Practicalwelding20220102 DL

An official publication of
THE REAL WORLD FOR WELDING PROFESSIONALS January/February 2022
Road map for aspiring

adjunct welding
instructors
3 steps to improving
shop air quality
How custom
fabricator Blue
Barn diversified
to stay afloat
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CONTENTS
THE
An official publication of
®
January/February / Vol. 5 No. 3
FEATURES DEPARTMENTS
10 6 31
COVER STORY UNDER THE HOOD CONSUMABLES CORNER
How Blue Barn has made commercial Rob Koltz and Dave Meyer discuss
and residential fabrication personal 7 duplex stainless steels and shed light
Jason Hoynash got his start as a violinmaker. CALENDAR on how to weld them.
Now he owns a custom fabrication business
for commercial and residential spaces. Doing
creatively challenging yet fulfilling work has 8 32
made every day fun and unique. But being INDUSTRY NEWS PRODUCT NEWS
able to create a business built around his
family has made all the difficult moments
worth it.
26 33
PLAYING WITH FIRE CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING
(Cover Photo: Dan P. O’Neill and Dan Taibbi)
Josh Welton offers a rare glimpse of the
16
projects he gets to work on at his day
job in General Dynamics Land Systems’
33
prototype shop. ADVERTISERS INDEX
WELDING EDUCATION
So you want to be an adjunct
weld instructor 30 34
Adjunct welding instructors are a valuable ALUMINUM ETC. JIM’S COVER PASS
part of any welding program. If you’ve ever Aluminum TIG welds that are pretty are Jim Mosman outlines what tech schools
considered becoming an adjunct welding fun to post on social media. But don’t and community colleges should look
instructor, here are some things you should forget to work on making that weld as for in an adjunct welding instructor
know ahead of time. structurally sound as possible. candidate.
20
SAFETY
3 steps to better fume management
Completing a risk assessment of your facility,
installing dust collection equipment to
capture fumes at the source, and monitoring
your equipment’s performance in real time
are three steps that can help improve your
plant’s air quality, create a cleaner work
environment, and help increase productivity.
24
WELDER PROFILE
South Dakota woman feels at home
with welding
Staci Sour Martinez is a new business owner
willing to try it all. Welding and making
connections with the welding community
have awakened confidence, creativity,
and a sense of belonging that she’s never
experienced doing anything else.
4 The WELDER January/February 2022
Contents_JF22Welder.indd 4 1/13/22 2:01 PM

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THE
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Contents_JF22Welder.indd 1/7/22 10:13
1/14/22 9:10 AM
UNDER THE HOOD
Amanda Carlson
Editor, The WELDER®
amandac@thefabricator.com
One nonwelder’s advice to a new welder

My nephew DJ asked for and received a little far less important than being a hard worker who’s
welding power source for Christmas. I don’t know willing to learn and has a love of the craft.
much about it except that it’s a Hobart Broth- On a related note, don’t feel like you need to
ers MIG machine. To my knowledge, DJ has be a polished, finished product right away. Be-
never welded before, but he does have interest lieve it or not, there are individuals out there who
in working with his hands and possibly going to will want to hire you even if you don’t come out
tech school after graduation. He’s only a fresh- of high school, tech school, or college knowing
man in high school, so a lot can change in three everything. In fact, some prefer you to be green
and a half years, but DJ is a hard worker and likes because you have fewer bad habits to break.
building, fixing, and tinkering. Quality beats pretty. In an age where we feel
When I was made aware of his interest, I the need to share everything we do on social
started to think about what advice I would share channels, don’t forget that quality work always
with him, based on my limited knowledge of wins. Gina Cutts discusses this in more detail in
welding. this month’s Aluminum Etc. column [p. 30]. Pretty
I didn’t have to look beyond the pages of this welds, particularly TIG welds, are cool, but so are
issue to come up with a few things. welds that are structurally sound. Just because
Working with your hands leads to self- something looks good, that doesn’t necessarily
reliance. My dad was the type who could build, mean it is.
fix, or navigate anything that allowed him to use Be open to change. In this issue’s Welder
his hands. He was a plumber by trade, but he was Profile [p. 24], we meet Stacy Sour Martinez, who
also a woodworker, an artist who made beautiful was thrown into welding at a previous job. After
stained-glass pictures, and a general Mr. Fix It. I navigating through the initial shock and terror of
didn’t appreciate this quality about him until I was this change, Sour Martinez really took to it and
much older, but now I wish I had so that he could has used it as a tool to start her own business
teach me how to change a tire, unclog a drain, making metal components for wood and metal
or other simple tasks. One of the things Jason furniture, fabricating architectural items, and dab-
Hoynash of Blue Barn, the subject of this issue’s bling in metal art. While this was a change she
cover story [p. 10], mentioned is how wonderful wasn’t expecting, it’s turned out to be great for
it is to get to teach his young daughter the value her both personally and professionally.
of self-reliance. He wants her to develop the con- No matter what DJ decides to do with his
fidence to be able to do things on her own and life, I’m pretty excited to see where this welding
not rely on someone else. journey will take him. Stay tuned.
Make mistakes. Learn from them. Repeat.
You’re going to mess up in the beginning. A lot.
And, if you’re doing it right, you’re going to keep
messing up, just on different things. Be OK with
it. Easier said than done, I know. Being perfect is @TheWELDERmag @theweldermagazine
Under the Hood_JF22Welder.indd 6 1/14/22 10:43 AM

CALENDAR OF EVENTS
THE
®
Please check with the event organizer for cancellations or date changes.
Updates to the Codes FABTECH Mexico

22 Dallas/Fort Worth 3-5 Monterrey, Mexico
FABTECH Event Partners
February American Welding Society May
800-443-9353 | awo.aws.org 888-394-4362 | mexico.fabtechexpo.com
FMA Annual Meeting FABTECH Canada

1-3 Miami, Fla.
Fabricators & Manufacturers Assn. Intl.
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March June
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11-13 Roll Forming Workshop
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8-10 Atlanta
April November
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888-394-4362 | www.fmamfg.org
STAFF FMA OFFICERS & DIRECTORS Statement of Policy

President & CEO FMA Edward Youdell Chairman of the Board As a publication of the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association
Editor-in-Chief Dan Davis Carlos Mendizabal-Perez, Industrias Selbor SA de CV International, The WELDER recognizes the need and importance of
disseminating information about modern metal welding and joining
Editor Amanda Carlson First Vice Chairman techniques, machinery, tooling, and management concepts for the
Contributing Editor Amy Nickel James Rogowski, TRUMPF Inc. metalworking professional. The policy of the publisher and this
Senior Copy Editor Teresa Chartos Second Vice Chairman journal is to be nonpartisan, favoring no one product or company.
Jason Hillenbrand, Amada America Inc. The representations of facts and opinions expressed in the articles
Graphic Designers Jennifer Paulson
are those of the author and are not necessarily endorsed by the
Mary Mincemoyer, Margaret Clark Secretary/Treasurer publisher and this journal. By including information on new products,
Publication Coordinator Rose Merlino Sarah Richards, Jones Metal Inc. new literature, news of the industry, articles, etc., this impartiality is
Director of Circulation Kim Bottomley Immediate Past Chairman of the Board
strived for and extends to the mention of trade names. Unless product
identification makes the reference unavoidable, the generic name is
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used. We acknowledge that on occasion there may be oversights and
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including ads for classes of products and services not considered of
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ADVERTISING SALES rate card for full rates and data.
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Accounts Receivable Rosalie Powell Lisa Wertzbaugher, Wertzbaugher Services/ with safety equipment removed for photographic purposes. However,
Wertzbaugher Consulting in actual operation, it is recommended that correct safety procedures
CONTACT and equipment be utilized.
President & CEO
2135 Point Blvd., Elgin, IL 60123 Edward Youdell
Phone: 815-399-8700 • Fax: 847-844-1270 FMA’s Certified Education Centers
Fabricators & Manufacturers Association Intl.
E-mail: info@thefabricator.com FMA Certified Education Centers (CEC) are community and technical
colleges, trade schools, and universities that specialize in training
THE WELDER EDITORIAL adults for careers in the metal forming, fabricating, processing, and
ADVISORY COMMITTEE machining sectors. They offer coursework for local students year-
Paul Cameron Element Materials round and serve as host locations for many types of FMA professional
Technology-St. Paul development programs as requested. A council of representative
Daniel Galiher Retired Welding Engineering Researcher members convene six times a year to plan and execute special
programs on worker training for educators and human resource
Warren Long Briggs & Stratton Corp. managers from companies of all sizes.
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To discover how your local community or technical college can
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January/February 2022 The WELDER 7
Calendar_JF22Welder.indd 7 1/13/22 2:01 PM

