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Atmospheric Barrel Churn: Reversed Concave Dashers Close to the Staves, Fresh or Warmed Air Piped to the Middle
Henry Rohrer · Public domain
Buttercup

Created by

Buttercup

11. November 2026IE
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Atmospheric Barrel Churn: Reversed Concave Dashers Close to the Staves, Fresh or Warmed Air Piped to the Middle

Henry Rohrer of Strasburg township, Pennsylvania, received US 26,377, dated 6 December 1859, for improvements to the common barrel churn, which he named the "Champion atmospheric churn". Four concave, tapering dashers run close to the staves with their wide and narrow ends alternating, so they rub as well as beat. Two tubes through the rear head let fresh air into the middle and steam and musty air out; in winter a funnel-mouthed pipe set near a hot stove brings warm air instead. The patent gives no sizes; every size here is ours.
Intermediate
About 2 days, plus printing

Instructions

1

Rohrer's temperatures, and the dashers' sweep

Loading Jupyter Notebook...
2

Air into the cream, three weeks before

Clow pumped air in at the bottom. Rohrer lets it in by pipes alone, warmed from the stove when needed.
3

Read US 26,377

"The concaved, tapering sides of the dashers with the wide end of the one followed by the narrow end of the other in its revolutions, produces side eddies as well as being beaten and partially retained by the concaved side; thus a thorough mixing is produced, while a constant supply of fresh air is admitted through the pipe G to the center of the churn"
4

Print the step F

A raised open step 80 x 80 mm and 55 mm deep, open at the sides, with a 17 mm socket for the rear pivot. PETG, 0.2 mm layers, 40 % infill, 4 walls.
Design FileSTLCC0 - Free
Download Model
5

Barrel A, base B and hatch

Use a wooden barrel about 450 mm long inside, 320 mm across at the heads. Cut a 120 mm hatch in the bilge with a hardwood lid. Bore the front head 17 mm in its centre for the shaft. Bore the rear head 21 mm in its centre for tube K and 21 mm 120 mm above it for tube I. Make a cradle of two shaped hardwood saddles on a base board so the barrel lies level. Fill the barrel with water overnight so it swells tight, then empty it.

Materials for this step:

Wooden BarrelWooden Barrel1 piece
Hardwood BoardHardwood Board2 pieces
Wood GlueWood Glue1 piece
Wood ScrewsWood Screws12 pieces

Tools needed:

JigsawJigsaw
CompassCompass
Cordless DrillCordless Drill
Spade Bit SetSpade Bit Set
Table SawTable Saw
Bar ClampBar Clamp
Tape MeasureTape Measure
WaterWater
6

Dashers D and crosses E

Shave four hardwood dashers 400 mm long, tapering from 70 to 35 mm wide, with a 20 mm deep concave face on the inner side and the outer edge left straight. Make two crosses of hardwood 15 x 24 mm, 290 mm across, and screw the dashers to their ends, outer edges 150 mm from the centre, the wide ends alternately at the front and the rear. Fix the front cross on a 16 mm stainless shaft through the front head with a crank C outside, and a 16 mm pivot on the rear cross's centre.

Materials for this step:

Hardwood BoardHardwood Board2 pieces
Wood ScrewsWood Screws16 pieces
Stainless Steel RodStainless Steel Rod1 piece
Shaft CollarShaft Collar2 pieces
Hardwood DowelsHardwood Dowels1 piece
Wood GlueWood Glue1 piece

Tools needed:

SpokeshaveSpokeshave
Table SawTable Saw
Cordless DrillCordless Drill
Drill Bit SetDrill Bit Set
HacksawHacksaw
Files (Hand File)Files (Hand File)
Screwdriver SetScrewdriver Set
SandpaperSandpaper
Tape MeasureTape Measure
7

Step F, tubes I and K, pipes G and H

Screw the printed step over the rear head's centre hole, its socket on the axis. Seal two 20 mm stainless tubes, 70 mm long, through the rear head: K in the centre under the step, I above it. Make the atmospheric pipe G: an upright stainless tube open at its top, joined to I and K by short tubes and elbows. For winter make pipe H: a stainless funnel, mouth m, on a tube to K, with a tee on the tube from I open as the vent l; set the funnel near a warm stove, never on it, and use silicone tube for the joints.

Materials for this step:

Stainless Steel TubeStainless Steel Tube2 pieces
Silicone TubingSilicone Tubing1 piece
Stainless Steel FunnelStainless Steel Funnel1 piece
Silicone SealantSilicone Sealant1 piece
Wood ScrewsWood Screws4 pieces
PETG FilamentPETG Filament1 piece

Tools needed:

FDM 3D PrinterFDM 3D Printer
HacksawHacksaw
Files (Hand File)Files (Hand File)
Propane TorchPropane Torch
Bench ViseBench Vise
Heat-Resistant GlovesHeat-Resistant Gloves
Screwdriver SetScrewdriver Set
8

The build in 3D

FreeCAD model of this build, the barrel, heads and cradle cut through the middle: the four alternately reversed dashers on their two crosses, the shaft and crank, the step F on the rear head over tube K, tube I, and the atmospheric pipe G outside. The frame was turned through a quarter turn.
Design FileBLENDCC0 - Free
Download Model
9

Churn

Fill the barrel about half full with heavy cream, about 15 litres. Bring it to 15-18 °C, checked with the thermometer; in winter put pipe H on with its funnel near the warm stove, otherwise pipe G. Close the hatch and turn the crank steadily, timing it. When the butter comes, open the hatch, 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)
10

Troubleshooting

Atmospheric barrel churn troubleshooting.

Flow

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11

History and honest limits

**Henry Rohrer** of Strasburg township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, US 26,377, 6 December 1859, "Churn". He knew of other ways of bringing air to cream, and claimed the tubes I, K in the rear head with the pipes G and H, mouth m, partition l and tubes L, M, with the dashers D on an open step F. He says he "tested in my own buttery to my entire satisfaction". The patent gives no sizes; every size here is ours. His temperatures, 60 to 65 °F, are 15.6 to 18.3 °C.

Materials

15

Tools Required

22

Design Files

2

This blueprint makes

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Butter

Free

198
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1
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Buttermilk

Free

72
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