WELD

Ian Mehlenbacher is a Red Seal Welder for the Niagara Parks Commission, and his job is anything but ordinary. If you're a welder who wants to see what it looks like to work on iconic infrastructure, custom fabrication, and one-of-a-kind projects every single day, this episode shows you exactly what that career can look like. In this episode, you'll learn: What the Red Seal certification ac...

Mohamed Amer has spent 15 years climbing every rung of the aerospace welding world, from the shop floor to engineering, inspection, sales, and management, and now he helps manufacturers break into one of the most compliance-driven sectors in the industry. If you're a welder looking for a cleaner environment, better pay, and a long-term career path, or a shop owner wondering what it actually ta...

Justin LaFond built a welding career the hard way — through shop work, sales, field experience, and learning how to solve problems most people overlook. If you’re a welder trying to figure out your next move, avoid expensive career mistakes, or understand what opportunities exist beyond the booth, this episode gives you a real-world look at where welding can take you. In this episode, you’ll learn...

EJ Naegeli moved across the country for a welding job, and two years later she’s building custom hot rods, race cars, and a whole new level of confidence. If you’re a welder starting a new job, learning fabrication on the clock, or wondering whether taking a big career leap is worth it, this episode gives you a real look at what that growth actually feels like. In this episode, you’ll learn: • How...

Mini Mayhem brings out the kind of builds that show what welding is really good for: making weird ideas work, fixing what breaks, and learning by doing. If you’re a welder, fabricator, student, or garage builder looking for real-world inspiration beyond the booth, this episode shows how mini bikes, go-karts, electric builds, and trackside repairs can sharpen your skills. More about Mini MayhemMini...

Tom Patsis turns old license plates, flywheels, camshafts, rims, and swap meet finds into custom trophies with real racing history built into every piece. If you’re a welder, fabricator, car builder, or creative maker trying to figure out how welding skills can lead to unique work, this episode shows what that process actually looks like. In this episode, you’ll learn: • How to spot parts at a swa...

Your first welding job might not be the cleanest, highest-paying, or most glamorous job, but it can teach you more than school ever could. If you’re fresh out of welding school, getting ready to apply, or trying to figure out how to land your first real welding job, this episode gives you real stories from welders who have been there. In this episode, you’ll learn: • How to get your foot in the do...

Robotic welding is not replacing skilled welders, it is creating a new lane for welders who understand the puddle, the process, and how to work safely around automation. If you are a welder thinking about robotics, automation, or a career shift that builds on your hands-on welding skills, this episode shows what that path can actually look like. In this episode, you’ll learn:How GTCC’s new GMAW ro...

Backyard welding events are giving first-timers the kind of hands-on shop experience that many schools no longer offer. If you’re a welder, maker, teacher, fabricator, or someone who wants to help more people get into the trades, this episode shows what can happen when a community opens the shop doors and lets people learn by doing. In this episode, you’ll learn: • Why community-based maker events...

Jackson Williams is building large-scale steel sculptures with handmade bending tools, a MIG welder, and a small corner of a shared shop. If you're a welder thinking about getting into metal art, starting small, or building something original without buying a shop full of equipment, this episode will show you what actually matters. • Learn how Jackson builds full-size animal sculptures from ha...

Harrison Stone started his welding business at 24, but staying in the trade has meant learning how to work through serious health challenges, protect himself on the job, and build income beyond just welding. If you're a welder thinking about going out on your own, getting into mobile work, or trying to build a business that can survive real-life setbacks, this episode will give you a more hone...

In this episode, host Beau Wigington chats with Aaron Wulk about his path from race team fabrication to welding education and metal art, how competitions like SkillsUSA shape the industry, and why putting your work out into the world matters even when you are not chasing attention. Aaron also shares practical advice on learning welding, understanding metallurgy, choosing materials for sculpture, a...