INDUSTRY NEWS
Team Industries recognized Georgia Trade School Camfil breaks ground for new
as Bechtel top supplier students capture first place manufacturing facility
Team Industries at the Xcel North Georgia
Inc. has received Welding Competition
the Bechtel
2020/2021 Supply
Chain Excellence
Award in recogni-
tion of its excep-
tional work on Bechtel projects. Com-
panies were evaluated on multiple Camfil Air Pollution Control, a manu-
factors including overall performance; facturer of industrial dust-, fume-, and
ability to deliver quality services/ Georgia Trade School students mist-collection systems for industrial
supplies on time; ability to work Jordan Adcox, Cade Cordle, Kelly processes, has broken ground for its
collaboratively to meet milestones; Myers, and Skylar Voeltner won first new manufacturing and office facility
and meeting or exceeding project place in the Xcel North Georgia in Jonesboro, Ark. Camfil plans to
expectations for safety, performance, Welding Competition. They custom- invest more than $37 million in the
technical expertise, and environmen- fabricated a smoker/cowboy cooker facility, which will add about 67 new
tal compliance. to resemble the classic Lincoln jobs within five years to an existing
With locations in Kaukauna, Wis., Electric tombstone welder, using workforce of 237 people.
and Port Arthur, Texas, Team Indus- recycled materials from paper The new, 290,000-sq.-ft. facility will
tries is a provider of shop-fabricated mills, railroad spikes, and other occupy 34 acres and is scheduled to
pipe spools and pressure vessels, miscellaneous metal. Cade Cordle open in fall 2022. In addition to space
offering welding and fabrication, proj- also placed first in two individual for manufacturing industrial dust
ect management, engineering, quality welding competitions. collectors and filter cartridges, the
control, and surface preparation and Certified Welding Inspectors facility will also house sales offices,
coating capabilities. Stephen Leone and Kyle Lockwood warehousing, and shipping.
prepared and coached the team.
Harris acquires FTP, Shoals Produced by Savannah, Ga.-based
K-TIG expands North
Tubular mentoring network Xcel Strategies,
the annual competition featured American distribution arm
celebrity judges including Bob Moffat Australia-based welding manufacturer
from Weld.com and Jason Becker K-TIG has expanded its reach across
from the “Arc Junkies” podcast. North America with the appointment
of MITUSA Inc., Maywood, Calif.,
as a new Tier 1 distributor to supply
Linde Gas & Equipment its products in the U.S. and Mexico.
donates $50,000 in welding MITUSA’s appointment aligns with
Harris Products Group, a manufac- supplies, consumables to K-TIG’s strategy to further develop
turer of cutting, welding, brazing, and Workshop for Warriors third-party sales channels to comple-
soldering equipment and a Lincoln Linde Gas & Equipment Inc., Linde’s ment its direct sales force.
Electric company, has strengthened U.S. welding, industrial, medical, and K-TIG Managing Director Adrian
its presence in the HVAC/R manufac- specialty gas distribution business in Smith said specialist automation
turing market with the acquisition of Danbury, Conn., has donated more integrators
two manufacturers: Fabricated Tube than $50,000 in welding supplies and were essential
Products (FTP) and Shoals Tubular Inc. consumables to Workshop for War- in incorporating
The two companies manufacture riors, a nonprofit school that trains, the company’s
copper and aluminum headers, dis- certifies, and helps place veterans, technology into
tributor assemblies, and other com- wounded warriors, and transition- a turnkey weld-
plex brazed assemblies in the U.S. ing service members into advanced Adrian Smith ing automation
and Mexico for the HVAC/R sector. manufacturing careers. system across industry.
Harris Products now has facilities in The veteran-owned and -operated “MITUSA is a highly regarded
Tennessee and Alabama in the U.S., as school works to rebuild America’s welding automation company special-
well as a plant in Monterrey, Mexico. advanced manufacturing workforce. izing in automated seamers, offering
Industry_JF22Welder.indd 8 1/14/22 3:36 PM

INDUSTRY NEWS
both technical and logistical expertise Scott Orum as have made outstanding contributions
for customers in North America,” president. He to the technology and application of
Smith said. “We are confident in succeeds Howard the resistance welding process, which
MITUSA’s management team, led by Fisher, who is was invented in
its president, Leo retiring. Orum the late 1800s by
Valerio.” has been with Elihu Thomson,
Valerio began the company an associate of
his career in 1970 for 25 years, Thomas Edison.
at Eaton Leonard holding positions Since join-
Scott Orum
Robolix, integrat- in purchasing, ing the business
ing electronic shipping, machining, engineering, founded by his
Tom Snow
equipment. He and plant management. father, who was
Leo Valerio gained additional a Thomson Award winner in 2003,
expertise at Valco Snow has been active in sales and
Precision Works before founding T. J. Snow Co., Chattanooga, Tenn., marketing roles in the resistance
MITUSA in 2017. has announced that its chairman Tom welding industry for more than 48
Snow has received the Elihu Thomson years. The award recognizes the
People news Resistance Welding Award. Presented numerous technical articles Snow has
American Weldquip Inc., Sharon by the Resistance Welding Manufac- contributed to industry publications,
Center, Ohio, a manufacturer of turing Alliance, a standing committee which led to opportunities for the
semiautomatic and robotic torches of the American Welding Society, the company to offer seminars on the
and peripherals, has appointed award recognizes individuals who resistance welding process.
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Industry_JF22Welder.indd 9 1/13/22 5:50 PM

COVER STORY
How Blue Barn has made

commercial and residential
fabrication personal
Massachusetts fabricator switches gears, finds
fulfillment in building small business close to home
Since opening Gardner, Mass.-based Blue Barn eight

years ago, Jason Hoynash (left) has been on a roller
coaster ride of finding his niche, hiring individuals who
can hang but who also love the work, opening a retail
business, and navigating through a pandemic. He is
pictured with Duncan Nix (right) and Tom Williams (top).
Cover Story_JF22Welder.indd 10 1/14/22 3:41 PM

By Amanda Carlson
Fabricators have an amazing ability to adjust when

the situation requires.
An example is Jason Hoynash, who spent 13
years as a violinmaker before going into business
for himself full time as a custom fabricator focusing
mostly on commercial projects.
Metal fabrication and design gave him what
violinmaking couldn’t: a license for creativity and a
reprieve from the repetitive while still allowing him
to work with his hands.
Since opening Gardner, Mass.-based Blue Barn
eight years ago, Hoynash has been on a roller
coaster ride of finding where his niche lies, finding
individuals with skill who can hang and who also
love the work, opening an offshoot retail business,
and navigating through a pandemic when he had to
act quickly to make adjustments not just for himself
and his family, but for his employees as well.
Hoynash’s intelligence, diversity of skills, and Hoynash’s life changed when he was asked to design and
quick thinking have been the main reasons he’s been build out all the interior components for a new restaurant.
That project introduced him to work that was both creatively
able to keep his business afloat during the last two
challenging and diverse. From that moment, he was hooked.
years. He’s gained enough perspective as a business
owner to know what helps his company (being pro-
active) and what doesn’t (worrying and losing sleep).
He’s excited to spend more time developing Blue faith in you to design and execute this, which is
Barn Outdoor Living, a retail arm of the company basically their dream; it turned out to be one of the
the specializes in outdoor UFO fire pits. most satisfying experiences I ever had. While I was
Doing creatively challenging yet gratifying work doing that, I got an offer to do some fabrication for
has made every day fun and unique. However, another restaurant in town. And at that point, I knew
starting a fabricating business in the blue barn just I had to shit or, frankly, get off the pot.
steps away from the home he shares with his wife I quit the violin gig and I went into business as
and daughter has added a layer of fulfillment to the a fabricator full time. For a while I did it on my own
whole experience. but got to a point where I was busy enough that I
had to hire someone. I knew I didn't want someone
TW: How did you go from making violins who was set in their ways. I really like the idea of
to becoming a designer and fabricator for technical schools, and I think that more kids should
commercial and residential projects? go to them.
JH: I had a couple friends in the restaurant industry, I went to the local tech school and became friends
one of whom had come up with a concept for a with the teachers and hired a kid on co-op. And he
restaurant that was open-fire cooking. Over a couple still works for me today. That was nine years ago.
of beers he asked me if I would be willing to design Now I've got two full-timers in the shop and they
and build the grill and oven, which would be kind of both came right out of tech school. We're just crank-
the centerpiece for the restaurant. Naively I said yes, ing right now. We're busy.
even though I didn’t know what I was doing. I cre- We still do a lot of restaurant work, but we've
ated designs, fabricated the grill and the oven, and recently branched out into residential work as a
they came out really well—and this was before the result of COVID-19. There's a fair amount of pretty
restaurant was finished. cool progressive, modern architectural projects go-
The ownership group decided they didn't like ing on out here. We got into making a few of these
their interior designer so they offered me the job to center-stringer staircases and railings. And then
design the whole interior of the restaurant and build we developed a window system that we build out
it out. So, I did, and I was doing that in addition to of steel. We did a lot of window and stair projects.
my full-time violin gig. It was exhausting, but it was Right now our business is about 40% residential and
so creatively gratifying. To have someone put their about 60% commercial.

