[clug] [slightly OT] PC transport

[Neill Cox]

I used to travel regularly between Canberra and Melbourne. After watching
the luggage handlers throwing luggage from the plane to the luggage train,
and occasionally to the tarmac when they missed or the item bounced, I
decided not to send my computer via the airlines.

I used TNT.  They had (this 12+ years ago) a computer shipping service. 
Cost more than sending the computer as baggage, but it arrived intact. 
I'm sure that there must be a simlar service available today.

>From what I could see the luggage handlers didn't check for fragile stickers.

Cheers,
Neill

> Andrew Over wrote:
>> On Mon, May 17, 2004 at 07:51:20AM +0100, Simon Burton wrote:
>>
>>>It looks like I will try to take my desktop machine (it's a beast),
>>> not including the monitor. Does anyone have hints on the best way to
>>> do this?
>>>Should I get special luggage or use the box? I will be flying there
>>> and back. Any help on securing my baby much appreciated.
>>
>>
>> I've had the "fun" experience of moving a PC between the US and
>> Australia as checked baggage.  A few observations:
>>
>> - Back things up before you go.
>>
>> - Remove the hard drives.  No really.  Yes I know they're nicely
>> secured
>>   to the case, but remove them and take them carry on (then endure the
>> fun security questions about whether they're hard drives or plastic
>> explosives).
>>
>> - I tried my case's original box (complete with all sorts of foam
>>   padding.  It seemed to keep the case undamaged.
>>
>> - Fragile stickers are hit or miss.  Some baggage handlers seem to
>>   interpret them as "please kick me" stickers.
>>
>> - If you have a case with detachable/removable drive trays, remove
>> them
>>   or superglue them.  Basically if it can come loose, it will come
>> loose, most likely in association with a rapid deceleration.
>>
>> - Consider also removing your heat sink.  Yes I sound like a loon.
>> But
>>   my heat sink came loose bounced around my case and ate my 3 month
>> old (and rather expensive at the time) GeForce 4.
>>
>> I guess to summarise, be *really* careful about this, particularly
>> with anything that could come loose internally.  With the exception of
>> the graphics card, my machine survived 3 flights (though I have no
>> idea which airline did the damage).  Remove hard drives.  Don't even
>> chance it.
>>
>> Good luck (and I hope "fragile" stickers work for you),
>> --Andrew
>
> In addition to the above I would recomend packing the inside of your
> case with socks or something similar (maybe socks in anti-static bags?).
>
>    I would assume that it will be dropped about three times, and
> internal padding should help with the impact of the shock.
>
> Personally I used to strip my computer out of the case and pack it into
> my suitcase, I had another case waiting for me at the other end.  I
> would carry the harddrives in handlugage as well as backup cds and never
>  had a problem.  But they were international flights, I'm not sure you
> want to go to that effort for a quick hop to Melbourne.
>
>
> David


Neill Cox
ACE-Hosting