Reminds me of Shop Class as Soulcraft: An Inquiry into the Value of Work - where the author repairs broken motorcycles, and sometimes ends up spending more time than expected (without charging extra to the client) because he cared. A lovely book that is worth a read.

https://www.amazon.com/Shop-Class-Soulcraft-Inquiry-Value/dp...

I can't find the name of it, but I read a book a while back that discussed just this - the author had been an extremely successful intellectual, but quit to run a motorcycle repair shop. He found that the "big" work was absolutely unrewarding due to no real tangible feedback - he never knew if he was doing well, and had no payoff, but repairing a motorcycle is something that is extremely tangible and rewarding in that you can see the results of your effort.

Edit: Found it.

https://www.amazon.ca/Shop-Class-Soulcraft-Inquiry-Value/dp/...

I see someone already mentioned his name (Matthew Crawford) below.

For those who enjoyed "ZenATAOMM", I found another in a similar vein: "Shop Class as Soulcraft: An Inquiry into the Value of Work"

"...author Matthew B. Crawford questions the educational imperative of turning everyone into a "knowledge worker," based on a misguided separation of thinking from doing. Using his own experience as an electrician and mechanic, Crawford presents a wonderfully articulated call for self-reliance and a moving reflection on how we can live concretely in an ever more abstract world."

https://www.amazon.com/Shop-Class-Soulcraft-Inquiry-Value/dp...

Crawford is touching the subject in http://www.amazon.com/Shop-Class-Soulcraft-Inquiry-Value/dp/...

I enjoyed reading that book and it relates to the topic.

I remember reading that 'industrial arts' were trashed in favour of computers and to prepare for the coming of the 'information era'.