Everything around here has a story and a purpose. This thing is no exception.
My Uncle Walt was a farmer in Southwest Missouri. Being gifted with a mechanical mind and capable German hands, he would use his collection of “Hit and Miss” engines to power a large flatbed trailer of kinetic art that did absolutely nothing but entertain— little ferris wheels, mechanical men turning cranks, and any other sort of linear or rotating motion that could be contrived. Hundreds of things spun, rocked, articulated, and jumped when the engine popped to life. He called the trailer his “bullsh** generator” both, I guess, for its overall usefulness as well as its ability to incite conversation. He dragged the trailer to farm shows and fairs, changing it a little each year. I will always remember him sitting in faded, blue-striped overalls, chewing on a Johnsongrass stem laughing and talking to folks who were discussing if the engine really did run on a few crabapples floating in a tank of water as it appeared. All the while I stood there watching—overstimulated and mesmerized by the art that he had created.
The ice cream churn started as an idea for something to do with an old hay wagon we had here on the farm. It was a 1930 Model A Ford that had outlived it purpose as a car. We bought it (as a hay wagon) from the family that bought the car new back in 1930. It must have had a rough life as a car. I know it did as a hay wagon, but it remained too good to throw away. The Engine is a 1935 John Deere Model E, 3HP at 500 RPM. Overall the engine was in good shape, but it got a rebuild and a new low-tension ignition system for reliability. It hits like it’s supposed to every once in a while to maintain the 500 RPM governor setting. Its just fun to watch run. I found the native oak planks that are under the churns, (a full 12" x 3"!)—way too beautiful to be turned into pallets—so after a little bit of ciphering, some childhood memories of Uncle Walt, and a few late nights in the hangar, created something I hope everyone will enjoy. After all, who doesn’t like homemade ice cream?
