re a Hetchins frame thread:

i agree with you, ch?s.
i think they were okay conceptually. but the execution
rarely was up to the level you'd expect if you were a discerning
frame aficionado. funny, though - these "warts" are part and
parcel of this type of frame's heritage. few folks would talk
about this stuff back in the day - only in hindsight do we
disect all the details in an analytical way.

and

i'm with you chuckie. but not "that" way. not that there's
anything wrong with it. i thought they "were" hand cut.
and i spent endless minutes pondering the math involved
to be able to reach the production numbers they quoted.
flash's 3 parter was a breath of fresh air. i was freeked out
about it for a long time, and my mind was blown too. i don't
like it when my mind is blown. i'm glad - i find it refreshing -
that the "love" for these brands is still there long after the
layers of lore are peeled back.

and

either way you cut it, my take on it is that they were
into production, not art. their lugs and ideas seperated
them fom the builder across the street, but i don't think
they agonized over these things or considered it "cheating"
if technology was used to improve the efficiency.
e-RICHIE with faux lugs