In this episode I talk with Estevan Ortega, a welder and welding instructor at Santa Fe Community College.

We first discuss how Estevan got into welding. Then Estevan explains what welding is, the equipment utilized, the science of welding, different welding processes such as MIG, TIG and STICK, the industries welders can work in, specialized fields such as welding for national labs or underwater welding, the salaries of welders and much more. I hope you enjoy!

Estevan’s Art Welding at Globe Fine Art: https://globefineart.com/artist/estevan-ortega

ARTICLES:

A Comprehensive Guide to Groove Welding: https://www.lincolntech.edu/news/skilled-trades/welding-technology/comprehensive-guide-groove-welding

Lunch atop a Skyscraper: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunch_atop_a_Skyscraper

Rail safety investigators release final report on deadlysouthern Colorado derailment: https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/rail-safety-investigators-final-report-deadly-pueblo-colorado-derailment/

The Santa Fe Opera brings non-traditional applications ofwelding studies to high school students: https://www.santafeopera.org/company/press-news-media/welding-at-the-opera/

BOOKS:

King James Bible

Dante’s Inferno by Dante Alighieri

Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy

MUSIC INTRO/OUTRO:Music: massobeats - familiar places (https://youtu.be/M0NqWjmUl4Q)

CONNECT:

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/adrian-dolinay-frm-96a289106/

GitHub: https://github.com/ad17171717 X:https://twitter.com/DolinayG

Odysee: https://odysee.com/@adriandolinay:0

Medium: https://medium.com/@adriandolinay

PODCAST:

Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-aspiring-stem-geek/id1765996824

Audible:https://www.audible.com/podcast/The-Aspiring-STEM-Geek/B0DC73S9SN?source_code=ASSGB149080119000H&share_location=pdp

iHeart Radio: https://iheart.com/podcast/202676097/

Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/60dPNJbDPaPw7ru8g5btxV?si=26e034e416f446d8

|-Video Chapters-|

0:00 – Intro
1:03 – Estevan’s Interest in engineering and the trades growing up
2:27 – How Estevan got into welding
4:13 – Defining welding
6:19 – Equipment that novice welders learn to use
7:09 – Welding personal protective equipment (PPE)
10:01 – Thermal cycle of welding
13:12 – The big four welding processes
16:44 – Orbital, Laser welding and advanced technologies
20:28 – Welding material forms
27:39 – Welding joint types
28:52 – Base and filler metals
32:19 – Welding in the field vs welding in a shop
35:57 – Thermal cutting
37:24 – Welding in Alaska
40:00 – Welding symbols
42:06 – Identifying welding defects
48:03 – Walking through a real world example of a welding job
54:16 – If you are older what are your options in welding?
58:37 – Which industries currently have a high demand for welders?
1:02:07 – Working for national labs and high tech companies
1:07:01 – Hyperbaric (underwater) welding
1:12:13 – Where Estevan’s welding students find work
1:17:28 – How welding salaries compare to other trades
1:21:24 – The gender gap in welding
1:27:02 – How to get started in welding
1:31:41 – If Estevan could work in a different field it would be…
1:36:29 – Estevan’s work with a local high school at the Santa Fe Opera
1:39:24 – Estevan’s art

1:43:16 – Best activities in Santa Fe
1:46:41 – Book Recommendations
1:51:00 – Conclusion