COVER STORY
TW: What is the significance behind the name TW: Did the idea behind founding Blue Barn
Blue Barn? Outdoor Living start from that original
JH: It's remarkably, stupidly simple. When my wife restaurant job?
Steph and I bought our place, I needed a spot on JH: It was kind of a tangent, yes. The idea was
the property that I could use as a violin shop. It had rooted in an effort to create a product instead of
to be a garage or a barn or something like that. operating a service business. I love cooking outside
And we were hoping to be close to Boston, but the on open fire.
market was hot in 2005, making it pretty hard to My friends and I like to do a lot of cooking out.
find anything. About an hour away from Boston we We'll take the four-wheelers or just hike out into the
found this old house with a pretty good size barn on woods and cook meals. That kind of brought up the
it. And it's blue. I like alliteration and thought it was need for a simple grill system that can be transport-
simple, memorable, easy to remember. That’s how ed easily. I came up with the idea, which is nothing
we got Blue Barn Builds. new, of using a pin that goes into the ground and
cantilevering the grill off the pin. A client saw it and
said they needed something like it for a catering
gig, but couldn’t build a fire on the ground. So I pro-
totyped the first UFO grill for this guy. He catered
an event for 200 people with it and loved it. That’s
when I thought this thing might have legs.
It was basically a COVID project. We were slow
because of the pandemic and I needed something
for the boys in the shop to do.
We made all of the machinery to actually produce
the parts. We made a 10-ton hydraulic press that
was specifically designed to make the dish, and a
roll bender designed to make the rings. I haven't
really invested any time in marketing, but that’s the
next step.
TW: How do you find good employees, and what

qualities make for the ideal employee for your
business?
As far as qualities go, malleability is a big one for
me. Not being set in your ways and being flexible
and willing to take on a work process that you're
unfamiliar with. Most of the things we make have
never been made before. Every job is new, so you
have to be kind of intellectually flexible and into it to
work here, frankly.
The work doesn't really get stale. One day we're
trying to bend tube to 1⁄1,000-in. accuracy; the next
day we're machining parts to the same tolerances;
and the day after that we could be fabricating I-
beam structures to go on a roof deck in Boston, and
it's only got to be good to 1⁄8 in.
I like hiring young people because they're not
jaded yet. Most times their interest in the job isn't
just monetary, they actually have passion for what
they do. So do I, and I like to share that with them.
And there's plenty of people who have been in
the industry for so long that they're just jaded and
Having his shop—a literal blue barn—steps away from his front they're just in it for a paycheck, and that's not me,
door allows for a few comforts of home, including the company and that's not what this business is about for me. It's
of shop dog Bob Barker. not just about satisfying the client either, although

COVER STORY
that's incredibly important. It’s going through the

creative process and making something that you're
proud of.
TW: How have you had to navigate through the

challenges that COVID-19 presented?
JH: Frankly, what transpired after the COVID shut-
downs was a big moment for us. At the time we had
several contracts lined up, but when the shutdown
happened, these general contractors contacted me
and said everything was on hold indefinitely. We
were absolutely counting on these jobs.
At the time I thought COVID would blow over
pretty quickly and that I wouldn’t need to mobilize
too much. I thought the best thing we could do was
get a couple of filler jobs to keep everyone busy. I
have a fair number of friends in the residential build-
ing and contracting world, and I called them and
asked if they had any work for us. I put the feelers
out there and called everyone. We got some resi-
dential jobs going and, like anyone who was in that
business at the time, it really took off.
The concept of Blue Barn Outdoor Living
was born out of a need for an outdoor
People were stuck at home and realized that they
grill that was easily transportable. didn’t like certain aspects about their house. People

COVER STORY
Once the commercial business came to a standstill

due to the pandemic, Hoynash made some calls and
quickly made the transition into residential work. One
of the signature items they build are center-stringer
staircases and railings. Currently their business is
roughly 40% residential and 60% commercial projects.

COVER STORY
because it's out of your hands. You've already done

I LIKE HIRING YOUNG PEOPLE BECAUSE the work, they're happy with the work, but the check
just hasn't arrived yet. And there's only so much
THEY'RE NOT JADED YET. MOST TIMES pressure you can afford legally to put on a client, not
to mention the fact that you don't want to alienate
THEIR INTEREST IN THE JOB ISN'T JUST them in case they want to do more work with you.
It's this very fine balance of not pissing people
MONETARY, THEY ACTUALLY HAVE off and getting paid on time. And that was one of
the other impetuses for starting Blue Barn Outdoor
PASSION FOR WHAT THEY DO. SO DO I, Living. The retail dynamic versus the contracting
dynamic is just very different.
AND I LIKE TO SHARE THAT WITH THEM.
TW: How else has the pandemic changed
AND THERE'S PLENTY OF PEOPLE WHO your business? Have you had to purchase
more equipment? Have you had to invest in
HAVE BEEN IN THE INDUSTRY FOR SO automation at all?
LONG THAT THEY'RE JUST JADED AND JH: Our stuff is so specialized that we can't really
automate because we're never doing batches
THEY'RE JUST IN IT FOR A PAYCHECK, of, say, more than 100 parts. We definitely have
expanded the capabilities of the shop. We have
AND THAT'S NOT ME, AND THAT'S NOT spent a lot of time making the equipment that we
use instead of purchasing it. I’ve looked up what it
WHAT THIS BUSINESS IS ABOUT FOR ME. would cost to buy a piece of equipment and realized
that I can make it for less money and with more ca-
pabilities than what I can buy. For instance, recently
we made a roll forming machine, and I was able to
in the business world still had money coming in and make it for about $6,000. To purchase one with the
then there was money from the government, and same capabilities would cost me $20,000.
many people chose to invest that money into their
properties. It worked out really well for us. TW: What makes Blue Barn different from other
small businesses?
TW: What is a current challenge your business JH: We have a shop dog; his name's Bob Barker.
faces that keeps you up at night? He’s my favorite animal on the planet. He’s a choco-
JH: I don’t tend to lose much sleep anymore late lab and he's actually lying right here. I think
because I’ve realized those things don’t help the having him and having the shop attached to where
problem. But there are two things that I do think my wife and I live makes it very personal.
about. The first is where the next job will come from. Our business, I think, is more personal than many.
We've been fortunate to have more work than we We are a family-based business. Frequently we’ll
know what to do with these days, and I think that's have the boys in for dinner or we'll have some beers
because we pay really close attention to quality and together after work outside. I love it.
accuracy, and we really try to deliver a product that My daughter comes out in the shop and we’ll set
is so tight and correct that the client's happy every her up so she can cut things out on the band saw and
time. I'm not really stressing about where the work she’s learning to weld right now. She's 10, and I think
will come from these days, but I was at the begin- that's a really cool thing to be able to share with her
ning of COVID. and for her to be able to grow up with. She is learn-
The other big challenge is that we are a contrac- ing that she can make anything that she wants. She
tor, which basically means we have to do the work doesn't have to go buy it. If she wants something,
and put up the product and the labor and the hours she can design it, make it, and it'll probably be better
upfront and then wait to get paid. The whole struc- than what she could go out and buy.
THE
ture of the contracting world is really problematic in

that regard, right? I mean, we'll get a deposit upfront Editor Amanda Carlson can be reached at
for the materials, but once the job is done, we can amandac@thefabricator.com.
wait between 60 and 90 days for the final invoice to
be paid. And that's the thing that's really stressful Blue Barn, www.bluebarnbuildsit.com

WELD EDUCATION
Jim Mosman
So you want to be an adjunct

weld instructor
5 things you should know
By Amanda Carlson
Have you been debating whether or not to get involved in

teaching?
Maybe you had an excellent weld instructor who chal-
lenged and motivated you, and you want to pay that forward
to the next generation of welders. Maybe you’re looking to
make a little extra money and teaching sounds like a fun way
to do it.
Adjunct welding instructors are an important part of the
culture and success of community college welding programs.
Weld Education_JF22Welder.indd 16 1/14/22 3:11 PM

