Originally posted by AegisD
If you\'re commuting from America, they\'ll probably make you pour out your paint. I haven\'t flown in a while but the last time I did the policy was no liquids of any kind. I even had to toss the unopened bottle of water I just bought too. Just in case I wanted to separate the oxygen and hydrogen via electrolysis and use the two to blow up a small portion of my tray table and/or pants I guess.
Is it just me or are we Americans really paranoid about security anymore? Like, to a somewhat unnecessary extent.
The FAA started relaxing those restrictions a bit a few years ago. I\'ve flown a lot in the last couple of years both within the US and internationally and the current rules for liquids in the main cabin (so in your hand or in your carry-on luggage, not in your checked bags) are: for drinks, like buying water, you have to wait to get it until after you\'ve gone through the security check. Yes, the security scanners will make you dump any outside drinks you have (even if they\'re still sealed). But once you\'re through the checks, anything you buy in the concourse, be it bottled water, fountain-drink soda from the fast food place, etc., should all be fine to take on the plane. As for other liquids/gels (including paint) in carry-on baggage, each individual container must be less than 3 oz. (so our paints are fine) and all such containers together must be carried together within a single, quart-sized, clear plastic zip-bag. Remember that you can one bag of liquids so if you\'re carrying on paint, it has to fit in the same bag along with your toiletry liquids (toothpaste, mouthwash, etc.).
The list of allowed/prohibited items from the U.S. FAA/TSA is found here:
http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/prohibited/permitted-prohibited-items.shtm
Non-flammable paint is listed as an acceptable carry-on item, so long as it adheres to the above-mentioned 3 oz. rule.
When I flew from Los Angeles to Toronto for a week just two weeks ago, I didn\'t take paint but I took my portable sculpting kit (I built a version of Ming-Hua\'s kit as seen here: http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v490/minimaker/Mini%20sculpting-Tools/?action=view¤t=dcbb.jpg). I left all my metal carvers at home but had my half-sculpted armature in the handle, my clay shapers, a couple brushes, my putty, toothpicks, some wire, etc. I was carrying on everything so I just took the kit box out of my bag and put it through the x-ray machine separately, just like I have to do with my laptop. On the trip to Canada, security didn\'t say a word. Coming back, they wanted to look in the box but while they were looking, I just said I sculpt toy figures and had some clay and tools, and showed them the soft rubber tips on the shapers. They did their explosives-check swap which was of course negative, then just said \"Oh, neat,\" and sent me on my way.
