He Fixes Old Wagons And Wheels

2020 - Volume #44, Issue #5, Page #21

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If you are a University of Oklahoma Sooner fan, you may have seen the October 2019 football game where the horse-drawn Sooner Schooner turned too fast, flipped on its side, tossed its occupants to the ground, and knocked off the wagon bed.
    FARM SHOW would like to introduce you to the man who the Sooners called on to fix the schooner.
    “I repaired the body, brake system, and bolster on the rear gear,” says Terry Moore of Terrys Wagon Works in Duncan, Okla. It’s probably the most well-known wagon he’s worked on, but it’s not his most impressive work. That honor goes to a Concord 12-passenger “hotel style” stagecoach like ones used by Wells Fargo.
    “Stagecoaches are the hardest to build. It takes up to 2,500 hrs. to build one. They are 9-ft., 6-in. tall and have 60-in. wheels,” Moore says. With fine details and mortise and tenon joints, he’s built four stagecoaches in his career.
    His passion for historical preservation began when he was 15 and sold a hay wagon for $1,000 that he assembled from parts using just simple hand tools. At 39, he has more experience and better tools, including rare equipment like tire rollers and a tire shrinker to make wagon wheels.
    “The axles, hubs and wheels are the most difficult and my favorite thing to do,” Moore says.
    Much of his work is repairing wheels, everything from the hub and spokes to hot-setting the steel on the felloes (wood rims). He likes to joke “if your wood wheels have a flat, I can fix them.”
    Moore has a miniature warehouse of parts that he’s collected and hoarded for 20 years. They include cast iron parts that would be impossible to replicate and wooden and steel parts that date back to wagons made from the 1800’s to about 1930.
    “I have hundreds of hubs,” he says.
    People from all over the U.S. contact him to buy parts or have him fix wheels and all types of wagons from hay wagons to Army wagons to Chuck and Conestoga wagons to elegant stage coaches. Some are working wagons used by the Amish or on trail drives and reenactments. Other wagons are in museums.
    When making parts, Moore uses quality hardwoods such as oak and hickory. He finishes them with boiled linseed oil to preserve the wood and keep the moisture out.
    “If you store old wagons in a cool, dark barn, they will last 100 years,” Moore says. He cringes when he sees historical pieces used for lawn art and exposed to the sun and elements that will ruin it.
    “I collect high quality pieces and like stuff to last,” he says, noting that historical preservation is what drives him to continue his business.
    For others who share that passion and need parts, Moore invites them to contact him, and he’ll likely be able to find it in his vast “bone yard.”
    “If you need wheel repair, I am a working wheelwright and can get you ‘on the road again,’” he says.
    Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Terry Moore, Terrys Wagon Works, 1306 W. Sycamore Ave., Duncan, Okla. 73533 (ph 580 252-2868; Facebook: Terrys Wagon Works).

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He Fixes Old Wagons And Wheels AG WORLD If you are a University of Oklahoma Sooner fan you may have seen the October 2019 football game where the horse-drawn Sooner Schooner turned too fast flipped on its side tossed its occupants to the ground and knocked off the wagon bed FARM SHOW would like to introduce you to the man who the Sooners called on to fix the schooner “I repaired the body brake system and bolster on the rear gear ” says Terry Moore of Terrys Wagon Works in Duncan Okla It’s probably the most well-known wagon he’s worked on but it’s not his most impressive work That honor goes to a Concord 12-passenger “hotel style” stagecoach like ones used by Wells Fargo “Stagecoaches are the hardest to build It takes up to 2 500 hrs to build one They are 9-ft 6-in tall and have 60-in wheels ” Moore says With fine details and mortise and tenon joints he’s built four stagecoaches in his career His passion for historical preservation began when he was 15 and sold a hay wagon for $1 000 that he assembled from parts using just simple hand tools At 39 he has more experience and better tools including rare equipment like tire rollers and a tire shrinker to make wagon wheels “The axles hubs and wheels are the most difficult and my favorite thing to do ” Moore says Much of his work is repairing wheels everything from the hub and spokes to hot-setting the steel on the felloes wood rims He likes to joke “if your wood wheels have a flat I can fix them ” Moore has a miniature warehouse of parts that he’s collected and hoarded for 20 years They include cast iron parts that would be impossible to replicate and wooden and steel parts that date back to wagons made from the 1800’s to about 1930 “I have hundreds of hubs ” he says People from all over the U S contact him to buy parts or have him fix wheels and all types of wagons from hay wagons to Army wagons to Chuck and Conestoga wagons to elegant stage coaches Some are working wagons used by the Amish or on trail drives and reenactments Other wagons are in museums When making parts Moore uses quality hardwoods such as oak and hickory He finishes them with boiled linseed oil to preserve the wood and keep the moisture out “If you store old wagons in a cool dark barn they will last 100 years ” Moore says He cringes when he sees historical pieces used for lawn art and exposed to the sun and elements that will ruin it “I collect high quality pieces and like stuff to last ” he says noting that historical preservation is what drives him to continue his business For others who share that passion and need parts Moore invites them to contact him and he’ll likely be able to find it in his vast “bone yard ” “If you need wheel repair I am a working wheelwright and can get you ‘on the road again ’” he says Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Terry Moore Terrys Wagon Works 1306 W Sycamore Ave Duncan Okla 73533 ph 580 252-2868; Facebook: Terrys Wagon Works

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