Thread: French Rolling Pin

Sounds like an interesting project Mick. Id be looking for a close grained timber. Sycamore was used a lot for chopping boards in the UK . NZ Kauri is something that may do if you can get some reclaimed stuff. Huon Pine may be good, Its pretty soft though. I don't know about the weight question . I wouldn't think it would be better if heavier .

Here's a bit of info.

6 Favorites: Display-Worthy French Rolling Pins - Remodelista

Rob

Originally Posted by Optimark

I did some quick research online and in general it appears the woods of choice are northern hemisphere centric; as expected. My question is this, what kind of local timber is good or suggested for making these rolling pins?

That's because most are made in the Northern Hemisphere.

As has been suggested, close-grained timbers are desirable, preferably something straight-grained & not prone to tear-out in the end-grain. In the past I've used Tas. Myrtle, Sassafras (clear, not Blackheart), Forest Redgum, Vic Ash and quite a range of similar woods.

I'd avoid any spalted timbers no matter how pretty they may be, as well as timbers such as Huon Pine that are aromatic due to oils. (Besides, Huon is too soft.) Ya gotta think food-safe.

I have used figured Blackwood but I personally don't recommend it; I was asked by a client if I would make some pins out of timber they provided so that's what they got. That was a pain; the supplied pieces suffered tear-out just by looking at 'em.

Is hardwood, being heavier, better?

Not really; the pin shouldn't be so light as to need effort in use, nor so heavy as to be tiresome. Somewhere in the 1/2 to 1kg range is what I aim for, depending on total size.

It is better in the sense that it's generally less prone to unwanted nicks & dents, but that's not necessarily true. Some hardwoods are soft while some softwoods are hard.

Lastly. what diameter pin should one be aiming for, and I realise that sizing of these seems to be very flexible? I'm seeing some that are as small as 35mm through to around 60mm.

Yep. I'd guesstimate most of mine to be in the area of 35-40mm unless otherwise requested, by something like 300-350mm long. The same is true for 'handled' pins too.

A lot of the dimensions really come down to what the user is comfortable with. I hope you're good at estimating sizes when they wave their hands vaguely in the air and say "about this size."

Originally Posted by Skew ChiDAMN!!

As has been suggested, close-grained timbers are desirable, preferably something straight-grained & not prone to tear-out in the end-grain. In the past I've used Tas. Myrtle, Sassafras (clear, not Blackheart), Forest Redgum, Vic Ash and quite a range of similar woods.

I've been thinking about making a standard -i.e. same diameter along the length - rolling pin out of recycled red gum, mainly because I just like red gum but also because it has a bit more weight than the lightweight store bought rolling pins we have.

Would that timber be suitable?

Thanks for any advice.

I did a couple of standard handled pins out of Sydney blue gum so cant see red gum being a problem. Just avoid any bits with open gum veins as its about being food safe. No finish required as it will get a scrub in the sink after every use.
Regards
John

A plethora of good replies; I've taken everything mentioned by all of you and will attempt my first one tomorrow; which will be a test run.

The test rolling pin will be given to a family friend for testing, as apparently she is a retired pastry chef and interestingly, French born and raised. From her feedback I will then proceed.

I only found out about the pasty chef today, otherwise I would have questioned her indirectly via my friend.

You will be informed with text and pictures as it happens.

Mick.

Originally Posted by Optimark

A plethora of good replies; I've taken everything mentioned by all of you and will attempt my first one tomorrow; which will be a test run.

The test rolling pin will be given to a family friend for testing, as apparently she is a retired pastry chef and interestingly, French born and raised. From her feedback I will then proceed.

I only found out about the pasty chef today, otherwise I would have questioned her indirectly via my friend.

You will be informed with text and pictures as it happens.

Mick.

I am just wondering how a non-cylindrical pin actually works. I appreciate that the taper on either sides is minimal, but I would have thought that the pressure on the pastry would be greater towards the middle of the pin, resulting in the dough thickness being uneven? I s'pose pastry is perhaps more of an art rather than a precise science ! It would be interesting to hear an explanation from the person who will test your prototype.

Yvan, that is an interesting theory, not sure if something like that normally happens, possibly when very thick but probably not when very thin.

Anyway, this is the test piece as finished sanding, but not ready to part the ends off as I'm awaiting whether to supply it straight, or with a food safe oil.

This was with some kiln dried hardwood I found, Eucalyptus of some kind. It was 34.5mm thick, so I just bandsawed the thickness to a square of approximately 34.5mm.

Finished size is 33.2mm plus minus 0.1mm across the middle 300mm section, which is better than I thought possible. Overall width is 500mm, which looked large on the lathe, but once in your hands it feels pretty good.

