While macroeconomic trends and industry forecasts can paint a broad picture of manufacturing health, there's no substitute for hearing directly from the shop floor.
In a recent Reddit thread (Sept 2025) titled “How busy are you?”, machinists, engineers, and shop owners across the US, Canada, Europe, and beyond offered a raw, real-time look at what’s happening in their corners of the machining world during a time of political change, as tariffs imposed in the US alter the outlook for all players.
The result? A fragmented but fascinating picture. Some are absolutely slammed. Others are struggling to stay afloat. Some sectors (like aerospace and medical) are buzzing, while automotive and oil & gas seem to be slowing down.
Below, we’ve rounded up a selection of voices that highlight how varied - and volatile - the current landscape really is.
"Slammed"
For many, work is booming. Some are expanding. Others can't even find time to quote.
“We’re too busy… it’s been so busy I’m exclusively running bigger jobs 10-12 hours a day and we’re still buried.” – u/Ninjareaper357
“I stopped quoting over a month ago and then customers started sending orders without quotes.” – u/nogoodmorning4u
“We just had to buy the building next door and started filling it with machines… NW suburbs of TC are booming.” – u/tortoiseterrapinturt
“We have the biggest backlog we’ve ever had, and we’ve had 4 record breaking months back to back.” – u/JordiDrums
“Slammed. Can't even walk in the shop the material is everywhere… Unlimited overtime, double time. Average 56 hours a week.” – u/Aware-You6005
Aerospace & Defense: a bright spot
Aerospace and defense-related shops seem to be weathering the storm - and in some cases, thriving:
“Can’t keep up with RFQs or the workload but it’s pretty much all space and defense related stuff that’s going gangbusters right now.” – u/WallabyGreat4627
“Our second-largest customer, who is a direct contractor for LM, is currently vetting us for prototyping and expansion… Their work has singlehandedly ensured that we’ve been able to pay our staff for the last three months.” – u/I_Am_Lord_Grimm
“Located in the PNW, with a mix of A&D… Now, OT has been cut… starting to do work for November and December.” – u/Drigr
Automotive & Oil: Under pressure
On the flip side, automotive and oil & gas-centric shops are reporting softening demand, production pauses, and reduced hours:
“Tool Die & Mold in Oldcastle ON. Things ground down to a halt if you’re doing purely automotive.” – u/ArtofSlaying
“My shop has slowed down tremendously… we have, I shit you not, 12 jobs waiting to be worked. 18 months ago we had over 800.” – u/tanneruwu
“Oil and gas are down about 5%... we are normally slammed at this time… I haven’t had my shop on OT since the beginning of the year.” – u/UndefinedJess
“Medical, nuclear, and aerospace… it was the carbon tax that made our costs skyrocket… Our customers are saying ‘we pay you $2,000 per part but China will do it for $150.’” – u/Cutiepie1024
Job shops: feast or famine
For job shops, volatility is the theme. Some are diversifying and keeping steady, while others are swinging between overwork and silence.
“Small but reliable job shop in NJ… YTD sales are down about 30% from this time last year… If we get a third of what we’ve quoted in the last three weeks, we’ll break even by the end of the year.” – u/I_Am_Lord_Grimm
“We go from balls to the wall, to bored and rearranging storage to justify being there pretty frequently.” – u/peg-leg-jim
“We’re still pretty steady… our fab shop is slow, but that’s just because our management doesn’t understand how to bid and set lead times.” – u/peg-leg-jim
Supply chain headaches and material costs
Some respondents pointed to issues beyond demand - namely material availability, costs, and tariff complications.
“The cost of materials that we usually get tripled the past 6 months.” – u/bshrewsbury10161979
“This is the first time our machinists are asking us for jobs rather than having too many and asking us to quote outside the shop.” – u/Fireal2
“Component prices have been getting insane however, especially for fittings.” – u/Pope_adope
“Early in the year, the metals cost spike made both of my suppliers stop carrying an essential material… now it's back but up about 50% from a year ago.” – u/svalkas
Is this the new normal?
With many shops describing whiplash-levels of demand shifts, the tone is cautiously optimistic - though some are clearly bracing for more change.
“We're busy, but that’s because of old contracts and mil work. The new stuff is dead. In about 12–18 months I'm very worried.” – u/PrometheanEngineer
“Every industry is reshuffling right now… Anyone with a multi-dimensional supply chain has to chart a profitable path or go under.” – u/Potential_Pool_6025
“Nonstop 45+ hour weeks since October 2019, then April, all gone… which isn't the most reassuring, but enough to keep at 40 hours a week.” – u/SonOfDirtFarmer
How CAM Assist helps shops stay resilient
As demand ebbs and flows, one constant is clear: efficiency matters more than ever. Whether you’re slammed or slow, CloudNC’s CAM Assist can help your shop respond faster, work smarter, and stay competitive in uncertain times.
- Faster quoting
When RFQs spike, CAM Assist lets you respond in minutes - not hours or days - by generating initial toolpaths for 3-axis prismatic parts with AI. That means you can quote faster, win more work, and stay ahead of the rush.
- Boosted productivity
Shops often face uneven workloads, and that makes it critical to do more with the staff you have. CAM Assist reduces programming time, letting your team focus on value-added work and meet deadlines with less stress.
- Upskilling without overhead
In slow periods, CAM Assist becomes a training tool - empowering junior programmers to learn from AI-generated toolpaths and build confidence quickly. In busy times, it acts like a digital teammate - speeding up seasoned pros without sacrificing quality.
Final thoughts
Reddit’s machining community has once again delivered something you won’t get from economic models: the real feel of the market. From record-breaking months to widespread uncertainty, the picture is far from uniform. But one thing is clear - agility, responsiveness, and smart tooling decisions are what will separate the survivors from the stragglers.
Want to stay ahead of the next shift?
👉 Explore CAM Assist and see how AI can help you quote faster, program smarter, and deliver more—no matter what the market throws your way.
