follows the other's track. Two breakers, joined at the top and lifting out together, stand opposite each other with stepped shoulders under which the blades turn, and holes the cream is thrown through. The patent gives no sizes; every size here is ours.
Intermediate
About 2 days, plus printing

Instructions

1

Blades that never follow each other's track

Loading Jupyter Notebook...
2

Short blades within, a long one under, two months before

Jebb's thick staves are part of the tub. Day's breakers stand free, step back in two shoulders, and lift out.
3

Read US 26,970

"Motion being given to the dash blades by means of the crank and gearing, in the direction of the arrows, they will by their diagonal position on the arms throw the cream or milk outward against the side of the barrel and against the breakers, part passing through the space between the breakers and the side of the barrel, and part being thrown through the holes (h) in the breakers and part being thrown back by the breakers meeting these currents causing a concussion between them"
4

Print the wheel J

Crown wheel, 36 teeth on its face, module 2, with a hub bored 12.4 mm and a cross hole for a pin. PETG, 0.2 mm layers, 40 % infill, 4 walls.
Design FileSTLCC0 - Free
5

Print the pinion I

Spur pinion, 12 teeth, module 2, with a 12.4 mm square socket for the shaft's top. PETG, 0.2 mm layers, 40 % infill, 4 walls.
Design FileSTLCC0 - Free
6

Print the foot step b

A cup 60 mm across and 25 mm tall with a 21 mm socket for the shaft's foot. PETG, 0.2 mm layers, 40 % infill, 4 walls.
Design FileSTLCC0 - Free
7

Tub A, breakers E and cross piece F

Use a wooden tub 360 mm across inside and 450 mm deep; glue the foot step in the middle of its floor and two hardwood sockets g opposite each other against the wall. Cut two breakers from 15 mm hardwood, 420 mm tall, their outer edges 10 mm off the wall: from the top down to 350 mm up their inner edges reach 40 mm from the middle, then step out at H to 118 mm, and at H' (165 mm up) to 150 mm. Bore two 30 mm holes h through each at 220 and 290 mm up. Screw a cross piece 336 x 40 x 20 mm across their tops, bored 32 mm in the middle, and stand them in the sockets leaning slightly. Fill the tub with water overnight so it swells tight, then empty it.

Materials for this step:

Wooden TubWooden Tub1 piece
Hardwood BoardHardwood Board2 pieces
Wood GlueWood Glue1 piece
Wood ScrewsWood Screws12 pieces
PETG FilamentPETG Filament1 piece

Tools needed:

FDM 3D PrinterFDM 3D Printer
JigsawJigsaw
Table SawTable Saw
Spade Bit SetSpade Bit Set
Cordless DrillCordless Drill
Drill Bit SetDrill Bit Set
Bar ClampBar Clamp
Tape MeasureTape Measure
WaterWater
8

Shaft B, arms C and blades D

Turn a hardwood shaft 30 mm across and 500 mm long, its foot turned to 19 mm and its top 40 mm cut to a 12 mm square. Bore it across for two 16 mm hardwood arms at 300 mm up, 204 mm long, and two at 110 mm up at right angles, 272 mm long. Cut eight blades 90 x 70 x 10 mm, bore each through its middle at 45 degrees to its face for the arm, and slide them on: the upper pair at 50 and 62 mm from the shaft, the lower at 84 and 96 mm, the nearer and farther blade on opposite sides. Pin each where it sits.

Materials for this step:

Hardwood BoardHardwood Board1 piece
Hardwood DowelsHardwood Dowels2 pieces
Wood GlueWood Glue1 piece

Tools needed:

Wood LatheWood Lathe
Table SawTable Saw
Cordless DrillCordless Drill
Drill Bit SetDrill Bit Set
SandpaperSandpaper
Tape MeasureTape Measure
9

Cover L, gear frame K and crank M

Cut a cover to sit on the rim, bored 32 mm in its middle, held by two hooks and eyes. Screw two chairs on it in a line from the middle, carrying a 12 mm stainless shaft with the crown wheel and a crank, and drop the pinion over the shaft's square top so they mesh. Lift the cover off to free the shaft; lift the breakers out by the cross piece to clean them.

Materials for this step:

Hardwood BoardHardwood Board1 piece
Stainless Steel RodStainless Steel Rod1 piece
Hook and EyeHook and Eye2 pieces
Wood ScrewsWood Screws8 pieces
Hardwood DowelsHardwood Dowels1 piece
Wood GlueWood Glue1 piece

Tools needed:

JigsawJigsaw
CompassCompass
Cordless DrillCordless Drill
Drill Bit SetDrill Bit Set
HacksawHacksaw
Files (Hand File)Files (Hand File)
Screwdriver SetScrewdriver Set
10

The build in 3D

FreeCAD model of this build, the tub and cover cut through the middle: the two shouldered breakers with their holes and cross piece, the shaft with its short upper and long lower arms and diagonal blades, the foot step, and the crown wheel, pinion and crank on the cover. The dash was turned through 24 positions.
Design FileBLENDCC0 - Free
11

Churn

Pour about 15 litres of heavy cream at about 15 °C into the tub, checked with the thermometer, put the cover on and hook it. Turn the crank steadily in the blades' direction, timing it. When the butter comes, lift the cover, dash and breakers out, take out the butter, drain the buttermilk, wash the butter in cold water until it runs clear, salt and weigh it.

Materials for this step:

Heavy CreamHeavy Cream15 l
Coarse Sea SaltCoarse Sea Salt1 piece
WaterWater1 piece

Tools needed:

Leave-In Probe ThermometerLeave-In Probe Thermometer
StopwatchStopwatch
Digital Kitchen ScaleDigital Kitchen Scale
Stainless Steel Mixing Bowl (Large)Stainless Steel Mixing Bowl (Large)
12

Troubleshooting

Shouldered-breaker churn troubleshooting.

Flow

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13

History and honest limits

**Lester Day** of Buffalo, Erie County, New York, US 26,970, 31 January 1860, "Churn". He claimed the breakers E with shoulders H, H', fixed to the cross piece F and removable with it, and the adjustable diagonal dash blades D working with them. His blades may also be turned on their arms to throw the cream upward, or inward and downward when reversed. His bevel wheel and pinion are here a printed crown wheel and pinion. The patent gives no sizes; every size here is ours.

Materials

11

Tools Required

19

Design Files

4

CC0 Public Domain

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