About to take a trip and I am thinking about carrying my camera equipment on board with me. Does anyone know if the TSA will or will not allow camera tripods as carry on's?
Don't want to get into a problem if I try and carry one on.

Thanks.

Check out this thread at nikonians.org: here

My advice would be to plan on checking it, and providing sufficient protection to make sure it gets there in one piece.

What is allowed is constantly changing. TSA runs a web site that lays out what they will allow and what they will not. I found it with a Google search and don’t remember what the address is. It’s rumored that the guys at the gate don’t always know their own rules as well as they ought to. But it will at least let you know what’s up!

There was a movie with Brian Dennehey where he had the head of a large tri-pod modified to shoot .22 caliber bullets with a silencer, firing mechanism, and trigger assembly from different parts of camera equipment.

I think it was "Gorky Park" and I believe Lee Marvin also starred in it. If you have a large tri-pod and the TSA agent has seen the movie, he may disassemble it and search your checked luggage.

At a County courthouse checkpoint here in Milwaukee, WI, one of the security people disassembled my aluminum cane to check for a sword attached to it. Many people are not aware that you can buy an aluminum walking cane that has a sword blade attached to the bottom adjustable leg.

I'm going to have to rent that movie so I can make a pistol like that without the silencer which would require a tax stamp.

If anyone knows that it was not "Gorky Park", but another movie, please advise.

Bountyhunter

One ploy the TSA uses is to handle your camera gear roughly, while another TSA employee is "checking" your wallet. When you try to keep your gear from being damaged, the other one takes your cash. Happened to a friend, he didn't notice till he tried to pay for a drink once he was in the air.
Dave

What in the world was he doing letting TSA touch his wallet?? They need to see your ID and unless your wallet has metal in it you should be able to carry it through the metal detector. If not bury it deep in your carry on so they can scan it but can’t get to it fast. I’m sure some of the TSA are good folks but many are rather low rent. The “favorite” for me so far is Atlanta. Even though they didn’t treat me too bad when I forgot and left a knife in my bag, of course they thought their “barrel” would get it but I was able to stash it in a bush outside the terminal and retrieve it a couple of weeks later on my return.

That?s the advantage of an all hardwood cane. Mine is Tennessee hickory and I would much rather have it with me than any of the sword canes I?ve seen. I?m sure someone makes one good enough to out do a hickory stick but they are rare indeed. The TSA always scans my cane looking inside it for weapons, but there is nothing there. <img src="/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

If it were me I would check the tripod for sure. These days I check pretty much everything!

When are you guys going to learn, TSA is basically a license to steal! ANd an opportunity for screeners of various sexual persuasions to get some personal jollies during the pat downs. *gags*

BH, go to www.imdb.com and enter Brian Dennehey's name. It will show you a listing of the movies he has made and perhaps that will give you an idea of the movie you are looking for.

Skater:

Thanks for the lead, but knowing what film he has appeared in won't tell me which film had the unique pistol in it.

A friend and I were trying to determine the brand of car Gary Grant was driving in the movie where he played a former cat burglar. Went as far as calling the studio that made the movie and they were not able to tell us.

Bountyhunter