How to Make a Shaker Double Rolling Pin

The Shakers often sought ways to speed up the work. With the double rolling pin, Shaker women could flatten dough faster. A double rolling pin is composed of two rolling pins fastened together on either end. There are few double rolling pins left today, and crafting a double rolling pin is no easy task.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Wood
• Rolling pin plans
• Lathe turning chisel
• Safety glasses
• Dowels
• Carpenter's glue

1. Select quality wood. Most likely you'll be using this rolling pin as a display piece and not for rolling out large amounts of pie dough, but a nicer wood will last longer and give you a prettier finished product.
2. Purchase plans or download them to learn how to construct a double rolling pin. Some plans create rolling pins that are made up of several different pieces of wood glued or compressed together, which can give the piece an interesting tonal contrast. Otherwise, select one piece of wood large enough to make one solid pin.
3. Use a lathe turning chisel to create the smooth perimeter of the rolling pins. Remember that you have to make two of them, and be sure to wear your safety glasses.
4. Attach pins on either end of the two rolling pins. Before adding handles, create a piece of wood that's as long as the distance between the two ends of the pins when they sit side by side. You'll need to drill holes in the wood to fit the dowels through.
5. Put on the handles, which will secure the bar you created. Fasten them with carpenter's glue or follow the directions from a rolling-pin plan.

Tips & Warnings

• You may need to adjust your handles to help accommodate for the fastening piece on either end. Read over the plans carefully and modify them if necessary before you begin your project.