In this episode, host Beau Wigington chats with Chuck Faught from Flametech Scorpion about what it really takes to cut thick metal with oxy-fuel equipment. Using Chuck’s flame-covered torch throne as the backdrop, they break down the differences between torch styles, how oxygen flow affects cutting capacity, when to use long torches, and why fuel gas choice matters more than most people think. The...

In this episode, host Beau Wigington breaks down 27 different welding processes and ranks them by utility, accessibility, and overall cool factor. From shop staples like MIG, TIG, stick, and flux core to niche processes like atomic hydrogen, electron beam, and thermite welding, Beau gives his honest take on which methods are the most practical, which are the most interesting, and which ones are ju...

In this week's podcast, we go back to Fabtech 2024 where Beau sits down at the  @esabweldingandcutting   booth with Scott Raabe to talk about the path way to starting his school Precision Welding Academy, and then Ian Johnson pops by to talk about what you need to get started in automotive fabrication.  Connect with Scott Raabe Instagram  @scott_raabe https://www.instagram.com/scott_raabe/ @pr...

Host Beau Wigington visits the home shop of Sean Flottman, better known as Dabswellington, to break down the process behind stainless TIG art. Sean shares practical advice on stainless prep, filler metal choice, chill plates, tungsten setup, gas coverage, and weld planning so listeners can better understand how to create color, contrast, and clean finished artwork with a TIG torch. The episode als...

In this episode we're on location with Michael Furick inside his shop where he manufactures TIG cups, gas lenses, and fabrication tools like bead rollers. Michael walks us through how a product idea turns into something he can actually build at scale, and how he’s streamlined production by creating machines that do the work his hands used to do, boosting speed and tightening up quality control...

What does it really take to build a UTV that can survive King of the Hammers? This week on the Weld Podcast, Beau Wigington heads to CT Race Worx to sit down with Daniel Adams, better known as @phockerfabs, to get an inside look at what it takes to build off road machines that don’t just look good, they finish races. Daniel walks us through their machine shop where precision parts are made in hous...

In this episode, host Beau Wigington sits down with four Scrapfest artists to break down what the event is really like, how the categories work, what you can win, and why turning scrap into sculpture can be good for both your wallet and your head. Learn more about Scrapfest - https://scrapfest.com/ Save 20% On Related American Welding Program Courses With WELD20Use code WELD20 at checkout for elig...

In this episode, host Beau Wigington chats with maker Jimmy DiResta about the tools that shaped his craft, from a rescued line-shaft drill press to heavy old bandsaws, and the down-to-earth methods he uses to restore, retrofit, and actually use vintage machines in a modern welding workflow. Connect with Jimmy DiResta Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jimmydiresta/ Facebook: http://facebook.com/...

Welding might be the headline skill on a service truck, but it's never the whole story. On this week's Podcast, Beau Wigington climbs into Dave Doherty's service truck to see just how many trades live inside one rolling toolbox. We explore the diverse skills and equipment necessary to operate a welding rig and handle a range of industrial jobs, highlighting the importance of a well-equ...

In this week's podcast host Beau Wigington explores the career path of a Boilermaker within the welding industry while attending the National Boilermaker Apprenticeship Championships, highlighting the diverse skill set required for this industrial profession. We discuss "what is a boilermaker" and the importance of a "boilermakers apprenticeship" for those interested in &qu...

At Fabtech, host Beau Wigington sits down with Anthony James aka “Meltin Metal Anthony” for a straight-shooting talk on where new and growing welding businesses burn cash, and what to buy instead. From grinders and torches to hoods, PPE, and shop layout, Anthony shares the gear that survives abuse, the stuff that fails fast, and practical ways to vet products at a trade show. They also dig into la...

In this special 2025 recap episode of the WELD Podcast, host Beau Wigington is joined by Austin Hargett (Dr. Weldz) to look back on one of the biggest years yet for Weld.com. We break down some of our top performing videos of the year including Testing Viral Welding Hacks, Getting Dross Free Cuts with Plasma, and The Ultimate Guide to Weaving 7018. We also reflect on some of our favorite trips fro...