Actually half of the very best Engineers that worked on the space program were doers and not writers. Can you name even one writing by Howard Hughes, Ford of Ford motors. Most Technical white papers are edited by an office girl to make it understandable by the general public. Carl Sagan was an excellent writer, but a Mass plaguerist and not an actual doer. But without him, any people who did fantastic feats of Engineering and design breakthroughs would be unknown. Some of the most state of the art Microwave research was done in laboratories you had to scoop shovel your way through. Some of the finest environmental systems for space and the food stuffs were conceived in shabby filthy garages in Southern and Northern California. Just keep in mind the shoemakers children have no shoes. I once worked with a fellow that was so touchy about everything being perfect that he didn't bother to learn the basic practical sciences. He had book learning and could not tie his own shoes. Some fellows by the name of Harold Lord, Nicola Testla, Robert Froelich were the sloppiest bastards you could ever want to meet. But they all made huge break throughs.. Look-em up. ;-) Ever hear of Lawrence/Livermore labs.. Years back they were pits that looked like dumpsites.
And why is Home.Repair crossposted here?