Flying with tools

I purchased a heavy duty Pelican suitcase that is meant for
protecting photography equipment. I pack all tools for workshops
inside. Some things are in cardboard boxes, some in plastic. It
does 

And this works for you? I have wondered if expensive looking
suitcases are a detriment. A friend lost a very expensive piece of
machinery to the TSA. I think it was because it was packed in an
expensive gun case.

I suggest that next time he go to the thrift store and buy the
ugliest thing he can find.

Elaine
http://www.CreativeTextureTools.com
Hard to Find Tools for Metal Clay

Hi Cynthia,

I used to travel with my competition firearms and learned that TSA
will be happy to inspect your shipping container before the flight,
lock it with your own lock (TSA approved locks are available that
are quite unique), and apply a sticker indicating it has been
inspected and approved for transportation. At that point, they take
the container from you and pass it on for handling. Never had a
problem.

The TSA locks contain an electronic code that enables only them (and
you) to unlock the locks, so handlers and anyone else do not have
access to your goodies.

Wayne

Please do report on your experiences since I’ll be flying out there
next month.

Sandi Graves, Beadin’ Up A Storm
Stormcloud Trading Co (Beadstorm)
http://www.beadstorm.com

I used to travel with my competition firearms and learned that TSA
will be happy to inspect your shipping container before the
flight, lock it with your own lock (TSA approved locks are
available that are quite unique), and apply a sticker indicating it
has been inspected and approved for transportation. At that point,
they take the container from you and pass it on for handling. Never
had a problem. 

This must vary with different airports, and has changed over time.
In the couple of years post 9/11 when they were sorting out how to do
these inspections, they would open the bags with you present. Not any
more. I even called to request an inspection while I was present, and
the woman on the phone said they would do this, but when I got to the
airport there was no such option. You send your suitcase down the
conveyor belt and take your chances. Of course they opened it (I
guess anything other than clothing and obvious toiletries gets
inspected) and didn’t repack it well and the boxes the tools were in
got broken and the tools jumbled around. I’m flying again this year
and shipping the tools - I don’t need the heartburn.

Laurel Cavanaug

Right, Wayne—I always use the TSA approved locks.

Cynthia Eid

I suggest that next time he go to the thrift store and buy the
ugliest thing he can find. 

Correct. No problems. Been using this case for several years----over
a dozen trips. The case is not exotic-looking----just plain black,
thick STRONG plastic that is rated almost bullet-proof. It is
important to me that the heavy and/or sharp tools that I travel with
cannot break out of the suitcase.

Cynthia Eid

The problem with the Pelican case that I found, was it’s intrinsic
weight. When I first started traveling with tools, weight limits were
70lbs. Now they are 50 lbs and they can be very intolerant of even a
1/2 lb. so the Pelican case was not doable for me, even though it is
beautiful. I travel A LOT with tools and I have always used thrift
store Samsonite hard shell suitcases. They run around $5 each and
last about 8 trips or so. One key unlocks 'em all. Of course that is
moot these days.

I found last year, at Goodwill, a Delsey hard sided suitcase with
wheels. This thing is amazing! I love it. I’ve tried to find others
in anticipation of its eventual demise but, while Delsey is easily
found, hard sides are not.

As others have said, I keep every thing compartmentalized in clear
"Plano" plastic boxes or Rubbermaid containers, each duct taped
closed. The suitcase itself is held shut with 2 heavy duty luggage
straps which makes the bag easily recognizable and keeps it shut
since the built in clsoures don’t stay snapped shut without being
locked. There is a clear inventory sheet in a plastic sleeve taped to
the inside of the lid, along with a business card and post card of
the work. The word “jewelry” doesn’t appear any where. (The work on
the postcards doesn’t necc. read as precious.)

My main worry is not theft so much as tool breakage due to improper
repacking during a TSA luggage check. So far–knock on wood-- they
have been very careful. They go through the bag about 95% of the time
but only once-- this last April on my way to Arrowmont-- did they go
into the individual plastic bins. That was weird.

Take care, Andy

I will be flying to California (from the east coast) next week –
flying for the first time WITH TOOLS.

I am attending my brother’s wedding, for which I have (actually, AM
NOW making the rings… see other thread… haha), and I will be
packing a ring mandrel, a few hammers, a little polishing stuff…
just in case I need to tweak the sizes when I arrive.

So, after having read every post in this thread with all the good
and the not so good stories of what can happen… Is there an
Orchidian in the Santa Barbara area who would be willing to be my
emergency backup plan in case my tools don’t make it to Santa Barbara
with me?

How timely to have the “Flying with Tools” thread and the “Making
Your Own Wedding Rings” thread going at the same time. Granted, the
wedding rings aren’t mine, but my brother’s, and he only gave me
three weeks notice! It hit me with reading the two threads that these
two paths (threads) might just cross…

Thanks, and what a wonderful community this is.

ginger
ginger meek allen

For many of the workshops where I am traveling to teach, I send my
tools 3 to 5 days ahead of time via USPS Priority Mail. If I can fit
everything into one or two of their flat rate boxes it works out
fairly economically. Granted, I don’t have a huge inventory of
equipment to transport, and it usually costs me less than $30
including insurance.

This has been very reliable for me, and worth far more than the
monetary expense involved when compared to the several times I have
checked my workshop tools and supplies with the airlines, only to
find that my tools did not arrive at the destination along with me.

This happened to me three times in a space of two years, once on a
direct flight, twice with connecting flights. Three different
airlines, same problems. Although on each of these occasions the
missing luggage was recovered without a serious deficit to the
quality of the workshop, it was unnerving and frustrating for
myself, the hosting venue, and the students. It twice caused serious
inconvenience for my teaching assistants who had to travel to the
airport to retrieve the bags, rather than wait an additional day for
the airline to dispatch it to our location.

Even when I am outbound on a direct flight if at all possible I
prefer the assurance of knowing my tools have already arrived, before
I even depart. The primary difficulty with this procedure is when
tools need to be available in the studio for the final days leading
up to the workshop. I have duplicate sets of the most important
items for just this scenario, so that I can continue to work and
still sleep well at night, without worrying if my checked bag will
take a detour or be delayed.

Michael David Sturlin
www.goldcrochet.com
www.michaeldavidsturlin.com

Hi All

I think what you do with your tools when you fly all depends how you
fly. When I fly I have my legs out behind me and my arms stretched
way out in front so if you put your tools in your pocket you have to
make sure they will not fall out. Its also important not to put
needle files in your front pocket for obvious reasons because as you
come in to land it is natural to bend your legs at the knees and
waist. Tools are best put in the back pockets where they are covered
by your cape to ensure least wind resistance.

Good luck
Phil W