Shows / The Fabricator Podcast
The Fabricator Podcast
The Fabricator Podcast features conversations with the people who make things out of metal: fabricators, welders, shop owners, manufacturers, and artists. Hosted by The Fabricator Editor-in-Chief Dan Davis with rotating co-hosts, the show explores manufacturing, the skilled trades, and the culture surrounding them. Part of the FMA Podcast Network.
Episodes
The Fabricator PodcastA welding instructor's mission to get more students into the trades
Richard Genco, winner of the 2026 3M Abrasives Clash of the Grinders competition at FABTECH, joins The Fabricator Podcast to discuss his mission to bring more…
The Fabricator PodcastLearning to lead a fabrication business with Jason Chiasson
Jason Chiasson, co-founder of Wisconsin-based Chiasson Smoke, shares the lessons he's learned growing a metal fabrication business. He makes his second…
The Fabricator PodcastThe automation training that metal fabrication really needs
Metal fabrication needs more people who understand how automation actually works, not just how to run the equipment. Mark Giertych of Chicago-area Gakuto Club…
The Fabricator PodcastTaming the black magic of tube bending with Sharpe Products
Tube bending can still feel like black magic, especially when tooling, material, setup, and operator experience all come into play. Randy Krickeburg of Sharpe…
The Fabricator PodcastFiber lasers, AI, and the evolution of a family job shop with Dave Emrich
Dave Emrich of Emtek Processed Alloys joins The Fabricator Podcast to discuss how the third-generation Southern Ontario job shop evolved from aging CO2 lasers…
The Fabricator PodcastLeading welding projects across North America with Andrew Llewellyn
Andrew Llewellyn has spent his career welding and managing some of North America's largest power, infrastructure, and nuclear construction projects. In this…
The Fabricator PodcastEmbracing automation and entrepreneurship in architectural fabrication
Ted Redlarski, founder of Mississauga, Ontario-based Noram Enterprises, joins The Fabricator Podcast to discuss automation, entrepreneurship, and the…
The Fabricator PodcastTaking a fabrication business beyond the shop with Ian Johnson
Ian Johnson has worn a lot of hats throughout his career: automotive technician, high school shop teacher, television host, and now founder of Big Tire Garage…
The Fabricator PodcastModernizing a family metal fabrication business with Milan Popik
Milan Popik, owner of Metal Tronics in Mississauga, Ontario, joins The Fabricator Podcast to discuss transforming a family-run prototyping shop that started in…
The Fabricator PodcastAddressing welding safety gaps with Bolu Ojo of SparkDefy
Bolu Ojo joins The Fabricator Podcast to discuss SparkDefy, a startup developing fire-resistant welding head coverings for people with long or thicker hair…
The Fabricator PodcastTurning scrap metal into art and a business with David Groenjes
Wisconsin-based metal artist David Groenjes joins The Fabricator Podcast to discuss building detailed wildlife sculptures from scrap metal, turning a side…
The Fabricator PodcastCollecting fabrication skills to grow a business with Jake LeGrand
Jake LeGrand of Missouri-based LeGrand Metal Works balances a full-time structural engineering career while growing a fabrication business focused on handheld…
The Fabricator PodcastRunning a fabrication shop at 23 with Emme Hughes of EH Metal Works
At 23, Emme Hughes is already running a 10,000-square-foot fabrication shop. In this episode of The Fabricator Podcast, she shares how she built EH Metalworks…
The Fabricator PodcastScaling a family-owned manufacturing business without losing control
Jon and Andrew DeWys of Michigan-based DeWys Metal Solutions join The Fabricator Podcast to talk about growing and managing a 50-year-old family-owned…
The Fabricator PodcastThinking differently about running a small manufacturing business
Lori Tapani, co-owner and co-president of Wyoming Machine in Stacy, Minnesota, joins The Fabricator Podcast to discuss what it means to think differently when…
The Fabricator PodcastPlanning, investing, and taking risks in a small fabrication business
Lisa Wertzbaugher of Iowa-based metal fabrication shop Wertzbaugher Services returns to the podcast to discuss the realities of running a small manufacturing…
The Fabricator PodcastPreserving Richard Hunt's legacy with metal artist Eric W. Stephenson
We’re joined by Chicago-based metal artist Eric W. Stephenson, founder of LunaBurn Studio and a fifth-generation craftsman. In addition to his own extensive…
The Fabricator PodcastShaping the Las Vegas Sphere with Chicago Metal Rolled Products
Jeanette Vecchio Smith and Ken Pecho from Chicago Metal Rolled Products join us on our 100th episode to talk about CMRP’s role in shaping the Las Vegas Sphere…
The Fabricator PodcastOrganizing growth in a modern fab shop with Colin Cosgrove
Colin Cosgrove, president and CEO of Laystrom Manufacturing in Chicago, returns to The Fabricator Podcast to discuss how a mid-sized fabrication shop can plan…
