Episode
Why Backyard Welding Events Might Be the New Shop Class
- Podcast
- WELD
- Published
- Apr 27, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 656
- Processing state
not_requested- Canonical source
- https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/welddotcom/episodes/Why-Backyard-Welding-Events-Might-Be-the-New-Shop-Class-e3ihgij
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Summary
Backyard welding events are giving first-timers the kind of hands-on shop experience that many schools no longer offer. If you’re a welder, maker, teacher, fabricator, or someone who wants to help more people get into the trades, this episode shows what can happen when a community opens the shop doors and lets people learn by doing. In this episode, you’ll learn: • Why community-based maker events can help fill the gap left by disappearing shop classes • How Sparks and Sawdust gave woodworkers and beginners a chance to weld on a real Santa Maria grill build • What makes learning on an actual project different from practicing beads on flat plate • How Papa Chad kept his first event simple, hands-on, and focused on learning instead of turning it into a big production • Why welders, fabricators, and makers can play a bigger role in bringing new people into the trades Papa Chad is a maker, builder, and host of Sparks and Sawdust in Phoenix City, Alabama. His property brings together a welding shop, wood shop, sawmill pad, custom pizza oven, and enough equipment to give first-timers a real hands-on experience. What makes his perspective valuable is that he is not trying to impress anybody — he is creating a place where people can try new skills, build something real, and leave better than they came in. Connect with Papa Chad: Instagram: @AlabamaPapaChad YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Papa_Chad Website: PapaChad.com Connect with Tom from Phoenix Wood Shop: Instagram: @PhoenixWoodShop Connect with Chris from Green Money Fab Instagram: @GreenMoneyFab Connect with Beau Wigington: Instagram: @beaudiditwelding Download the WELD App: iOS: App Store https://foxly.link/m6jqqa Android: Google Play https://foxly.link/cYEXjL If this show has helped your welding career, leaving a 5-s…