Épisodes

  • Weld Wednesdays w/ AWS| Resistance Welding Demystified with Don DeCorte — The Process Hiding in Plain Sight
    May 13 2026

    Don DeCorte spent 46 years in resistance welding, including 31 at Roman Manufacturing, and now teaches the AWS Certified Resistance Welding Technician (CRWT) certification through his consulting company DTS Technical Services. He sits down with Jason to pull the curtain back on the welding process most arc guys never think about — but interact with constantly. From the 1,300+ resistance-welded products hiding inside your local Home Depot, to the flash welds on every commercial jet's front landing gear, to the butt-welded steel wheels under every 18-wheeler and state trooper car, Don makes the case that resistance welding is everywhere — you just can't see it. We cover the four core processes (spot, seam, projection, upset), the physics behind Force, Current, and Time, why aluminum welding took off thanks to chromate treatments and Elon Musk, the codes and standards that govern it (C1.1, D8, D17.2, J1, J6), and what it takes to earn your CRWT. Don also shares the story of how an $8 roast beef dinner in Detroit in 1980 turned into a lifetime with AWS — and a friendship with Amos Winsan that changed his career.

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    1 h et 25 min
  • 401. Data Centers, Nuclear, and the Steel Boom Coming for Welders w/ Stephanie Hoffman
    May 5 2026
    Stephanie Hoffman is back on the show, this time as the new Director of Industry Development and Engagement at Miller Electric. Jason and Stephanie catch up on her time away from the industry, what pulled her back, and the work she is now leading across education, business development, national accounts, customer experience centers, and process training for one of the biggest names in the trade. The conversation covers Miller's Instructor Conference happening this July at the Appleton, Wisconsin headquarters in partnership with Fox Valley Technical College, and why Miller is approaching CTE programs as true partners instead of just placing blue boxes in the corner of the shop. Stephanie also breaks down the data center boom that is about to reshape welding, the shift away from wind energy, the role of small modular nuclear reactors in powering AI, the real difference between renewable and clean energy, what tariffs are doing to American steel, and why the next ten to fifteen years are going to make this industry almost unrecognizable. Stephanie also opens up about being the first female to graduate from her welding program in New Jersey, the realities of a trade still under ten percent female, the mental health toll of being a national spokesperson, and what it took for her to step back, regroup, and come back stronger than ever. 🔥 Support the Arc Junkies Podcast Sponsors The Arc Junkies Podcast is made possible by the companies below. If you enjoy the show, please support the brands that support the welding community. Supporting these sponsors helps keep the Arc Junkies Podcast free and independent. 🎙️ Arc Junkies Podcast Website: https://arcjunkies.com Instagram: @ArcJunkiesPodcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@arcjunkiespodcast9253 Email: show@arcjunkies.com LinkedIn (Jason Becker): https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-becker-45407b72 🧢 Arc Junkies Merch:https://shop.threadmob.com/arcjunkie/shop/home 🏭 Underground Metal Works Hands-on welding education for hobbyists, makers, and professionals Website: https://www.underground-metalworks.com 🤝 Friends of the Show & Sponsors 🧰 BattlBox Premium outdoor, EDC, and survival gear delivered monthly Website: https://alnk.to/90Chh6D Instagram: @BattlBox Promo Code: ARCJUNKIES Offer: Save up to 30% off your first BattlBox 🏛️ American Welding Society — Conferences Stay current on inspection, code updates, and industry leadership AWS Inspection Expo & Conference Event Info: https://www.aws.org/community-and-events/conferences-and-events/welding-automation-expo-and-conference/ Promo Code: ARCJUNKIES Offer: Free gift at the event 🧤 Outlaw Leather LLC Handcrafted welding hoods and leather PPE built to last Website: https://outlawleather.com Instagram: @outlawleatherusa Promo Code: ARCJUNKIES Offer: 15% off all in-stock leather goods ⚡ Everlast Welders High-performance welding machines without the high price tag Website: https://bit.ly/37xJstI Instagram: @everlastwelders YouTube: Everlast Welders Promo Code: ARCJUNKIES Offer: Free Nova Foot Pedal + TIG Torch with qualifying machine purchases 🎧 ISOtunes Certified hearing protection designed for jobsite communication Website: https://shop.isotunes.com/arcjunkies10 Instagram: @isotunesaudio Promo Code: ARCJUNKIES10 Offer: Save $10 on your purchase
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    1 h et 25 min
  • 400. "World's Strongest Welding Table"… Prove It w/ Jason Marburger of Fireball Tool
