The road to FABTECH

Josh and Darla Welton, business, road trippin', and life partners.

2018 is the first year I’m missing SEMA since I began participating in 2011. For various reasons, this has been a weird year. I haven’t made a single sculpture for maybe the first time since I started welding in 2002. I’ve stayed busy with the day job and writing, but I’m looking forward to getting out to the shop more in 2019 as health allows.

FABTECH® was the priority this year, and it’s going to be an action-packed 10 days. Friday night Darla and I are packing up the Dodge Demon and heading south to Atlanta. We’re planning on taking a few side adventures here and there, but we will be at FABTECH for the entire show, and our schedule for that is filling up!

For Tuesday, Nov. 6, I’ve partnered with Hexagon to do a live 3-D scan of my Bronco sculpture. We’ll be doing the deed at 2 p.m. in booth #B9001, and I hope some of you will be able to join us.

Also on Tuesday, I’ll be at Miller Electric Mfg.’s booth (C12628) at 4:30 p.m., participating in a meet-and-greet, story time, Dynasty 280DX Multiprocess demo, and Q&A, all wrapped into one. If you want to be introduced to some of the people behind the machines, be sure to stop by. If you’re on Instagram, follow me at @welderassassin and let me know if you’ll be there. We’re trying to set up some swag and get you connected with Miller.

On Wednesday afternoon, we’ll be attending the AWS Foundation & WEMCO Excellence in Welding Award Ceremony. I actually won the media category award for my writing and will be presented with it there. Crazy!

Darla and I also will be meeting up with and reaching out to companies and individuals about the next chapter in our “Still Building America” initiative. We’re working to get young kids exposed to the skilled trades, starting in our hometown of Detroit. In a city that has the worst education system in the country, maybe we can give them an opportunity they didn’t know existed. We have SBA stickers to give out too! Children’s books centering on blue-collar work and basic hand tool kits for the youngsters are coming, amongst many other things.

If you’re going to be at FABTECH, make sure you introduce yourself and say hello. It’s gonna be a blast.

All images courtesy of Josh Welton, Brown Dog Welding.

Slide Show | 3 Images