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Folding-Float V-Bottom Churn: Floats That Close Into a V on the Down-Stroke
Woody

Created by

Woody

6. October 2026NO
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Folding-Float V-Bottom Churn: Floats That Close Into a V on the Down-Stroke

Clement wanted the dasher to close on the way down and open on the way up. Edwin B. Clement of Barnet, Vermont, received US 8,671, dated 20 January 1852, for a churn whose vessel is a box with a bottom of "two pieces square to each other, the corner pointing downward," and a dasher of two bevelled end pieces, a lengthwise cross piece and "two loose or swinging floats." Closed, the floats fit the bottom, leaving three-eighths to half an inch at the sides for the cream to pass up; raised, they swing apart against pins, "leaving the floats inclining toward the center, so that they may more readily close when they strike the cream." A lever on a post works it. This rung works out the gaps, then prints the end pieces and floats, builds a V-bottomed box and lever, and makes butter.
Intermediate
About 4 hours, plus printing

Instructions

1

The side gaps

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2

Hinged parts that change with the stroke before it

The embedded blueprint hinges beaters so they tilt rising and lie flat falling. Clement's floats close into a V falling and swing open rising.
3

Read US 8,671

"When these floats are closed at the bottom the upper edges of the floats may reach to three eighths, or one half of an inch from the sides of the vessel, which space is left for the cream to pass up through in the operation. When this dasher is raised, see Fig. 3, these floats will swing apart and strike a pin in each end of one of the end pieces."
4

Print the parts

Print two bevelled end pieces with their gudgeon holes and stop pins (/uploads/blueprints/folding-float-v-bottom-churn-end-piece.stl) and two floats with gudgeons (/uploads/blueprints/folding-float-v-bottom-churn-float.stl). Print in PETG at 0.2 mm layers, 30 % infill, 4 walls; wash before first use.

Materials for this step:

PETG FilamentPETG Filament1 piece

Tools needed:

FDM 3D PrinterFDM 3D Printer
5

The V-bottomed box

Build a box of 12 mm plywood about 200 mm long and 110 mm wide, its bottom two boards at right angles, corner down, grooved into the ends and sealed with food-safe sealant; fit a stopper low in one end to draw off the milk.

Materials for this step:

Plywood SheetPlywood Sheet1 piece
Silicone SealantSilicone Sealant1 piece
Wood GlueWood Glue1 piece
#8 x 1" Wood Screw#8 x 1" Wood Screw1 piece
CorksCorks1 piece

Tools needed:

Hand SawHand Saw
Coping SawCoping Saw
ClampsClamps
Cordless DrillCordless Drill
6

Dasher and lever

Join the end pieces with a pine cross piece and a pine staff, and hang the floats between them by their gudgeons so they meet in a V. Fix a pine post to the box's end with a brace, pivot a lever on its top, and pass the staff's tenon through a slot in the lever with a pin.

Materials for this step:

Pine BoardPine Board1 piece
Machine ScrewsMachine Screws1 piece
Hex NutHex Nut1 piece
Wood GlueWood Glue1 piece
#8 x 1" Wood Screw#8 x 1" Wood Screw1 piece

Tools needed:

Hand SawHand Saw
Cordless DrillCordless Drill
Drill Bit SetDrill Bit Set
Screwdriver SetScrewdriver Set
7

The patent drawing

US 8,671 drawing sheet, public domain (expired patent).
Step 7 - Image 1
8

Work the lever and make butter

Let the heavy cream stand until it reaches about 15 °C, checked with the thermometer. Pour in 1.5 litres. Work the lever steadily up and down; time until the butter comes. Draw off the milk at the stopper. Pour off the buttermilk, add cold water, churn a little and pour off again until it runs clear; work in a pinch of salt and weigh the butter.

Materials for this step:

Heavy CreamHeavy Cream1500 ml
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)
9

Floats that stick, a dasher that jams

Folding-float V-bottom troubleshooting.

Flow

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10

History and honest limits

**Edwin B. Clement** of Barnet, Caledonia County, Vermont, received US 8,671, dated 20 January 1852. His box was nearly as long as deep to where the bottom began and about half as wide, secured by iron rods; the cover sank a little into the mouth on two cross pieces. He claimed the application to churn dashers of floats that close when pressed down through the cream, forcing it through narrow spaces, and open again when raised. **Honest limits.** A plywood box, pine and printed parts stand in for his. FDM prints hold food in their layer lines, so wash well and replace when worn. Your times and weights are the result.

Materials

12

Tools Required

11

CC0 Public Domain

This blueprint is released under CC0. You are free to copy, modify, distribute, and use this work for any purpose, without asking permission.

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