Our Story
In 2019, CNA Fabrication was founded by 2 friends with a simple mission, “Get Straight to the Good Stuff… Welding!” We wanted to simplify the process of learning how to weld. CNA stands for Chapman & Adams, our last names.
When I started learning how to weld it was purely out of necessity. I have an old vehicle that I love to take off-roading. At the time, there wasn’t any aftermarket support for the types of modifications I wanted to do.. Most of the parts I needed I had to fabricate myself. So before I started welding on some important structural parts of the build… I needed practice. In order to practice, I needed practice material.. So where do you get practice material?
Trying to get steel from a steel distributor is usually expensive for small quantities. Home Depot has a small material selection but ends up costing a lot , especially for material that’s going to end up in the trash. Usually the best option is to find a place that has drop pieces or remnants.
The first step to welding is welding straight lines on a piece of metal. It didn't take long for me to get bored of this and realize I wanted to stick 2 pieces together and be sure they didn't come apart. When sticking pieces together, prep work is very important. But for a new welder, this brings on a whole new set of problems. What tools do you need? How long will the prep work take?
I bought the necessary tools; an angle grinder and some attachments to clean up the metal. I had decided my first project was going to be a cube. I measured out six equal squares on my scrap, drew out the shapes, cut the material, cleaned the edges, cleaned the material, then finally got around to welding it together. By the time I was finished, I had spent at least three times as much time prepping than I had actually welding. I thought the point was to learn how to weld... Not how to prep.
What if there was a way to get straight to welding? No prep work, just get straight to the skill you want to learn. Now don’t get me wrong, prep work is super important to the success of your projects. But when you’re just starting out, you want to get the basics under your belt.
This is how our first product was born … The Cube Kit!
It’s an easy, non-intimidating project where you can get the basics down. You’ll learn how to fixture parts, tack weld the pieces together, heat control, and how the location of the weld affects the project as a whole.
At CNA, we’re dedicated to bringing you the best products to develop your skills and feel confident tackling any fabrication job in front of you!
- Grant Chapman
