Raw Materials:

Wood is the critical raw material for the manufacture of cuckoo clocks, because the wood casing is the primary feature that distinguishes the cuckoo clock in appearance. Cuckoo clocks are made from the wood of the linden tree, a hardwood that grows in Europe. Some parts of the housing may also be made of walnut. Skilled wood workers purchase the linden and walnut woods well in advance so the wood can be aged for two years. Depending on what the craftsman wants, it may be purchased in logs with the bark removed or in block-like lengths.

The cuckoo clock is also distinguished by the cuckoo and its sounds. The pipes and bellows that make the cuckoo's call are also made of wood. Clocks that play tunes are fitted with music boxes. The music boxes and the mechanical movements for the clocks (as well as small parts like the clock's hands) are produced by specialized subcontractors. The lead pine cone weights and the leaf-shaped weight on the end of the pendulum are made of lead and are produced in metal foundries by pouring a melted lead alloy in tempered metal molds. The foundries that produce these weights are also experts in small, detailed metalwork.