Handheld laser welding is everywhere right now, but is it actually the future of fabrication?

In this episode of Still Building America, hosts Darla and Josh Welton sit down with Rex Alexandre, founder of the Handheld Laser Institute and former SpaceX laser welding engineer, to separate the real-world potential of handheld lasers from the online hype.

The conversation explores how laser welding delivers fast, low-distortion welds, why small laser welds can outperform larger arc welds, where the technology still has limitations, and what fabricators need to know about safety, training, and adoption as handheld laser systems rapidly spread across manufacturing. They also talk about the exposure of handheld last welding technolgy at FABTECH.

Email us at podcast@fmamfg.org with any comments, questions, or suggestions. Find more industry-related conversations at the FMA Podcast Network.

At 16, Asher Weatherford built a 600-pound kinetic butterfly swing that went viral and sold for $14,500.

In this episode of Still Building America, the Henderson, Texas student breaks down how he designed and fabricated the steel-and-wood piece in his school shop over 130 hours, using hand-bent steel, a CNC plasma table, and a lot of trial and error.

The project earned Grand Champion in its category at the Rusk County Youth Project Show and placed seventh overall.

Asher talks about learning welding hands-on, figuring things out in real time, and pushing through the challenges of shaping complex steel forms. He also shares how theater and music influence his creativity, and what it means to build something real at a young age.

Email us at podcast@fmamfg.org with any comments, questions, or suggestions. Find more industry-related conversations at the FMA Podcast Network.

Caroline Del Giudice, a metal fabricator and artist, joins Still Building America to talk about building a career in welding and creating opportunity in metal fabrication.

As manager of the art and product realization program at Newlab in Detroit, she works inside a 30,000-square-foot fabrication shop supporting startups in robotics, mobility, and advanced manufacturing, blending hands-on welding with modern tools like CNC and robotics.

Caroline shares her path into the trades, how she built experience across different fabrication environments, and how welding can open doors to both creative and entrepreneurial work.

Follow Caroline on Instagram.

Email us at podcast@fmamfg.org with any comments, questions, or suggestions. Find more industry-related conversations at the FMA Podcast Network.