Need Some Butter Churn Advise

[James Combs]

I have a client that has three butter churns in various stats of repair. One is complete but has a questionable dasher. One has a broken split dasher off its handle. The other is just the crock and has no lid or dasher. The client wants repairs made and a new lid/dasher made for the crock.

In fabricating and repairing these I would like to be as authentic as possible. Does anyone have any idea as to the typical species of wood used to make churn dashers of old. Not too concerned about the dasher handle, those seem to be mostly hickory, just the dasher its self. I am pretty sure that cedar is not typical, which is what the questionable one showing its bottom in the first pic is. The other one in clamps might be legit, appears to be something like bass wood or some other similar soft wood. Will most likely use maple if I can't get a definite answer.

Administrators, hope I have this in an appropriate forum.


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[Carl Baker]

I think you are on the right track. Admittedly, everything I know about butter churns I learned from your original post, but I'll play odds....
You have three churns. One has what appears to be a crude replacement dasher, another is broken and the third is missing entirely. Since you are 0 for 3, my suspicion is that it would be an often broken / replaced part and it likely would've varied by region based upon what was readily available. I'm totally making that up, but if you say it with conviction, you can justify whatever wood choice you make!

[Jim Morgan]

Beech is reputed to not impart any flavor to food that it comes in contact with, so it often used for wooden spoons and the like. Not the most stable wood, but that probably doesn't matter in this application.

[James Combs]

I think you are on the right track. Admittedly, everything I know about butter churns I learned from your original post, but I'll play odds....
You have three churns. One has what appears to be a crude replacement dasher, another is broken and the third is missing entirely. Since you are 0 for 3, my suspicion is that it would be an often broken / replaced part and it likely would've varied by region based upon what was readily available. I'm totally making that up, but if you say it with conviction, you can justify whatever wood choice you make!

Thanks Carl, that's the kind of answer I can sink my funny bone into.

Beech is reputed to not impart any flavor to food that it comes in contact with, so it often used for wooden spoons and the like. Not the most stable wood, but that probably doesn't matter in this application.

Thanks James, after I posted I found a modern version for sale on Amazon and it is made of Beech so that looks like at least 2 votes for Beach, 3 if I consider Carl's a vote for whatever is regionally correct as a vote for Beech. LOL

Actually it probably matters very little since these are room decorations anyway but my Sister says I am a little OCD so I tend to at least try to do things right. Now since I don't have any Beech but have lots of Oak and Maple I will most likely use one of them. In researching butter churns I did see someplace where it said that "hardwoods" were used to make them so I wouldn't be completely out in left field like whom ever used cedar on the one.

Thanks again guys.

[Reed Gray]

I was trying to identify the woods on the dashers. The red one could be cherry, which would be good, possible apple or dogwood if you can find some. Beech and hard/sugar maple are most commonly used for professional grade rolling pins and masher. For sure, I would not use walnut...

robo hippy

[daryl moses]

James, if you ever get over this way I would be glad to give you all the Beech you can haul. I'ts not dry but I have a Beech on the ground and I can bandsaw out what you might need.

[John K Jordan]

If the second one is a soft, light-weight wood one guess would be Buckeye, based on the brown streaks. (That guess is worth what you paid for it!) I've seen similar streaks in every buckeye board I've had. Buckeye has a poor resistance to rot but perhaps when used in a churn then washed and dried it would last a long time. Also, the liquid it was used with may have contributed to the streaks.

If possible, measure the density - that would be a clue. (Measure the thickness and radius to calculate, subtract the volume of the holes, weigh.)

A macro photo of the end grain after shaving it clean can tell a lot. Section 7: http://www.wood-database.com/wood-ar...ication-guide/

Amazon lists one that is reported to be made from beech. I found a homesteading article that said to use pine or maple for the dasher.

Sounds like a fun project!

JKJ

[James Combs]

I was trying to identify the woods on the dashers. The red one could be cherry, which would be good, possible apple or dogwood if you can find some. Beech and hard/sugar maple are most commonly used for professional grade rolling pins and masher. For sure, I would not use walnut...
robo hippy

Hi Robo, the red one is actually Red Cedar that someone threw on the handle just to have something on it. Not sure what the other is but my question was not what these are but what was typically used back in the day for the Dasher. Found one on Amazon made from Beech and it is suppose to be usable. Probably the same one John Jordan mentions below.

James, if you ever get over this way I would be glad to give you all the Beech you can haul. I'ts not dry but I have a Beech on the ground and I can bandsaw out what you might need.

Many thanks Daryl but I don't do much traveling these days so doubt that I will make it. Sure appreciate the offer.

If the second one is a soft, light-weight wood one guess would be Buckeye, based on the brown streaks. (That guess is worth what you paid for it!) I've seen similar streaks in every buckeye board I've had. Buckeye has a poor resistance to rot but perhaps when used in a churn then washed and dried it would last a long time. Also, the liquid it was used with may have contributed to the streaks.
If possible, measure the density - that would be a clue. (Measure the thickness and radius to calculate, subtract the volume of the holes, weigh.)
A macro photo of the end grain after shaving it clean can tell a lot. Section 7: http://www.wood-database.com/wood-ar...ication-guide/
Amazon lists one that is reported to be made from beech. I found a homesteading article that said to use pine or maple for the dasher.
Sounds like a fun project!
JKJ

Thanks John, looks like we saw the same churn on Amazon. Finding that homestead article that mentions pine(I wouldn't, afraid of taste) and maple pretty much cinches it for me. Maple it is, got plenty of that.

Thanks again guys for the info.

[John K Jordan]

maple pretty much cinches it for me. Maple it is, got plenty of that.

Will this churn be used to make butter or just sitting around to look at? If to be used and IF using it works better with lighter-weight wood than heavier wood, then consider that soft maple is often considerably lighter weight than hard maple. http://www.wood-database.com/wood-ar...nd-soft-maple/

JKJ

[Pat Barry]

I suggest Butternut. LOL

[John K Jordan]

I suggest Butternut. LOL

That's funny! And apple for baking deserts. Osage orange for juice squeezers. Maple for mixing pancake batter. Basswood for fishing boats. Ash for fireplace bellows. And rosewood for gardening. And any kind or nut wood for smacking jokers like you and me.

JKJ

[John K Jordan]

James, if you ever get over this way I would be glad to give you all the Beech you can haul. It's not dry but I have a Beech on the ground and I can bandsaw out what you might need.

Daryl, you may be in luck! Since James unfortunately is unable to make it I am willing to make the great personal sacrifice of offering to help you with your terrible excess green Beech problem.

JKJ