Hit 10,000 rivets installed last Thursday without noticing

I keep a little tally in my toolbox drawer for each aircraft I work on. Last Thursday I looked at it and saw I crossed 10,000 rivets. That number surprised me because I never set out to track it, I just did it out of habit. It matters because each one had to be perfect or I'd be drilling it out later. A single bad rivet can cause a fatigue crack down the line. Has anyone else had a random milestone creep up on them like that?

2 comments

2 Comments

wyatt_ross271mo ago

Counting rivets is a weird flex honestly. You're tracking something that doesn't actually prove quality, just quantity. A guy who rushes through 10,000 rivets might have left half of them loose or crooked but nobody checks after the tally is written down. That number in your drawer is just a pat on the back for doing the bare minimum. Real craftsmanship isn't about counting, it's about consistency and nobody sees that number on the inspection report.

anthony_fox901mo ago

@wyatt_ross27 I just started keeping a simple tally in my pocket and it helped me focus on my pace without obsessing over the number.