Dangers of DIY

[fluxivity]

Here's a sobering thought

http://www.placidaudio.com/dfwshutdown.html


I once boarded a plane with some modded and kitted up v72's. switches, leds on the front panel, tubes, trafos and giant caps inside. I put it on the xray belt looking forward/dreading what was going to happen at the other end...nothing. This was a homemade bomb if I had ever seen one, but obviously I haven't, as no one said a thing to me. I got funny looks from several passengers though. Of course this was in the carefree 90's.

Anybody get denied boarding? Had anything temporarily confiscated? We're a switch and LED loving lot and god knows those things can be terrifying to the uninitiated.

 

[Guest]

In the late 1990s - Munich airport used to make you power up your portable pc just to make sure it wasn't a dummy case

worst airports in the world i have been vigorously searched
- bogota, columbia
- kuwait city

 

[reggie]

somewhere around ´98 I flew from L.A. to Munich and I had a steelpan in my luggage and of course also the stand, which I made "Trinidad Style" from plumbing tubes. Those were (taken apart) in my hand luggage ...needless to say that they got a lot of attention.

 

[owel]

In other countries, there are armed security guards guarding the entrances of banks, and more guards inside. They have M16 rifles, and sidearms. They inspect the bags of anyone who enters the bank. i.e. all customers. Just to make sure you're not carrying a gun.

So when I went to the bank, I opened my gym bag, and there's this big hunking stepper motor, stainless steel, cylindrical, short, stubby, with different colored wires coming out of it.

MAN! You've never seen 4 guards move so fast and surround me. They asked me what is it... I told them it's a stepper motor. And let me inside... but once inside, I can tell they're doing surveillance on me. IF probably I did something stupid, I'm pretty sure the guy in the balcony with the M16 will know what to do.

 

[Consul]

And this is the reason I love taking road trips instead. :thumb: :guinness:

 

[CJ]

I had to install a wattmeter in Chi Town one day. I was at Ohare with the meter and three CT's, current transformers, which were round black doughnut like things, about three inches in diameter with two wires hanging out of it.
Needless to say, that was good for a 1/2 hour delay.

Unrelated story, I was late geting to the Boise airport one day, and in my haste, I accidently took my check in suitcase with all my dirty clothing in it to the carry on section of the gate!
I didn't have enough time to take it back down stairs, so they had to open it up right there in front of everybody!

 

[lictme]

I fly a lot. I recently was sidelined for an hour while my apple flat panel monitor was scanned and re-scanned and re-scanned (aparrently, it looks "really scary" inside). In contrast, I also went right through the same airport (RNO, US) with 2 folding box cutters and a butane torch...dunno...it depends on the airport staff.

-james

 

[clintrubber]

I'm amazed 19" units in your luggage can often still pass without questions. I'd actually be more happy if they did ask me to explain what that black box was.

Bye,

Peter

 

[gang of elk]

back in '00 i flew from milano to nyc with a motoguzzi gas tank (picked it up at a swap meet the day before, couldn't get the gasoline smell out completely) in my carryon bag. i was prepared to send it by post had they stopped me at the gate. but they didn't even look twice. and the thing wreaked of gas so bad it gave me a headache. so once on the plane i put it in the overhead bin and shut it immediately. upon our arrival i opened the bin and was nearly knowcked down by the gas smell again, went through customs no prob.. couldn't believe it. last time i flew w my modular synth though ('03), they opened up the flight case, took one look at it and thought it was a doomsday machine. i ended up missing that flight due to the delays of taking the all modules out, etc.

 

[tony dB]

It was somewhere near end 2002 in London Waterloostation.. i was ready to board the HSTrain direction Brussels, just had to pass tru customs/security holding 2 large bags, one containing my cloths etc, cd's and the other some more clothing, a laptop, my neumann SM2 (small cylindrical shape) and 8 racked comps in a 4 unit housing.

Upon plassing tru the dectector and scanner section, one of the securityguys noticed the mike and my compressors in my bagage.

When i went to pick it up on the other side of the machine, some dude comes up to me asking to kindly follow him to a counter. Asks me what's inside my bags, telling me that they saw something on the screen they need to verify...

First i may take out my laptop but then i need to stop and don't touch anything. This guy takes a tool looking like a very small thing the vacuum a table for crumbs, and sucks dust out of my bags, telling me to wait...

He goes to another machine on his desk and analyses the collected dust. I still had 25 minutes before my train left then. He asks me what the stuff inside the bag is, i explain about my work and my gear.

I try to take out my comps but get very "correct" warned to step back immediatly and to NOT touch anything anymore. I say i admire his act of responsability and also ask if i'm going to mis my train?

Finally he starts pulling out the compressors, i just explain this is simple electronics for audio as is the microphone btw.
He picks rather brutal the Neumann box out, smakking it on his desktop, I get a little nervous telling him that's a very expensive (3-4000 ?) and sensitive mike he is about to open. Wanting to open this box myself for him as he had difficulties in doing, i get 2 more security agents next to me grabbing me gently but firm by the shoulder and bidding me to step back again. I say that the mike is inreplaceble and kindly ask to be extreme careful with it. After opening the box as if it contained a weapon of massdestruction i get to hear they're apologies and may run for my train. I got tru the door 15 seconds before it shuts, lucky i could take my dangerous toys with me back home. this whole operation took like 30 minutes btw and involved 4 security people, wow did i feel save :evil:

the people in Afganistan and Iraq are lucky not having as much studios overthere as London or NY i assume, they simply wouldn't get to record anything :?

A year before i drove my stationcar to London, filled with gear til the roof and no-one even bothered looking what it was! I went on the same train tru the chunnel as the one in my story above! well that was safe too :green:

 

[owel]

I'm going through an airport security gate, and nobody told me to remove my belt (my keys and wallet went through the scanner). Each airport does this security check differently!

So when I went through the gate wearing my stupid belt, the alarm sounded. Now, they ask me to take off my shoes and did a full body scan on me.... like I'm a freaking criminal. They're not courteous, and talking to me like I've done something illegal.

Meanwhile, my 6 yr old daughter is watching all these and getting upset.

These people earning minimum wage who check bags now have a taste of power and they are fully enjoying this job - bossing people around. They're nothing but STUPID LOW INCOME BAG CHECKING MORONS!!!!!!!!

 

[nacho459]

Sorry, this isn't audio related.

I went through Agricultural Customs in LAX once because I had just come back from a farm in Ecuador. Everyone in our group had muddy clothes that probably contained all sorts of fecal mater and bacteria in it. And they just waved us through because it was late at night.