Wildlife Welder | By Clark Hodges

When Shane Hyem, 27, was attending West High School, he worked on the grounds crew at Par 3 golf course. To make repairs, his boss used a welder and plasma cutter, a process that captured Shane’s curiosity. Years later, he started working for MAC LTT as an air and electrical technician, where he was taught how to weld aluminum for himself. It was love at first spark.

Shane went to Harbor Freight and bought a welder for the low, low price of $37. With his welder, he went on to make his first project — a foldable hammock frame whose arms bent slowly until the hammock rested on the ground.

Through the years, Shane honed his craft and accumulated more tools. He combined welding with his passion for the outdoors to create his masterpiece. “My favorite project so far was a steel fish that I made for a very good friend of mine for a Christmas gift. I cut, welded, hydroformed, polished and heat-colored the steel. I learned so much making it. I think I put 30 hours into that thing”.

Shane is now in the process of buying a house, and has added 3D printing to his creative roster. He is still working at MAC LTT, where he is able to sate his passion for welding until he has a dedicated space in his house to bring more creations to life.