[mic]

TO ALL THE PREBUY FOLKS , MICHAEL TOOL & MFG HAS BEEN THE ONE MAKING THE PANAMORPH P752 AND WE HAVE MADE A PROTOTYPE OF THE 651 LENES NOTE MICHAEL TOOL & MFG HAS OVER 100 PANAMORPH P752 IN STOCK. SHAWN AT CYGNUS IS ON A C.O.D BASES TILL THE VEREY LARGE BILL IS PAYED .

WE NO THAT SHAWN IS DOING ALL HE CAN DO TO GET MONEY IN FOR THE PREBUY . THINGS WILL WORK ITS SELF OUT IT ,AND SHOUD NOT TAKE VEREY MUCH LONGER BEFORE EVERYONE HAS THE PANAMORPH IN THERE HANDS.


MICHAEL TOOL & MFG

EMAIL ME AT [email protected]

OR FAX 248-553-8345

OR CALL 248-553-8340 NOTE IF YOU CALL PLEASE DO NOT GO IN TO DETAIL ABOUT SHAWN I KNOW ALL ABOUT IT ,AND I HAVE MY OWNE WORK TO DO TO PAY MY BILLS


THANKS DONALD MICHAEL

 

[Jeff Lemke]

This is good. I like rays of hope.


Jeff

 

[DanHouck]

Well, this sure confirms the Panamorph lives but the money is gone. Now what?


Also, the infamous "tkply" has sent me this private message:

Quote:

Hang this Panamorph situation on AVS? You should ask Alan Gouger how much money he made off the Panamorph. You might be surprised at what you find. There's people out there painting both sides of the fence. Does this concern anybody? It does me.

Who the heck is this guy and what's his angle?


Dan

 

[Jeffrey]

Thanks Mic!

 

[Tom Strade]

I'm not sure what his "angle is, but I can tell you that he has lost thousands given previous and recent refunds. I can assure you that Shawn has not refunded him either.

 

[DanHouck]

So obviously you know who he is and I am guessing he is hooked up somehow with ViSR and/or Cygnus.


Which leaves the question, where has our money gone?


Alan G., your comment on the "tkply" message above would be appreciated.


Dan

 

[Tom Strade]

Actually, I really don't know who he is. I was just trying to set things straight before any crazy assertions emerged that Alan made so much as a penny off of this. If you find out who it is please PM me and do tell!

 

[Jeff Lemke]

I assume these are not fully assembled "ready to go" panamorphs. Correct?


Jeff

 

[DanHouck]

He says he has them "in stock". I interpret this to mean they are ready to go.


I'll email him and ask this question.


Dan

 

[Jonmx]

I wonder how much he would sell me one for????

 

[DanHouck]

I got a reply to my emal to the manufacturer asking how many Panamorphs are assembled:

Quote:

ONLY 20 ARE READY TO SHIP 100 P752 HAVE BEEN MACHINED AND ALL THE HARDWARE IS IN MICHAEL TOOLS PLANT. I HAVE STOPPED THE ASSEMBLY TO DO OTHER COPIES WORK,

Dan

 

[mic]

MICHAEL TOOL CAN NOT SELL THE PANAMORPH TO ANYONE AT THIS TIME. MICHAEL TOOL ONLY HAS A PURCHASE ORDER FROM

CYGNUS. THAT MEANS IF CYGNUS DOES NOT PAY MICHAEL TOOL BUY THE FRIST OF THE YEAR THEN THAT IS THE TIME I WILL SELL THE P752 AND ONLY AT THAT TIME.THERE IS 100 MACHINED P752

IN STOCK AND THE HARDWARE, THERE IS 20 P752 READY FOR SHIPPING AFTER CYGNUS PAYS THE C.O.D FOR THE PARTS.

MICHAEL TOOL WILL THEN ASSEMBLY THE NEXT BATCH FOR SAIL.

ASSEMBLY DOES NOT TAKE VERE LONG. NOTE CYGNUS HAS PAYED

FOR THE GLASS AND ALL THE HARDWARE THE GOES INTO ASSEMBLY OF THE P752 SO PLEASE HOLD ALL EMAILS TO MICHAEL

TOOL ABOUT THE BUYING OF THE PANAMORPH IF THERE IS ANY CONCERN ABOUT MONEY I AM OUT ALOT MORE THEN ANYONE ,SO

PLEASE HOLD ON, FOR THINGS ARE LOOKING UP AND WILL HAPPEN REAL SOON.


