I have a close friend who is a contractor and is going to spend the better part of the month of January in Paupau New Guinea, repairing the house and plumbing in and around the house of some missionary friends down there. He will be flying Quantas, and has not had any help or suggestions about how to get his tools there. He plans on carrying the Milwaukee 28 volt bag on and hoping it will go over head. Is there anyone who has done this sort of thing recently who can offer some much needed advice? Thanks. (DHL shipping them down there was priced around $800!!)
“The nearest thing to eternal life we will ever see on this earth is a governmental program” -Ronald Reagan
Replies
Check with the airline but I doubt he'll be able to get any tool on board as carry-ons as any tool should be confiscated at the security checkpoint. TSA rules prohibit any tools.
He can put them in checked baggage but again might want to check with the airline about addl insurance for the contents since it would be easy to exceed the lost baggage payment if they were to disappear.
Also he might want to check with a representative of the New Guinea consulate to find out about bringing tools into the country. Some places require that you get a work visa if you bring tools. Maybe not since it's for missionaries but best to find out before he meets the customs inspector.
before i thought about bringing tools on the plane i would check if they are going to work.
when i was seventeen i was in ireland helping to build my uncles house. my father and other uncles had all shipped tools that we were not able to use. the electric was 210:( kind of funyy in hindsight though,
Every day is a gift, that's why it's called the present.
Ditto John7 - I don't think any airline will let you carry tools in carry-on baggage - they sure won't on a domestic flight.
OK in checked baggage - at least on domestic flights.
28v cordless - will he be able to recharge? Don't know New Guinea power - I'd check.
Bunch of telephone calls are in order - airline, New Guinea embassy, etc.
Jim
Thanks...they have ability to recharge, and he is taking in (HOPING to take in!! ) used tools so they will not charge him for resale tax. but he was planning to carry on the tools in the bag they came in. He will call Quantas as suggested. Thanks."The nearest thing to eternal life we will ever see on this earth is a governmental program" -Ronald Reagan
>>is taking in (HOPING to take in!! ) used tools so they will not charge him for resale tax.<<
He should get a "Personal Articles" declaration form from US Customs - he needs to present the completed form and the tools to Customs before he leaves on the flight. It is a listing of his tools, cameras, whatever which is shown to US Customs - they stamp the form to validate his claim of possession.
He should declare the tools as "personal property" - possession of the stamped, completed form makes it much easier to re-enter the US without any duty questions. Helped me in the past with entry duty questions also - although I never tried to enter New Guinea.
Been a while since I did this - a call to US Customs should clear up the current procedure. I seem to recall being able to go to US Customs here in town, fill out the form and have the items verified before I ever went to the airport - of course your friend may not have a Customs office less than 2 miles away.
JimNever underestimate the value of a sharp pencil or good light.
great point...I did the same as a grad student many years ago. I forgot about that whole procedure. Saved my butt back then...no doubt will save his!!"The nearest thing to eternal life we will ever see on this earth is a governmental program" -Ronald Reagan
From the TSA website (http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/prohibited/permitted-prohibited-items.shtm):
Item Carry-on Checked
Axes and Hatchets No Yes
Cattle Prods No Yes
Crowbars No Yes
Hammers No Yes
Drills and drill bits (including cordless portable power drills) No Yes
Saws (including cordless portable power saws) No Yes
Tools (greater than seven inches in length) No Yes
Tools (seven inches or less in length) Yes Yes
Screwdrivers (seven inches or less in length) Yes Yes
Wrenches and Pliers (seven inches or less in length) Yes Yes
NOTE: Any sharp objects in checked baggage should be sheathed or securely wrapped to prevent injury to baggage handlers and Security Officers.
Wrenches and Pliers (seven inches or less in length) Yes Yes
They will confiscate any pair of needle nose pliers, so dont carry those on. They do give you the option of going back out and mailing the pliers to yourself and waiting in the security line a second time.
