My friends, colleagues, makers. The time has come. A 5 year plan has ran its course. I am leaving the maker world for a bit transferring ownership of all communities, business etc…
I will dearly miss all of you and will check in from time to time. There are so many great memories of almost every person in this group, whether it be a late night call to help you get something going or seeing all the amazing concepts turned into reality.
A special thanks to @Eclsnowman who I do not think the businesses would have been at the level they are now without his great advice and inspiration.
@Jack_Daugherty I am handing the Ox community to you. You have posted makes, and have the same dream for the community I did, sharing.
Thank you again to all for the support and great conversations. Keep making guys and hope all your concepts become amazing realities.
Brandon! Ah man I’m really bummed to see this. You have been such a great part of this community and a Pinnacle to the entrepreneur spirit and creativity of Makers! Thank you for all the support and great things you have done for us. I wish you the best my friend. If you ever decide to get back in the inspection business let me know, I’ll do whatever I can to help
Sorry to hear @Brandon_Satterfield . It was good meeting you in person at your place when you first started out. Cheers to your future ventures.
Good luck in your next adventure! Thank you for the opportunities you’ve given me personally. I enjoyed working with you and will do my best to pay-it-forward. If you ever need anything from my realm of experience, don’t hesitate to let me know! Thanks man!
We’ll certainly miss you buddy! I hope everything at home is okay. Thanks for all the help and encouragement!!!
Sorry your leaving. I Hope and pray everything goes well for you. Keep in touch.
Brandon it’s been a pleasure talking with you. Hope everything works out for the best in your future endeavors. Let me know if I can help.
Brandon, I suppose you need to do whatever is best for YOU. I’m sure you’ll turn that whatever into something great. It has been a true honor to get to talk with you, and learn a bit from you. You will be missed.
I will do my best to carry the torch here, although I’ll never be able to fill your shoes. I hope you find success in your future.
BTW… Feel free to send me any leftover, unwanted inventory you have laying around. I break a lot of stuff! Haha. Take care.
Brandon,
I’m curious, but you certainly don’t have to reply: I take it you’ve begun multiple businesses before, and viewing some of your profile it looks like a family and ranch, so, multiple responsibilities. Running a business the right way requires a whole lot of time and hours dedicated to it that might otherwise be spent with them. From all indications I would assume the business has been at least moderately successful, if not more. Am I correct to assume this was more a personal decision rather than a business decision, or a little of both? Of course, someone could have come along and given you an offer that you couldn’t refuse for the business, and you decided to sell. I think I’d done the same. But the main reason for the question is to assess the general market in the industry. Since beginning my CNC experience, I’ve had almost an overload of ideas about how to use it to generate income. Originally, I wanted, similarly to you, to assist others to build and run their own CNCs, but I don’t think I have enough $$$ to invest to make that as successful as focusing more on a defined niche, considering the huge growth in the industry. Also, signage work appears to have grown quite competitive. Right now, I’m looking at DIY crown moldings, cornices, valences, corbels, columns, mantles, wainscoting, etc to see if I’m very good at that. I’m just curious about the current state of hobby CNC industry and if there’s something I’m missing. Anyway, I hope you get the opportunity to spend considerable family time together. I hope everyone is doing well! Later Buddy!
@Matt_Herrera actually looking like we will be around your home base in December, will look you up if you’ve made it back from paradise by then. 
@Jack_Daugherty thanks brother. There is a lot of inventory to deal with will figure out what to do with it soon and let you guys know.
Thank you all. To ease concern it thankfully is not a ill circumstance that leads to this, family wise.
This is something that unfortunately has come due to a number of circumstances in this industry.
Tariffs, suppliers offering the same product line, increased labor cost, I could continue to fight but unfortunately there is simply not enough guys like this group that like to make.
Generations of guys like us are getting older, our kids and grandkids live in an amazon world. Why make it when you can just order it and it will be sitting on the porch tomorrow. Craftsmen are getting fewer in all industries, a welder now can make as much as a portfolio manager and can actually be harder to find.
My plans are always 5 year. The business was no different. It has ran its course and I was beyond blessed to meet each and every one of you.
Thank you very much for the insight. I’m glad things are okay at home and yes, I understand that this industry is rapidly changing. It’s impossible to compete with the internet giants; however, the low cost of all this has made it possible/affordable to do this. Interestingly, I’m no craftsman. I’m a Hack, a technician type. There are a few (craftsmen at the Makerspace and I’m amazed at their work…they do EVERYTHING by hand…even hand planing and chiseling. When I saw that I thought I was back to the 1970s. But the quality of his work and knowledge of his tools and materials are incredible. I tell people I couldn’t draw a straight line if my life depended on it. That’s one reason I got into this CNC stuff. You’ve built quite a reputation in the field. It’s too bad we can’t draw upon the resources of the skills and knowledge of the community to make it more competitive, which is basically what eBay, Amazon, Uber do. I might have overestimated the number of DIYers out there. The thing that I like about the CNCs and 3D printers is that it is automated, so you can (theoretically) enter a design or job and then you can work on something else. I’m sure I’m naive, but I think the number of “makers” will continue to grow. Possibly to the point where it may be less expensive and more convenient to make things than to order many of them. Anyway, thanks again for the input. Peace.
Sad to hear, but thanks for all you have done for our community.
The Maker community won’t be the same without you guys. OpenBuilds wants to thank you so much for your support over the years and we wish you the best with your future endeavours. It was great to know you and we hope that this friendship will continue to grow. All the best, Mark & the OpenBuilds Team