The Science Behind Better Welders and Better Shops
Making Sparks Podcast for Fabrication Leaders
Release Date: 12/17/2025
The Science Behind Better Welders and Better Shops
Making Sparks Podcast for Fabrication Leaders
Most fab shops say they can’t find good welders. Nate Bowman says that’s not the real problem. From outdated training models to unclear career pathways to leaders expecting loyalty without direction, this episode breaks down why shops struggle to hire and retain talent and what to do instead. Live from FABTECH 2025, host Casey Voelker sits down with Nate Bowman, aka The Weld Scientist, to unpack the real science behind training welders, building sustainable career paths, and adopting technology without falling for hype. This conversation connects people, process, and innovation in a way...
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You Can’t Elbow Your Way to Leadership — Goodhart Sons’ Wake-Up Call
Making Sparks Podcast for Fabrication Leaders
Most fab shops talk about culture. Marc and Mike Goodhart had to rebuild theirs. From stepping into a fifth-generation family business… to confronting the hard truth that you can’t “muscle” your way into leadership… to reshaping a 90-year-old company around accountability, clarity, and people—the Goodhart brothers’ story is a blueprint for every shop trying to build something that lasts. In this episode, Marc and Mike open up about the real work behind succession, culture, profit-sharing, next-gen recruiting, and running a family business with honesty and humility. Their insights...
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Reviving the Trades: Santiago Rivera on Tough Love, Structure, and Second Chances
Making Sparks Podcast for Fabrication Leaders
Most welding instructors teach technique. Santiago Rivera teaches transformation. From learning to weld left-handed for a car… to surviving addiction… to rebuilding a welding program that changed hundreds of students’ lives—Santiago’s story is one of grit, redemption, and unwavering purpose. In this episode, Santiago opens up about the journey that shaped him, the students who motivate him, and the leadership philosophy that’s helping revive the trades for the next generation. It’s not just about welding. It’s about building people. In this episode, you’ll learn: How a...
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Character Over Competency: Why Blue Collar Leadership Starts with Vulnerability
Making Sparks Podcast for Fabrication Leaders
Most leaders in manufacturing are focused on performance, process, and technical competence. But when a team is underperforming, the root cause often has nothing to do with skills or processes like Lean—it's about character. In this essential episode, the hosts sit down with Mac and Ria, founders of Blue Collar Leadership, live from the Fabtech show floor. Drawing from 20 years on the factory floor and extensive work in the Lean methodology, Mac shares why the most critical investment a company can make is in the personal growth and character development of its frontline employees. ...
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Why Showing Up Still Matters in Manufacturing
Making Sparks Podcast for Fabrication Leaders
Most people see Fabtech as just a trade show. But for those in the fabrication world, it’s where the entire industry comes together — to connect, learn, and see what’s next. In this episode, Casey Voelker sits down with Rick Snyder of Multipress and Matt Crosby of Pacific Press live from the Fabtech show floor. Together, they talk about what it’s really like exhibiting, the value of showing up in person, and why networking matters now more than ever. It’s not just about machines and demos — it’s about people, partnerships, and perspective. In this episode, you’ll learn: What...
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From Hands-On to High-Tech: The Real Future of Fabrication
Making Sparks Podcast for Fabrication Leaders
Most people think automation replaces welders. Graham Williams thinks it saves them. In this episode, recorded live at FABTECH, we sit down with Graham Williams of Vectis Automation to talk about how cobots are changing the game for small and mid-size shops — not by cutting people out, but by helping them do more, learn faster, and stay longer in the trade. From breaking the stigma around automation to using AI for smarter workflows, Graham shares how the best shops are blending tech and talent to create the next generation of fabricators. It’s not about robots replacing humans. It’s...
