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Wed May 12, 2004 11:30 am

has anyone flown with their toolbox lately? is it still allowed? anyone have any trouble with it?

Wed May 12, 2004 12:11 pm

No but Trayle flew here to Texas with a sweet pair of accessory Albert mirrors in his carry on and he was scared they were gonna get confiscated at check in.

They let them on. Tools? Now that a different story. I say no chance in hell as carry on.

Wed May 12, 2004 12:27 pm

i figured i wouldnt be able to carry them on, but at the same time i would be nervous about checking them, especially since i wouldnt be able to lock my toolbox. i worry about someone with sticky fingers lifting some of my tools, or some dolt spilling them all over the place or whatnot, but i dont particularly want to travel seventeen hours without them.

Wed May 12, 2004 1:53 pm

i would pack them in a suitcase and only take what you anticipate needing...when i flew out of o'hare two weeks ago, security seemed relatively relaxed (compared to the last 4 times i've flown in the past year)...they weren't random searching luggage that was checked in....if they are, you better not have any violent looking tools :)

Wed May 12, 2004 1:56 pm

You mean random searching while you are there watching? Because I believe that there is also random searching of checked baggage after it's out of your sight; I think you are not supposed to lock your checked luggage any more.

Might be better to UPS the tools ahead.

Wed May 12, 2004 2:11 pm

can they do that?....how would you know if your crap is or isn't tampered with or stolen by security professionals?

man, you might just avoid the whole thing...take a taxi! or buy a cheapo toolkit from walmart when you get to texas....

Wed May 12, 2004 2:12 pm

so i guess that means i should leave my timing light behind. i do want to take things like ratchets, wrenches, etc. i guess i might want to leave things like wd40 and aerokroil behind as well. i was thinking about putting something like a cotter pin through the lock hole, so it wouldnt be locked but it would be secure against the latches coming undone.

Wed May 12, 2004 2:17 pm

I have a folding bike that fits in a suitcase and I participate in a forum with people that travel with them to Europe, etc. They say that they have to leave their suitcases unlocked because they will be opened after they are checked in.

Wed May 12, 2004 3:07 pm

my wifes aunt just flew here from califrnia with a magnum 357, with
no problem. i flew from florida to oklahoma with a multimeter and
the check in lady bout had a fit. :lol:

Wed May 12, 2004 4:10 pm

Check out these sites for travel

TSA air travel and check out TSA friendly locks, just one example: lock.

I have requested that my bags be checked, then the locks (on the luggage itself) be spun before I go to the gate. I have also put a tag on for inspectors to try to contact me via my cell phone number before breaking the lock. I think the inspectors make efforts to reach the owner before breaking the lock, if at all possible.

If you are packing tools, we aware of the weight restrictions on luggage. The airlines themselves have changed the limits.

Wed May 12, 2004 4:21 pm

Don't fly so I have no idea, but I couldn't tell you how many times I've had cops pull out a hammer from the tool box and call it a weapon. I've seen them hold carpentry tools of a friend and call them weapons too. Yes officer, those Skill saw blades are really giant Nija throwing stars. Watch out Butters.

Wed May 12, 2004 9:26 pm

I fly to Phoenix and Orlando twice a year for training at MMI,most times depending the the upcoming course I haul about 50-75lbs of hand tools with me on Southwest.Usually pretty heavy mean looking shit too!! Im a Harley mechanic by trade and the first tool you pick up is a 64oz dead blow hammer(H-D special tool #1).I dont know about the other airlines though.

Wed May 12, 2004 9:58 pm

thanks lostone, im flying southwest, so that info is on the money.

Thu May 13, 2004 5:49 am

When I used to work in factory maintenance, had a traveling tool kit. It was a hard sided aluminum suitcase with the hard foam inserts you could cut out to fit whatever you had to put into it. Never had any problem with that, but it was before 9/11.

Thu May 13, 2004 8:02 am

I just flew with no problem, by putting my tools in my suitcase that was checked in at the counter UN locked. These were tools used to work with explosives and had some residue on them no doubt, even my jeans have some that cannot be washed out.

Anyway box cutters, knives, etc made it through multiple airports with no problem.

I did have the TSA tag inside the case stating that they had inpected the suitcase, have no clue what they thought but ALL "things" were still there when I got home. 8)

Mon May 31, 2004 8:33 pm

Flew from Denver to Indianapolis in January to pick up a vintage motorhome. I took a low priced universal toolkit with me. It had to be checked but I asked for special service and was allowed to see it go into the xray room unlocked and come out with a TSA seal on it. Everything arrived no problem and I ended up using most of the tools in the box before we got home.

Tue Jun 01, 2004 3:07 pm

Checking tools is not a problem, but I would only bring the cheap tools, and put it in something other than a toolbox.
I'd recommend a cardboard box taped shut inside a duffel bag or suitcase.
Make sure its strong enough for the weight, and use lots of bubble-wrap with clear tape around it on the inside and outside of the box. I also write my name, address, and cell phone number along with a parts list on the outside of the box. I figure if they have the X-ray scan, and see the parts list, and they agree with the scan, they are less likely to actually open the box.

If they inspect it, they'll cut the box top open and reseal it with TSA logo tape, so you'll know they were rooting around in there. I have a technical service company, and have traveled this way many times. When they open your box(s) they also seal the suitcase holding the box with a plastic TSA security tag through the zippers. Several times, they have done the inspection (TSA tag on the zipper and explanatory info sheet left in the suitcase) and DIDN'T cut open the boxes. I figure the parts list written on the box helped them decide to move on to the next suitcase. I also hope that the existence of a complete parts list will dissuade some items from "turning up missing".

It is illegal for gate people to tamper with that TSA tape and security seals, so it is now VERY unlikely that your stuff will get ganked, unless they "misplace" the entire suitcase. They're not going to endanger their jobs and possibly risk jail time by rooting around in a reopened box, so i figure this is the most secure way to go.

Wed Jun 16, 2004 6:48 am

In a pre-9/11 world I went with a friend about 1500 miles to pick up a bus. We took with us (on board), a distributor, carburator, fuel pump (used, smelled like gas, this ALMOST got her worried), tools, fuel line, filters, coil (read: ignition), some wires, and anyting else that youd take for a 1500 mile trip in a unknown bus. We had no problems. Its not quite like that anymore.
j

Fri Jun 18, 2004 9:29 am

Hi,
I flew via Southwest from SoCal to El Paso to pick up a 65 deluxe
June 2002. Clothing in my carryon, complete socket/wrench sets,
some electrical stuff, some fuel line, hammers, and a bunch of other stuff,along with my idiot and shop books, all in the checked bag.
I knew it was going to bring attention to me, and I told the screener
about what was inside and what I was doing.He was cool with it, and once he noticed the grease stained manuals he stopped checking and wished me luck.
I did have the almost strip search, as my group was boarding, so I was basically the last guy on the bird.
No problems other than that, as far as the flight went.
The trip home, that's another story altogether.

Fri Jun 18, 2004 5:38 pm

The last time a friend of mine flew with his tools the airline lost his suitcase with all his tools in it. He didn't get it back for two or three week's. :x