Meet Chris Hale | Metal Fabricator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Chris Hale and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Chris, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I had a career in the engineering field, primarily in the nuclear power and aerospace industries. They are very regimented industries. There’s no deviating from the endless procedures and policies. Thinking for yourself is not something these industries promote. Our line of work had a huge impact on the integrity and success of numerous programs within those industries. Yet, at the end of the day, no matter how hard you worked, there was nothing “tangible” to show for you work. There was nothing left behind that could ever become a legacy. One day, I found myself craving these things more than I craved having excess money. And on that day, I virtually walked away from my thriving business and started all over again…this time to build something that was more about my passion and less about financial gluttony.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Metal is my favorite medium to work with. You can smash it, twist it, completely destroy it and still turn it into something useful. So much of what our shop builds comes from repurposed salvage, even when that’s not the focus of the creation. It’s simple to weld some junk together and label it as art. We strive to go way beyond this…we want our creations to function and serve a purpose. It can’t just look cool, it has to be cool. Diving deeper into these creations, we put a lot thought into the quality and longevity. We use techniques that are a departure from the norm. It’s important to me that we make things that sets us apart and doesn’t follow the trends or mimics other creations.

In my prior career, I worked in industries that are governed by policies, procedures, and regulations. I spent over 20yrs following these rules and doing things exactly as told to do. I craved an outlet that would allow me to end the day with something I created with my own hands, my own imagination, and most importantly by my own rules. I owned and operated a successful business in that industry. But it wasn’t enough. And one day I just walked away from it all and started over from scratch. The new beginning was focused on creating.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I LOVE Florida. I love that I was born and raised here. I love that I had the opportunities to travel the world and live in other places because it all gave me even more appreciation of living in Florida. I love to explore our state, searching out those less-traveled gems. Whether it be a natural landmark, a historical building, or a quaint little town, I love it all. I actually have a list on my phone called “adventures” and it’s a pretty long list of things to do and places to visit, all relating to Florida destinations. This list includes things like dining in a tree-top restaurant, flying in a sea-plane, visiting a haunted cemetery, and taking a swim in a private lagoon.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?

Throughout my entire life, so many people have contributed to my personal and business success. Foremost, my family taught me that you will always get out of what you put into something. Therefore hard work will always be rewarded accordingly. And they also taught me to strive to be the best at anything and everything I do. Didn’t matter if I was to grow up and dig ditches or become the President of the U.S., I was to be my very best at it. That principle still drives me every day.

My employees inspire me, our vendors support us, and our customers push us to do better. I couldn’t possibly single out one ingredient that deserves recognition more than the rest.

Website: http://www.colonialmetalworks.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/colonial_metalworks/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/colonial-metalworks

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/colonialmetalworks

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChEXJvNVj0FiwDdUUAM2J7A

Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@colonialmetalworks