
Turning Old Car Parts Into Cold Hard Art With Tom Patsis
From WELD by Weld.com
May 18, 2026 · 12 min · Episode 247
About this episode
Tom Patsis discusses transforming old car parts into custom trophies and the creative process behind it.
Tom Patsis turns old license plates, flywheels, camshafts, rims, and swap meet finds into custom trophies with real racing history built into every piece. If you’re a welder, fabricator, car builder, or creative maker trying to figure out how welding skills can lead to unique work, this episode shows what that process actually looks like. In this episode, you’ll learn: • How to spot parts at a swap meet that can become strong, eye-catching trophy pieces • Why Tom looks for weight, balance, color, and story when choosing materials for a custom build • How to negotiate with vendors without breaking the budget on specialty parts • What to consider when joining different metals and choosing the right welding process • How Tom built a trophy business from fabrication skills he developed in the racing world Tom Patsis is a trophy builder, fabricator, and the Season 1 winner of Metal Shop Masters on Netflix. His work blends welding, racing history, found objects, and custom fabrication into trophies shipped to customers around the world. For WELD listeners, Tom’s story is a reminder that welding skills can open doors far beyond a traditional shop job. Connect with Tom Patsis: Instagram…
People in this episode
Host: Beau Wigington
Guest: Tom Patsis
Topics covered
- welding
- fabrication
- trophy building
- creative making
- racing history
Keywords
- welding
- fabrication
- trophies
- car parts
- custom builds
- swap meet
- metalworking
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Metal Shop Masters, WELD, coldhardart
More episodes of WELD
- The Fabrication Lessons You Only Learn Once You’re on the Clock · June 8, 2026 · 24 min
- If You Can Dream It, You Can Drive It | Mini Mayhem Event Spotlight · May 26, 2026 · 24 min
- Gotta Start Somewhere: First Welding Job Stories · May 11, 2026 · 28 min
- From Welding Booth to Robot Cell: Learning the Next Skill in the Trade · May 1, 2026 · 15 min
- Why Backyard Welding Events Might Be the New Shop Class · April 27, 2026 · 11 min
- You Don’t Need a Fancy Shop to Build Metal Sculptures That Sell · April 20, 2026 · 18 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the WELD podcast page.