How Dummies Make a Microwave Cabinet

Maybe this is what Mike meant?

Along about 2013, the stable of freelancer "contributors" who pounded out content for eHow.com were commanded to provide "real" references for their material. We don't know for certain. but we suspect  that the reason was that too many of them had been caught faking it, and the chief Demanders were concerned that their site was getting a bad reputation.¹ We have no doubt, based on the "work" done by nominee Michael Straessle in his post "How to Build a Microwave Wall Cabinet," which appears these days at HomeSteady.com.

As was common for eHow freelancers, Straessle cribbed some plans at an undisclosed location and then cited two "references," neither of which had any such plans: one was a website for a book, the other for a company that sells cabinet plans. To make matters worse, Straessle's cribbing job left... something to be desired. Here's why:

Straessle wanted his readers to build a rectangular box with ¾-inch plywood by gluing and securing "with... 8d finish nails." A 2½-inch nail? for a cabinet? Why not cut rabbets, Mike? And then you slap on a sheet of ¼-inch plywood and nail it on with 3d nails... 1½ inches long. Mike, Mike, Mike: you don't nail plywood...
What's more interesting is Mike's idea for adding a face frame:

"Drill pilot holes around the perimeter of the frames to enable a secure fit on the cabinets. Apply a bead of glue on the exposed edges of the cabinets, place the frames on them and secure them to the cabinets with the 8d finish nails."

Not only is the moron still trying to nail plywood, he's also leaving exposed nail heads on the face of the frame. How... attractive. Even more attractive is our realization that Mike's plans make a 24-inch wide box, but his face frame is only 23 inches wide²: mondo attractive!

Most curious, however, is that Mike's overall plan: according to Straessle, the plans call for two boxes 24 inches long sitting on top of one another; one 15" (or so) deep, the second 11 inches (or so) deep. Oh, yeah, and it's supposed to be a wall cabinet: how do you mount this cabinet on the wall?
It's a shame our Dumbass of the Day didn't cite the actual source of the plans he plagiarized, 'cause then we'd know what he heck he was building!

¹ Sorry, Demand Media Studios, it was already too late...
² Do the math: a 20-inch piece sandwiched between two 1-by-2s...

copyright © 2020-2021 scmrak

DDIY - CABINETS