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Pendulum Twin-Dasher Churn: A Swinging Weighted Lever Rocks a Beam That Works Two Half-Dashers Alternately
Martin

Created by

Martin

9. November 2026NO
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Pendulum Twin-Dasher Churn: A Swinging Weighted Lever Rocks a Beam That Works Two Half-Dashers Alternately

James O. Merrill of Chichester, New Hampshire, received US 23,986, dated 10 May 1859, for an oscillating churn light enough to be worked by a child. A weighted pendulum behind the frame rocks a shaft; on its front end a beam rocks, and two links from the beam's ends work two dasher arms up and down in turn through slots in a guide bar. Each arm carries a half-round dasher pierced with holes, so the two halves fill the barrel. The two-piece cover is held down by a thumb screw. This rung builds it full size in timber over a 20-litre bucket.
Intermediate
About 2 days

Instructions

1

How far the dashers move

Loading Jupyter Notebook...
2

Two dashers worked in turn, before it

Mitchell's lever worked two dashers in turn; Merrill's weighted pendulum keeps them going with less effort.
3

Read US 23,986

"... the operator oscillates the lever L, which communicates the motion through the vibrating shaft M, the vibrating lever E, the auxiliary levers F, F', to the dasher arms G, G', thus producing an alternate reciprocating action of the dashers N, N'".
4

Base and frame

Cut a pine base A 720 x 520 mm. Stand two side pieces B B' of 44 x 70 mm timber 960 mm tall, 400 mm apart, 200 mm from the base's back edge, with diagonal side braces I I' and front braces H H' to the base. Screw top braces C C' (444 x 60 x 22 mm) across the front and back faces of the side pieces at the top, and bore both 21 mm in the middle, 30 mm below their top edge.

Materials for this step:

Pine BoardPine Board2 pieces
Softwood Timber 70x70mmSoftwood Timber 70x70mm4 pieces
#10 x 3" Wood Screw#10 x 3" Wood Screw30 pieces
Wood GlueWood Glue1 piece

Tools needed:

Hand SawHand Saw
Cordless DrillCordless Drill
Spade Bit SetSpade Bit Set
ClampsClamps
Spirit LevelSpirit Level
Tape MeasureTape Measure
5

Shaft M, lever E and pendulum L

Screw a hardwood bearing block 80 x 80 x 18 mm, bored 20.5 mm, over each hole. Cut a 20 mm steel shaft 310 mm long and pass it through both. On its front end fix a hardwood lever E 400 x 60 x 20 mm at its middle with a bolt across, drilled 8.5 mm 150 mm each side of the middle for the pins c. On its back end fix the pendulum L, a hardwood bar 50 x 20 mm, 810 mm long, 60 mm below its top. Glue a 24 mm dowel handle h into L 180 mm below the shaft and bolt an 8 kg kettlebell to its foot as W.

Materials for this step:

Hardwood BoardHardwood Board2 pieces
Wood ScrewsWood Screws8 pieces
Steel Bar StockSteel Bar Stock1 piece
Hex Bolt AssortmentHex Bolt Assortment3 pieces
Nylon Insert Lock NutNylon Insert Lock Nut3 pieces
Hardwood DowelsHardwood Dowels1 piece
Wood GlueWood Glue1 piece
KettlebellKettlebell1 piece

Tools needed:

Hand SawHand Saw
Cordless DrillCordless Drill
Drill Bit SetDrill Bit Set
Spade Bit SetSpade Bit Set
HacksawHacksaw
Adjustable SpannerAdjustable Spanner
6

Guide bar J, arms G and links F

Bolt a hardwood guide bar J 444 x 40 x 36 mm across the side pieces' fronts on spacer blocks so it stands 70 mm in front of them, 530 mm above the base, and cut two 27 mm square slots through it 40 mm apart. Cut two hardwood dasher arms G G' 25 mm square and 580 mm long, drop them through the slots, and drill each 8.5 mm 20 mm below its top. Cut two links F F' 30 x 14 mm with holes 282 mm apart and bolt each from a pin c on E to a pin g on an arm, with washers and lock nuts so they turn freely.

Materials for this step:

Hardwood BoardHardwood Board2 pieces
Hex Bolt AssortmentHex Bolt Assortment6 pieces
Flat WasherFlat Washer8 pieces
Nylon Insert Lock NutNylon Insert Lock Nut4 pieces

Tools needed:

Hand SawHand Saw
ChiselsChisels
Cordless DrillCordless Drill
Drill Bit SetDrill Bit Set
Adjustable SpannerAdjustable Spanner
7

Barrel D, covers, dashers and thumb screw

Stand a food-grade 20-litre bucket on the base under the arms. Cut two half-discs N N' 240 mm across from 12 mm plywood, each with three 34 mm holes, and screw one under each arm's foot. Cut two half-round covers m m from 12 mm plywood to fit the bucket's top, notched for the arms. Bolt a cross brace K 444 x 40 x 30 mm across the side pieces' fronts 440 mm above the base, drill it for an M8 rod 72 mm behind the arms, and run the rod through a nut in K with a wing nut on top as the thumb screw i, down onto an oblong block l laid across both covers.

Materials for this step:

20-Liter Bucket20-Liter Bucket1 piece
Plywood SheetPlywood Sheet2 pieces
Wood ScrewsWood Screws6 pieces
Hardwood BoardHardwood Board1 piece
Hex Bolt AssortmentHex Bolt Assortment2 pieces
Threaded RodThreaded Rod1 piece
Hex NutHex Nut1 piece
Wing NutWing Nut1 piece

Tools needed:

JigsawJigsaw
Hole Saw KitHole Saw Kit
Cordless DrillCordless Drill
Drill Bit SetDrill Bit Set
Screwdriver SetScrewdriver Set
Adjustable SpannerAdjustable Spanner
8

The build in 3D

FreeCAD model of this build, a quarter of the barrel and covers cut away: the base and frame with its braces, shaft M with lever E in front and the weighted pendulum behind, links F, the arms in guide bar J, the two half-dashers in the barrel, and the thumb screw on its block. It was checked at five pendulum angles from -12 to +12 degrees.
Design FileBLENDCC0 - Free
9

Churn

Lift the front cover, pour in about 10 litres of heavy cream at about 15 °C, checked with the thermometer, put the cover back and turn the thumb screw down on the block. Swing the pendulum by its handle about 12 degrees each way and time it: the half-dashers rise and fall in turn. When the butter comes, slacken the screw, unbolt the dashers, pour off the buttermilk, wash the butter in cold water until it runs clear, work in a pinch of salt and weigh it.

Materials for this step:

Heavy CreamHeavy Cream10 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)
10

Troubleshooting

Pendulum churn troubleshooting.

Flow

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11

History and honest limits

**James O. Merrill** of Chichester, Merrimack County, New Hampshire, assignor to Wm. A. Swain, US 23,986, 10 May 1859, "Churn". He meant it to take the labour out of churning, adapted to the strength of a child, and claimed the pendulum and weight with the shaft, beam, links and the two alternate dasher arms. He gave no sizes or weight: the frame, the 8 kg weight, the 12 degree swing and every size are ours.

Materials

20

Tools Required

17

Design Files

1

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