Earlier, Brian Sponcil wrote:

...I recall the builders telling me that
their RV kits have around 10,000 rivets.
Compared to a Piper Comanche at 3,714
and a Warrior at 1,785 that's a heck
of a lot of rivets.

I've seen various RVs, Cherokees, and Comanches. I've kitted rivets for
HP-series sailplane kits. And I just plain do not belive those numbers
for the Warrior and Comanche. Not for relatively conventional riveted
aluminum airplanes with few composite components and no metal-to-metal
bonding. Until it's demonstrated otherwise, I propose that someone has
cooked the books on this one to make for a good story.

Consider the Warrior wing: Let's guess that the rib spacing is a
relatively lean 12" OC. Let's guess that the rivet spacing is an
equally lean 2". The span of the metal stuff (minus fiberglass tips) is
probably about 32". Taking the fuselage out probably leaves room for at
least 14 ribs on a side. The wing area of 170 ft^2 over the span of 35'
yields an average chord of about 58". Since the skins are riveted top
and bottom, I think that there are going to be about 58 rivets per wing
rib. So that yields at least 58*30 skin-to-rib rivets, and that's 1740.

Admittedly, that's a pretty rough estimate, and disregards the
(probably negative) contribution of the flaps and ailerons to the rivet
count. But it's a start. When you factor in the rivets between the spar
and the skin, between the ribs and the spars, and for the many
inspection panel rings, stringers, and other local additions, you see
you can easily exceed the stated rivet count for the wings alone. And
you've still got an entire fuselage and set of tail surfaces to go. And
also the extremely close-pitched rivets around the baseball-stitched
fuel tanks, and other miscellanea.

I'll change my mind if, when I next see a warrior, I see fewer than 28
wing ribs or greater rivet spacing than 2". But until then, I'm not
convinced.
Thanks, and best regards to all

Bob K.
http://www.hpaircraft.com