THANKS DONALD MICHAEL PRESS MICHAEL TOOL & MFG

 

[DanHouck]

Thanks, Michael, you've been a good sport and a real help here. Unlike the folks who have our money and haven't shipped our Panamorphs, which we now know are sitting in your shop, not paid for.


Let's all respect Michael's request and turn the focus back on the folks who are responsible for this situation and thus far have refused to enter into a negotiation, instead of a dictation, about how to solve this problem.


Dan

 

[David Wallis]

Guys just a suggestion but why not use Michael as the middle man. I think Shawns drama is obviously money and he sold the Panamorph for far too low a cost. I would look at Dougs suggestion and let Jeff talk to Shawn about what it would take to get this back moving. Jeff can then report the situation and Michael can be the middle man since he has the Panamorphs and owns them till Shawn pays.

Just a thought from a bystander sitting on the side.


DavidW

 

[brian_vh]

This is the most optimistic post I've read in a long time! I feel somewhat relieved - why couldn't Shawn have posted this information?


Thanks for the post Michael Tool.


Brian

 

[DanHouck]

David, while I appreciate your suggestion and the spirit in which it is offered, let's do the math here. Maybe 20% of the pre-buys have been delivered, which means 80 percent of the money is gone with no produce delivered and there's a big bill at the manufacturer as well.


Now if you apply the same math to estimating the "cost" Cygnus has incurred, it would suggest a figure in the thousands of dollars per lens. So the willingness of some, not all, of us to chip in a few hundred more dollars would appear to be miles off because Cygnus has dug themselves in a very deep hole.


I think that is why they are hiding out and refusing to talk. The money's gone and they haven't even paid this poor guy (Michael) for the work he's done. I wouldn't be a bit surprised to learn the lenses that have already shipped haven't been paid for. If true, this means the money was gone before the FIRST Panamorph was made.


How do you negotiate with people who operate like this?


Dan

 

[theprophe]

I think all people really wanted to hear was the truth from Mr.Kelly, at least then they might have accepted this a little more. I think everyone appreciates Michael Tool posting and telling us what's really happening

 

[Grant Smyth]

I just talked to Don at Michael Tool and MFG. He was very nice and gave me some of the background to this whole unfortunate affaire.


Well, it looks like Shawn has another investor(s) interested and has been given two weeks maximum to "make" things happen. I suggest we wait for two weeks. If things do not go well then we may have no choice but to enter into negotiations with Michael Tool and Mfg. to repurchase our lenses, that is, if you still want one!


In fairness to Shawn, and I may be crucified for this, I think he was a victim of circumstances and had absolutely no improper motives. I was told that a large investor (and you know who) left him high and dry (there's probably another side to that story). In all fairness Shawn has never blamed others for his problems (that I am aware of anyway). From my conversation with Don it became apparent that Shawn has been trying like crazy to keep this thing going and fulfill his committments! That's not to say he hasn't made some serious erors in judgement (like were did all the money from the preorders go?), but one thing I do know is that assigning blame will take us nowhere. What's the expression? The road to hell is paved with good intentions.


So, the two week countdown has begun! I am keeping my fingers crossed.


Cheers,


Grant

 

[JoeFloyd]

The situation is pretty much just as Shawn had described it in his last posting. It seems clear that Don is on the hook for a hell of a lot more money the any of us, has a direct relationship with Cygnus and Shawn, knows more of the behind the scenes details, and still thinks the situation is salvageable. My point is that not everyone thinks the sky is falling.

 

[mflaster]

Quote:

Originally posted by DanHouck Maybe 20% of the pre-buys have been delivered, which means 80 percent of the money is gone with no produce delivered and there's a big bill at the manufacturer as well. Now if you apply the same math to estimating the "cost" Cygnus has incurred, it would suggest a figure in the thousands of dollars per lens. So the willingness of some, not all, of us to chip in a few hundred more dollars would appear to be miles off because Cygnus has dug themselves in a very deep hole.

I agree with you that part of the money owed Michael Tool might be for lenses that have already shipped. But I only think it's for the assemblage, it's not for parts. After all, Don said:
Quote:

NOTE CYGNUS HAS PAYED FOR THE GLASS AND ALL THE HARDWARE THE GOES INTO ASSEMBLY OF THE P752

Another way of looking at it, I can't imagine that Michael Tool would spot Shawn a huge line of credit. Personally, I would guess maybe $10k - $20k (I got that by multiplying $100-$200 by 100 lenses). ? That seems too small though - is it really that hard to find someone to invest that little money?


Mike