Flying with Metal Detector

[MrSirReal]

I'm going on a trip next week and would like to bring my metal detector. I was wondering if you've flown with your detector before and how you packed it. Did you carry it on or check it in. I'm afraid they will think its a bomb!

[zeemang]

Disassemble, pack well, wrap coil in clothes, maybe bring the head unit in carry on....this has been asked before, but i remember that was the gist of it...
Where you vacationing?

[RickO]

As stated above.... security seems to have no problem with MD's... RickO

[ZJBarney]

Originally Posted by MrSirReal

I'm going on a trip next week and would like to bring my metal detector. I was wondering if you've flown with your detector before and how you packed it. Did you carry it on or check it in. I'm afraid they will think its a bomb!

Last time I flew I took mine, I just wrapped it well in clothes and packed it in hard-sided luggage. You'll be fine if you want to take the head unit as carry-on. Try taking a SNIX along as carry-on and see the reaction you get.

[Fiskamon]

This is a very good question because I have been thinking about traveling with mine as well. I have been to Dicks Sporting goods and to a couple of archery stores in search of a gun or bow case that I could put my detector in and place in the over head.

I'm not worried about security. I have done so much international and domestic travel for my company it isn't funny. Out of every 5 trips I always get stopped and searched at least 3 out of the 5 trips. I keep telling them that I never intended to bring home all this Chinese Communist metal in my rear end, but it's there and there isn't much I can do about it. So I'm pretty much numb when it comes to security to where I expect it.

Anyone have any idea of a reasonably price case to carry the detector in?

[Burien]

I have used the White's case with no troubles and taken the more convential route of carefully disassembling and wrapping in clothes (after having bagged the parts, cause God only knows what clings to plastic!).

Both work well domestically.

As I was to find, as a carry-on, really bad idea unless you really like searches, long explainations/arguments and lots of ugly looks.

[yandosan]

I've been pointed to manual inspection
at least 5 times because of my detector.
Remember, TSA are not the brightest guys in the world.
(I'd be more cordial but they are really annoying lately).
Memorize some key words. "Hobby" is the one
that gets me the okay usually.

[jack63]

I travel allmost all year for work and take mine everywhere I go. I have a hardshell case with cut foam on the bottom and then pack socks and tshirts in between and on top to fillup any empty spaces and have never had a problem.

[MrSirReal]

Thanks for all the replies. I'm headed back to where I grew up in Rochester, NY for a week. Think I'll go with backing it in a well padded suitcase.

[goochas]

I can't help but wonder what the best way to pack my pistol-pro would be.

Probably not as a carry-on...

[DWtexas]

I travel a lot, about 90,000 miles a year. I usually fly with my detector because I spend so much time on the road, it's about the only place I have time to detect. I pack my detector in my hard-sided suitcase and pack my clothes around it. My big tip for you, take the battery pack in your carry-on. The xray machine is designed to pick up on batteries among other things. If you leave it in your suitcase, odds are they'll check it and you may be called back outside of the security checkpoint to explain whats going on in your suitcase. If you use regular batteries, buy them when you get to your destination and then toss them when you're done. $10 worth of batteries isn't worth the hassle. I pack my rechargeable pack with my laptop in my carry-on and have had no troubles to date. Now that I've said that, I'll probably get held up tomorrow morning when I'm trying to fly home.

[exbrit49]

I travel to Europe every year and I put the detector in my Checked baggage with the batteries out. I place a small label on the case explaining that there is a metal detector inside. I have never had a problem and have never been stopped or questioned about the contents and have had no problem with losses.
I take the detector apart at the center shaft joint and wrap it well with paper and then place it in the center of the case with the clothes acting as a nice cushioned padding.
So fly and have fun

Roger B

Whites Prizm Iv and Ace 250