The Iowan

This clock is called the Iowan. The plans to build it can be purchased here at Wildwood Designs. If any of you are interested in building it, it is much easier to build than it may look. It does take a while to do all the detailed fretwork. If built in stages as the plans explain though using false plates, it is a relatively simple project.

I built this one using mahogany with mahogany trim. I finished it with three coats of Zinsser clear shellac.

I usually don't put finishes on a lot of my detailed fretwork because it is just so time consuming to apply finish with all those tiny cutouts. I've been considering it lately though and wanted to do a nice clock and take the time to finish it just to see if the improvement of a finish would be worth it. I must admit, I think I will be applying finish to more of my fretwork in the future. The difference of the finished and unfinished piece is simply like night and day.

I did change a few minor details when I built this one. The final size of this clock as I built it is thirty six inches tall, eight teen inches wides, and ten inches deep.