Still Building America

Still Building America showcases the people shaping today’s skilled trades. Hosted by Darla and Josh Welton of Brown Dog Welding, the podcast shares stories from fabricators, welders, machinists, metalworkers, and other trade professionals, with a focus on inspiring the next generation. Part of the FMA Podcast Network.

Still Building America is a business podcast hosted by Fabricators and Manufacturers Association, with 14 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Fabricators and Manufacturers Association hosts Still Building America, a business show with 14 episodes published.

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  Still Building America

  ScrapFest and the next wave of metal fabricators and welders

  Jul 30, 202654 min

  Lansing Community College welding students Miki Lee and Drew Van Zee join the Still Building America Podcast to discuss ScrapFest , the annual metal sculpture competition that challenged them to turn scrap into creativity while strengthening the skills they'll carry into their welding careers. Miki and Drew share how hands-on learning transformed their career paths, the mentors who helped shape their journey, and why they fell in love with welding. They also discuss building their team's latest ScrapFest sculpture, overcoming fabrication challenges, and collaborating with classmates to bring an ambitious design to life. The conversation explores apprenticeships, certifications, career opportunities, and the value of learning by doing, offering an encouraging look at the next generation of welders and metal fabricators. Email us at podcast@fmamfg.org with any comments, questions, or suggestions. Find more industry-related conversations at the FMA Podcast Network .

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  Still Building America

  Making handheld laser welding work in the real world with Rex Alexandre

  May 21, 202659 minS0

  <p>Handheld laser welding is everywhere right now, but is it actually the future of fabrication?</p> <p>In this episode of Still Building America, hosts Darla and Josh Welton sit down with Rex Alexandre, founder of the Handheld Laser Institute and former SpaceX laser welding engineer, to separate the real-world potential of handheld lasers from the online hype.</p> <p>The conversation explores how laser welding delivers fast, low-distortion welds, why small laser welds can outperform larger arc welds, where the technology still has limitations, and what fabricators need to know about safety, training, and adoption as handheld laser...

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  Still Building America

  The teenage fabricator behind the viral metal butterfly swing

  Apr 28, 202637 minS0

  <p>At 16, Asher Weatherford built a 600-pound kinetic butterfly swing that went viral and sold for $14,500.</p> <p>In this episode of Still Building America, the Henderson, Texas student breaks down how he designed and fabricated the steel-and-wood piece in his school shop over 130 hours, using hand-bent steel, a CNC plasma table, and a lot of trial and error.</p> <p>The project earned Grand Champion in its category at the Rusk County Youth Project Show and placed seventh overall.</p> <p>Asher talks about learning welding hands-on, figuring things out in real time, and pushing through the challenges of...

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  Still Building America

  Creating career opportunities in welding with Caroline Del Giudice

  Mar 31, 202648 minS0

  <p>Caroline Del Giudice, a metal fabricator and artist, joins Still Building America to talk about building a career in welding and creating opportunity in metal fabrication.</p> <p>As manager of the art and product realization program at Newlab in Detroit, she works inside a 30,000-square-foot fabrication shop supporting startups in robotics, mobility, and advanced manufacturing, blending hands-on welding with modern tools like CNC and robotics.</p> <p>Caroline shares her path into the trades, how she built experience across different fabrication environments, and how welding can open doors to both creative and entrepreneurial work.</p> <p>Follow Caroline...

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  Still Building America

  Rebuilding lives in prison through welding with Jesse Oosterhouse

  Jan 29, 202642 minS0

  <p>Jesse Oosterhouse is a welding instructor at the Muskegon Correctional Facility in Michigan, where he teaches incarcerated men skills that can lead to stable careers after release.</p> <p>In this episode, Jesse shares how his class of 30 incarcerated students designed and built Arc of Redemption, a welded sculpture entered into the Grand Rapids-based ArtPrize. The project highlights how welding education, American Welding Society certifications, and creative work can open doors to opportunity and second chances.</p> <p>Find more industry-related conversations at the FMA Podcast Network. Email us at podcast@fmamfg.org with any comments, questions, or suggestions.<...

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