    Apr 28 2026
    Jason Marburger of Fireball Tool returns for our annual conversation — and he's not pulling punches. We dig into the public feud between Fireball, Sigmund, and Quantum Machinery over fixture table claims, why "world's strongest welding table" needs data to back it up, and Jason's push to standardize testing across the industry. He also walks us through the grinding disc performance guide his shop spent months producing, the surprising winners (the $2.50 Steel Savage, the new 3M Cubitron 3), and why pressure — not RPM — is what most welders are getting wrong. Plus a preview of what Fireball is rolling out at FabTech Vegas, including a 1,800-pound blacksmith vise, theft-proof service truck vises, and the new Mystic Square. Show Notes A wide-ranging conversation with Jason Marburger, founder of Fireball Tool, covering fixture table testing, the abrasives industry, tool design philosophy, and what it takes to back up your marketing claims with real data. Topics covered in this episode: The Sigmund / Quantum / Fireball Instagram beef and why "world's strongest welding table" needs proofHow Jason tests fixture tables — flex, deflection, three-leg sag — and why every table company should publish numbers3D printing scale models of fixture tables so customers can flex-test before they buyWhy BuildPro set the bar for value and how Fireball's Pro Kit table competes at $500-$600The made-in-USA vs. overseas manufacturing struggle for tool companiesFireball's new 1,800-pound blacksmith vise — 30-inch throat, $7K-$8K, built to last 100 yearsDrilling 800 holes in a Fireball vise to handicap it against a Wilton (and why marketing is the hardest part of the job)The Ultimate Grinding Performance Guide — 65 flap discs tested, charted, and rankedWhy the cheap Steel Savage discs outperform mid-tier name brands at $2.50 a pieceCubitron 3 first-look: 3M's 50% claim is realThe 4-to-8-pound pressure sweet spot every grinder operator should knowThe myth of slowing the grinder down to save the discMill scale removal — Walter strip discs vs. 3M's new offeringHow to deglaze a flap disc with a propane torch (do this when the boss isn't looking)Gloves around rotating equipment: the case for situational awareness over blanket rulesA pitch for a head-to-head welding glove comparison seriesFabTech Vegas preview: new sawhorses, the Mystic Square, theft-proof service truck vises, and the blacksmith vise on the load cell Find Jason at fireballtool.com and on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook @fireballtool. 🔥 Support the Arc Junkies Podcast Sponsors The Arc Junkies Podcast is made possible by the companies below. If you enjoy the show, please support the brands that support the welding community. Supporting these sponsors helps keep the Arc Junkies Podcast free and independent. 🎙️ Arc Junkies Podcast Website: https://arcjunkies.com Instagram: @ArcJunkiesPodcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@arcjunkiespodcast9253 Email: show@arcjunkies.com LinkedIn (Jason Becker): https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-becker-45407b72 🧢 Arc Junkies Merch:https://shop.threadmob.com/arcjunkie/shop/home 🏭 Underground Metal Works Hands-on welding education for hobbyists, makers, and professionals Website: https://www.underground-metalworks.com 🤝 Friends of the Show & Sponsors 🧰 BattlBox Premium outdoor, EDC, and survival gear delivered monthly Website: https://alnk.to/90Chh6D Instagram: @BattlBox Promo Code: ARCJUNKIES Offer: Save up to 30% off your first BattlBox 🏛️ American Welding Society — Conferences Stay current on inspection, code updates, and industry leadership AWS Inspection Expo & Conference Event Info: https://www.aws.org/community-and-events/conferences-and-events/welding-automation-expo-and-conference/ Promo Code: ARCJUNKIES Offer: Free gift at the event 🧤 Outlaw Leather LLC Handcrafted welding hoods and leather PPE built to last Website: https://outlawleather.com Instagram: @outlawleatherusa Promo Code: ARCJUNKIES Offer: 15% off all in-stock leather goods ⚡ Everlast Welders High-performance welding machines without the high price tag Website: https://bit.ly/37xJstI Instagram: @everlastwelders YouTube: Everlast Welders Promo Code: ARCJUNKIES Offer: Free Nova Foot Pedal + TIG Torch with qualifying machine purchases 🎧 ISOtunes Certified hearing protection designed for jobsite communication Website: https://shop.isotunes.com/arcjunkies10 Instagram: @isotunesaudio Promo Code: ARCJUNKIES10 Offer: Save $10 on your purchase
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    3 h et 5 min
  • 399. From Helper to Foreman: Building a Career in Structural Steel with Chad Doucette
    Apr 14 2026

    Chad Doucette, foreman at Ace Welding in Oceanside, California, joins Jason Becker on the Arch Junkies Podcast to talk about going from a random job offer on the street to running a structural steel shop — all in five years.