Dimensions are: 500mm overall width, middle flat section 300mm, with 100mm of taper either end. Diameter is approximately 33.2mm.

we'll see.

Mick.

French_Rolling_Pin_001.jpg

Well things progress, an almost straight rolling pin with tapered ends isn't great to use, at least I didn't think it was. I got to talking to my next door neighbour and after a minute she returned from her kitchen with her French rolling pin. She purchased that in the USA when she was living there possibly around 15 years ago, and being a cook hers has had a lot of use.

In the picture the light coloured one is hers and it tapers right from the middle to the ends. The one I made is the darker one, darker as it has been oiled but also because it is some kind of heavy hardwood, possibly some kind of eucalyptus. She took my rolling pin and used it on some rolling of pastry swapping between hers and mine.

She thought it worked very well and was a joy to use, with one caveat. She suggested that I may wish to reduce the tapered ends a bit more, which is an important aspect of these rolling pins.

Apparently the continuous taper from the centre of these rolling pins, means that you are always rolling in an arc, going forwards or backwards. This apparently makes life real easy for a pastry cook in keeping the entire pastry even as you press it out to ever greater lengths.

If you have a straight rolling pin with or without handles, you need to lift and change direction each time you use it. This apparently has a tendency to make the centre of the pastry thinner, unless you are careful.

The French rolling pin with it's taper happening from the centre outwards is designed to make life much easier for the pastry cook.

Dimensions of her French made French rolling pin are: overall length, 500mm, centre diameter 36mm, end diameter 20mm.

My version has a centre diameter of 38mm while my ends are 22mm, which is obvious to see when they are together.

Mick.

French_Rolling_Pin_002.jpg

Like Yvan I've often wondered about the French rolling pin's long taper, so the explanation was fascinating. Thanks Mick.

Interesting reading and a worthwhile labour of love.
I'd second clear sassafrass, or Huon.
Here Huon was used traditionally used for mangles, washboards, rolling pins, bread boards (we've two huge ones of latter two -old), wash troughs. (Have 2 of those)
There's hard huon and soft huon. Avoid any that has short grain. Suggest hard huon for obvious reasons.
Myrtle, can be very sweet to work.
It wouldn't have been my primary choice but given a piece of dense close grain Myrtle then should be okay.

Look forward to more from your lathe

Originally Posted by Optimark

....

Apparently the continuous taper from the centre of these rolling pins, means that you are always rolling in an arc, going forwards or backwards. This apparently makes life real easy for a pastry cook in keeping the entire pastry even as you press it out to ever greater lengths.

If you have a straight rolling pin with or without handles, you need to lift and change direction each time you use it. This apparently has a tendency to make the centre of the pastry thinner, unless you are careful.

How interesting! Exactly the opposite of how I thought a tapered rolling pin would perform...!!!

Thanks for the explanation.

Cheers
Yvan

Well a little bit of time has passed since the first one that was acceptable was made, then tested by someone who actually owns one, another tester doesn't own one, but has used one in a commercial setting somewhere in Europe, Switzerland I think.

I'm now in full production and enjoying it, possibly because I now know what I'm making is acceptable and useable to people who actually have one. I'm sure there are many other specifications possible that work as well, if not better.

Overall length of around 500mm seems to be correct with the taper starting in the thickest part which is the centre being between 36mm to 38mm. The rolling pin then tapers down to the ends between 23mm to 20mm.

The best way I've found to work is to start with material at 540mm in length. The material to hand is a 40mm thick board that will enable me to make 8 rolling pins.

I mark the ends, where the finishing off curve starts at 500mm, the finishing curve adds around 8-10mm either end, so the overall length is between 500mm to 520mm.

I measure the centre, then 50mm either side to make a central 100mm where I turn this down very, very slowly to get maximum diameter, which in this case is 37mm to 37.5mm.

From there I taper down either side getting things close at either end. The rolling pin, at this point, doesn't look quite right, but by using this method it has enabled me to be consistent. Once I have the ends at or near their minimum setting, I stand back and carefully judge evenness of taper for both sides. After considering and adjusting the taper, I then skim the material either side of the centre to the 50mm mark either side of the centre and blend it in as seamlessly as possible.

This means that the taper starts very slowly from the centre, not flat. I did make one with close to a 100mm flat centre piece, it wasn't liked. Somehow once it looks right, and that of course is my own idea of what looks right, it was right.

Below is one of my French Rolling Pins, finished and oiled up. Overall and detail images.

Working length 500mm, centre diameter 37.2mm, tapered ends 21.7mm.

Mick.

French_Rolling_Pin_Web_IMG_20231008_145241.jpgFrench_Rolling_Pin_Detail_Web_IMG_20231008_145257.jpg

your work and finish is beautiful but the thing still looks wacky.

Thank you Tony.