Hi Eric! Great to meet you as well. We really enjoyed the meal & conversation! Thank you for the wood and all the extras! Really appreciated!
Made it thru the airport, sorta. The "wood suitcase" weighed about 80 lbs. Repacked into the "clothes suitcase" down to 65. Then the airline shared a roll of tape so that I could tape two boards together to carry on and that got the weight down to the 50lb. limit for checked bags. $100 overweight charge avoided and happy to have found a workable solution. All well, right?
Nope! We had a TSA supervisor who declared these 2 hand-carried boards a blunt weapon and would not allow. Too heavy she said. I asked what the weight limit for wood is to not be considered a blunt weapon? She couldn't answer this. I've been searching as I wait for the plane and can find no answer. Apparently this young lady felt the need to make a statement this evening and exercise her almighty authority over a mere mortal. I had to leave 2 beautiful boards at the TSA area.
Searching the TSA rules, wood is allowed. I haven't been able to find a definition of what turns wood, or any object into a "blunt weapon" and at what weight is the tipping point that defines that change. I've carried wood thru multiple airports with bags opened and inspected by TSA agents. Always been passed right thru after a quick inspection of the wood.
Having been thru most of the major airports in the USA, some many times, it seems that the rules vary by airport and by agent. Consistency in security checks is a dreamy ideal that is far from today's reality. Defined rules that are applied consistently would be a good metric to strive to.
On the brighter side,.....she was happy to confiscate the boards and stopped short of the body cavity search, so all is well that ends well.