    Chad breaks down the real path to growth in this industry: why the helper position is the most underrated opportunity in any shop, how attitude and work ethic matter more than your cert, and why he's now setting his sights on the CWI. He also gets candid about where he came from, how welding changed his life, and the mindset shift that made all the difference.

    If you're early in your career, thinking about the CWI, or just need a shot of motivation — this one's for you.

    Topics covered: Starting as a shop helper · Growing into a foreman role · What Chad looks for when hiring · Pursuing the CWI exam · Running a structural solar canopy shop · Mindset, health, and building a life you love in the trades.

    🔥 Support the Arc Junkies Podcast Sponsors

    The Arc Junkies Podcast is made possible by the companies below. If you enjoy the show, please support the brands that support the welding community.

    Supporting these sponsors helps keep the Arc Junkies Podcast free and independent.

    🎙️ Arc Junkies Podcast

    • Website: https://arcjunkies.com
    • Instagram: @ArcJunkiesPodcast
    • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@arcjunkiespodcast9253
    • Email: show@arcjunkies.com
    • LinkedIn (Jason Becker): https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-becker-45407b72

    🧢 Arc Junkies Merch:
    https://shop.threadmob.com/arcjunkie/shop/home

    🏭 Underground Metal Works

    Hands-on welding education for hobbyists, makers, and professionals

    • Website: https://www.underground-metalworks.com

    🤝 Friends of the Show & Sponsors

    🧰 BattlBox

    Premium outdoor, EDC, and survival gear delivered monthly

    • Website: https://alnk.to/90Chh6D
    • Instagram: @BattlBox
    • Promo Code: ARCJUNKIES
    • Offer: Save up to 30% off your first BattlBox

    🏛️ American Welding Society — Conferences

    Stay current on inspection, code updates, and industry leadership

    AWS Inspection Expo & Conference

    • Event Info:
      https://www.aws.org/community-and-events/conferences-and-events/inspection-expo-and-conference/
    • Promo Code:
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    1 h et 29 min
  • Weld Wednesday with AWS | National Welding Month Special
    Apr 8 2026

    In this special National Welding Month edition of Weld Wednesday with AWS, host Jason Becker sits down with three guests who each represent a unique and exciting path that a welding career can open up. Kicking things off is Austin Ross — known across social media as A-Ross Welding — a pipeline welder with roughly a decade of experience and a member of Pipeliners Union 798. Austin breaks down the real cost of life on the pipe, how to break into the industry as a helper, what it takes to earn your spot, and why attitude and thinking ahead can make or break your career out there.

    Next up, Richard Johnston from The Ocean Corporation in southwest Houston, Texas joins the show to pull back the curtain on the world of commercial diving. Richard — a third generation diver — explains what commercial diving actually looks like day to day, the range of environments divers work in, how the training program at OceanCorp.com prepares students with zero prior experience, and why the career is far less dangerous than its reputation suggests. Closing out the episode is Brian Wills, a motorsports fabricator, race car builder, and Formula Drift Prospect Series competitor who builds and races his own cars under the Nasty Habit Motorsports banner. Brian shares how fab school launched him into drifting, what goes into building a competition-ready drift car from the ground up, and why welding has made it possible for him to spend the last five years doing exactly what he loves.

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    1 h et 6 min
  • 398. From Night School to Lincoln Electric's Head of Innovation w/ Sheldon Wray
    Apr 7 2026

    Jason sits down with Sheldon Wray, head of Industrial Technology and Innovation Strategy at Lincoln Electric, for a conversation that is equal parts inspiring career story and inside look at the future of the welding industry. Sheldon shares how he went from studying electronics and computer engineering in LA to falling in love with welding at night school class — and how one chance encounter at a career fair changed everything. He breaks down Lincoln Electric's legendary welding school, what it actually takes to earn your place in the field, and the inside story behind the development of the game-changing Lincoln Electric 300C.

    The guys also dig into the retirement of the iconic Lincoln 225 tombstone, where AI and robotics are headed in the fabrication world, and the emerging role of handheld laser welding technology. Plus, Sheldon opens up about earning his MBA from the prestigious Kellogg School of Business — while working full time in Cleveland — and why he believes failure isn't something to fear, it's the first step toward mastery.

