• About
  • Mortgage Basics
  • $40K Challenge
  • Aunt Doris
  • Grandfather Says
  • Privacy
  • Archives

Len Penzo dot Com

The offbeat personal finance blog for responsible people.

Grandfather Says: A Lesson on the Benefits of Working Smartly

By RD Blakeslee

Grandfather says he has some experience working hard and working smart.

In 1949, he worked for the Ford Motor Company on the 8N farm tractor assembly line. The 8N had a transmission cover that a hoist operator lowered onto the transmission as the tractor moved along the line. It was Grandfather’s job to set pins in the transmission bolt holes to align the cover as it was lowered, then pull the pins out and put approximately a dozen bolts in the holes, where they were tightened with an air wrench by the next assembler down the line. (These days, this is all done by automation.)

The pins and a supply of bolts were in a tray behind Grandfather who, working smartly from his point of view, saw that if he put the pins in his pocket and the bolts on the conveyor chassis below each tractor at the point each bolt was needed as the tractor approached, then he saved enough time to sit down before the next tractor arrived.

So, Ford laid off the man in the workstation before Grandfather’s. That way, Grandfather’s sit-down time could be used for Grandfather to do the laid off man’s job — but modifying it by placing the muffler hanger bolts on the conveyor (Grandfather’s method).

The United Auto Worker’s Union rep didn’t think Grandfather was very smart.

Grandfather guesses he was smart enough to figure out that if you want maximum personal gratification and benefit from hard and smart work, devise a way to be self-employed.

***

About the Author: RD Blakeslee is an octogenarian from West Virginia who built his net worth by only investing in that which can be enjoyed during acquisition and throughout life, as opposed to papers in a drawer, like stocks and bonds. You can read more about him here.

Original oil painting by: Grandfather’s wife

6 Comments August 30, 2017

Comments

  1. 1

    Sam I Am says

    The self-employed (and small businesses) are the backbone of our country, and there’s plenty of people out there who have skills and talent needed to earn a good income. I’m self-employed. I have no college degree. I’m considered an expert in my field and there’s plenty of work for me. I earn six figures. Still, the government needs to get the hell out of our way, and lower taxes.

    Reply
    • 2

      RD Blakeslee says

      Grandfather understands your frustration with government. If you think about it, most of its functions consist of telling us what we cannot do, which oftentimes hampers self-reliant people who don’t need the one-size-fits-all constraints

      Reply
      • 3

        Sam I Am says

        Very true. I enjoy your writing, sir.

        Reply
        • 4

          RD Blakeslee says

          Thank you. For my part, I enjoy hearing from you-all.

Trackbacks

  1. Black Coffee: Drowning In a Sea of Red Ink - Len Penzo dot Com says:
    September 16, 2017 at 4:16 am

    […] reading about RD Blakeslee’s experience working on Ford’s 8N farm tractor assembly line way back in 1949, Barbara R. shared […]

    Reply
  2. Grandfather Says: Remembering Grandfather’s Grandfather – Len Penzo dot Com says:
    December 27, 2018 at 4:15 am

    […] Miller worked with Henry Ford from the earliest days of what became the Ford Motor Company. Mr. Miller was a foundryman, and together they built the foundry which produced the cast iron […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

The Question of the Week:

Should you be allowed to opt out of Social Security?

View Results

Loading ... Loading ...

Recent Posts

  • Black Coffee: Playing a Losing Game
  • Can Scheduling a Spring Tune-Up Save You Money?
  • The High Cost of CBD Oil: Why Is It So Expensive?
  • Understanding Slips and Trips: How Not to Get Caught Out
  • Here’s How Solar Power Can Save You Money
  • 5 Reasons Why Gold Is The Best Metal To Invest In
  • 8 Smart Alternatives to Wasting Your Money on a Lavish Wedding
  • 9 Ways to Use Your Money After the Mortgage is Paid Off
  • Black Coffee: The Ignorant and the Apathetic
  • Understanding Life Insurance: Does a Superhero Like Batman Need It?

Disclaimer

This site is for informational and entertainment purposes only, and the content herein should not be mistaken for professional financial advice. In fact, making investment decisions based on information published here, or any other website for that matter, is more than unwise; it is folly. This website accepts advertising in the form of monetary and other compensation; as such, topics of discussion are occasionally influenced by these advertisers. Sometimes, an article may also include affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, this blog earns a commission if you click through and make a purchase (for example, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases). Remember, you and you alone are responsible for the decisions you make in life, so please contact an independent financial professional for advice regarding your unique personal situation.

Sign up for the weekly Len Penzo dot Com newsletter
Len Penzo dot Com Delivered Weekly
Join more than 30,000 readers and fans who enjoy personal finance and macroeconomics with an offbeat twist!
Invalid email address
Thanks for subscribing!

Popular Now:

  1. 1. The 7 Most Popular Ways to Commit Financial Suicide
  2. 2. 25 Examples of Shrinkflation That No Longer Fool Consumers
  3. 3. The 10 Worst Things I Ever Bought
  4. 4. 7 Perplexing Money Questions Without a Good Answer
  5. 5. My Cola Taste Test: Is Coke Really Better Than Pepsi?
  6. 6. Planning a Wedding? Here Are 9 Ways to Ensure You’ll Pay Too Much
  7. 7. Economic Collapse 101: How to Prepare for Water Supply Disruptions
  8. 8. A Simple Test to Know If It’s Better to Rent or Buy a Home
  9. 9. The Big Secret the Banking Industry Doesn’t Want You to Know
  10. 10. 4 Good Reasons Why Some Quarters Are Painted Red

All-Time Most Popular:

  1. 1. 19 Things Your Suburban Millionaire Neighbor Won’t Tell You
  2. 2. Dear Friend: Here Are 41 Reasons Why I’m NOT Lending You the Money
  3. 3. Why Your Expensive Luxury Car Doesn’t Impress Smart People
  4. 4. If You Can’t Live on $40,000 Annually It’s Your Own Fault
  5. 5. 21 Reasons Why Corner Lots Are for Suckers
  6. 6. 4 Smart Reasons Why College Isn’t for Everyone
  7. 7. 18 Fast Facts About Social Security Numbers
  8. 8. My Ketchup Taste Test: Upset! Guess Which Brand Topped Heinz
  9. 9. Why I Prefer a Spreadsheet to Track Expenses and Manage My Finances
  10. 10. Here’s a Simple Trick for Getting Credit Card Interest Charges Waived

Copyright © 2021 Len Penzo dot Com · All Rights Reserved · Designed by Nuts and Bolts Media

© Len Penzo dot Com 2008–2021