The Fabricator PodcastBringing automation to the shop floor with tube plasma cutting
In this episode of The Fabricator Podcast, Maxwell Keeler of Electro-Mechanical Integrators (EMI) explains how modern tube plasma cutting systems handle…
The Fabricator PodcastGrowing a metal fabrication business by keeping things simple
Rod Galbreath, president of CenMac Metalworks, discusses how the Ohio-based company evolved from a small metal stamping operation into a laser-focused…
The Fabricator PodcastApplying science to abrasives for better welder productivity
In this episode of The Fabricator Podcast, guest host Nate Bowman (aka Weld Scientist) joins us as we speak with 3M abrasives application engineers Matt King…
The Fabricator PodcastRethinking welder training with Marc Levin of Welder Underground
Marc Levin joins us to talk about the Welder Underground, the New York City–based apprenticeship program he and his wife, Adina, launched in 2024 to help young…
The Fabricator PodcastThe story behind Knapheide's 175-plus years of truck manufacturing
Discover how Knapheide, a sixth-generation family-owned company in Quincy, Ill., evolved from building wagons in 1848 to designing highly customized service…
The Fabricator PodcastKnowing when to pivot a fabrication business with John Axelberg
CEO John Axelberg has led General Stamping & Metalworks for more than 30 years, guiding the century-old metal manufacturer, headquartered in South Bend, Ind…
The Fabricator PodcastCarrying the torch for oxy-fuel metal art with David Madero
Renowned Mexico-based metal artist David Madero joins The Fabricator Podcast to talk about honoring the legacy of his father and artist, (Rogelio Madero), his…
The Fabricator PodcastRoadmapping a career path in welding with Marvin Herrera
Welding engineer and instructor Marvin Herrera joins us on The Fabricator Podcast to talk about his interesting and non-traditional career path to welding, his…
The Fabricator PodcastBuilding an aftermarket off-road fabrication business with Motobilt
In this episode, we dive into the story of Motobilt with Dan DuBose and Hunter DuBose. Founded in 2012 by Dan, who began fabricating parts out of necessity…
The Fabricator PodcastGetting back to work with metal artist Rae Ripple
Rae Ripple returns to The Fabricator Podcast with updates on her life, metal art, and wild adventures. She shares stories about her move from Texas to…
The Fabricator PodcastArt of design in fabrication with James Geier of 555 International
In this episode, James Geier, founder of Chicago-based 555 International, shares how the business has evolved into a design-driven fabrication business known…
The Fabricator PodcastCreative collaboration and welding with Brandon Minga of House of RAD
Brandon Minga is an artist, welder, and entrepreneur based in Wisconsin. Minga is the creative force behind House of RAD, a Milwaukee-based collaborative…
The Fabricator PodcastBead rolling art with Jarrod Klassen of Twisted Metal Sign Company
Jarrod Klassen is the owner of Twisted Metal Sign Company, a business in Saskatchewan focused on creating intricate metal artwork using bead rolling…
The Fabricator PodcastMetal shaping and power hammering with Chris Rusch and Mike Wagner
This episode of The Fabricator Podcast features a conversation with Chris Rusch, formerly of Rusch Machine & Design, and Mike Wagner of Cornfield Customs. They…
The Fabricator PodcastEmpowering a workforce with Kent Brown of O'Neal Manufacturing
Kent Brown joins The Fabricator Podcast talk about becoming CEO of O'Neal Manufacturing Services (OMS) in 2018, his leadership philosophy, emphasizing safety…
The Fabricator PodcastAddressing mental health and PTSD through metal art with Steve Kost
Steve Kost of Chicago-based Metal Health Artwork joins us this week to talk about how he turned to creating metal sculptures to help him cope with PTSD after…
The Fabricator PodcastInside a forward-thinking fabrication business with Kirk McCauley
In this episode of The Fabricator Podcast, Kirk McCauley, owner of American Engineering and Metalworking (AEM) in North Canton, Ohio, shares his journey from…
The Fabricator PodcastFinding deeper meaning in metalworking and art with Hector Ortega
In this episode, we sit down with Hector Ortega—sculptor and founder of Ortega Sculpture and Silver Lining Metals Stamps, based in the Phoenix metro area. He…
The Fabricator PodcastFostering a new path: How two entrepreneurs revamped a metal fab shop
Lucy Minturn and Liz Kloster co-own FosterWorks, a sheet metal fabrication shop in Chicago. After purchasing the business a couple of years ago, they’ve worked…
The Fabricator PodcastEngineering creative fabrication projects with Mike McCarthy of DCL
Mike McCarthy, VP at Design Communications Ltd. (DCL), joins The Fabricator Podcast to talk about how DCL is at the intersection of engineering, design, and…
The Fabricator PodcastLearning and mentorship in welding with professor Jo Mackiewicz
