Comments on: These “farmer tools” greatly simplified Ford’s machining operations

By: Isegoria

Isegoria — Fri, 05 Sep 2025 21:00:28 +0000

Yes, if you search for Roy Dunlap, you’ll find that we discussed his book Ordnance Went Up Front quite a bit, starting with The rifleman who went to war — to fix ‘em:

It’s an odd mix of lighthearted stories about Dunlap’s time in World War 2 and dry details about the weapons fielded by both sides in both theaters.

By: Bruce

Bruce — Fri, 05 Sep 2025 19:50:08 +0000

Gailkoku, yes, that’s the one. There was a thread on it here a few years back.

By: Gaikokumaniakku

Gaikokumaniakku — Fri, 05 Sep 2025 02:28:07 +0000

Bruce, I am interested in Roy Dunlap’s story but I don’t know it. Is this book link relevant?

https://dokumen.pub/ordnance-went-up-front.html

Manufacturing supply chains are theoretically of great interest to me but I seldom yap about them because I suspect most readers of this blog know much more than I do. But if anyone can tell me, I would be honored to learn from you.

By: Mike M.

Mike M. — Thu, 04 Sep 2025 18:23:16 +0000

The early Ford system is eerily reminiscent of the Toyota Production System. What is old is now new again.

By: Bruce

Bruce — Wed, 03 Sep 2025 02:27:53 +0000

Parts “all exactly alike.”

Some allowance must be made for salesman’s puffery. Firearm parts “exactly alike” were claimed since the 1790s, but Roy Dunlap reported searching through bags of parts for one close enough to hammer and file.

Maybe the simplest internal combustion engines need the least precision.

Maybe there’s less salesman’s puffery in cars than in guns.