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    1 h et 4 min
  • New CWI? Here's What Nobody Tells You About Welding Inspection w/ Daryl Peterson
    Mar 11 2026

    Passing the CWI exam is a huge accomplishment — but it's only the beginning.

    In this episode of the Arc Junkies Podcast, Jason Becker sits down with veteran welding inspector Daryl Peterson to discuss what new Certified Welding Inspectors really need to know after earning their certification.

    From ethics and inspection authority to metallurgy, code interpretation, and non-destructive testing, this conversation breaks down the real challenges that many new CWIs face when they step into the role for the first time.

    Daryl shares insights from 40 years in welding inspection, including the importance of mentorship, understanding QA vs QC responsibilities, and why gaining experience in NDT methods like PT, MT, UT, and radiography can dramatically improve your effectiveness as an inspector.

    They also discuss common industry myths, welding metallurgy concepts that inspectors must understand, and how unethical decisions early in your career can have serious consequences.

    If you're a welder thinking about becoming a CWI — or a newly certified inspector trying to figure out your next move — this episode is packed with practical advice from someone who's spent decades in the field.

    Topics include:

    • What new CWIs should focus on after passing the exam

    • The difference between QA and QC inspectors

    • Why ethics and integrity matter in inspection

    • How NDT experience can accelerate your career

    • The metallurgy concepts inspectors must understand

    • Common welding myths and misunderstandings

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    2 h et 19 min
  • 397. You've Never Seen Me Sober – High-Functioning Alcohol in the Welding Industry w/ Justin Merrill
    Feb 24 2026
    "You've never seen me sober." For years, Justin built a respected name in the welding industry — sharp, disciplined, professional. But behind the scenes, there was something no one saw. In this raw and honest conversation, we talk about high-functioning alcohol use in the trades, what it looks like when success masks a problem, and the moment Justin realized he hadn't been truly clear-headed in nearly a decade. We cover: What high-functioning drinking really looks like The culture of alcohol in welding and blue-collar industries Productivity after quitting drinking Identity, reputation, and vulnerability Financial literacy and long-term career planning in the trades Why not hitting "rock bottom" can be the most dangerous place to live If you work in welding, fabrication, construction, or any skilled trade, this conversation may hit closer than you expect. This isn't about judgment. It's about ownership. If you or someone you know is struggling with alcohol, help is available: Alcoholics Anonymous – aa.org SAMHSA National Helpline – 1-800-662-4357 (24/7 confidential support) This is Blue Collar Talk — the real version. 🔥 Support the Arc Junkies Podcast Sponsors The Arc Junkies Podcast is made possible by the companies below. If you enjoy the show, please support the brands that support the welding community. Supporting these sponsors helps keep the Arc Junkies Podcast free and independent. 🎙️ Arc Junkies Podcast Website: https://arcjunkies.com Instagram: @ArcJunkiesPodcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@arcjunkiespodcast9253 Email: show@arcjunkies.com LinkedIn (Jason Becker): https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-becker-45407b72 🧢 Arc Junkies Merch:https://shop.threadmob.com/arcjunkie/shop/home 🏭 Underground Metal Works Hands-on welding education for hobbyists, makers, and professionals Website: https://www.underground-metalworks.com 🤝 Friends of the Show & Sponsors 🧰 BattlBox Premium outdoor, EDC, and survival gear delivered monthly Website: https://alnk.to/90Chh6D Instagram: @BattlBox Promo Code: ARCJUNKIES Offer: Save up to 30% off your first BattlBox 🏛️ American Welding Society — Conferences Stay current on inspection, code updates, and industry leadership AWS Inspection Expo & Conference Event Info: https://www.aws.org/community-and-events/conferences-and-events/inspection-expo-and-conference/ Promo Code: ARCJUNKIES Offer: Free gift at the event 🧤 Outlaw Leather LLC Handcrafted welding hoods and leather PPE built to last Website: https://outlawleather.com Instagram: @outlawleatherusa Promo Code: ARCJUNKIES Offer: 15% off all in-stock leather goods ⚡ Everlast Welders High-performance welding machines without the high price tag Website: https://bit.ly/37xJstI Instagram: @everlastwelders YouTube: Everlast Welders Promo Code: ARCJUNKIES Offer: Free Nova Foot Pedal + TIG Torch with qualifying machine purchases 🎧 ISOtunes Certified hearing protection designed for jobsite communication Website: https://shop.isotunes.com/arcjunkies10 Instagram: @isotunesaudio Promo Code: ARCJUNKIES10 Offer: Save $10 on your purchase
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    1 h et 49 min