Chain saw as air travel luggage?

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t_andersen

ArboristSite Operative
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I need to bring my chain saw on an airline travel as checked-in luggage (in a box). I plan to empty the gas tank and the fuel line from the tank to the carburator, and leave the gas tank for a couple of days with the cap off to ventilate it. I will also empty the oil tank. Any other precautions?
 
Yeah. Check with the airline first to see if you can take it. You don't want to be ready to climb on a plane and have some bureaucrat tell you that your chain saw is not welcome, no matter WHAT you did to clean it up.

If you have the equivalent of our TSA (airport security), check with them. If they are like ours, they are largely wannabe cops, and total idiots on power trips. Trying to take a chain saw on board is likely to get you some time in an interrogation room.

I'm serious.
 
that sounds like a good plan to me. though to be sure you are legally able to do what you want to, I'd call the airline and check with them first.
 
Fed-Ex it and your luggage ahead of time - make your connections and arrival much nicer. Travel light, travel fast.
 
Here is a partial list from TSA "Yes" is for checked items


Axes and Hatchets Yes
Cattle Prods Yes
Crowbars Yes
Hammers Yes
Drills and drill bits - (including cordless portable power drills) Yes
Saws - (including cordless portable power saws) Yes
Tools - (greater than seven inches in length) Yes
Tools - (seven inches or less in length) Yes
Screwdrivers - (seven inches or less in length) Yes
Wrenches and Pliers - (seven inches or less in length) Yes

Note Any sharp objects in checked baggage should be sheathed or securely wrapped to prevent injury to baggage handlers and security screeners.


Rotax
 
I'm in Australia. When we flew a chainsaw to New Zealand ten years back, it cost us about a grand to get it there.

It would have been easier to buy another saw in NZ, except we needed an 08S that fitted onto this rig:
attachment.php


The engine had to be stripped down, cleaned, reassembled, certified as safe by a number of engineers, and shipped on its own pallet in the aircraft hold.

Flying it back, it was cleaned and went as carry-on baggage. (This was pre 911) :)

The more you ask, and the more you explain about what you are shipping, the harder it is going to get. Trust me, the father in law is an aviation regulator.

Clean it and fedex it.
 
Call them direct and get a hard copy!!!

For questions or concerns about Travel Tips, Permitted and Prohibited Items, and information on filing a claim for lost, stolen or damaged items, please call the TSA Contact Center.

Phone: 1-866-289-9673 toll-free
E-mail: [email protected]
 
I just checked an 044 and a 660 from Houston to Syracuse NY. Along with bars and chains, I had exactly 50 lbs (all you're allowed) in the roller duffel. I drained oil and gas, wrapped them in platic and a few towels, and they survived the flight just fine. I didn't volunteer what I was carrying, but they didn't ask either. I say it's definetely doable. I flew Continental btw . . .

-Dave
 
If you are able to do so when flying from Sweden, I would recommend that you declare "excess value".

At least here in the States, a declaration of "excess value" upon baggage check-in typically isn't going to cost you a whole lot of extra cash. It can be really cheap peace of mind. It's tagged and handled differently and you might find that it's just about the first baggage off of the plane.
 
swede rules

t anderson:
In the states we had a bad commercial crash in Florida several years ago.
It was caused by the cargo, Oxygen producing stuff brought down the plane.
Combine that with September 11th and we are fairly tight compared to the good old days of shipping saws with passengers.

This was stated to just back up the above posts on check your local airline for rules.

Best procedure to remove fuel from your saw:
Empty the gas,
pressure wash the outside trying to avoid water in the muffler/carb,
grease the clutch bearing. this incase you washed it too clean,
run the saw till it stops (this will also heat up muffler and carb areas and remove any water,
choke it and run it some more,
remove the spark plug,
remove the gas filter and let the saw sit with the gas tank open upside down in a warm place for an hour, Most remaining gas fumes will flow down and out,
place on a new gas filter/maybe a new plug later,
Wipe the saw spotless. Admire your work.

This will still not satisfy most air transport companies. But is the technique that removes the most fuel.
You can use a substance called purge. Recommend against that and just buy a new saw everywhere you go rather than purge anything.
 
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