OT: Machined Components and TSA

I'm planning to fly within the USA and I'd like to bring an aluminum brain teaser puzzle I made. Has anyone had experience bringing machined components through airport security? I just don't want to go there and have it denied and end up forfeiting something I spent a lot of hours making so that I can keep my flights.

It's variable depending on the a-holiness of whoever is your screener. I just flew from Boston to Oregon with some Al fittings I made (smaller than a 1.5" cube), and didn't have any issue with them going through the carry-on screening, but if I'd had another guy having a bad day, who knows...

If you put it in your checked baggage, there won't be any issue with TSA. If you try to carry it into the cabin with you, you are at the mercy of extremely inconsistent, extremely conservative judgement calls with basically no appeal, and no recourse other than leaving the security area to ship it freight to your destination.

If there aren't obvious sharp edges, it's small, and it doesn't look like a prohibited tool ... you shouldn't have any problems with it as a carry-on. If it is checked luggage, absolutely no problem. I fly frequently with tools. Small non-sharp tools (under about 4" or 5") generally are fine as carry on. Pretty much anything goes in checked luggage as long as it doesn't contain gas / flammables.

If it is important consider checking your bag. I lost some aluminum housings some 10-15 years ago because the screener didn't know what they were. Wasn't expensive or important so i was ok with tossing them, but was going to a trade show where it would have been useful.

AS dumb as it is, I really am not going to argue with a person who is in fact acting with out safety in mind.

As above, checked bag, non issue.
Carry-on it depends. I end up transporting small engine components (think timing sprockets, but with internal passages) a couple times a year. 3-6" diameter, teeth on the outside. Being the purpose of the trip I keep them on my person (in bag with laptop) rather than risking a lost or delayed checked bag.
About 40% of the time this results in a brief bag search because the scanner can't see through it, but I've never been told to check them.
I also usually have a handful of small carbide tools (in sleeves) and 8" Mitutoyo calipers (in case). I've never been asked about either of those.

The only thing I carry on that requires explanation is live salt water animals (coral, fish) because it requires an uncommon exemption to the 3-1-1 rule.

Any time I carry something that seems at risk I make sure my carry on bag is something I could check, politely ask about the item before it is flagged, and arrive with enough time to check it if I get turned back.

Jrill said:

I'm planning to fly within the USA and I'd like to bring an aluminum brain teaser puzzle I made. Has anyone had experience bringing machined components through airport security? .....................

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If their "machined components" looked like little parts for a heart valve and your "machined component" is a 36" replacement blade for a metal shear their "experience" isn't going to do you much good.

Check the TSA web site to see if it can give you any help. It's going to come down to whether it could be used as a weapon. Otherwise swing by the airport a day or more before your flight and show it to the screener supervisor to see what he/she has to say.

Anything you get here is just a guess.

Steve

Ship it USPS, Fedex, etc. to your destination ahead of your flight if any doubt.

Thanks for the insights. This is my first time flying and I'm learning a lot. I'm departing tomorrow morning and I'm shipping it UPS to the hotel I'm staying at when I get there.

Jrill said:

I'm planning to fly within the USA and I'd like to bring an aluminum brain teaser puzzle I made. Has anyone had experience bringing machined components through airport security? I just don't want to go there and have it denied and end up forfeiting something I spent a lot of hours making so that I can keep my flights.

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i had questions about a carbide insert mill in carry on. anything slightly heavy that can be used like a hammer or a rock to hand hit somebody or something is considered a weapon. they let it stay in carry on that time but did not like it.

Jrill said:

Thanks for the insights. This is my first time flying and I'm learning a lot.

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Right after you take off, if you hear a THUNK that means you are going to die... Or the landing gear
door just closed..

Chew gum, it helps your ears pop, especially if you are coming from a low elevation..

Drink hard liquor, not beer, peeing in a plane sucks.



Went through security once with a few pieces of A286, just raw stock, 2.25 x 2.25 x 1.25...
Bag search of course, and the X-ray guy asked if he could see what it was, since he had
never seen anything like that pop up before.

What you can do it take that brain teaser puzzler and hide it inside a another object so they don't even see it. For example, putting it inside a plastic bag full of baby powder, wrapped up with lots of brown shipping tape, will both make it hard to see and also protect it from any damage. Or, there are several of the smaller hand-held submachine (Uzi, HK, etc.) guns that have hollow grips and you could fit it inside there.

Just be sure to wear clean underwear, BTW.