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Water-and-Air Tube Churn: Two Tubes of Warm or Cold Water and an Open Air Tube Stand by the Wall, Blades Sweep Under and Between
Buttercup

Created by

Buttercup

12. November 2026IE
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Water-and-Air Tube Churn: Two Tubes of Warm or Cold Water and an Open Air Tube Stand by the Wall, Blades Sweep Under and Between

Thomas A. Jebb of Buffalo, New York, received US 32,697, dated 2 July 1861, for a geared churn with three tubes standing just inside its wall. Two are closed at the bottom and filled with cold water or ice in summer, warm water in winter, to bring the cream to the right warmth; the third is open at both ends, and the long lower dash blade, sweeping under its foot, draws air down it into the cream. The tubes also split the swirling cream, part through the gap by the wall and part back toward the shaft. Funnels in the cover feed the tubes without lifting it. The gap between the tubes and the wall is the patent's; every other size here is ours.
Intermediate
About 2 days

Instructions

1

Tempering the cream from inside

Loading Jupyter Notebook...
2

Jebb's earlier churn, a year and a half before

In his first churn Jebb split the current with thick staves and swept a long blade beneath them. Here tubes do the splitting, and also temper and air the cream.
3

Read US 32,697

"The nature of this invention relates to the application and use of three tubes (A, A,) and (B) so arranged within the churn as to serve the threefold purpose of, 1st, breaking and dividing the body of cream, as it is set in motion by the dash blades, 2d, graduating the temperature of the cream by the use of warm or cold water in the tubes (A, A,) and 3d, ventilating, by causing a current of air to pass down the tube (B,) into the midst of the cream."
4

Print the tube plugs (two)

A plug sealing the bottom of a water tube: 37.6 mm across, 15 long, with a 42 mm lip. Print two; seal them in with silicone. PETG, 0.2 mm layers, 30 % infill, 4 walls.
Design FileSTLCC0 - Free
5

Print the rings C (six)

A ring round a tube: 50 mm across, 40.2 bore, 12 high, with a boss and a 5.2 mm hole for the shank. Print six. PETG, 0.2 mm layers, 30 % infill, 4 walls.
Design FileSTLCC0 - Free
6

Tubes A, A and B, rings C, shanks d and nuts e

Use a 20-litre food-grade bucket as the churn. Cut three 40 mm stainless tubes 315 mm long. Seal a printed plug into the bottom of two of them, the water tubes A; leave the third, the air tube B, open at both ends. Stand them a third of a turn apart round the inside, 40 mm off the floor, their outsides 15 mm from the wall all the way up (the patent's half to three quarters of an inch), leaning with the wall. Put two rings C on each, 110 and 280 mm up, run an M6 threaded rod shank d from each ring out through a hole in the wall, and tighten a nut e and washer on it outside, sealed with silicone.

Materials for this step:

20-Liter Bucket20-Liter Bucket1 piece
Stainless Steel TubeStainless Steel Tube1 piece
PETG FilamentPETG Filament1 piece
Silicone SealantSilicone Sealant1 piece
Threaded RodThreaded Rod1 piece
Hex NutHex Nut12 pieces
Flat WasherFlat Washer12 pieces

Tools needed:

FDM 3D PrinterFDM 3D Printer
HacksawHacksaw
Files (Hand File)Files (Hand File)
Cordless DrillCordless Drill
Drill Bit SetDrill Bit Set
Adjustable SpannerAdjustable Spanner
Tape MeasureTape Measure
7

Print the step

The step on the floor: 40 mm across, 12 high, with a 16.8 mm hole 8 deep. PETG, 0.2 mm layers, 30 % infill, 4 walls.
Design FileSTLCC0 - Free
8

Shaft F and dash blades G

Cut a 16 mm stainless shaft 440 mm long. Mortise three hardwood dash blades G 24 x 8 mm through hardwood hubs on it: the lower 250 mm long, 20 mm above the floor, sweeping under the tubes' ends; the other two 140 mm long, at 150 and 260 mm, turned 60 and 120 degrees from it, sweeping between the tubes. Stand the shaft in the step.

