I don't have any skin in this game either but read this with a lot of interest. I agree with Renegade 100%. Why is one who has arguably defrauded a bunch of folks out of lots of dough (TEN grand!!!) gets so much sympathy? How much did, eh, someone else, hmmm, walk away with to get dog-piled? Not a dime as far as I can tell. That amount makes it felony fraud if it ends up that way not to mention that fact that the money came from within his own community.
Granted some of you know and like Ian and no doubt know a lot more than the rest of us about the 'situation'. Since you're good, and obviously honest guys (more or less :butcher: ), and are counciling for restraint, I can see allowing some more patience but one note and no other feedback is not exactly reassuring.
Rather than making excuses and asking for more patience, he should make, then meet, a commitment to either refund the cash for cough up the product. Nothing else is acceptable. I've purchased from him before and would like to again but that depands on how this gets worked out.