The author of this post is excited to have acquired an Australian-made Turner No. 4 smoothing plane from an online auction. The author notes that they’re a fan of smaller tool makers and was pleased to have won the auction after battling with another buyer. Upon receiving the plane, the author notes that it has plastic handles and a frog made of aluminum. However, they also note that the plane has a well-made body and translucent acetate handles that feel good in their hand. Additionally, the plane has a cutter by Erik Anton Berg, which the author is excited to use in their other metal hand planes.
The author admits that they don’t know much about the Turner tool company but references a blog post by the Village Woodworker in Australia who reviewed the plane positively. The author agrees with the review, saying that the plane is solidly made and the handles bring a smile to their face.
The plane was purchased from an Englishman, who believes their father bought it while working in Australia. The plane shows some signs of wear but hasn’t been used in a while. The author notes some shallow pitting on the sole and cheeks of the plane, as well as rust on the handle bolts and bolt housing. They believe the plane was stored improperly, possibly in an outside shed, and was exposed to varying temperatures and sunlight.
Despite the wear, the handles are intact, and the author plans to add some wax to keep them in good shape. The author also notes a unique addition to the fastening of the front knob, which has a recess in the raised housing on the body to prevent the knob from rotating and the user from overtightening it.
The author has only used the plane briefly on some ash but notes that it feels promising. The cutter has been resharpened but not across its full edge, so the author plans to resharpen it properly before providing a full verdict. The author also compares the weight of the Turner plane to a MF No.9 (Type 2) and a Stanley low knob No.4, finding that the Turner plane is the heaviest of the three, weighing in at 1750 grams.
Posted by Finnberg68 on 2013-10-30 21:42:03