Page 6 - World of Welding Winter 2019

When Passion turns into Artistry

By: Melinda Jeffery
When Fred Heman started his welding career in 1977,
little did he know his passion would lead to people
lining up to get their hands on his original art pieces.
It started when I was trying to fnd a use for my bend
straps from MIG basic class. I used them to make a
fower. Since then, Freds creative welding has expanded
to tables, wall units, clocks, lamps and chandeliers,
bottle holders and more. A regular at salvage yards,
Fred sifts through stacks of metal to fnd the hidden
treasures he uses to make his art pieces. They
know the kind of items I am looking for states Fred.
Sometimes they will even call and let me know when
good stuff comes in.
Fred has had his artwork go as far away as Greece.
Recently he had a booth at couple local craft shows and
nearly sold out his products in addition to getting some
specialized orders. I will make whatever they tell me
they want said Fred. I am even making a sphere for
a wedding that will be held in the spring. People really
like the industrial feel of my pieces. It seems to be a big
draw.
Fred Henman is a technical training instructor at Hobart
Institute of Welding Technology, joining the team in
August 2014 and has been in the welding profession for
40 years. His frst welding position was a production
welder of parts in Donnelsville, OH for the International
Harvester Scout and pickup trucks. Fred also worked
for the Champion Company in Springfeld, OH for 25
years, starting as a welder fabricator then advancing to
lead welder welding supervisor and his last 7 years as a
quality control technician. While employed at Champion
Company, Fred took supplier based training resulting in
becoming a designated Supplier Quality Representative
for GE Aviation and Rhinestahl CTS. Fred also worked
on a project with Swales Aerospace where he welded and fabricated a protective container for
the Hubble Telescope spare camera. This container with the camera has been on display in the
Smithsonian Museum in Washington, DC.
Fred earned a Vocational Specialist Certifcate in welding from Elgin Community College and became
a Certifed Welding Inspector with training at Hobart Institute of Welding Technology.

2018 WINTER ISSUE - 6 - www.welding.org