WELD EDUCATION
For starters, they take a little bit of the weight off the teaching gig became full time when he decided he
shoulders of full-time instructors, who more often wanted something more permanent.
than not must balance writing curriculum, instructing “I was sick of the layoffs,” Moffatt said flatly.
students, procuring materials, maintaining equip- He’s been at Cowley College for the last 26 years.
ment, and managing administration meetings. Thompson, Kean, and Moffatt have all experi-
Adjunct instructors are a great resource for young enced the joys and challenges of weld education,
welders. They are also a direct connection between first as adjunct instructors and then as full-time
the classroom and industry, which is a huge value- instructors. All agree that embarking on a career as
add to both full-time instructors and students alike. an adjunct welding instructor is a great way to find
For many in industry, the idea of paying it forward fulfillment and give back.
to the next generation of welders is both intriguing “Being an adjunct is a great way for somebody
and exciting. But what’s the best way to get in- to invest in the future of our industry and really help
volved? How do you know you have what it takes to people change their lives. Those students are there
be a good adjunct welding instructor? because they want something different, and to be
able to come in and help them achieve that is a
FORMER ADJUNCT INSTRUCTORS WHO pretty great reward,” Kean said.
FOUND THEIR CALLING
Jim Thompson, Cullman, Ala., spent 19 years work- DO YOUR RESEARCH
ing in construction, in a small fabrication shop, and Before you do anything, Moffatt suggests you reach
in manufacturing, and he was intrigued by teaching out to your local community college’s welding pro-
initially to make a little extra money. gram administrator or a full-time instructor and ask
“I was building a house and thought it would be questions about the focus of the program. Do your
great to earn some part-time money as an adjunct strengths as a welder align with what the program
instructor. During my first semester teaching, I teaches? For you to be successful, first make sure
enjoyed it so much that I said to my wife, ‘If I get an the program aligns with your skill set.
opportunity to do this full time, that’s what I want to At Cowley College, for example, Moffatt said
do,’” Thompson said. individuals with structural or pipeline experience
A few years later, the full-time position ended up using all processes are extremely valuable since
becoming available, and that began Thompson’s that is what his program emphasizes. Essentially, it
26-year teaching career, during which he spent time shouldn’t just be the program evaluating you; you,
as both an adjunct and full-time instructor at Wallace too, should be evaluating the program to ensure it
State College, Hanceville, Ala., before retiring a little aligns with where your strengths lie.
more than a year and a half ago. “If you’re wanting to teach, make sure to look
Joe Kean, Wichita, Kan., discovered a love for at the program first to see if it’s a good fit for you.
teaching during his time in the Army training troops. That’s key,” Moffatt said.
While he didn’t teach welding, he met some welders You also might want to investigate how the weld-
while he was in Iraq and fell in love with what they ing program trains adjunct staff. Will you be left to
were doing. He learned how to weld once he got figure things out on your own, or does the program
back home. have a mentorship program to help new adjunct
Kean worked in heavy-equipment repair and tool- instructors get acclimated to the position? For ex-
ing repair at a quarry before going into business for ample, WSU Tech has a system in place that pairs a
himself building handrails and egress covers. And new adjunct instructor with a seasoned instructor for
then WSU Tech, located in Wichita, Kan., needed an a period of time.
adjunct instructor to teach a robot welding class. “That first week, the seasoned instructor will
“I took a stab at it and it turned out pretty well,” teach the class. The next week, the seasoned
Kean said. instructor and the adjunct instructor co-teach the
So well, in fact, that just six years later, Kean went class. Once the adjunct is on their own, the expe-
from an adjunct instructor to program director of rienced instructor is still there as a support and will
welding and machining at the college. Part of his check on the adjunct throughout the semester,”
job is identifying, hiring, and mentoring new adjunct Kean said.
welding instructors. Learning how to manage a classroom is different
Bob Moffatt, Arkansas City, Kan., began his than managing the shop environment. Being able
teaching career as an adjunct instructor while doing to lecture and navigate through all the distractions
pipeline work across the Midwest. The part-time available to students in the classroom nowadays

WELD EDUCATION
(i.e., phones) and getting students to engage and pay It’s another thing to be able to articulate it in front of a
attention takes practice. group of people with diverse learning styles.
“If you have an example of how that works, we’ve “You’ve got to be prepared,” said Moffatt. “There's
found this to be a much smoother transition for the some days you can wing it. There's days I used to wing
new instructor. This has been our process for the last it in here, but there are days that just won’t work.”
two and a half years and it really helps,” Kean added. Thompson agreed.
“It took me a while to realize that I needed to be
SHADOW A TEACHER better prepared,” Thompson said. “I needed to make
To get the best feel for how a program works, Thomp- sure that I knew my material before I went in front of a
son suggests you shadow an instructor. class and presented it. When you’re prepared, you’re
“Go and get a feel for the environment and a feel confident, and confidence is important.”
for what it’s all about, and then decide,” Thompson That confidence will build gradually the more
said. comfortable you become in front of a classroom. It’s
Kean agreed. a process, but so is learning, Thompson added. As
“If you’re interested in teaching, reach out to your an instructor, don’t put pressure on yourself to know
local welding school and go spend a day with them. everything.
Any welding school would love to have someone from “You can’t be an expert at everything,” Thompson
industry come in and invest in their students. Maybe said.
you have something specific to share, like how to do
an open-root groove weld. You might find it reward- NEVER ASSUME STUDENTS KNOW WHAT
ing, or you might find it’s not for you.” YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT
An instructor who has experience and has found
EMBRACE THE MISTAKES success in the field can be an incredible resource for
Once you get in the classroom, understand that you young and up-and-coming welders. But Thompson
will make mistakes. In fact, Kean said the best thing stresses the importance of remembering your audi-
you can do right off the bat is to embrace the fact that ence once you get into the classroom.
you will mess up—it’s a normal part of a new teacher’s Having a successful career as a welder does not
learning process. A common mistake is expecting guarantee you will be a successful welding instructor if
perfection or overplanning to the point where detours you can’t deliver the information in a way that students
or deviations are considered a failure. can understand. These are new welders, after all, so
“Oftentimes a new adjunct instructor will think that you can’t assume they know what you’re talking about.
there is a perfect way to do things, and that a class has You have to be able to go back to basics.
to go along a particular path to “I’ve seen adjuncts who were
be successful. It just doesn’t work “YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE RIGHT very good at what they did in
that way. You’re going to have industry, but they just had diffi-
HEART TOWARDS WELDING.
days when you present some- culty conveying the message and
thing to your class and it’ll be STUDENTS WANT TO LEARN THIS would forget about small details
received great. Other days there TRADE BECAUSE THEY WANT TO that students need to know for the
will be a disconnect. That’s OK. particular sequence of things they
On those days, just remember LEARN HOW TO DO SOMETHING were working on. The instructor
that you’re working toward an THAT THEY CAN APPLY AND HAVE forgot to explain something minor
end goal,” Kean explained. and just assumed the student
Kean went on to say that
A BETTER FUTURE. IF YOU CAN
already knew it,” he explained.
students have the capacity to REMEMBER THAT AND HELP THEM To fix that or prevent it from
learn and be successful even with happening altogether requires
WORK TOWARDS THAT GOAL, THEN
an imperfect instructor, so don’t patience—a lot of it. Unlike your
get too caught up in the hiccups YOU’LL BE SUCCESSFUL.” co-workers in industry, students
or the small failures. In the grand don’t necessarily have the same
scheme of things, they are minor bumps in the road. frame of reference you do, so you have to be sure to
Instead, view the semester as a long game and focus explain things in detail.
your energy on learning from your mistakes and mov- “Really break things down,” Thompson added.
ing forward. “Slow down, go step by step, and assume they don’t
Being as prepared as possible before class can help know anything. It’s up to you to explain it. If something
a lot. It’s one thing to know what you’re talking about. isn’t clicking, break it down again and figure out why.”

