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Trouble at Changsha Sculpture Festival

Michael Binkley sculptor in Stone changsha sculpture festival
Murphy’s Law is ubiquitous. On October 6, my work horse air hammer made a strange popping sound at about 3 pm and while sounding in working order, was ineffective with the chisel.

What to do when a precision American pneumatic tool in on the fritz in Changsha, China?

The logical step is to try to repair it. First step is to take apart the hammer to see if something is broken inside. Unfortunately, the tools available here are limited and antique. After a day of attempts at the field, I was taken to our host sculptor’s studio, ostensibly to use better tools and equipment.

Well, after destroying almost every available tool at the studio, a propane torch’s heat finally opened the seized hammer end! I discovered that the drive piston is broken in two. It is the part pictured at bottom.

Now I will attempt to get a new part from Vermont, USA. This part is a precision piece, special steel and special temper. It would take weeks to find a manufacturer to duplicate it here in China.

I desperately need this tool to finish my sculpture!