This episode of The Fabricator Podcast features an interview with Professor Jo Mackiewicz, an English professor at Iowa State University who also happens to be…
The Fabricator PodcastRacing, wrenching, and welding with Mike Finnegan at PRI Show
Mike Finnegan joins The Fabricator Podcast live from the PRI Show in Indianapolis. The long-time host of Motor Trend's Roadkill series on YouTube, discusses…
The Fabricator PodcastStreamlining automation processes in water jet cutting with Jet Edge
On this episode of The Fabricator Podcast, Aaron Montello of Jet Edge Waterjet Systems joins us with Paxton Shantz of Beckhoff to talk about water jet cutting…
The Fabricator PodcastHelping fabrication shops expand with Dustin De Haan of Trick Tools
This episode of The Fabricator Podcast features a conversation with Dustin De Haan of Trick-Tools, a company that distributes tube benders and other metal…
The Fabricator PodcastBecoming a jack of all trades with Chris Zeppieri of Make Everything
Chris Zeppieri of Make Everything joins us on this episode of The Fabricator Podcast to talk about his fabrication shop in New York, his popular YouTube…
The Fabricator PodcastExtending the accessibility of welding careers with Demi Knight Clark
Demi Knight Clark joined us on The Fabricator Podcast to talk about her efforts to open career pathways in the welding and manufacturing industries to people…
The Fabricator PodcastFrom high school hustle to aftermarket business with Blake Hamar
On this episode of the Fabricator Podcast, Blake Hamar, the founder of Cali Raised LED and Apex Fabworks, joins us to talk about starting a manufacturing…
The Fabricator PodcastLearning patience and lessons with metal sculpture artist Sarah Stork
Metal artist Sarah Stork joins The Fabricator Podcast to talk about creating intricate, lifelike sculptures using welding techniques. The Texas-based artist…
The Fabricator PodcastClash of the Grinders deep dive with Nate Bowman and Kyle Worzala
Nate Bowman and Kyle Worzala join Dan Davis and Josh Welton to talk about 3M Clash of the Grinders, a student-based competition sponsored by 3M that teaches…
The Fabricator PodcastBuilding submarines and supply chain alliances with Tim Shinbara
BlueForge Alliance Chief Strategy Officer Tim Shinbara joins The Fabricator Podcast to talk about how BFA serves as a neutral integrator for the U.S. Navy…
The Fabricator PodcastEmbracing manufacturing careers, culture, and advocacy with Drew Crowe
Drew Crowe shares his inspiring journey from a teenage felon to a leading manufacturing advocate and speaker to creating The New American Manufacturing…
The Fabricator PodcastMarketing the human side of metal manufacturing with Emily Wilkins
Emily Wilkins, founder of Marketing Metal, helps job shops, machine shops, metal fabricators, custom equipment builders, and other small manufacturing…
The Fabricator PodcastLaunching rockets and getting back to the moon with Sharon Cobb of NASA
Sharon Cobb, the associate program manager for NASA's Space Launch System, discussed the innovative technologies and manufacturing processes being used to…
The Fabricator PodcastGoing from hobby welder to fabrication business owner with Jay Lockett
Jay Lockett of Kansas City-based Jay Fabwerks joins us to talk about how he made the jump from a hobby welder working on cars to creating a metal fabrication…
The Fabricator PodcastBuilding rocket stoves and a fabrication business with Chiasson Smoke
Jason and Miranda Chiasson, owners of Chiasson Smoke based in Blue River, Wis., discuss their journey developing their metal fabrication business. They share…
The Fabricator PodcastTraveling with the trades and starting a business with Adam Fullerton
Adam Fullerton is a Toronto-based metal fabricator who specializes in creating railings, doors, and other accent pieces for commercial and residential…
The Fabricator PodcastAdvocating for the trades and changing lives with Jamie McMillan
Jamie McMillan, founder of Made in the Trades and Kick Ass Careers, is a Canada-based advocate for the skilled trades industry. She discusses her journey in…
The Fabricator PodcastMaintaining and automating Canadian manufacturing with Diane Reko
Diane Reko, CEO of Reko International and Concorde Precision Machining, joins us to chat about her father starting the business in 1976, her taking over the…
The Fabricator PodcastThe new rules in the welding industry with Max Ceron of CWB Group
Max Ceron, the director of the CWB Association, discusses his role in supporting the welding and fabricating industry in Canada. He emphasizes the importance…
The Fabricator PodcastDeveloping careers in welding and a sisterhood with Desirée Guzmán
Desirée Guzmán, a welding instructor with Chicago Women in Trades (CWIT), joins us to talk about her full-circle career as welder. She talks about how she was…
The Fabricator PodcastAchieving goals in high-volume metal fabrication with Matt Brunner
Matt Brunner, co-founder and co-owner of Manitowoc, Wis.-based Brunner Fabrication joins us to talk about how he transformed his family's autobody shop into a…