WELD EDUCATION
You also need to get a feel for how each individual Thompson’s why became obvious to him immediately.
learns, said Moffatt. A one-size-fits-all approach won’t He, too, wanted to teach people a trade that could im-
work. prove their lives.
“People learn in different ways. Some learn by sight, “The thought of teaching young people a skill that
others are auditory learners, some learn better when it’s could transfer over so many different industries became a
hands-on, and some don’t get it no matter what you do. mission of mine. I wanted that for them instead of seeing
You have to be prepared for all the ways people learn and them flipping burgers or working at a fast-food restaurant.
figure out how best to help them,” he added. Teaching became my calling in life,” Thompson said.
At the root of it all, having welding skill, experience,
FIND YOUR WHY and genuine desire to give back goes a long way, said
Taking on an adjunct teaching position can be a reward- Kean.
ing experience, but like anything else, it has its chal- “The welding background, the ability, and the desire
lenges. To keep from getting discouraged, it’s important are important, and we can help you learn the parts of
to identify and remember why you want to do it. teaching that you don’t know. You have to have the right
“I wouldn't discourage anybody from teaching. It's heart towards welding. Students want to learn this trade
very rewarding. I really enjoy seeing the light bulb come because they want to learn how to do something that
on when someone finally understands something they’ve they can apply and have a better future. If you can re-
been struggling with,” he said. member that and help them work towards that goal, then
Moffatt’s experience as a teacher has even provided you’ll be successful.”
THE
perspective on the teachers he had, so much so that
he went back and thanked some of them for what they Editor Amanda Carlson can be reached at
taught him. amandac@thefabricator.com.

SAFETY
3 steps to better fume management

Proactive assessment, remediation, and monitoring
can have a positive impact in your facility
By Karen Wear When used in combination, these steps can help

improve your plant’s air quality, create a cleaner
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in work environment, and help increase productivity.
the October 2021 issue of Canadian Fabricating &
Before delving into these steps, let’s examine the
Welding.
unique aspects of weld fume.
There are many ways to manage weld fume. In
this article, we talk about three of them that will help UNIQUE ASPECTS OF WELD FUME
keep your processes moving forward uninterrupted Whether you run a large or small fabrication and
and in applicable compliance. welding operation, you’re producing weld fume that
The first way to manage weld fume is to complete consists of various types of dust and gas byproducts.
a risk assessment of your facility and keep it current. Weld fume produces ultrafine particles that can
Next, if you haven’t already, you should install proper linger and degrade the air quality. The particles are
dust collection equipment to capture fumes at the generally very small, often 50 to 75 times smaller
source. Third, consider using a tool or service to than the width of a human hair, making them ex-
monitor your equipment performance in real time. tremely easy to inhale.
Whether you run a large or small fabrication and

welding operation, you’re producing weld fume that
consists of various types of dust and gas byproducts.
Weld fume produces ultrafine particles that can linger
and degrade the air quality.
Safety_JF22Welder.indd 20 1/13/22 4:33 PM

SAFETY
Some authorities consider

these particles “metal dust”
because they are generated by
working with metals, while other
experts consider them nonmetal-
lic, since they are a mixture of
oxidized materials. As a mixture
of oxidized materials, the fume
particles tend to burn more slow- The graphics above show the elements needed to ignite an
ly and have lower combustion temperatures than unwanted event in a manufacturing facility. To mitigate these
purely metallic dusts. Either way, the particulates are risks, one or more of these elements needs to be removed
from the environment. Proper dust collection and weld fume
considered combustible when they enter the air and
management can help manage these risks.
could be combustible if combined with air and an
ignition source.
Every fabrication and welding operation has a
different risk level determined by: STEP TWO: INSTALL A DUST COLLECTOR
• Type of welding process and amount of dust Because of the nature of and potential impact of
generated. weld fume, simply turning on a fan, opening a
• Base, filler, and welding rod metals used. window, or even welding outside will not remove
• Space layout and number of workstations. all the fumes from a welder’s breathing zone or
• Welder work practices. workstation.
• Air movement and ventilation. Investing in an industrial dust collection system
that captures fumes and associated particles at the
STEP ONE: CONDUCT A DUST HAZARD source will help reduce the amount of fumes and
ANALYSIS IN YOUR FACILITY particles that are dispersed into your facility’s air.
A well-executed dust hazard analysis (DHA) should Verify the locations where weld fume is being
uncover any risks related to combustible dust events generated and whether those locations create fume
associated with weld fume in your shop. Many regu- continuously or intermittently. Next, identify where
lations now require DHAs for processes and facilities you can place a collector in your shop. The layout of
that generate combustible dust, which includes weld your facility and the space available will help deter-
fumes. mine the type of collector to install.
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Consider using high-efficiency filters with clean-
652 standard is focused on the safe handling ing systems that extend filter
of combustible dust. The NFPA previously set a life and help minimize the
deadline of Sept. 7, 2020, for plant managers to chance of unexpected
complete a DHA and to have a combustible dust maintenance or a
mitigation plan in place.The NFPA 652 also requires downtime event. Car-
a DHA to be reviewed and updated every five years. tridge-based systems
Many local governments have made this standard or filter packs may
mandatory. both be viable op-
The professionals involved in a DHA may include tions, depending on
facility operators, engineers, owners, equipment your facility’s unique
manufacturers, and industrial hygienists. The operation. They both
elements of a DHA enable a plant management use compressed air to clean
team to: the filters and offer enhanced
• Get informed. filtration capabilities.
• Determine risks.
• Identify actions.
• Execute actions.
• Follow up. One type of fume collector for heavy-duty
applications or frequent plant operations
Completing a DHA will clarify the risks you need is Donaldson’s Easy-Trunk Collector. It
t to document and address, helping you stay compli- is portable and has a built-in pulse filter
s. ant with national and provincial regulations. cleaning system.
ger

SAFETY
Finally, you’ll want to consider any neces-

sary mitigation solutions needed to address the
risks presented by collecting weld fume in your
own plant.
STEP 3: REMOTE MONITORING

The third step in mitigating risk associated with
weld fume is implementing a remote monitor-
ing service to stay on top of dust collection
equipment performance and real-time main-
tenance issues. Production capacity, staffing
issues, and job demands can make it a chal-
lenge for any operation to manually monitor its
equipment with regularity.
The Industrial Internet of Things has made
its way to weld fume management. Today, using
Donaldson’s iCue connected filtration several strategically placed sensors on your dust
monitoring provides real-time maintenance collection system can help establish operational
alerts and performance data for one or more
parameters for your equipment and remotely
dust collectors through a single dashboard.
track the performance of your collectors via
monitoring software and internet connectivity.

Heck-Fabrictor_3.375x4.875_HeckFabrictor_3.375x4.875 4/17/21 7:15 PM Page 1
SAFETY
BEVEL-MILL®
Remote access to near-current data for your
dust collection system is available for most makes
and models today. Sensor technology is especially
valuable because it helps determine the collector
system’s performance, such as its differential pres-
sure, so you can decide when a filter needs replace-
ment or if there’s another equipment-related issue
to address by simply viewing the dashboard on your
computer or mobile device.
Weld fume is an unavoidable byproduct at any
fabrication and welding operation, and it warrants
close attention by you, your workers, and regulators.
Following these three steps will help you keep your
plant in good standing with compliance require-
ments, maintain a cleaner work environment, and
improve operational efficiency.
PLATE BEVELERS WELD SHAVERS
THE
More effective method of Machine weld beads flush

beveling. Eliminates slow to work piece. Adjustable
Karen Wear is a product market manager at
Donaldson, 1400 W. 94th St., Bloomington, MN grinding, choice of bevel depth of cut, fast cutting
55431, 952-887-3131, karen.wear@donaldson.com, depth and HP. at 6’ per minute.
donaldson.com.
810.632.5400
WWW.HECKIND.NET

