The writer of this post discusses their acquisition of an Australian hand plane, named the Turner no 4 smoothing plane, on an online auction site. They acknowledge that the plane might not impress everyone due to its plastic handles and an aluminium frog but notes that the plane is also fitted with an Erik Anton Berg cutter specifically made for the Turner tool company. The plane was purchased from an Englishman who believes his father must have bought it when he worked in Australia, but it hasn’t been used for a long time. There some evidence of shallow pitting and rust on the handle bolts, and it is believed that the plane had been stored away improperly. The writer appraises the plane and notes its solid construction, commenting on the celluloid acetate handles which feel good in their hands. They also note the addition of an ingenious invention that prevents the front knob from rotating and over-tightening. The Turner plane, despite its plastic handles and aluminium frog, is the heaviest of the planes tested, weighing in at 1750 grams compared to the MF no 9’s 1680 grams and Stanly no 4’s 1610 grams. The writer concludes that, although they have yet to give the plane a proper resharpening and test it thoroughly, it feels promising.
Posted by Finnberg68 on 2013-10-30 21:42:02