This is a Frequent Question about getting the plans, the download, and saving plans after placing an order. I just bought the plans, now where are they?
We’re here to help! If you are not yet able to get the plans after your purchase, definitely, read this.
There are many variations of this question like:
- I ordered some plans, but when will I get them?
- Where are the Plans I ordered?
- When I try to download, it says “No Downloads Remaining”. How do I get the plans?
- The page says “Link Expired”. Now What?
We agree, getting the plans is a big deal. After all, you ordered them, you paid for them, and we promised to have them ready for you immediately after payment. So, where are the plans?
Below are several ways to answer these questions depending on your situation. Read below. We value our customers, so we take care of things one way or another.
I Ordered Plans, But They Did Not Come!
It is common at other places to get “Mail Order” plans. You order them, then wait 2 weeks while they print, then ship them. That’s not what we do.
At Mechanical Elements, we love technology that allows you to have the plans in your hand (on you computer) in just a few minutes. No need to wait for the mail, especially if you live outside the USA. And, no reason to pay Shipping and Handling, because internet delivery is free.
If you order plans thinking they will come in the mail, we are terribly sorry. We have notices on every product page and buttons to say things about the plans download. We understand that some ideas die hard, because we have overlooked similar things too. I’m sorry that happened, but there is good news. You can still get them! Read on below.
I Can’t Find The Plans Download Link
Plans are available to download (save to your computer) immediately after payment using a link on the Order Received page. The image below is a partial screen shot of the page after payment. If the system did not display this, don’t worry, because we have more ways to help. (Read more below.)
Clicking on the “Product” name (blue text) will take you to the product page. Clicking on the box in the “Download” column (white text) will start the download. (Kind of looks like a button.)
If for whatever reason you didn’t get to this page after payment, or if the link didn’t work, or the page closed, or if you missed it, or whatever — don’t worry. Here are some more ways to download the plans.
- There is Download Link in the email receipt. Click on the title of the plans, and it will start the plans download.
- As a third option, please Login to your Account and find all your downloads.
By default, for security, the server allows 3 download attempts in the next 7 days. If either of these expire, then you will get an error message. But don’t worry. We are here to help.
I’m Getting A Plans Download Error !!
Sometimes error messages appear when attempting a plans download. While an error message is annoying, it does NOT mean you caused a problem. It means something is not working right, or we’ve hit a limit. We just need to know which one. Here are the 2 most common errors and what they mean.
No More Downloads
If the message says no downloads are available, then the system thinks 3 attempts have already been made. It means the link is tapped or clicked 3 times. It’s easy to do. You click the link, and nothing appears to happen, so you click it again. In the background your devise is trying to download it, or there is some latency in the loop. Since you still don’t see the plans, the reasons don’t really matter. Let’s just get it solved!
Solution
The file is probably on your computer or phone already in the downloads folder (directory). Actually, you may have 3 copies.
Because there are so many ways to setup a computer, I can’t say exactly where the downloads folder is. However, if your computer (or phone) did not ask where to save the file, it means you have a downloads folder where it puts things automatically. Find that folder, and you will probably find the plans.
For more information about where to find that directory, do a Google search like “Where is my downloads folder?” or “How to find download files on iMac?” Make sure you specify the devise, the operating system and the version. Example: Windows, Mac, Android or Linux. Each of these has their way of saving downloads.
Time is Expired / Link is Expired
If the message says time is expired (or something like that), then it is more than 7 days from the time of purchase. The download links expire after 7 days, so it gives you time to download. However, for security reasons the links do go away after a week.
Solution
If you tried to download earlier, the plans might already be on your computer. See the section above. If not, then Contact Us. We can reset it manually. We don’t have an issue helping you out with that. (Please be patient if we are not in the office at that moment. We’ll help you soon.)
Phones Versus Desktop (or Laptop)
For what it’s worth, personal devises like phones or tablets do work to download the plans, but they can be tricky sometimes. If you are not super tech savvy with your personal devise, we recommend using a computer to download the plans. The primary issues are: 1) slow response so you don’t think things are working; then 2) finding the files after download. Phones are not as transparent about where they save.
As a point of reference, if you do have trouble finding or printing plans, try a desktop computer. We do get a lot more calls from people having trouble with phones, especially iPhones for whatever reason. If you do have some difficulty, and if it’s an option for you, computers handle the job of downloading plans more smoothly.
When Nothing Else Works
Again, links expire in 7 days and the system will give you 3 attempts to download. If you are outside this window, or if you are still having trouble finding the plans, just contact us. We’re happy to help. (Again, please be patient if we are not able to help immediately.)
We’re here to help you do great things with DIY — including getting the plans download. There are always ways to download the plans. Let us know, and we’ll help figure something out.
Thank you again for being a customer. Please don’t stress over a plans download that did not happen as expected. One way or another, we’ll get you the plans.
After You Download The Plans
There’s more! For help getting into the plans after download, please read this article too. It also talks about printing. We wish you the Best of Luck with your build, and in all your DIY projects.
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