WELDER PROFILE
By Amanda Carlson
South Dakota woman Sometimes a person’s pathway to welding is a

little unconventional. Staci Sour Martinez’s path
feels at home was forged out of necessity at her job, and she’s
been obsessed with it ever since.
with welding
After purchasing her own welding power
source, Martinez, Sioux Falls, S.D., has dabbled
in building handrails and other architectural
items, fabricating the metal components for
custom wood and metal furniture, and now she’s
Getting to know Staci Sour Martinez embarking on metal sculpture.
Martinez is a relatively new business owner
willing to try it all and has found confidence in
finding creative ways to get things done. She
has discovered a sense of camaraderie with the
welding community that she’s never experienced
doing anything else.
Martinez discussed her pathway, her mentors,
and where she hopes her passion for welding will
take her.
TW: How were you first introduced to

welding?
SSM: I learned how to weld while I was working
in inventory management at a manufacturing
facility called Twin City Fan. We built fans of all
sizes; fans that operated in snow machines, fans
that sat in dump trucks, that sort of thing. They
were short on welders, so my boss came up to
me and said, “It looks like you’re going to have
to learn how to weld.” I was absolutely terrified
at first, but I ended up loving it.
Someone from the American Welding Society
came in and administered our tests, and I basi-
cally learned through whatever feedback I’d
receive from my boss as he walked around.
I did that for two years until I left that job to
go to work full time for the flooring business,
Phoenician Wood Floors, that my husband and
I started. We’ve been running that for six years
now. We were working side by side for a little
while, and then I’d come home and handle all of
the paperwork for the business every night. It got
to be too much, so I started working from home
a few days a week.
I got bored, so I picked up a wood burner and
started burning designs on furniture. And then
we bought a welding power source and I started
welding anything I could get my hands on.
TW: How did word get out in the community

about your work?
Staci Sour Martinez has been obsessed with welding ever since she learned
how to do it at a former job. Today she takes on whatever welding work SSM: Either by Instagram or by word-of-mouth.
comes her way and has even finished her first sculpture, a gnome. I did a couple of things for a tattoo artist here
Welder Profile_JF22Welder.indd 24 1/13/22 4:28 PM

in town. I made a wooden piece, a handrail, and She has collaborated with a
local woodworker to create
another handrail and the word just got out. custom wood and metal
A home builder here in town got hold of me— furniture pieces.
they have a side business making wood and metal
furniture and they were looking for someone to
make the metal components. They asked me if I
could do it and I said, “I don’t know if I can do it, but know I was interested.
I’ll try.” I’ve been doing work for them ever since. There are 10 of us on
the board, and I serve
TW: How do you make up for your lack of formal as the secretary.
fabrication training?
SSM: A lot of it comes naturally. If I don’t know how TW: How can
to do something, I’ll Google it, research it, listen to someone apply to
podcasts, reach out to others more knowledgeable receive assistance?
than me. Whatever it takes. SSM: Anyone interested
I don’t have a lot of the tools necessary to do in applying for assis-
the work, but I will eventually. I flourish in environ- tance should visit our
ments where someone gives me the creative ability website, thehooded
to come up with my own solutions. That’s how I work heroes.org. You’ll need
best. I know how to read a blueprint, but I am better to fill out a form and
when I can just wing it. write a 250- to 500-
word essay that explains
TW: What is the Hooded Heroes Foundation? why you want to get
SSM: It was created by Joey Krussow and Kayte into welding, why you
Carson. Joey is a welding instructor, and he comes deserve help, and what
across students in need all of the time who, after you are in need of. We’d
paying for their tuition, don’t have enough funds to also like to know what school you’re attending, what
buy things like welding helmets, gloves, chipping the start date is, and what you want to do after you
hammers, and protective jackets. They decided to finish school. You’ll need to provide three references
start this foundation to provide a hand up to stu- that the board can contact.
dents in need, whether they are young kids or adult
students. It doesn’t matter. TW: How can companies or individuals help?
I followed Joey on Instagram, where he posted SSM: Any individual or company can donate. There
that he was looking for people interested in serving are several ways you can donate. First, you can ship
on the board of directors. I thought it was an amaz- us any slightly used tools, chipping hammers, grind-
ing opportunity, so I reached out to him to let him ers, gloves, safety glasses, jackets, and helmets.
We also raise funds through raffles and by selling
Hooded Heroes gear. If you’d like to donate, visit
our website for instructions on how to send gently
used tools and PPE or to make a monetary donation.
We have a really good applicant right now that
we are excited about. It’s a great feeling to be a part
of giving someone the assistance they need to get
into the trade. We’re all about providing a hand up,
not a handout.
THE
Editor Amanda Carlson can be reached at

amandac@thefabricator.com.
Staci Sour Martinez, Instagram: @605_shieldmaiden
Sour Martinez made a handrail for a local tattoo

artist, which generated enough word-of-mouth
to bring more projects her way.
Welder Profile_JF22Welder.indd 25 1/13/22 4:28 PM

PLAYING WITH FIRE
Showing off my day job at the

2021 AUSA expo
By Josh Welton
Recently I had the privilege of working at a trade convention

on behalf of my full-time employer, General Dynamics Land Sys-
tems (GDLS). The Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA) hosts an
annual exposition in Washington, D.C., where defense contrac-
tors worldwide come to show off their latest achievements and
military hardware offerings.
Because the event is public, this
was a rare opportunity to share
some of my work. Being a driver/
mechanic/fabricator in a giant
contractor’s prototype shop for the
Department of Defense is a fantastic
gig. Still, in a day and age when
everyone is sharing everything they
do on social media, I’m restricted
from showing any badass stuff that I
toil to build daily.
2010 was a landmark year for me
and the world. It’s the year I started
working at GDLS and the year that
Instagram found its way onto our
phones. One of the reasons tightly
cropped welding pictures became
a trend early on Instagram was
because they were all I could post.
Even then, most of my “#weldporn” photos were just practice
runs on scrap metal. I’d get crap from online trolls about how
“real” fabricators show off their whole projects, not just little
glimpses of showy welds or, worse yet, “art.” A few would mock
Playing with Fire_JF22Welder.indd 26 1/13/22 4:31 PM

me by saying things like, “Sure, this dude works in a safest, most innovative, intuitive, efficient, and sus-
secret shop. What a load of BS!” tainable products necessary to protect the U.S.
As if I was lying to make excuses for not upload- I’ve had a hand in some of the prototype vehicles
ing whole projects. You know, because according shown at the AUSA show in past years. In 2018 I
to the trolls, all I did was sit at a bench making spent many hot and humid summer days using the
small-scale sculptures and pretty 3-in. TIG welds, GMAW-P process to build the aluminum turret on
all while the legit welders worked on pipe or built the Griffin III from the ground up. In 2020 the show
heavy machinery. One guy on an automotive forum was virtual, but GDLS’s star was the new Mobile
who disagreed with some welding advice I’d given Protected Firepower (MPF) light tank. In April last
argued, “Dude, you build toys, I build race cars year, the then U.S. Secretary of the Army, Hon. Ryan
that save lives!” I just laughed and replied, “You D. McCarthy, and Gen. Joseph M. Martin visited our
save lives building race cars, huh? I build tanks facilities, and I drove the tank out for them to check
motherf@$&cker,” dropping the mic on my way out. it out! So far we have built 12 full pre-production
Don’t get me wrong. I’ve fully embraced being MPF tanks that the Army has been testing, along
an artist, and I still dig posting pics of pretty welds. with two blast assets. It’s a light tank with loads of
But the stuff I’ve shared on social media over my horsepower and a giant cannon. It’s pretty much a
career is maybe 1% of all the work I do. All of this is hot rod on tracks.
to say that there is some satisfaction in showing the In 2021 the AUSA show was downsized but in
stuff I build daily. person, and I had the opportunity to attend for the
GDLS is a behemoth, but there’s a small group of first time.
us who make things happen in the prototype shop. This year’s theme was heavy on autonomous-
The engineering and fabricating talent we have per capable and hybrid platforms, and we brought three
capita is incredible. All of us make a lot of sacrifices unique but complementary vehicles. The TRX is a
in time and travel as we create and test the next robotic 10-ton tracked beast that can be set up to
generation of military vehicles to keep our soldiers re-supply, defend, attack, clear, or do just about
lethal and protected. GDLS puts a lot of time and anything, depending on how it is outfitted. The
effort into the AUSA event, ensuring we put our best MUTT is another versatile robotic platform that has
foot forward to present the Army with the smartest, almost unlimited uses. The first of its kind to be

PLAYING WITH FIRE
used to support dismounted troops, it has a remote situational awareness, see-through armor, terrain
control (yes, it is fun to drive), can turn on a dime, analysis).”
and has a tether that a soldier can connect to so it’ll In the month leading up to the show, I, along with
follow them while they walk! This version was just a few of my talented friends in the prototype shop,
the flatbed, but back in the prototype shop I’ve had worked 12-hour days to bring the designer’s vision to
a hand in building a few variations that are, let’s just life! One-off stuff is always fun, and this was a pretty
say, a bit more exciting. neat project even compared to the other wild things
And then there was the tank. It’s a concept we get to tackle. The tech inside was the important
vehicle, a design exercise on the outside and a tech stuff, but hopefully, the styling turned enough heads
demonstrator for the new Katalyst electronic archi- that it’ll influence the next tank we build.
tecture on the inside. It can be driven but is also Even though the show was shrunk due to the
autonomous-capable with a hybrid drivetrain. pandemic, it was incredible for a first-year attendee
GDLS described it at the show as this: “Katalyst like me. Ghost Robotics demonstrated remote-
NGEA significantly improves warfighter effectiveness controlled (also drone capable), dog-like machines
via enhanced mobility (obstacle avoidance, path with attachments like sniper rifles and grapplers. Of
planning); lethality (object detection, object iden- course, Boston Dynamics showed out, too, with a
tification/recognition, automated target prioritiza- similar-looking robot dancing on an obstacle course
tion); and survivability/reconnaissance (360-degree and rolling over for treats. While we could drive our

