Home >> Hobbies >> Antiquing

Type of Wood Used in Eli Terry Wooden Works

The average consumer of mass-produced goods may not know that in the late 1700's, Eli Terry, a clockmaker, revolutionized mass production with his wooden clocks in an effort to make them more affordable to farmers. Terry used standardized, interchangeable parts, water-based power and an assembly line to decrease the time it took to create a clock. Terry's clocks were originally made entirely of wood. Many different wood types were used to make Eli Terry clocks, selected for their availability, durability and appearance.

Mahogany
- Mahogany wood is commonly used to make cabinets and furniture.
  
  Terry's clocks often featured Mahogany wood. Mahogany is a dense, closely grained hardwood. It is durable and termite resistant. Mahogany wood ranges in color from light tan to dark reddish brown. The plates and cases of many Eli Terry clocks were made of mahogany.
Bird's Eye Maple
- Sugar maple is the common source of bird's eye maple wood.
  
  Eli Terry used bird's eye maple to make the plinths and other inner workings of some of his clocks. Bird's eye maple is a specialized type of hardwood maple that contains tiny holes, called eyes, that distinguish this wood from other types of maple. This wood is commonly derived from the sugar maple tree, although it can be found in the wood of other tree types, including red maple and black walnut. The "bird's eyes" cause differentiation of the wood grain, making bird's eye maple challenging to work with.
Oak
- Furniture made from oak is long lasting and durable.
  
  Connecticut, where Eli Terry lived and worked much of his life, was abundant with white oak trees. Oak is a hard, warp-resistant, durable wood with an open grain. White oak is especially durable in humid conditions. Terry wanted to make inexpensive clocks, so he made convenient use of the trees in his vicinity. Terry used quarter-sawn white oak to fashion the plates in his clocks.
Cherry
- Cherry wood, derived from the cherry trees that grew abundantly in Connecticut during Eli Terry's lifetime, is a reddish brown hardwood with a varying pattern that includes swirls, curls and gum streaks. It is a hardwood, but it is softer than most other hardwoods. The grain of this wood is close and smooth, making it easy to work with. Terry used seasoned cherry wood to make clock wheels.
Laurel
- Laurel is a heavy, brittle, yellow-brown hardwood that also grew abundantly in Connecticut. He used laurel wood to make the pinions in his clocks.

Antiquing