Binkley Back in Business in Changsha, China

After a week of frustration trying to find a solution to my broken air hammer, I came to grips with the situation. Last Sunday morning, the German sculptor, Jorg Plickat lead a “field trip” to a local industrial tool neighbourhood and I found a pneumatic impact gun that is a suitable alternative for me. I will use it until Michelle comes to Changsha next week with the proper replacement hammer. I tried altering my bushing chisels to fit the gun, but learned that the chisel shanks are tempered at the surface. When I ground down the shanks, they broke after a few hours of use. I had the crew weld a fitted steel shank to one of my full bushing chisels and it is holding up fine.

I’ve made progress around the sculpture, completing the male figure’s head and arms and tidied up the female’s face and left side hair.

I plan to finish the upper portions of the sculpture in the next few days, then work on the lower half for the remainder of the Festival without the need for high scaffolding.