router bits in carry on luggage?

[Shawn Russell]

I was traveling this week and picked up a few router bits through craigslist. I normally only take a very small duffel bag to travel with and never bother to check my baggage. Anyone have experience with taking a router bit through security? I would prefer not to pay 50 bucks to check the router bits tomorrow, or I may just need to stop by FedEx and mail them home.

Cheers

[Joe Shinall]

I would stop by FedEx. No way they will let you on with them when they won't allow toe nail clippers.

But aren't you allowed at least one bag through baggage without being charged?

[Shawn Russell]

I had used SkyMiles to pay for the trip on Delta. To be honest, I have always had to pay for baggage check with Delta; so I doubt it is an issue with using SkyMiles.

[Joe Shinall]

Well not sure then. I've only flown a few times and used southwest and wasn't charged. But anyways, on the safe side I wouldn't try to get them on the plane unless it's in checked baggage. Years ago (like 15 or 16) I was into BMX trick bikes and was in Orlando and bought a set of new pegs to stand on for my bike. Little round pieces of polished steel. They kept them saying they thought they were silencers for a gun. What I was going to do with silencers on the plane and no gun is beyond me. Ever since I never tested anything skeptical on other flights.

[Shawn Russell]

To be honest, I already knew the answer to this question. There is no point messing around or trying to argue with TSA. I am much better to be safe than sorry. Thanks for the input!

[Dan Hintz]

They let you take nail clippers (and knives with very short blades) on planes now...

[Matt Meiser]

I've only flown a few times and used southwest and wasn't charged.

Then you have no idea how much better Southwest treats people than the others :)

A co-worker and I did a multi-leg trip in January and both shipped a decent size box home after the first leg. We used the corporate Fedex account, but even letting Fedex Office box our stuff up it was significantly cheaper than a checked bag. Plus then we didn't have to deal with the stuff the rest of the trip.

[Stephen Cherry]

Just one word:

"Priority Mail Flat Rate Box", by the good old US Postal Service.

[John Piwaron]

Just one word:

"Priority Mail Flat Rate Box", by the good old US Postal Service.

Been there, done that. It's a super cool way to handle things like his router bits and anything else you just want to get off your hands. It's that much less to lug around.

[Wade Lippman]

They let you take nail clippers (and knives with very short blades) on planes now...

I seriously doubt they would give you a problem over a router bit now that they allow knives.
But you never know about TSA. A couple years ago I visted a friend and took gear to go skiing, kayaking, and rock climbing. The moron kept me there for 20 minutes and required me to explain what each piece was. Beats me now any of it could be considered dangerous; maybe he was just bored.

[Erik Loza]

My experience has been that it really varies, in terms of what they will tolerate, from TSA agent to TSA agent. For example, my wife forgot that she had a big (way more than 3oz) bottle sunblock in her backpack and it went through like three airport gates before anyone flagged us. We forgot it was in there, ourselves. It just seems to depend on who you get and what mood they are in.

If it was important tooling, why take the risk? I would just do what Stephen does and Priority Mail it (assuming you only have carry-on bags).

Erik Loza
Minimax USA

[Matt Meiser]

TSA...The moron

Wait until next time ;)
(see the search engine privacy thread)

[Michael W. Clark]

If you fly Delta enough to pay for a trip with Skymiles, you should enroll in their program so you automatically get a free checked bag even at the lowest status. Once you move up in status, you get two bags free, priortity security, and priority boarding.

I've started flying Southwest more due to cost and the better customer service. Plus, you earn rewards faster and they tend to have more flights in the areas I travel to.

[John Piwaron]

I seriously doubt they would give you a problem over a router bit now that they allow knives.
But you never know about TSA. A couple years ago I visted a friend and took gear to go skiing, kayaking, and rock climbing. The moron kept me there for 20 minutes and required me to explain what each piece was. Beats me now any of it could be considered dangerous; maybe he was just bored.

I recall a trip to Bonaire for scuba diving a couple of years ago. I was the first of our group to go through the TSA checkpoint. I had most of the life support stuff in my carry on. The regulators, dive computer and so on. They freaked. "What is all this stuff?" They stared and stared at the x-ray screen for a long time. Then wanted the bag opened to actually handle it all and swab it. If it wasn't so serious it could have been a comedy skit. Then I told them there'd be about 20 more guys with varying amounts of the same thing in their bags.

[Curt Harms]

If you do choose to carry 'em on, I'd tear a page out of a catalog or do a printout. If TSA asks what they are, show 'em the pictures. Gotta remember that not all TSA folks come off the top shelf, ifyaknowhatImean.

[Myk Rian]

Pack the bits in your luggage. They'll go with you.
I just did a one-way trip from Detroit, through Chi-Midway, then to Philli. on Southwest.
Had wires and batteries, and all other junk for my phone with me. They never batted an eye.

[glenn bradley]

I traveled for work for years and we had many tools and 'objects of interest' that went with the job. When the hammer came down we had all sorts of issues with what we could or could not carry. This was compounded by the high level of training the sophisticated TSA folks received so the rules varied with day, weather, shoe-size or mood. We just started shipping everything to the site we were working for. Low cost, less variation in the rules and for a few bucks, you're done with it.

[John Coloccia]

"This plane is going to Havana, man. What am I going to do? See that chair over there? I'm gonna round that over. Yep, that's right. And when I'm done with that, I'm thinking of dovetailing the overhead bin. I may even trim something flush if I don't get what I want."

LOL.

In my younger days, I remember flying from the US to...uhm....maybe it was Signapore or Taiwan....I forget now which trip it was.....anyyyywwaaayyy, I had a case, and I mean a LARGE case, full of tools. Every tool you could imagine, including hammers, knives, etc etc. At the time, no one even batted an eye UNTIL I got into Asia somewhere. THEN someone got all upset, and there was a big kerfuffle, and this and that. Oh yes, big deal. I had to go over to security and sort it all out. They took one look, and got a little yellow piece of security tape and put it over the seam of the case and said, "Now you leave that on the case and don't open it". Yes sir!

[Harry Hagan]

After being greeted with, “We’ve lost your luggage, sir!” after two consecutive Delta flights, I FedEx anything that’s irreplaceable, essential or can’t wait for retrieval from Lost Luggage Land so that it arrives at my destination the day before. I’ve done this the last 15 years and it’s worth every penny.

[Clarence Martin]

Wonder if the TSA would object to Turning tools being brought into the carry on luggage ??

[Tai Fu]

as checked bag its ok but don't even think about carrying anything sharp as a carry on.

[Jeremy Hamaker]

Given the general (in)competence, rule shifting, and whim of the TSA, why risk bumping into the one who's going to make your trip a hassle? I think you should check/ship anything that's even remotely questionable, regardless of past success and regardless of what's written anywhere. Heck, if there was a way to check/ship yourself it'd be worth consideration in my opinion, to avoid the whole TSA reverse-lottery process entirely...

[Joe Shinall]

Being that this is almost 4 days old, I think the OP has either made his decision or is already home playing with that router bit. ;)