Just passed 500 board repairs in my home shop, never expected to hit that number

I started fixing phones and consoles in my garage two years ago for some extra cash, and yesterday I counted my logged jobs to find 513 completed board repairs. That number floored me because I honestly thought I'd quit after the first 50 when a bad microsolder job ruined a customer's iPhone 7. Has anyone else tracked their repair count and felt surprised by the milestone?

3 comments

3 Comments

simonlee13d ago

That 513 number is a reminder of how persistence outlasts perfection. I've noticed the same thing with my guitar playing (I hit 1000 hours of practice last month). The first 100 hours were brutal and I almost quit, but the next 900 just sort of happened because I kept showing up. Funny how that works with any skill.

bell.jessica13d ago

Oh man, I gotta disagree with you on framing that messed up phone as a trophy. @simonlee's point about persistence is solid, but that first wrecked board isn't something to celebrate, it's a reminder of what happens when you rush. I'd rather keep that thing hidden in a drawer somewhere so it keeps me humble instead of hanging it up like a badge of honor.

thomas.river13d ago

500 repairs is wild, especially after that iPhone 7 disaster. I bet that first botched job felt like the end of the world, but you just kept melting solder anyway. Now you're probably dreaming about trace repairs and doing them in your sleep. I'd say you've earned the right to frame that phone and hang it on the wall as a trophy. Just don't let it trick you into thinking you're hot stuff, the next board will humble you fast.