WoodMarvels.com
06-21-2025, 10:40 AM
Is it just me, or has everything come to a grinding halt over the past few months? I’ve been running a custom fabrication business for over a decade, and I’ve never seen it this slow. Customers are dragging their feet on decisions, material costs are through the roof, and project inquiries — big or small — have all but disappeared.
I’ve got my toes in a few very different sectors, with a range of CNC machines and value-added services. That variety used to help me stay afloat — when one area slowed down, another usually picked up. But now? Everything’s down at once, and there’s no balancing act left to perform. Even craft shows, which I used to rely on for side income, have turned into window-shopping events.
I’ve got friends on both sides of the border running similar businesses, and many of them have either packed up or retired altogether. Honestly, I’m scratching my head trying to figure out how the rest of you are staying afloat right now.
I’ve got my toes in a few very different sectors, with a range of CNC machines and value-added services. That variety used to help me stay afloat — when one area slowed down, another usually picked up. But now? Everything’s down at once, and there’s no balancing act left to perform. Even craft shows, which I used to rely on for side income, have turned into window-shopping events.
I’ve got friends on both sides of the border running similar businesses, and many of them have either packed up or retired altogether. Honestly, I’m scratching my head trying to figure out how the rest of you are staying afloat right now.