My brother is a diver and he ships his tools and equipment all over the world with DHL. DHL guarantees the delivery of his stuff and deals with all the customs issues. It is pricey, but that the cost being a big time international traveler.
Ya, they're gonna' let you carry on a cordless Sawzall or circ saw.
I just got back from a trip to California to help my brother with his remodel project. I picked up an old Samsonite suitcase from a thrift shop and managed to fit all of the following in it:
Sawzall, finish nailer, brad nailer, narrow crown stapler, framing square, tool belt with everything it usually contains, r.o. sander, cordless drill/driver & flashlight, Fein Multimaster, Bosch jigsaw, and miscellaneous small hand tools.
It was just barely under the 70 pound limit for checked baggage. Northwest charged me $25 each way for being over 50 pounds. Other than that, it was no different from any other checked luggage. I took photos of the contents just in case I had to make a claim. Each way, I found a TSA card inside saying the bag had been opened and examined.
I did the same thing about a year ago, and so far no problems.
DougR
What would the replacement cost be for all the tools you packed into the suitcase? I'm glad it all worked out but I bet you exceeded the airlines reimbursement if the bag would've gotten lost.
The bag handlers sometimes have far too much time on their hands and theft is a problem (not a massive problem) at the airlines and locking the bag is not allowed anymore. Corporate security often sets up stings to catch them but they don't get everybody.
I'd go with a couple of bags so I could keep the replacement value beneath what the airline will pay for lost bag.
7gworked for an airline for a long time
john7g-Yeah, I thought about that. I asked the counter agent if I could declare a high value on the bag ahead of time. She looked at me like I had 3 heads. Me: What if the bag is lost?
She: Sir if the bag is delayed, we'll deliver it to your home.
Me: But what if the bag is lost or stolen?
She: Sir if the bag is delayed, we'll deliver it to your home.
Me: Yeah, but what if the bag is lost altogether?
She: Sir if the bag is delayed more than a day, we'll contact you.
Me: Yeah, but what if you never find it at all.
--Blank Stare-- --Long Pause--
She: Sir if the bag is delayed indefinitely, you can make a claim.At this point I just gave up and crossed my fingers. If there's a next time, I'll make sure to nail this question down ahead of time. Don't you love that "delayed indefinitely?"-DougR
While the number of baags that are "lost" sometimes seems pretty high, the truth is that most "lost" baggage is really "mishandled" and eventually gets to it's owner. that part of the statistic is usually not mentioned.
I'm pretty sure I've seen statistics that cite 99% of the bags that are reported as lost or mishandled are actually returned to their owner.
Label your bags well and get to the airport early and you will greatly reduce the chances of the bag not arriving when you do.
tsa.gov
I had a friend who was building/remodeling a disco in Acapulco in the early 70's. He got frustrated with the progress and hopped on a plane to Montreal. He bought a shedload of tools and returned. They wanted $5,000. (a lot of money in those days) in duty. They wanted to keep people working as it fed the family.
I strongly suggest you check with the local authorities.
Also check with the airline as to Dangerous Goods classification of your batteries. They may have to be specially packaged along with completeing a special declaration as to their nature which is given to the Pilot.
Cheers and good luck
Malcolm
I would check with the customs officials of the country you are travelling to, especially if you are going there to work. When we travel for business (i'm an aircraft mechanic) we now have to documnet everything we bring including the value and country of origin. It has become a lot more strict in the past few years and the rules are different for every country.
We are able to generalize some things, ie snap on 1/4 drive socket set, USA, $200.00, and not list every single peice of that set, but the list does have to be fairly comprehensive.
One of our Senior Crew Leaders (framed on the Ark) at Habitat travels to Mexico, Africa, etc. to build things when he's not building here.
He does not take nice fancy tools. He goes to Harbor Freight and stocks up, planning to leave the stuff with the folks on the far end. A socket set and basic tools can mean a lot to someone out in the 3d world boonies. Long way to a Home Depot.
