Finding His Spark: Jimmie’s Journey from Hobby Welder to Professional Craftsman

• Jimmie’s love for welding began with a Christmas gift that became a lifelong trade.
• Written plans and CAD drawings replaced long verbal instructions, helping him work independently.
• His father, Brian, supports with customer communication and CAD design while Jimmie handles fabrication.
• Together, they’ve built a thriving welding practice serving farms and high-end RV manufacturers.
• Welding gave Jimmie both purpose and pride — and a deep sense of partnership with his dad.

Origin

Brian remembers the spark vividly: “We bought him a welder for Christmas one year, and he practiced with it constantly.”
Jimmie’s curiosity quickly turned into skill. Working at a nearby farm as a cowhand, he started tackling small cutting and repair jobs. When the farm needed welding far from the shop, Brian helped him borrow an engine-driven welder. That job became a breakthrough moment — Jimmie proved to himself that he could handle real, paid work.

Soon after, they mounted the welder onto an aluminum trailer, creating what Jimmie calls “Abe” - because it's a Lincoln. Jimmie paid off the welder himself through farm work. Every job deepened his pride in independence and ability.

But the path wasn’t without its early challenges. Jimmie sometimes misheard multi-step directions. Once, asked to reinforce a farm gate with a diagonal brace, he accidentally cut it on a diagonal instead. Even though fixing the gate was a tedious lesson, Brian and Jimmie laugh now at the words "Remember the gate".

️ The Work

Today, Jimmie is a professional welder and fabricator in Richmond, Utah. His projects range from farm repairs to precision components for high-end RVs.
He works with an impressive toolkit — from a TIG welder and oxy-propane setup to an ArcDroid CNC plasma cutter, which he saved up to buy himself.

Their workflow reflects both continuous learning and adaptation as Jimmie has matured. Brian learned Fusion 360, a popular CAD program, and then how to do CAM (Computer Aided Machining) with it, so he could supply Jimmie with GCODE files to run his ArcDroid CNC cutter. Brian explains:

Once Jimmie has the drawings, he takes over — cutting, buffing, welding, and finishing the parts before delivery. Brian handles billing and taxes, while Jimmie earns income as a subcontractor. “He likes to say we are partners,” Brian says with pride.

Their shop days blend precision and patience. In one project, they designed and built a reinforced RV bumper using plasma-cut steel and MIG welding. Brian drew the brackets in CAD; Jimmie cut and welded them under the RV with careful shielding. “That was a pretty good couple of days,” Brian recalls — a small family triumph forged in metal and teamwork.

Supports & Accommodations

Brian’s mentorship centers on a simple truth: long verbal explanations don’t work for Jimmie.
Instead, they use written and visual communication — checklists, diagrams, and CAD plans.

This clarity allows Jimmie to work independently on complex jobs. He refers to plans rather than relying on memory, and that structure keeps his work precise and stress-free.

Key supports include:

• Written step-by-step instructions for multi-stage tasks
• CAD drawings showing dimensions and weld locations
• Administrative help from Brian for customer communication and billing

The partnership extends beyond father and son. Neighbors and local tradespeople contribute, too: from a neighbor with a CNC bender for bending steel parts, to the community college welding program that helped Jimmie earn his professional welding certification.

Outcomes

Over time, Jimmie has built a strong reputation. Customers often express amazement at the quality of his welding — even his TIG work, known to be one of the most challenging forms.

He now sometimes fabricates precision components for luxury overland RVs, where his craftsmanship is approaching that of professionals in the trade.

The milestones speak for themselves:

• Gained professional welding certification before finishing Post-High
• Completed paid work for farms and RV manufacturers
• Built a respected name for precision TIG welding
• Developed a sustainable subcontracting model that balances independence and support

Through all of it, Jimmie’s independence remains central — symbolized by the day he earned his driver’s license, bought his own truck, and began hauling his own materials from the steel supply shop. “That was probably the peak of his pride in his independence,” says Brian.

Advice for Others

Brian and Jimmie’s journey offers lessons for families, employers, and aspiring tradespeople alike:

For Families:
Adapt communication to your family member’s strengths; visual and written steps can unlock independence.

For Employers:
Provide clear, structured instructions and recognize skill — not disability.

For Self-Advocates:
Lean into what you enjoy and keep building skill until people come to you for it.

Closing Reflection

Through welding, Jimmie found far more than a job — he found belonging, confidence, and a craft that speaks to who he is. His story reminds us that skill grows best in an environment of respect, patience, and collaboration.

From the hum of the welder to the quiet focus of bending steel, every spark in Jimmie’s workshop tells the story of a young craftsman — and a father who chose to build understanding one written step, one weld, and one partnership at a time.