The Welding Problems Most Shops Overlook

Michael Klee’s path into welding started with a skateboard rail. After growing up around his father’s machine shop, Michael learned to stick weld so he could build his own rail—and that one project turned into a 23-year career in the welding industry. In this episode, Michael joins us in person at the show floor to talk about his path from shop work and welding technology school into automation, sales, applications, and his current role as a Welding Specialist with Messer Gases in Ontario. We get into real-world troubleshooting, common setup mistakes, shielding gas choices, high-deposition processes, cobots, handheld laser welding safety, and what shops need to have in place before investing in automation. What You’ll Learn - How a homemade skateboard rail helped Michael discover welding and set him on a new career path. - How he moved through shop work, automation, sales, and applications before becoming a Welding Specialist with Messer Gases. - How Messer specialists help shops evaluate their current welding process and identify opportunities to improve throughput, reduce spatter, and eliminate unnecessary grinding. - Why the numbers displayed on a welding machine do not always reflect what is happening at the arc. - Why common issues often come down to incorrect machine setup, drive rolls, contact tips, wire selection, gas flow, or shielding gas choice. - What welders need to understand about short-circuit, globular, and spray transfer when selecting a shielding gas mixture. - How shops can use process changes, wire selection, and gas mixtures to reduce spatter and increase welding speed. - Where handheld laser welding fits, why it is a powerful process, and why safety procedures need to be taken seriously. - Why cobots can be a practical entry point into automation for the right shop. - How high-deposition processes like dual shield, submerged arc welding, and modern heavy-deposition MIG systems help shops put down more metal with fewer passes. - Why there is no single career path in welding—and how welders, technologists, inspectors, salespeople, and automation specialists all play important roles in the industry. Michael Klee is a Welding Specialist with Messer Gases, serving customers in Ontario and Manitoba. With a background in welding technology, automation, applications, and sales, Michael works with fabrication shops to evaluate welding processes and find practical solutions for challenges like excessive spatter, slow throughput, process selection, shielding gas optimization, and automation readiness. If your shop is working through a welding-process issue or looking to evaluate new equipment, wire, or gas options, Michael recommends starting with your local Messer representative. From there, the Messer team can assess your current state, identify the biggest opportunities, and help build a plan for a better future-state process. Connect With Michael Klee - Instagram: @thecanadianweldingguy https://www.instagram.com/thecanadianweldingguy/ - Messer Website: https://www.messer.com/ Download The WELD App iOS: App Store https://goweld.link/AppleApp Android: Google Play https://goweld.link/Android If this show has helped your welding career, leaving a 5-star review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts helps other welders find it. #WeldingSpecialist #WeldingTroubleshooting #ShieldingGas #WeldingTechnology #WeldingEducation