PLAYING WITH FIRE
vehicles right up to the display, watching

companies like Bell assemble their massive
aircraft inside the convention center was a
sight to behold!
On the other end of the spectrum,
companies like Glock and Smith & Wesson
showed all sorts of small arms. As I chatted
with the Leatherman rep, he told me about
a conversation he had with a former soldier
whose Leatherman multitool wouldn’t open
anymore. When he asked to see it, a slug was
lodged in it! The rep gave him a new one
and told him to pass the lifesaver down to his
grandchildren.
Overall, the 2021 AUSA show was an
extraordinary experience, kind of like my job.
Only this time I have the pics to prove it.
THE

ALUMINUM ETC.
Gina Cutts is the welding and manufacturing

teacher at Tri-Tech Skills Center and adjunct
instructor at Big Bend Community College,
gina.cutts@ksd.org.
Visually appealing or structurally sound

aluminum TIG welds? Emphasize both
I’ve noticed a trend on social media lately Veeco because that is the machine’s brand name.
where welders post photos of their oversized But I digress. This device located and measured
aluminum beads with the description of “stack- the size of a leak either by vacuum testing (inside
ing dimes” or “walking the cup” to denote out) or pressure testing (outside in).
exceptional welding profiles. While I admit they If a leak was detected, we had to remove the
are visually appealing, structurally they make me welded material and start over, which was incred-
nervous. ibly labor-intensive and time-consuming. Often a
Usually an aluminum TIG weld needs to be concave weld was used for the first pass followed
cosmetically appealing and structurally sound up with a convex weld pass for aesthetics. Some-
enough to hold a liquid or a gas. This means times that convex pass was completely milled
precise penetration is of the utmost importance. flush so you wouldn’t even know it was there.
It needs to be leakproof. I guess what I’m trying to say is, aluminum
welds are much more than a pretty bead. An
important thing to remember is that aluminum is
AN IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER
susceptible to bulging with excessive heat input,
IS THAT ALUMINUM IS SUSCEPTIBLE TO so make sure what is on the back or inside isn’t
being touched with excessive weld, potentially
BULGING WITH EXCESSIVE HEAT INPUT, ruining components. For example, I once made
a bulging aluminum weld on a medical laser
SO MAKE SURE WHAT IS ON THE BACK
and accidentally touched a $9,000 component,
OR INSIDE ISN’T BEING TOUCHED WITH rendering the entire laser useless and unsalvage-
able. You might say I learned the hard way about
EXCESSIVE WELD, POTENTIALLY RUINING the detrimental effects of excessive heat input.
For all of you aluminum welders out there,
COMPONENTS.
keep posting your work on social media and
playing around with bead design. You are doing
Just how leakproof? beautiful work and getting others interested in
I have welded a product that needed to be our industry.
so tight that not even a helium atom could sneak But once you’re out in the field, always check
out. This product also allowed just the tiniest your tolerances before deciding on how big your
amount of melt-through. The entire length of bead should be. If it’s structural, get the tightest-
each weld was then tested using a mass spec- penetrating weld in there. Then post a picture of
trometer leak detector, which we referred to as it because that’s the weld I want to see.
THE
Aluminum Etc_JF22Welder.indd 30 1/13/22 4:36 PM

CONSUMABLES CORNER
David Meyer is technical liaison Rob Koltz is application engineer,

manager, ESAB Welding & Cutting ESAB Welding & Cutting Products,
Products, dmeyer@esab.com 636-485-2253, www.esabna.com
Welding duplex stainless steels

Duplex stainless steels have a two-phase microstructure For comparison’s sake, 316 stainless steel has a 16% Cr
containing ferrite and austenite in volumetric fractions content and a PREN of 22.6 to 27.9.
approximately equal to 50%. Due to their two-phase One of the critical aspects of welding DSS, SDSS,
microstructure, these steels combine the best properties HDSS, and specially alloyed stainless steel is controlling
of ferritic and austenitic stainless steels. In general, the weld parameters.
ferrite phase (body-centered cubic lattice) provides high Petrochemical industry weld procedure requirements
mechanical strength, good toughness, and good corrosion identify minimum PREN values necessary for filler met-
resistance while the austenitic phase (face-centered cubic als. For example, DSS requires a PREN of 35, and SDSS
lattice) provides good ductility. requires a PREN of 40. Figure 1 shows DSSs and their
The combination of these properties is why duplex matching filler metals for GMAW and GTAW. Generally,
stainless steels are widely used in the petrochemical, pulp the filler metal’s Cr content will match that of the base
and paper, marine, and power generation industries. They metal. When using GTAW for the root and hot passes, a
can withstand corrosive media, extend service times, and practice to consider is using an overalloyed filler metal. In
operate in more extreme environmental conditions. the event that the weld metal is not homogenous due to
High-strength materials allow you to reduce part thick- poor technique, an overalloyed filler metal may provide
ness and weight. For example, compared to 316 stainless the weld sample with the required PREN and other values.
steel, super-duplex stainless steel can provide three to As an example to lend credence to this, for a root and
four times higher yield strength and a higher resistance to hot pass on pipe with a wall thickness of ½ in. or less,
pitting corrosion. some fabricators recommend using SDSS filler wires (25%
Duplex stainless steel is categorized into three grades Cr) for DSS base alloys (22% Cr), and HDSS filler wires
based on the chromium (Cr) content by weight and the (27% Cr) for SDSS (25% Cr) base alloys. You can also use
pitting resistance equivalent number (PREN): an HDSS filler wire for HDSS base alloys. This austenitic-
• Duplex stainless steel (DSS). A minimum of 22% Cr ferritic duplex has approximately 65% ferrite, 27% Cr,
and a PREN range of 28 to 38. 6.5% nickel, 5% molybdenum, and is considered to be low
• Super duplex stainless steel (SDSS). A minimum of carbon with less than 0.015%.
25% Cr and a PREN range of 38 to 45. HDSS filler offers improved yield strength and bet-
• Hyper duplex stainless steel (HDSS). A minimum of ter pitting and crevice corrosion resistance compared to
27% Cr and a PREN range of up to 49 or more. SDSS. It also has higher hydrogen-induced stress cracking
resistance compared to SDSS and higher resistance to
Figure 1 aggressively sour environments. Its high strength means
lower repair rates during pipeline production because
Base Material GTAW/GMAW Filler Metal
finite element analysis is not required for weld metal of
DSS (UNS S32304/S31803) AWS A5.9 ER2594 matching strength and the acceptance criteria can be less
conservative.
SDSS (UNS 32750/S32760 ) AWS A5.9 ER2209
Given the wide range of base materials, mechanical
HDSS (UNS S32707/S33207) EN ISO 14343-A W Z 27 7 5 L requirements, and service conditions, consider consult-
ing with a DSS application and filler metal expert before
UNS S32906 EN ISO 14343-A G Z 29 8 2 L
embarking on the next project.
THE
Consumables Corner_JF22Welder.indd 31 1/14/22 9:27 AM

PRODUCT NEWS
WELDING HELMETS OFFER 1/1/1/1 OPTICAL ROBOTS MADE FOR HIGH-SPEED WELDING
CLARITY CLASSIFICATION Designed for arc welding applications, the AR-series 6-axis
Weldcote, a division of Zika Group, has released new robots from Yaskawa Motoman offer optimized acceleration/
models of its Ultraview Plus welding helmet. It now fea- deceleration control for all robot axes. The robots are avail-
tures an optical clarity classification of 1/1/1/1, along with able with 8- to 25-kg payload capacity to support a variety
an improved viewing area of 3.94 by 3.28 in. (12.93 sq. of sensors and torches for welding application flexibility.
in.). Three graphics designs are available: Emerald, Eagle, Preprogrammed welding processes allow users to select
and Nebula. materials and weldment properties to control supply settings
The helmet’s True Color feature helps improve visibility automatically. A digital interface on the robot programming
and reduce eye strain for users. It has a 0.1- to 0.8-sec. pendant allows the user to access and manipulate weld set-
switching time, a solar cell with battery backup, and UV/ tings remotely.
IR protection. Seven models are available. Each model offers high allow-
Weldcote, www.weldcotemetals.com able moment of inertia ratings that provide substantial wrist
rigidity and consistent weld quality, the company states.
Yaskawa Motoman, www.motoman.com
SAFETY APPAREL DESIGNED TO PROTECT

