Replies

1. 
   Dave45 | Apr 02, 2005 04:10pm | #1

   It would help if you said where you're located.  Around here (SF Bay Area) things are still busy.  I'm swamped for the next several months.

1. 
   SlimShaving | Apr 02, 2005 05:03pm | #2

   I was going to add that but then thought if people didn't feel like they had to give there area might get a better overall idea of whats goin on. i'm loookin for an the overall opinion rather than what areas are hot or cold. I think there maybe some hype out there about how it really is. i'm also more interested in the non-plywood, non kitchen cabinet area. Maybe a bad way of thinking. Anyway i'm from the East Tennessee
   areaThere are four boxes to be used in defence of liberty: soap, ballot, jury and ammo. Please use in that order - Ed HowdersheltEdited 4/2/2005 10:10 am ET by 8quarter

   Edited 4/2/2005 10:13 am ET by 8quarter

1. 
   Dave45 | Apr 03, 2005 05:05pm | #5

   8Quarter -

   Someone once said that "All politics is local" and  I think that applies to the economy as well - lol.  I'm in the middle of the Silicon Valley and even though the employment rate is still down, houses still sell like hotcakes - usually for more than the asking price.  People are still remodeling like crazy, too.

   Hairfece -

   That gas price would cause a riot around here.  I paid $2.43/gallon for 87 octane the other day and yesterday it was $2.49.  Diesel was $2.59.  One of the radio talk guys was saying that some of the high pricing is caused by commodity speculators buying futures contracts and that China is importing record amounts of oil.

2. 
   GRW | Apr 02, 2005 05:07pm | #3

   8quarter,

   I'm just a part time woodworker, I have no store front, or yellow page listings.

   After a slow start to the year, I'm starting to get increased interest in my work.

   I haven't landed any large jobs yet, but I'm starting to get more calls.

   I have a non-WW full time job, family, and plenty of projects of my own to work on,

   so I don't NEED (or sometimes want) the work.

   But things do seem to be picking up here in Vermont.

3. 
   biosf1 | Apr 03, 2005 06:28am | #4

   It's been up and down for Western Mich, February  was a good month, best in 2 years and then  the month of march about half as much. Well it gives me time to do some thing for myself, almost completed a 6 drawer dresser I started a year ago .

   But after one of our office furniture manufactures announced more lay-offs of around 600+ and already since the 9/11 they have laid-off 4000. I might look into changing occupations, but it's a good thing I don't just focus on just building furniture.

   What do the kid have to look forward to as they start looking for full time jobs ?  To many of  our jobs are lost due to moving out of the US.  What's next ???                    Have to have a extra job, just to fill up the gas tank, $2.28 gal. TODAY, Grand rapids, MI

4. 
   jimmyk | Apr 03, 2005 06:44pm | #6

   Here in Mid (lower) Michigan, things picked up real fast for us about mid February. We had 4 nice sized jobs back logged. This past Thursday, while installing one of them, we had the next one in line postponed (cancelled I'm sure) because the home owner didn't get the big tax return he was expecting.
   Yesterday, we had another one cancelled...they also didn't get the big tax return they were used to getting. Now we have just one big job in the shop so things are all of a sudden looking bad again.
   We charge design fees, so these cancelled jobs weren't a waste of our time. They'd be far more profitable if we got to actually build the stuff instead of just design it.
   Maybe I'll finally have the time to finish the basement???

   Molten