Metal Fabrication Nation is real talk for welders, fabricators, shop owners, foremen, estimators, and the people building the metal fabrication industry. Hosted by Greg Sheldon, the show covers shop-floor lessons, field work, business, leadership, technology, AI, American manufacturing, and the future of the trades. Real shops. Real metal. Real talk.
Send us Fan Mail You hired a junior estimator, handed them a spreadsheet and expected accurate quotes. But nobody had time to teach them... so where were those skills supposed to come from? In this episode of Metal Fabrication Nation, Greg Sheldon breaks down how junior estimators can build their skills when the experienced people are stretched thin. You’ll learn how to: Turn one completed job into a practical estimating lesson.Build labour hours from the actual work, including setup and hand...
20 Sept 2026
Why Good Fabrication Jobs Lose Money | FabProfit Webinar Replay
Send us Fan Mail You win the job. The price looks good. Then the extra hours start adding up, and the profit you thought you had starts disappearing. In this episode of Metal Fabrication Nation, I’m sharing the audio from my FabProfit webinar about estimating metal fabrication work and protecting your margin before the job hits the floor. We get into the work that’s easy to miss when you’re rushing a quote, why a price that “looks right” can still leave you short, and how a more consistent es...
18 Aug 2026
Are YOU the Reason Your Shop is Hell? (The Brutal Truth)
Send us Fan Mail “Nobody wants to work anymore.” “Young people have no work ethic.” “Welders aren’t loyal.” “Fitters will go down the road for a dollar or two more.” Sound familiar? But here is the harder question: What if YOU are the problem? What if good people keep leaving, profit keeps disappearing, nothing gets done without you, and every day feels like an emergency because of how you run the business? A lot of fabrication and welding businesses were started by great welders who got b...
3 Aug 2026
OFF TOPIC, Kinda: Could One Person Take Down the Alcohol Industry?
Send us Fan Mail Yes, I’m talking about alcohol again. Last episode I talked about addiction in the trades and what the person trapped inside it is actually going through. This time, I’m going after the culture and the industry that have made alcohol so normal in our shops, homes, and lives. It may be off topic, but not really; it destroys our workers, families, careers, and businesses, and nobody is talking about it enough. So I am. The question is; could one person actuall...
28 Jul 2026
They Promised They’d Stop. They Meant It.
Send us Fan Mail Yes, this is about the metal trades. But this episode goes somewhere our industry rarely goes. How can someone swear they are finished in the morning, then return to the same substance that night, while meaning it both times? I take you inside the craving, fear, deception, withdrawal, and shame that turn relief into a prison. Before we judge the person behind the welding hood, we need to understand the fight nobody else can see. Metal Fabrication Nation with Greg Sheldo...
20 Jul 2026
Two Factions: Are We Building Our Own Prison?
Send us Fan Mail As AI becomes woven into every part of society, are we building the greatest tool in human history, or something we’ll one day regret? This episode explores the questions surrounding AI, privacy, convenience, power, and the future we’re creating. What do you think? Metal Fabrication Nation with Greg Sheldon. Real talk for welders, fabricators, shop owners, and the next generation of tradespeople. Built on the belief that AI won’t replace real tradespeople, and the trades aren...
20 Jul 2026
Two Factions: AI or Anti-AI?
Send us Fan Mail As AI becomes part of everyday life and work, are we heading toward two distinct groups; those who embrace it and those who choose to avoid it? In this episode, I explore whether that divide is already forming, what it could mean for the skilled trades and manufacturing, and whether there is still room for a middle ground. Where do you stand: AI or Anti-AI? NEXT EPISODE WE GO MORE IN DEPTH ON THIS TOPIC and I SHARE MY OPINION ON THE DANGER OF AI AND WHAT I DISAGREE WITH AND H...
1 Jul 2026
The Chinese Belt & Road Threat and How to Protect Your Shop
Send us Fan Mail Are you tired of losing bids to dirt-cheap overseas suppliers? The Chinese Belt & Road Initiative is a massive global machine designed to undercut your local fabrication shop. But slashing your margins and racing to the bottom is not the answer. In this episode of Metal Fabrication Nation; we break down the hidden costs of cheap global fabrication and show you exactly how to fight back. You will learn the 5-step process to build an unstoppable Market Dominating Position. ...
22 Jun 2026
Why Talented Tradesmen Get Fired
Send us Fan Mail Nobody owes you a career. In this episode of Metal Fabrication Nation, Greg Sheldon drops a massive wake-up call for young tradespeople. Why do highly talented welders fail while average workers become indispensable? Greg reveals the unwritten rules of the shop floor, the single biggest mistake that kills apprenticeships, and why mastering the "boring stuff" is your fastest ticket to earning top rate. Plus, a hard truth for the veterans and shop owners complaining about...
20 Jun 2026
Men Carry More Than Steel
Send us Fan Mail In this raw, personal episode of Metal Fabrication Nation, I talk about divorce, fatherhood, court pressure, anger, control, faith, and what men in the trades carry when nobody is watching. This is not a polished episode. It is real, emotional, and straight from the heart. Sometimes the hardest thing a man has to build is himself back up. #MetalFabricationNation #MensMentalHealth #Fatherhood #SkilledTrades #RealTalk Metal Fabrication Nation with Greg Sheldon. Real talk for ...
16 Jun 2026
Great Welder. Bad Leader.
Send us Fan Mail Some foremen aren’t leaders. They’re just good welders with a title and a bad attitude. This episode calls out the promotion mistake too many shops keep making. #Welding #MetalFabrication #ShopLife #BlueCollar #SkilledTrades Metal Fabrication Nation with Greg Sheldon. Real talk for welders, fabricators, shop owners, and the next generation of tradespeople. Built on the belief that AI won’t replace real tradespeople, and the trades aren’t a backup plan; they’re the backbone.&n...
1 Jun 2026
Nobody Wants to Work? Or Nobody Wants to Lead?
Send us Fan Mail The welding and fabrication industry keeps saying it wants young people, but too many shops are terrible at training them. In this episode, Greg Sheldon calls out the excuses, weak leadership, toxic shop culture, and old-school attitudes that are hurting the future of the trades. This is a hard-hitting episode for shop owners, foremen, experienced tradespeople, and young workers who believe the trades are not a backup plan. They are the backbone. Metal Fabrication Nation with...
30 May 2026
Metal Is Still in My Blood
Send us Fan Mail Greg Sheldon is back with Metal Fabrication Nation; a solo podcast for welders, fabricators, shop owners, foremen, estimators, field crews, apprentices, and anyone who believes the trades still matter. In this first episode, Greg talks about stepping away, rebuilding his life, getting closer to God, and why he still believes deeply in North American manufacturing. This show is about real shops, real metal, real people, and the future of the trades. Metal Fabrication Nat...
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