Post by Ani-Chay Pinn on Aug 25, 2005 21:57:26 GMT -5
On a whim, I decided I’d like to take my EL lightsaber (it’s a Parks) with me to Worldcon. I was wearing Jedi hall costumes for the convention, so I decided I wanted to complete the outfit.
The 2005 Worldcon was in Glasgow, Scotland. So, I had to get my lightsaber through checked baggage on domestic and international flights (I had to change airlines at Kennedy in New York). I managed to do so both successfully, and inexpensively. Here’s how.
First, I asked about taking an EL lightsaber in checked baggage on the ICG list (International Costumers’ Guild) and this is the reply I got (reprinted with permission).
======================================
Date: Mon, 25 Jul 2005 02:54:26 -0700 (PDT)
From: Tracy Newby <firstjedi2000@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: Fwd: [ICG-D] Lightsabers on international flight?
I provided this info to someone earlier:
Remove the 9 volt battery from the saber hilt (main body). Pack the batteries in your carry-on bags and use a telescoping art or fishing pole tube. Art tubes are larger than fishing pole tubes, but are probably less expensive.
Pack the hilt in your checked luggage without the battery. This will looke like a tool, or oversize electric toothbrush. It won't be "scarry" looking since it won't have a battery in it. Also pack all your tools and costuming repair items in your checked bags as well.
Always include a picture of yourself in costume with any props or unusual costuming items. If you include a picture of you in your Stormtrooper armor, with helmet on and off, inside the crate with the armor, it is easier for the screener to understand what they are looking at if they have to open your luggage.
Remember, be honest with any screeners or customs staff: you are a harmless Sci-Fi costumer and everyone on earth has heard of Star Wars. If they haven't... you don't want to travel there. I would not recommend travel through Communist countries. ;-)
If you have any other costuming travel questions, just ask.
Tracy Newby
Supervisory Transportation Security Screener,
Covenant Aviation Security, LLC,
San Francisco International Airport, USA
======================================
So, it looked like it could be done without making the security people nervous. So, the next problem was what to put the blade of the lightsaber in? First to keep it safe in transit, and second, what luggage would it fit in.
My first answer was a PVC pipe: I simply went to a local hardware store and got 3 ½ feet of 3/4 inch PVC pipe. This is just long enough for a typical EL blade, but you can get a longer piece if you need it. And you can get wider pipe if your blade needs it, too. I also got some endcaps to go with it. So, my PVC pipe lightsaber blade container was:
1 length 3/4" PVC pipe
1 end cap
1 screw in coupler
1 screw in end piece
Here are the pieces:
I did not glue the end cap or the screw in couple on. Friction held them on just fine. You could use glue them on, if you like, but you could probably used just regular household cement. PVC pipe glue is meant to hold water pressure and you won’t need anything that strong for it.
I think using just 2 end caps for the pipe would have worked just as well, since I didn’t glue on the end pieces. But I just wanted to try the coupler piece.
The best part was that the total cost was about $3.00. PVC pipe is strong and lightweight and not very expensive. My EL blade did just fine in this container for the whole trip. I did need to remove the plastic tip of the blade, since it wouldn’t fit inside the pipe. Here are the pieces with the lightsaber plastic tip removed.
I just put the tip in the small pouch where I kept the screwdriver and allen wrench in. Normally, the battery would go in the pouch, too, but I took that in my carry-on baggage.
I also needed a tote bag to put the lightsaber hilt into to attach a photo (of me in the costume with the lightsaber) to, just in case it was searched. Here is the tote bag, lightsaber, pouch and photo in a ziplock sandwich bag, taped to the handles:
So, now that I have something to put the lightsaber in, what piece of luggage will it fit in? My answer was a 42 inch, military duffle bag. I found it on e-bay for about $20 plus postage. Here it is next to the lightsaber and the PVC pipe container:
It’s just a big, empty, heavy-duty canvas cavity with a long zipper and handles. Sturdy, but no-frills luggage. There was an even larger, 50 inch bag available, but for something that long you might be risking some size limitations with the airlines.
So, I packed all my Jedi clothes in the bag, with the PVC pipe and lightsaber hilt in the middle. This is the bag full:
And this is my luggage for the trip; the big duffel bag on the folding luggage cart I needed to use, with another, smaller duffle bag and my backpack:
The problem with no-frills duffle bags is that you do need to bring something to lug them around with. I got the luggage cart awhile ago, so I don’t recall the price, but it’s likely not more than $20.
In the end, my bag was not searched, either going out of or back into the U.S., so I can’t tell you what it’s like to explain what a lightsaber is to airport security. But, everything arrived in good shape with no damage. Since the EL lightsaber had to go through 4 different luggage x-ray machines (it had to be re-checked at Kennedy when I changed airlines) I assume that the electronics aren’t harmed by them, since it works just fine, now.