Some of that HF stuff is not too bad.
The ToolBear
"Never met a man who couldn't teach me something." Anon.
Actually, that is what is going to happen here...He is going to take his used Milwaukee cordless set and leave it there. (He already bot a new set!!) As for getting ON the plane, there are many good suggestions here. I think he got on the forum last night to read what was posted, but if not, I will be sharing the ideas with him this weekend."The nearest thing to eternal life we will ever see on this earth is a governmental program" -Ronald Reagan
Very nice of him to leave the set. Are they 120v or 240 in NG?The ToolBear
"Never met a man who couldn't teach me something." Anon.
Are they 120v or 240 in NG?The set is recharged in 120v (28 volt Milwaukee cordless). I understand they have generators than can do both, but they are set up with 120."The nearest thing to eternal life we will ever see on this earth is a governmental program" -Ronald Reagan
Been to Africa twice on missions trips.
We were allowed 2 check in bags, 50 lb. limit and a carry on.
Our team all used one of our checked in bags for tools and building supplies. Between all of us we hauled a lot of stuff.
Couldn't get any tools on board as carry on.
We pre shipped a generator for our power tools.
Be prepared for long waits at the x-ray machine.......They opened every one of our tool bags.
Also you may want to strap your bags with a couple nylon straps.
Makes it harder for the handlers behind the scenes to steal your tools.
Coming home was much easier...We left everything.
God's blessings to your friend, It's awesome what he's doing.
~Mike~
MJC Woodworks
"Gentle to the touch, exquisite to contemplate, tractable in creative hands, stronger by weight than iron, wood was, as William Penn had said,"a substance with a soul.'"
Eric Sloane
Edited 12/6/2007 7:01 pm ET by mjcwoodworks
Edited 12/6/2007 7:03 pm ET by mjcwoodworks
There are TSA approved locks available for luggage.
http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=tsa+lock&tag=mh0b-20&index=aps&ref=pd_sl_7xgf39x48h_b
Is there a master combo for TSA to use or do they just use the master key (bolt cutters)?
yeah I always wondered that... i personally don't use locks for my luggage. I don't think people would stoop low enough and steal my underpants.
The TSA has special keys for TSA approved locks.
http://sg.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20071022194320AA7QmZ4
In a past life I got a gig installing theatrical rigging in Bermuda and had to fly there from NC. Being young and naive I showed up at the airport with my Anvil case full of tools - screwdrivers, pliers, sharp pointy things, instruments of destruction, etc. They actually let me take it as carry-on both ways. Try getting away with that today while avoiding a trip to Gitmo......
I had a pocket screwdriver confiscated in memphis a couple years ago.
I could normally kind of understand that. The thing is, i was only in memphis because I was working on an aircraft. All the dining facilities in memphis at the time wer on the non secure side of the airport, so when we came back from lunch we had to go through the screening. I was in my mechs uniform with my airline ID's, and a temporary memphis ID and they still wouldn't let me keep it, even though my entire tool box was sitting beside the plane on the secure side of the airport.
I did finally get it back, but the ridiculousness of the situation was laughable.
Years ago, in the early 70's used to fly a small plane into Port Columbus (OH) air port.The way that the airport was laid out it there was a short distance from the FAA office ramp to the airline terminals. We would walk across the ramp into an unused gate (this was back in the days you walked out at ground level and they used a portable air stair.)Then after the hijacking they started locking the fences around the gates. So we climbed over the fence from the ramp area into the terminal.Got lots and lots of strange looks, but no one said a word.And in the late 80's I had an airplane for sale. Got a call that some one about 2 hours away was interested in it. Just went to show it.But endup selling on the spot and did not make any plans about getting back or the personal stuff that I had in the plane.Found that I could still get a flight back and took the stuff out of the plane and put in a gorcery bag. Include was 3 screw in dog anchors that I used for temporary tiedowns.And I just carried that bag on board..
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.