Talking arc welding and more

Podcast setup in Josh and Darla Welton's home, where "Playing with Fire" is recorded.

The hunger for online content never fails to wow me. In fact, my ignorance of this appetite has kind of hurt me in the past. Ten years ago folks told me I should start a YouTube channel for welding, and my response was always, “Just watch welding tips and tricks; you’ll get all the info you need!” I underestimated the desire of people to take in information in multiple ways. I think if I’d started a YT channel then, I might be typing this from my ’17 Ford GT now.

I said no at first to Facebook, to Twitter, and I was slow to Instagram. I’m not going to be late to the world of podcasts. I mean, I guess I already am, as podcasting actually evolved into its current form some 15 years ago. But it still feels like it’s the future of media in its infancy.

Technology is making it more accessible to create and consume podcasts, and the quality and variety of shows are quickly rising. And right now, I don’t see anyone else covering what I want to tackle, or how I want to tackle it. Philosophy, Detroit, hot rods, traveling, welding, art, history, and lifestyle. A trip through a life-educated, blue-collar mind. Something that shop rats, engineers, and artists alike can appreciate.

Enter “Playing with Fire,” our new podcast, brought to you by Brown Dog Welding. You can find it on Spotify, iTunes, or browndogwelding.com/podcast. I say “our” because I convinced my lovely and brilliant wife Darla to co-host with me. Personally, I like listening to podcasts with two people; they can bounce thoughts off each other while having a conversation. They can espouse differing viewpoints and opinions. And aesthetically speaking, it just sounds better to have contrasting voices.

So far we’re 10 episodes in. The first four were, uh, not great, so they aren’t uploaded (if you really want to see them, it’s possible to find them on YouTube). Since then we’ve tried to get better with every episode, covering everything from why colors occur in stainless steel welding and titanium to the wage gap to discussing what creativity and inspiration are. We’ve also shared a bit about the Still Building America project that we are in the process of launching. The reception so far has been incredible! I don’t know exactly where our podcast will go, exactly; a lot of that will depend on what the listeners respond to. It’s been cool getting so much positive feedback from them.

Ultimately, we’re gonna have fun. We’re gonna talk to people we love, people we respect, and people who inspire us. There will be debate, discussion, and a wide range of insight and opinions. Please join in!

All images courtesy of Josh Welton, Brown Dog Welding.

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