The Fabricator Podcast

In this episode of The Fabricator Podcast, Caleb Chamberlain, co-founder and CEO of OSH Cut, discusses his company’s unique approach to sheet metal fabricating.

Chamberlain explains how OSH Cut offers an online platform that allows customers to upload their designs and receive instant quotes for laser cutting and bending services. He also describes how they have developed their own software to automate the quoting and productio...

In this podcast episode, Brian Steel, CEO of Cadrex Manufacturing, discusses the challenges of acquiring, merging, and integrating multiple metal fabrication businesses under one organization.

He emphasizes the importance of aligning technical expertise, managing capacity, and implementing ERP systems. Steel highlights the need for speed and agility in the industry and the importance of people and culture in the integration pro...

This week on The Fabricator Podcast, Jason Becker, host of the Arc Junkies Podcast and owner of Underground Metal Works, shares his journey into welding and how the trade has opened doors he never would have expected, leading him to become an ironworker, educator, podcaster, and business owner.

Becker talks about how he earned his first welding certificates before he even learned how to drive, and how he carried over that trade ...

Omar Nashashibi, co-founder of The Franklin Partnership and a lobbyist representing manufacturing trade associations, joins The Fabricator Podcast to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing sheet metal fabricators and other manufacturers in the current political climate.

He emphasizes the importance of workforce development, stable tax policies, and understanding government regulations. Nashashibi also discusses the impa...

After Ludlow Manufacturing Inc. (LMI) received The Fabricator's 2024 Industry Award, Todd Ludlow, founder and president of the Waukegan, Ill.-based metal fabrication business, joined us on the podcast to expound on it all.

Ludlow discusses his journey of starting and growing his own fabrication business. He reflects on his early days as a machine operator and how transitioning into sales sales role helped him learn the industry....

In this episode, Michael Bennett, a welder and metal artist based in Wadsworth, Ill., joins The Fabricator Podcast to discuss how an unfortunate car accident that left him paralyzed from the chest down reignited his passion for working with metal, particularly scrap metal.

Michael talks about how attending mechanic school helped instill a mindset of continuous learning and adapting to new technologies, which he says inspired h...

In this episode of The Fabricator Podcast, sponsored by Salvagnini America and part of the Automation Talk series, Tim Heston interviews Clay Case and Matt Humerick of Salvagnini about the role of software automation in modern precision sheet metal fabrication.

They discuss the challenges and bottlenecks in the fabrication process, the importance of data flow and communication between design, engineering, and manufacturing, and...

In this episode, Christian Streu, CFO of The Partner Companies, and Charles Cohen, President of FotoFab, join The Fabricator Podcast to talk about the growing trend of mergers and acquisitions in manufacturing. They discuss the evolution of Chicago-based The Partner Companies and how smaller manufacturing and fabrication businesses can benefit from being part of a larger organization.

The Partner Companies was formed in 1997 by ...

On this episode of The Fabricator Podcast, Philadelphia-based welder and trades advocate Pa'Trice Frazier joins host Dan Davis and Josh Welton at SEMA, in partnership with Miller Electric.

Pa'Trice chats about how she got her start as a welder and working Atlanta projects like the Mercedes Benz Stadium, Spanx Headquarters, Marta Buckhead Bridge, and, in Philadelphia, the River Alive Exhibit at the Independence Seaport Museum. Sh...

Emma Sauve of Mobsteel and Detroit Steel Wheel brings the energy as she joins host Dan Davis and Josh Welton on this episode of The Fabricator Podcast, in partnership with Miller Electric at SEMA 2023 in Las Vegas. Emma talks about the history of Mobsteel and how its focus on customizing Lincoln Continentals from the 1960s led to the creation of Detroit Steel Wheel in 2012, which specializes in fabricating and designing custom whee...

Ryan Fielding of Ringbrothers joins hosts Dan Davis and Josh Welton on this episode of The Fabricator Podcast, in partnership with Miller Electric at SEMA 2023 in Las Vegas. Ryan goes into detail about the three builds that Wisconsin-based Ringbrothers displayed at SEMA: a 1965 Ford Mustang Convertible called “Uncaged”, a 1961 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II called “Paramount”, and a 1969 Dodge Charger called “Tusk”.

Ryan also talks...

In this episode of The Fabricator Podcast, and in partnership with Miller Electric, Andy Weyenberg from Miller's motorsports division and Real Garage with Andy, joins us live at SEMA 2023 in Las Vegas to discuss the welding industry and its applications in the performance racing industry.

Andy talks about his love of motorsports, the science behind the various types of welding, what SEMA means for Miller, how race cars influence d...

Brothers Anthony and Rob DiVito, the founders of custom furniture shop iRcustom, make their return to The Fabricator Podcast to offer more transparent insight into small business ownership in the metal fabrication industry. This time, they brought with them a coffee table for our revamped studio.

We chat about the fabrication details of that project and what's new with their Chicago-area business. The discussion covers how they'...

Joe Clark, CEO and founder of Architectural Elements, joins The Fabricator Podcast to talk custom fabrication, business ownership, video production, and more.

He discusses the early days of his career and how he took his Seattle-area business from a garage shop to what Clark calls a multi disciplined organization that focuses design, production and installation of art, signage, architectural components and furnishings.

Clark...

Staci Martinez joins The Fabricator Podcast to talk about starting her own small business in Sioux Falls, S.D. called 605 Shield Maiden, which focuses on creating metal art sculptures, fabricating handrails, and combing wood and metal to make furniture.

She discusses how working briefly as a production welder and seeing all the potential in the scrap metal bin inspired her to pursue metal art. Staci eventually created her first ...

Tom Patsis of Cold Hard Art joins the podcast to talk about the never-ending business of designing, fabricating, and building trophies for motorsports events.

Tom sits down with hosts Josh Welton and Dan Davis at FABTECH 2023 in Chicago, and opens up about how he left his job at Don Schumacher Racing as a fabricator to start his own business, as well as the pros and cons of starting a small business.

He also talks about winni...

Aaron Prather, the director for the Robotics and Autonomous Systems Program at ASTM International, joins The Fabricator Podcast to talk about the importance of robotics and automation standards in manufacturing and the metal fabrication sector.

Prather emphasizes the need for input from small and medium-sized businesses in order to address their specific challenges and develop relevant standards. He also highlights the potential...

Greg Davis of Red Beard's Garage joins hosts Josh Welton and Rafael Guerrero to talk about his wildly popular YouTube channel, which he uses to teach people how to build and fabricate small engine vehicles like go-karts, minibikes, and side-by-sides. He shares how he started this venture by wanting to build his daughter a go-kart without any prior fabrication and welding experience. He also talks about how the first Fast & Furious ...

In this episode of The Fabricator podcast, sponsored by Schuler Group, host Dan Davis interviews Chris McMahon of Schuler North America about tubular hydroforming and how it serves the manufacturing industry. McMahon explains that the metal forming process involves loading a tube into a die, closing the die, and using water pressure to shape the tube. He highlights the advantages of hydroforming, such as eliminating secondary proce...