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Culture Under Fire: Building Values That Survive Growth Jesse Kleiman Part 2
Making Sparks Podcast for Fabrication Leaders
Most shop owners talk about culture. Few actually put it into practice. In Part 2 of our conversation, Jesse Kleiman shares how he’s building JR Metal Works on values that stick — from making hard work “cool again” to leading with “simple scales, fancy fails.” This isn’t theory. It’s how a fast-growing fab shop operationalizes culture, keeps people bought in, and builds a team that can scale. It’s not just about welding or leadership. It’s about what happens when you decide values aren’t posters on the wall — they’re how you run the business every day. In this...
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Grow Fast or Go Broke: The Truth About Scaling a Fab Shop
Making Sparks Podcast for Fabrication Leaders
Most fab shops dream of growth. Few are ready when it comes. Jesse Kleiman didn’t just grow JR Metal Works — he scaled it from a garage startup to a 70-person team taking on enterprise-level contracts. In this episode, Jesse opens up about the reality of rapid growth: the cash flow crunches, the leadership pivots, and the culture shifts that come with scaling faster than you planned. It’s not just about welding or expansion. It’s about what happens when your business outgrows you—and how to stay intentional through it all. In this episode, you’ll learn: How to know when it’s...
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The Hanna Golf Story: Building with Grit, Craft, and American-Made Pride
Making Sparks Podcast for Fabrication Leaders
Most golf brands take the shortcut: outsource, import, slap on a logo. Jared decided to do it the hard way. ⠀ In this episode, we dig into the Hanna Golf story — how a sales guy became a maker, bought a CNC, and built a boutique putter brand rooted in grit, craft, and American-made pride. From betting on himself to cutting through the noise of big brands, Jared shows what it really takes to build something that lasts. ⠀ It’s not just about golf. It’s about what happens when you actually make the thing you sell. In this episode, you’ll learn: How to stand out in a crowded industry...
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Trial by Fire: How Leadership Finds You on the Shop Floor
Making Sparks Podcast for Fabrication Leaders
In this MakingSparks episode, Casey and Matthew talk with Keith — a leader whose career has been shaped by both running a fabrication shop and now serving as General Manager at Fabrication Solutions & Technologies (FST). Keith’s path started with welding in the blazing heat, learning from old-school fabricators, and grinding his way up to shop management. Today, he uses that first-hand production experience to help shops across oil & gas, aerospace, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and more choose the right equipment, design smarter workflows, and maximize ROI. From process flow...
info_outlineMost fab shops say they can’t find good welders.
Nate Bowman says that’s not the real problem.
From outdated training models to unclear career pathways to leaders expecting loyalty without direction, this episode breaks down why shops struggle to hire and retain talent and what to do instead.
Live from FABTECH 2025, host Casey Voelker sits down with Nate Bowman, aka The Weld Scientist, to unpack the real science behind training welders, building sustainable career paths, and adopting technology without falling for hype. This conversation connects people, process, and innovation in a way every shop owner and leader needs to hear.
It’s not just about welding technique.
It’s about creating an industry people actually want to stay in.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
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Why most shops don’t have a hiring problem, they have a pathway problem
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How helping new welders win early changes long-term retention
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What outdated welding education gets wrong and how shops can fix it
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Why showing up in person still matters when hiring
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How to structure clear pay and growth paths from day one
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Which welding technologies are worth the investment and which are overhyped
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Why training and culture matter more than any new piece of equipment
Timestamps:
01:05 – Meet Nate Bowman and the mission behind Weld Science
04:55 – Why early wins matter when training new welders
08:45 – The culture problem in welding education
12:10 – Teaching real-world skills vs outdated processes
15:50 – Why “apply online” isn’t enough anymore
17:15 – Building clear pay and career pathways in your shop
25:20 – Cobots, laser welding, and separating hype from reality
Resources:
Follow Nate Bowman (The Weld Scientist) on Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube: https://www.linkedin.com/in/weldscientist/
Lights Out Podcast by Making Chips: https://makingchips.com/show/lights-out/
Buy the Numbers Podcast by Making Chips: https://makingchips.com/show/buy-the-numbers/