Peter joined the Academy following a career in IT working for House of Fraser, British Car Auctions and most recently as a freelance IT consultant. Peter first came to the Academy in 2012 on a five day Basic Woodworking short course after which he built a stitch and glue Canadian canoe. He then returned in 2015 to expand his skills on the 12 week Woodworking Skills course. As his personal project he made two hammered dulcimers, which are percussion and string instruments. Peter had made a dulcimer before, but wanted to make one again with sharpened skills. Seeing the boat building students at work drew Peter to boat building skills. Having been keen sailors for many years, Peter and his wife decided to buy their first yacht, ‘Peajay’, a 30 year old Hunter Horizon that had been out of the water for five years and in need of attention. He came back to the BBA in January and February 2016 and completed the Renovation and Finishing and GRP Repairs short courses while his wife completed the Sail Making course so they could go back and renovate ‘Peajay’. She was back in the water for the summer of 2016 and work continues to get her back to her former glory.
There is no stopping Peter now. His workshop, among other things, has produced a rustic wheel barrow complete with 3 different quick change wheels for the local panto (in which he and his wife appeared as Baron and Baroness Hardup). Peter returned again to the BBA in Jan 2017 to attend Modern Boat Building, setting him up for his next big project which is building an Iain Oughtred “Auk” to use as a tender and fun sailing and rowing boat. Peter’s advice and philosophy; “Never stop learning and never stop pushing yourself to do things you thought, or have been told, you cannot do.”
Peter is now making Hammered Dulcimers on commission in his home workshop in the Pewsey Vale. He specialses in making light weight instrument and has drawn on his boat building skills by using carbon fibre on some of the internal components, helping to reduce the thickness of the internal braces. His dulcimers can be seen at https://www.dulcimerheaven.co.uk/.
View Peter’s profile
View Peter’s personal project piece – hammered dulcimers
