Metal Frames, the Dummy Version

assembling metal picture frames

Some of the freelancers at the old eHow.com were, to be blunt, absolutely shameless. They had to know that they were pumping out utter bull just to pick up a few bucks per post. We mean really: some of the rubbish these people published was patently absurd! The new version of eHow.com (Leaf Group niche sites) seems to be cleaning up some of the litter, especially HomeSteady.com (where we often find that DotD-winning posts have disappeared). but others? not so much. While it's still there, then, let's have a look at Tzvi Raphael and his OurPastimes.com post, "How to Make Metal Picture Frames."¹

As was common in this era of eHow, Raphael submitted a couple of "references" for his instructions. One is for assembling ready-made frame sides like you might find in a craft store; the other is for making a hammered frame from a sheet of metal. Neither has squat to do with the crapalicious "instructions" Raphael pumped out for this, his second appearance on the DotD podium. According to Tzvi, all you need do is,

"Mark the lengths needed for your picture frame on a metal bar. For example, if you need a 7 inch by 12 inch frame, you will mark two 7-inch pieces and two 12-inch pieces."

Even if Raphael had been more forthcoming about this "metal bar" you're supposed to be marking, his measurements wouldn't work anyway: you have to allow for the width of the frame material when calculating dimensions. Idiot!

Of course, Raphael's utter ignorance of metalworking and frame making becomes even more obvious as his tale progresses, including such total bogosity as,

"Cut the required lengths with a circular saw..."

Tzvi, you ignorant fool, even if you were cutting wood you wouldn't use a circular saw for this step! Of course, there's more: when it comes time to assemble your alleged frame, Raphael advises you to,

"Connect the four parts of the frame with metal L corners and matching screws."

Tzvi got this step from a commercial website that sells pre-assembled frames which are, of course, assembled using cunning little L-shaped corner mounts. You can buy the hardware in bulk, by the way, but you sure as hell don't want to follow Raphael's instructions to use them...

Raphael is obviously clueless about the geometry of his so-called "metal bar" and just how all these pieces fit together. Yet our Dumbass of the Day managed to fool a Demand Media "content editor" into believing he knew what he was talking about. Sometimes we wonder who really deserves this award...

¹ The original has been deleted by Leaf Group, but can still be accessed using the Wayback machine at archive.org. Its URL was   ehow.com/how_6927356_make-metal-picture-frames.html

copyright © 2020-2022 scmrak

DDIY - CRAFTS