WOMEN ON THE JOB AUTOMATED LASER WELDING SYSTEM MADE
Seraphina Safety Apparel provides safety apparel FOR SMALL SHOPS
designed by women for women. The clothing is made TRUMPF offers the TruLaser Weld 1000, designed to help
to protect professionals working in dangerous envi- small companies make the move to automated laser weld-
ronments and facing thermal hazards—direct flame, ing. It is suitable for job shops that weld products such as
extreme heat, molten metal, flammable liquids, certain electrical cabinets, sheet metal boxes, and covers.
chemicals, and arc flash—while offering the comfort and The system incorporates a collaborative robot with a
fit required on the job. 6-axis articulated arm that allows it to move quickly and
The line of flame-resistant base-layer clothing helps precisely to produce high-quality weld seams, the manufac-
keep women safe from both nuisance burns and serious turer states. The operator guides the robot manually over
burn injuries. The garments include athleisure-styled the seams on the part that need to be welded, pressing a
bras and bottoms to wear under daily wear clothing, as button to mark the relevant waypoints. The software then
well as a high-waisted legging, high-neck tank top, long- creates the weld program.
sleeve mock shirt, short-sleeve T, and neck shield. With its compact format and dimensions of 5,200 by 2,200
The fabric sheds sparks, spills, and spatter while wick- by 2,800 mm, the system fits most manufacturing facilities
ing away moisture and helping keep the wearer cool. and typically can be installed and commissioned in one day.
Seraphina Safety Apparel, www.seraphinasafety.com TRUMPF, www.trumpf.com
Product_JF22Welder.indd 32 1/13/22 4:38 PM

PRODUCT NEWS
GAS-SHIELDED FLUX-CORED WIRES OFFERED

Hobart has introduced a new gas-shielded flux-cored wire, FabCO 91K2-M,
to accompany its reformulated FabCO 91K2-C wire. Both wires are suitable
for single- or multipass, all-position welding in offshore, shipbuilding, heavy
equipment, and structural fabrication applications.
They feature an H4 designation, indicating they produce a weld deposit
with a very low diffusible hydrogen content, which is desirable when weld-
ing higher-strength steels. Both wires also feature a J designation that
indicates enhanced low-temperature toughness requirements. Users can
typically expect good toughness at temperatures as low as -76 degrees F,
the company reports.
Hobart Brothers LLC, www.hobartbrothers.com
ADVERTISERS INDEX CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING

Arcos Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
www.arcos.us SERVICES
Diamond Ground Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
www.diamondground.com
DIMIDE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
www.dimide.com
ESAB Welding & Cutting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

www.esab.com
Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, Intl. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

www.fmanet.org
Heck Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
www.heckind.net
Industrial Magnetics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
www.magnetics.com
Red - D - Arc Welderentals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

www.red-d-arc.com/robotic-welding / 1-866-571-1706
Select - Arc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Place your ad in

1-800-341-5215 The WELDER Classifieds
SK Brazing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Jerry Gunderson
www.skbrazing.com
jerryg@fmanet.org
Wrangler Consumer Relations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 815-227-8257
www.wrangler.com
The WELDER (ISSN 2576-0939) is published bimonthly by FMA Communications Inc., 2135 Point Blvd., Elgin, Illinois 60123. The
WELDER is circulated free upon request to those who qualify and who are involved in welding and joining; subscription to all others
is $45.00 per year. International subscription is $75.00 per year. Periodical postage paid at Elgin, Illinois, and additional mailing offices.
POSTMASTER: Send change of address to The WELDER, 2135 Point Blvd., Elgin, Illinois 60123. Printed in the U.S.A. Copyright 2022
by FMA Communications Inc. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher is prohibited. The WELDER
is a trademark of FMA Communications Inc. All rights reserved.
Classifed Index_JF22Welder.indd 33 1/14/22 9:09 AM

JIM’S COVER PASS
Jim Mosman, AWS CWI/CWE,

is senior company trainer for
Lincoln Electric Education Division,
jimscoverpass.thewelder@gmail.com.
Hiring an adjunct weld instructor?

Here’s what to look for
Our community college welding program has continued to expand to the point where I
have requested a part-time adjunct instructor to help during our night program. What are
some things we should look for when hiring an adjunct instructor?
Robert C.
Texas
Congratulations to you on the growth of your and abilities. A person who truly wants to see
welding program. It is always a good sign when the students succeed and enjoy a new career or
the enrollment numbers determine a need for hobby is someone who will be a good instructor.
additional instructors. Communication—both verbal and written—with
You can use the adjunct instructor position in a administration, other instructors, and students
couple of ways. First, consider using the position also is an important attribute.
only for specific times and subject matter, such Next, look for someone who is willing to take
as an evening instructor for a pipe welding class. ownership of the program and wants to become
Second, you could use the position as a trial run a part of the team of instructors, not apart from
that may lead to a full-time position. them. I have worked alongside adjunct instruc-
It is important to consider the prospective tors who were great at communicating ideas
adjunct instructor’s background. If this individual and opportunities, arrived early and stayed late
is a former student, they will have a good under- to clean up the labs, and participated in other
standing of the facility and the program goals. If campus events. I’ve also worked with individuals
it’s someone from industry with a variety of work that showed up just to teach their class and left
experience, they could bring fresh ideas and a machines on, cylinders open, and tools broken.
varied outlook to the program. They communicated poorly with fellow instruc-
Most educational systems require instructors and students, and it became apparent they
tors to have at minimum an associate degree or were just in it for the money. It usually does not
another educational credential along with a mini- take a full semester to decide if they will continue
mum amount of work experience. You may even in that position.
prefer the instructor have or obtain the American This brings me to the last item: A good in-
Welding Society Certified Welding Inspector or structor is not in it for the money. It is about the
Instructor credentials. With these certifications, students. There is a special feeling of satisfac-
you can almost guarantee they will have a strong tion when you see a struggling student finally
understanding of technical welding. understand the process, pass a weld test, obtain
Keep in mind that just because someone has a certification or degree, and get hired on at
excellent welding skills doesn’t necessarily make their first welding job. When the new instructor
them the best instructor candidate. They need experiences these things, it serves as a reminder
to be able to explain processes and procedures as to why they are in the education field in the
to a class of students with varying backgrounds first place.
THE
Jims Cover Pass_JF22Welder.indd 34 1/13/22 4:45 PM

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Stainless for over 90 Years…
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Electrodes
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electrodes. Whatever your demanding application – from • Metal cored wires for use in GTAW, GMAW and
nuclear or military construction to power generation or submerged arc processes.
petrochemical plants, pipelines to car exhaust systems,
shipbuilding to paper production, and so many others – And, of course, all Arcos electrodes are backed by our
Arcos has the right stainless steel electrode to meet your experienced team of technical specialists and customer
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• Covered electrodes in -15, -16 and -17
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• Solid wires for use in GTAW, GMAW and
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An official publication of

THE REAL WORLD FOR WELDING PROFESSIONALS January/February 2022

Road map for aspiring

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January/February / Vol. 5 No. 3

4 The WELDER January/February 2022

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Join The FABRICATOR for a one day tabletop event

Visit thefabricator.com/mse to reserve your space!

BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

One nonwelder’s advice to a new welder

6 The WELDER January/February 2022

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Updates to the Codes FABTECH Mexico

FMA Annual Meeting FABTECH Canada

Pipe & Tube Memphis/World-class FABTECH

STAFF FMA OFFICERS & DIRECTORS Statement of Policy

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8 The WELDER January/February 2022

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INDUSTRIAL MAGNETICS, INC.

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How Blue Barn has made

Since opening Gardner, Mass.-based Blue Barn eight

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Fabricators have an amazing ability to adjust when

January/February 2022 The WELDER 11

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TW: How do you find good employees, and what

12 The WELDER January/February 2022

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that's incredibly important. It’s going through the

TW: How have you had to navigate through the

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Once the commercial business came to a standstill

14 The WELDER January/February 2022

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because it's out of your hands. You've already done

ture of the contracting world is really problematic in

January/February 2022 The WELDER 15

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So you want to be an adjunct

Have you been debating whether or not to get involved in

16 The WELDER January/February 2022

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January/February 2022 The WELDER 17

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18 The WELDER January/February 2022

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January/February 2022 The WELDER 19

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3 steps to better fume management

By Karen Wear When used in combination, these steps can help

Whether you run a large or small fabrication and