A Day in the Life: Steven Vogt, Metal Craftsman

North Branford Patch: When did you start working with metal?

Steven Vogt: I knew from the time that I was nine years old that I wanted to work with metal. My father owned a gas station and I built a go-kart out of wood and metal, all out of scrap parts. In our neighborhood, all the go-karts when down hills. Mine went up hills and down hills. Ever since then, I thought it was the coolest thing, being able to attach two pieces of metal together. Since I was nine, I wanted to be a welder.

North Branford Patch: How did you develop your skills?

Vogt: I took metal shop in school. The teacher liked me so much that he gave me a key to the sheet metal shop. I’d be there after school until seven at night welding. I built a lot of go-karts, mini bikes and three-wheeled trikes. I probably built 10 or 12 different machines there in four years. Each one got better and better. I would build one, ride it, then sell it.

North Branford Patch: How did get started?

Vogt: As soon as I got out of high school I worked for a sheet metal shop in New Haven. I worked for them for two years and then the guy who hired me there opened up his own shop and I worked for him for 13 years. Then he closed up his shop due to a bad economy and some bad financial moves. Then I more or less started up my own business and bought a lot of the old equipment from him. I basically took over the work that he stopped. I was 30 years old when I started my own business.

North Branford Patch: What was it like going out on your own?

Vogt: It was really scary because I had a 10-man crew and I had the responsibility to keep all of these guys busy. It was pretty stressful at first.

North Branford Patch: What sort of clients do you have at Ironclad?

Vogt: I like working for people who manufacture products. I’ve worked with companies like Schick, US Surgical and Bayer Pharmaceutical.  

North Branford Patch: What sort of ornamental work have you done?

Vogt: I recently built a butterfly chair for the new courtyard at the high school. I’ve also done a lot of ornamental trellis work, railing work and gates.

North Branford Patch: What is the most challenging part of your job?

Vogt: To visualize something that isn’t there yet. The customer will have an idea and I’ll pull out my pad and start drawing pictures. The biggest reward is when everything goes in and it fits and it works the way the customer wants it to. To make something, hang it 20 feet in the air, have it miss this or go around that—that’s a challenge. To make something out of nothing.

North Branford Patch: What does the future look like for Ironclad?

Vogt: Eventually I plan on retiring. I’ve been doing this for awhile. I’m 53 so probably when I’m about 55 or 56 I’d like to step back a bit and try to enjoy life more. When I was younger I used to work 80 hours a week doing this. I would love to keep a few of my machines and just do ornamental ironwork and steelwork for fun, not for money. I would love for the day when I can come in here and build stuff and not work about having to make a living at it.

North Branford Patch: What is a typical day in the life a metal craftsman?

Vogt: I always wear a lot of hats over here. I’m the owner, I’m the estimator, I’m a designer, I’m a fabricator, I’m a painter, I’m an installer. I do all of my own quoting and billing. On big jobs I manage work crews. There’s always plenty to do.

To be featured in ‘A Day in the Life’ or to suggest someone who should be profiled, send information to Jim Gangi.

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