Meet Our Master Craftsman
Historic Wood Technologies is operated by Master Craftsman Brent A. Peterson. Peterson became familiar with basic tools at an early age while working side by side with his father and grandfather. His formal woodworking studies began in 1974 at the age of 12, emphasizing traditional hand tools and joinery practices, and high school included advanced woodworking and cabinet-making studies.
After high school, he began working as a carpenter's assistant before being hired by Master Stair Builder, Robert S. DuCharme in 1983. Peterson began studying historic stair building joinery and techniques and started full-time circular staircase production for DuCharme in 1984. Peterson also received further advanced training from Roger Cliffe (Professor of Wood Technology, Northern Illinois University) and his associate, Michael Holz(Der Holzmacher, Sycamore, IL). Mastering the art of curved and spiral stair construction as well as Tangent Handrail, Peterson was instrumental in the advancement and training of one of the most highly regarded curved stair operations in the world.
In 1985, Peterson began studying luthier skills with an emphasis on guitar and violin, which expanded his restoration and replication expertise.
Experience You Can Trust
Over the years, Peterson has developed many standard procedures for the difficult repair of wood products, including Grain Pattern Inlay and grain matching procedures, carving and sharpening techniques, and standards for the structural design of freestanding staircases. He continually honed furniture design and construction skills as well as mastering all types of wood finishing. From 2010-2013, along with Brandon Peterson, he contributed to designing and building some of the world's finest electric guitars, known as Peterson Signature Guitars.
Currently, Peterson has completed 38 years as a lead curved staircase craftsman, working on well over 5,000 custom curved stair projects, designing and carving thousands of custom rail fittings. He has worked on woodworking projects in nearly every state within the US as well as numerous projects in Japan and Europe, overseen numerous restoration projects for museums, and consulted on wood restoration and fabrication projects nationwide. Throughout his 46 years of woodworking experience, Peterson developed both the unique blend of hand tool mastery, repair experience, and woodworking passion required to handle the most demanding repair and restoration projects successfully.