South Dakota woman feels at home fabricating, welding metal

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 comes her way and has even finished her first sculpture, a gnome. Images: Staci Sour Martinez

Sometimes a person’s pathway to welding is a little unconventional. Staci Sour Martinez’s path was forged out of necessity at her job, and she’s been obsessed with it ever since.

After purchasing her own welding power source, Sioux Falls, S.D.-based Martinez created 605 Shield Maiden and has dabbled in building handrails and other architectural items, fabricating the metal components for custom wood and metal furniture, and now she’s embarking on metal sculpture.

Martinez’s relatively new career as a welder willing to try it all has awakened confidence, creativity, and a sense of belonging that she’s never experienced doing anything else.

The FABRICATOR spoke to Martinez recently about her pathway, her mentors, and where she hopes her newfound passions for welding will take her.

FAB: 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 basically 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.

FAB: How did word get out in the community about your work?

SSM: Either by Instagram or by word-of-mouth. I did a couple of things for a tattoo artist here in town. I made a wooden piece, a handrail, and another handrail and the word just got out.

A home builder here in town got hold of me – 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 I’ll try.” I’ve been doing work for them ever since.

Sour Martinez made a handrail for a local tattoo artist, which generated enough word-of-mouth to bring more projects her way.

FAB: How do you make up for your lack of formal fabrication training?

SSM: A lot of it comes naturally. If I don’t know how to do something, I’ll Google it, research it, listen to podcasts, reach out to others more knowledgeable than me. Whatever it takes.

I don’t have a lot of the tools necessary to do the work, but I will eventually. I flourish in environments where someone gives me the creative ability to come up with my own solutions. That’s how I work best. I know how to read a blueprint, but I am better when I can just wing it.

FAB: What is the Hooded Heroes Foundation?

SSM: It was created by Joey Krussow and Kayte Carson. Joey is a welding instructor, and he comes across students in need all of the time who, after paying for their tuition, don’t have enough funds to buy things like welding helmets, gloves, chipping hammers, and protective jackets. They decided to start this foundation to provide a hand up to students in need, whether they are young kids or adult students. It doesn’t matter.

I followed Joey on Instagram, where he posted that he was looking for people interesting in serving on the board of directors. I thought it was an amazing opportunity, so I reached out to him to let him know I was interested. There are 10 of us on the board, and I serve as the secretary.

FAB: How can someone apply to receive assistance?

SSM: Anyone interested in applying for assistance should visit our website, thehoodedheroes.org. You’ll need to fill out a form and write a 250- to 500-word essay that explains why you want to get into welding, why you deserve help, and what you are in need of. We’d also like to know what school you’re attending, what the start date is, and what you want to do after you finish school. You’ll need to provide three references that the board can contact.

How can other industry companies or individuals help?

SSM: Any individual or company can donate. There are several ways you can donate. First, you can ship us any slightly used tools, chipping hammers, grinder, 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.

Sour Martinez has collaborated with a local woodworker to create custom wood and metal furniture pieces.