The 2005 Worldcon was in Glasgow, Scotland. So, I had to get my lightsaber through checked baggage on domestic and international flights (I had to change airlines at Kennedy in New York). I managed to do so both successfully, and inexpensively. Here’s how.
First, I asked about taking an EL lightsaber in checked baggage on the ICG list (International Costumers’ Guild) and this is the reply I got (reprinted with permission).
======================================
Date: Mon, 25 Jul 2005 02:54:26 -0700 (PDT)
From: Tracy Newby <firstjedi2000@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: Fwd: [ICG-D] Lightsabers on international flight?
I provided this info to someone earlier:
Remove the 9 volt battery from the saber hilt (main body). Pack the batteries in your carry-on bags and use a telescoping art or fishing pole tube. Art tubes are larger than fishing pole tubes, but are probably less expensive.
Pack the hilt in your checked luggage without the battery. This will looke like a tool, or oversize electric toothbrush. It won't be "scarry" looking since it won't have a battery in it. Also pack all your tools and costuming repair items in your checked bags as well.
Always include a picture of yourself in costume with any props or unusual costuming items. If you include a picture of you in your Stormtrooper armor, with helmet on and off, inside the crate with the armor, it is easier for the screener to understand what they are looking at if they have to open your luggage.
Remember, be honest with any screeners or customs staff: you are a harmless Sci-Fi costumer and everyone on earth has heard of Star Wars. If they haven't... you don't want to travel there. I would not recommend travel through Communist countries. ;-)
If you have any other costuming travel questions, just ask.
Tracy Newby
Supervisory Transportation Security Screener,
Covenant Aviation Security, LLC,
San Francisco International Airport, USA
======================================
So, it looked like it could be done without making the security people nervous. So, the next problem was what to put the blade of the lightsaber in? First to keep it safe in transit, and second, what luggage would it fit in.
My first answer was a PVC pipe: I simply went to a local hardware store and got 3 ½ feet of 3/4 inch PVC pipe. This is just long enough for a typical EL blade, but you can get a longer piece if you need it. And you can get wider pipe if your blade needs it, too. I also got some endcaps to go with it. So, my PVC pipe lightsaber blade container was:
1 length 3/4" PVC pipe
1 end cap
1 screw in coupler
1 screw in end piece
Here are the pieces:
I did not glue the end cap or the screw in couple on. Friction held them on just fine. You could use glue them on, if you like, but you could probably used just regular household cement. PVC pipe glue is meant to hold water pressure and you won’t need anything that strong for it.
I think using just 2 end caps for the pipe would have worked just as well, since I didn’t glue on the end pieces. But I just wanted to try the coupler piece.
The best part was that the total cost was about $3.00. PVC pipe is strong and lightweight and not very expensive. My EL blade did just fine in this container for the whole trip. I did need to remove the plastic tip of the blade, since it wouldn’t fit inside the pipe. Here are the pieces with the lightsaber plastic tip removed.
I just put the tip in the small pouch where I kept the screwdriver and allen wrench in. Normally, the battery would go in the pouch, too, but I took that in my carry-on baggage.
I also needed a tote bag to put the lightsaber hilt into to attach a photo (of me in the costume with the lightsaber) to, just in case it was searched. Here is the tote bag, lightsaber, pouch and photo in a ziplock sandwich bag, taped to the handles:
So, now that I have something to put the lightsaber in, what piece of luggage will it fit in? My answer was a 42 inch, military duffle bag. I found it on e-bay for about $20 plus postage. Here it is next to the lightsaber and the PVC pipe container:
It’s just a big, empty, heavy-duty canvas cavity with a long zipper and handles. Sturdy, but no-frills luggage. There was an even larger, 50 inch bag available, but for something that long you might be risking some size limitations with the airlines.
So, I packed all my Jedi clothes in the bag, with the PVC pipe and lightsaber hilt in the middle. This is the bag full:
And this is my luggage for the trip; the big duffel bag on the folding luggage cart I needed to use, with another, smaller duffle bag and my backpack:
The problem with no-frills duffle bags is that you do need to bring something to lug them around with. I got the luggage cart awhile ago, so I don’t recall the price, but it’s likely not more than $20.
In the end, my bag was not searched, either going out of or back into the U.S., so I can’t tell you what it’s like to explain what a lightsaber is to airport security. But, everything arrived in good shape with no damage. Since the EL lightsaber had to go through 4 different luggage x-ray machines (it had to be re-checked at Kennedy when I changed airlines) I assume that the electronics aren’t harmed by them, since it works just fine, now.
