LumberJocks Woodworking Forum banner

Project Information

My family has a long tradition of making Apple butter. The original stirrer has been chewed by critters so we made a new one. It has to be 50 years old. The new one is based on the old one. It is 9' long and 27" tall. Made with a pine handle and soft maple paddle. This was a joint project between my dad and I. It only took about 2 hours. The handle is mortised into the paddle and has an oak corner brace.

Gallery

Comments

· Registered
Joined
·
18,411 Posts
Well done.
A nice family project….
Both the stirrer & the apple butter!

Will you be sending out samples????
 

· Registered
Joined
·
3,854 Posts
Funny, I thought for sure it would be made of apple wood. Looks great though. Good apple butter is a thing of beauty.
 

· In Loving Memory
Joined
·
10,077 Posts
I'm thinkin Jim (mudflap) uses a different recipe for his apple butter as I can't see him wielding that 9 foot long spoon!
 

· Premium Member
Joined
·
8,024 Posts
Nicely done, Bill and Dad! Mmm Apple butter, mmm mm mmmm. Will the square-ish end fit the kettle better? Make something cool out of the old paddle :)
Thanks for sharing.
 

· Registered
Joined
·
7,151 Posts
Way to stir things up Bill….......
 

· Registered
Joined
·
924 Posts
You done good! This is a special project you'll always have to look back to. Nice.
 

· Premium Member
Joined
·
20,730 Posts
Thanks all.
Candy, the old one used to be more square, but is worn down.
Bob, the kettle is about 24" tall and 30" across.
 

· Premium Member
Joined
·
20,131 Posts
Nice job Bill. It must have taken a lot of apple butter to wear the old on out. Hoe many kettles full do you make in a year?
 

· Registered
Joined
·
20,030 Posts
Very cool. I would like to see it in action.
 

· Premium Member
Joined
·
20,730 Posts
Thanks folks.
Bob it used to be several per year. It was made as a fundraiser for a church group at my grandparents house. Now it is made once per year at most just for our family and friends who want some. I enjoy it because we usually do it once it turns cool and it's nice to be around the fire and smelling the apple butter as it cooks.
Monte, I'll take some pictures on October 3.
 

· Registered
Joined
·
6,272 Posts
Bill,

Stellar job on the apple butter stir sick…..I've never heard or seen one….It's a first for me….It's good that you and your Pop made it together….When my son and family comes over from Tennessee he always wants to build something together in the shop….Nothing like father-son time….Thanks for posting….Now I know what an apple butter stirrer looks like…..
 

· Registered
Joined
·
128 Posts
Would love to see how that 9' stir stick works in the small pot. Cool that you can keep a family tradition going like that.
 

· Premium Member
Joined
·
20,730 Posts
Small pot? 30" across. The main reason for the long handle is that the applebutter cooks over a live fire. You do not want to stand too close or you will burn your pants off. It is a fun tradition. The best apple butter is the stuff that collects on the edges of the kettle.
 

· Registered
Joined
·
0 Posts
In the description of making the the Apple butter Stirrer, can you tell me how you attached the handle to the actual paddle. I can see where you made the mortice and put the handle through the mortise, but how did the handle attach? Is the end of the handle larger on the one end and you inserted it through the mortise until it was tight against the board which had the mortise was screwed into the paddle. I like your design and would like to recreate it for when we make apple butter. Our paddle is showing lots of wear and tear and has been repaired several times.
 

· Premium Member
Joined
·
20,730 Posts
Hi Gerry. I made it just like the old one was made. Wasn't necessarily how I would have done it. The handle is mortised into a block about halfway thru the block. On the back side of the block there screws going into the end of the handle. The block is then screwed into the paddle. the screws holding the block to the handle are hidden. The brace is just mitered and screwed on at each end. They just made apple butter a few weeks ago!
 

· Registered
Joined
·
0 Posts
Bill, thanks so much. I am going to be making one and I may change the way the brace attaches, but everything else looks great. I like the idea of mortising the handle into the paddle and being attached by way of the screws ( stainless steel obviously). I too love working with wood especially walnut.
Gerry
 

· Registered
Joined
·
0 Posts
Bill, you said you mortised the handle into the block about half way. What did you do make the handle stay tight in the mortise?
Thanks.
Gerry
 
Top