FAQs

 

General FAQ

Q: Can I order VAT-free?

A: Yes you can!

Our webshop will not add VAT, if you’re ordering from outside of the EU.
In case you’re ordering from inside the EU,
you will need to provide your VAT-number during checkout.
Orders from within Germany will always have VAT added.

Q: What about used panels and trade-in programs?

A: We are open for negotiations on trade-in deals, but it very much depends on a case-by-case basis. At this point, we are primarily interested in CP100 and CP200 panels.

Black Metal Rings FAQ

Q: How are those metal rings made?

A: The process is pretty simple: A cylinder of raw aluminium is being put on a lathe and that does 90% of the job in terms of creating the shape of the rings. After that, the 4 sockets on the bottom side are being carved out by a 6-axis CNC machine. Next step is to powder coat the rings. Powder coating gives a decent look, while providing enough grip to slip off the rings.
This is a very solid and sustainable way of coloring the rings – the big advantage is, that it won’t wear off the rings.
The last step is to put in the Neodym magnets, that will hold the ring on the Element’s ball bearing.

Q: What material are the rings made of?

A: They are made out of aluminium – that makes them not only look nice, but also very sustainable. We do hope that this is the last set of rings you will ever buy for your Element panels.

Q: What are the advantages of your rings vs. the original rings?

A: 1) The first and most obvious advantage is: They are made out of aluminium. This gives them a precise momentum over the original plastic rings.
2) They are powder coated with a fine structure finish, so they will never wear off like the original plastic rings.
3) They actually sit better on the Element bearings than the original rings and do not wiggle back and forth.
4) The outer flank of the ring is shaped less vertical but more like a cone, making it easier to operate, if you want to grab the ring from above with all 5 fingers.
5) The overall surface of the ring is slightly higher than the original rings. If you do the “phone dial” movement with one finger, you are less likely
to touch the ball when the finger is at the 12 o’clock position.
6) The rings have a top plateau to rest the finger on (similar to the original Element rings), but they fall off to the middle to reveal more of the ball.
This enables anybody who is used to the original Element rings to use ours the same way. At the same time it makes it easier to adapt for colorists
coming from other control surfaces, such as the Blackmagic, or Filmlight panels.
7) The last one is very difficult to describe: With our rings, the whole setup feels much more precise and higher quality. Makes grading much more enjoyable. You will know once our rings will click into your panel the first time 😉 .

Element Panel Refurbish FAQ

Q: Why would I want to have my panel refurbished?

A: If you have used your Element panel over a couple of years, you will have noticed that the soft coating is either fairly worn down by now, or has even become sticky. When refurbishing your panel, we strip the remains of this soft coating and then powder coat the panel with a fine-structured deep black matte finish, that will never wear off again. Optionally, you can book a knob replacement for the Element Kb panel as well, and we’ll replace the original knobs with our own custom rubberized ones.
Your panels will look and feel better than new, once you receive them back!

Q: How long do I have to live without my panel?

A: That mainly depends on shipping times. Once we have the panels here, it will take 1-2 days to do the job.
The panels are then sent back (likely via UPS), which takes between 2 and 5 days to deliver – depending on which corner of the world we have to send it to.

Q: How to package my panel?

A: Ideally you would package the panels in their original boxes, which provide the best protection. Please note that we are not responsible for damages in shipping to us – so make absolutely sure the panels are packaged safe and secure! Ship the panels without accessories, cables and trackerballs. Just leave the plastic rings on the ball bearings – they serve as protection against dust during shipping.

Most importantly: Do not just ship the panel to us  – we will contact you after the purchase, as we might need to schedule the job, to make sure you don’t have to live without your panel any longer than necessary. After shipping, it’d be great if you could let us know any tracking number, if you have. For panels coming from outside the EU, please also contact us before buying the refurbish from the webstore, as there is some customs paperwork (and hence possible additional cost) involved.

Q: Are there cost efficient options to ship my panel to you?

A: Yes, there are. For the EU we ourselves use Packlink.com.
In other corners of the planet you can use services like Eurosender, or Parcelmonkey.

All of them offer shipping with the major parcel services, such as UPS, FedEx, TNT, GLS and DHL and are usually much more cost efficient than booking directly with the corresponding parcel company. We do recommend to ship with the bigger parcel companies, since they usually have their own fleet across the globe and tracking allows you to always know where the package is, which is not the case with regional postal services. Please note that we are not responsible for a package being lost by the parcel company during shipping it to us.

Q: What is the process?

A: Pretty straight forward:
Once we receive the panel, we check it on pre-existing conditions and faults.
Note, that our service does not cover pre-existing damages to the metal casing, mechanical faults, or electronics and connectors.
Next, we take apart the panel completely and strip the soft coating off the fascias to have them powder coated again.
Then we put everything back together and upon receiving full payment will send the panels back to you and provide you with the tracking number.