Materials for this step:

Stainless Steel RodStainless Steel Rod1 piece
Hardwood BoardHardwood Board1 piece
Hardwood DowelsHardwood Dowels1 piece
Wood GlueWood Glue1 piece

Tools needed:

Table SawTable Saw
Chisel Set - WoodChisel Set - Wood
Cordless DrillCordless Drill
Drill Bit SetDrill Bit Set
HacksawHacksaw
9

Print the pinion H

The pinion on the shaft's top: 14 teeth, module 2.5, 16.2 mm bore. PETG, 0.2 mm layers, 30 % infill, 4 walls.
Design FileSTLCC0 - Free
10

Print the wheel I

The driving wheel: a crown wheel of 42 teeth, module 2.5, 16.2 mm bore. PETG, 0.2 mm layers, 30 % infill, 4 walls.
Design FileSTLCC0 - Free
11

Cover K, tunnels n, frame J, wheels H and I, winch M, hooks l

Cut a 12 mm HDPE cover K to the bucket's top, bored 16.8 mm at the centre and 21 mm over each tube's mouth. Set a small kitchen funnel in each of those holes, its spout reaching down into the tube, as the tunnels n. Pin the pinion H on the shaft 40 mm above the cover. Screw two hardwood blocks 50 x 25 x 118 mm, the frame J, to the cover 60 and 125 mm from the centre, bored 16.6 mm across 93 mm up; run a 16 mm stainless shaft 150 mm long through them with the wheel I pinned on meshing H, a shaft collar, and a winch M of mild steel flat bar, 100 mm throw, with a hardwood handle. Fix two hooks and eyes l to hold the cover to the bucket.

Materials for this step:

HDPE SheetHDPE Sheet1 piece
Kitchen FunnelKitchen Funnel3 pieces
Hardwood BoardHardwood Board1 piece
Stainless Steel RodStainless Steel Rod1 piece
Shaft CollarShaft Collar1 piece
Split PinSplit Pin3 pieces
Mild Steel Flat BarMild Steel Flat Bar1 piece
Hardwood DowelsHardwood Dowels1 piece
Wood ScrewsWood Screws6 pieces
Hook and EyeHook and Eye2 pieces
PETG FilamentPETG Filament1 piece

Tools needed:

FDM 3D PrinterFDM 3D Printer
CompassCompass
JigsawJigsaw
Spade Bit SetSpade Bit Set
Cordless DrillCordless Drill
Drill Bit SetDrill Bit Set
HacksawHacksaw
Files (Hand File)Files (Hand File)
Bench ViseBench Vise
Screwdriver SetScrewdriver Set
12

The build in 3D

FreeCAD model of this build, the bucket cut open: the two closed water tubes and the open air tube on their rings and shanks, the shaft with the long lower blade under the tubes and two short blades between them, the cover with its funnels, and the gearing and winch.
Design FileBLENDCC0 - Free
13

Temper and churn

Pour about 10 litres of heavy cream into the bucket and hook on the cover. Pour cold water or ice water into the two water tubes through their funnels if the cream is warm, warm water if it is cold; each filling moves the cream only a degree or two, so start with cream near 15 °C, checked with the thermometer, and refill the tubes as it drifts. Leave the air tube's funnel open. Turn the winch steadily, timing it. When the butter comes, unhook and lift off the cover and gearing, lift out the shaft, take out the butter, pour the buttermilk into a bowl, wash the butter in cold water until it runs clear, salt and weigh it. Empty the water tubes.

Materials for this step:

Heavy CreamHeavy Cream10 l
WaterWater1 piece
Coarse Sea SaltCoarse Sea Salt1 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)
14

Troubleshooting

Tube churn troubleshooting.

Flow

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15

History and honest limits

**Thomas A. Jebb** of Buffalo, Erie County, New York, US 32,697, 2 July 1861, "Churn". He claimed "the described arrangement of the water tubes A, A, air tube B, and dash blades G, G, G within the churn tub, so that a space may be left between the said tubes and the sides of the churn tub, and so that the lower dash blade shall revolve under the lower ends of said tubes, while the other dash blades shall revolve in the space between said tubes". His text calls the shaft both F and E. His tub widened toward the bottom; ours, a bucket, widens toward the top, and our tubes lean with it. The gap of half to three quarters of an inch is his; every other size here is ours.

Materials

21

Tools Required

18

Design Files

6

CC0 Public Domain

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