Magnesium case and airport security

What has been your experience when carrying your ToughBooks through airport security screening? Does the magnesium case blind the x-ray machines? I'm not looking to build a bomb case, but rather to buy a lapatop case to "dress-down" a CF-29 a bit. There are these new "TSA friendly" laptop cases that supposedly allow you to just layout your computer bag rather than open up and turn on your laptop. But if the magnesium case is going to require you to jump though hoops to satisfy the screener anyway, no reason to buy one of those cases. War stories?
Thanks.

 

I have flow quite a bit since I bought mine close to a year ago. I have never had TSA bat an eye because my case was made of magnesium.

Why do you believe that this makes the Toughbook impervious to X-Rays?

 

I get asked questions about how much I like it, but never about why I'm carrying it or what is inside.

If you want to be a member of the "special screening club" though, dress like me and head on through. TSA is not a fan of my attire.

 

the tsa has made flying worse than before

 

I've never had a problem with my toughbook. They ask me to take it outta the case some times and I say It's the whole computer... it isn't in a case... lol

 

A few yars ago I was carrying some company equipment in a zero/halliburton metal case and had to unload it because a screener said the case was reducing their machines ability to "see through". Since the case was only aluminum, I wondered if the ToughBook's magnesioum case might cause more problem. However, from the responses here, it sounds like I've nothing to worry about. Thanks everybody!

 

I gotta ask..how do you dress that they don't like it?

 

Consider that the name Modly has nothing to do with modding computers, and everything to do with personal ink and hardware.
CAP

 

At the risk of continuing our slightly off-topic meanderings...
Photography is one of my hobbies and, a few years ago (actually many years ago --- pre-digital), I was traveling back from Germany with a Minox C (the tiny USB-key sized "spy camera") in my pocket. The male screener was examining each passenger's pocket contents and asking to see passport ID. When I took the Minox out of my pocket, he looked at it and waived me through without any ID or questioning. It was pre-9/11 but still a little unusual - made even more so by him clicking his heels as he did it. Gotta love those Germans!

 

Combined with the black/death metal t-shirts, I also wear dickies work pants daily. Add in that I've got some visible libertarian ink, and the scanner flashes at 3 spots underneath my clothes looking for metal....

I'm ripe for questioning apparently when I walk through with a shirt that is covered in pentagrams and inverted crosses, and a goatee that even Osama Bin Laden would think was cool.

 

yeah, I saw you on a NCIS episode, didn't your license plate say 4NS666? hey, plenty of marines have tats. and some even have shrapnel left behind. no matter what the service, thanks for your service............Driller

 

My Toughbook has been pegged for "Closer Inspection" about 25% of the time I fly. I almost think they do it just because they want to see it work. Then they swab it for chemical or powder residue and run their tests. Then my wife ends up saying "C'mon Rick!!!" because I end up getting into a 10 minute conversation about Ultimate Toughbooks. I flip the guy a card as the guys who test it are almost always between 25 & 30.... Then I chuckle and walk back to board the plane.

 

kinda like Chris Adler?

 

Sorta, except I've got short hair up top... And I'm not skilled on the drums.

 

well, you could set it on fire and bring down a plane w/it I suppose. Add to that the lithium ion pack...

 

aaa tsa i can not fly no more as i go off on tsa it was at KORD was the airport i had my run in i made the sarg back up in that room thay held me for a bout 4 hrs un tell some one came and got me out but i was not done with him and now thay have this full body scan crap im sory but all this is feel good bull crap on the ground you ck bags are not put to the test like we are i just spend the cash
for jp8 now and i did not mean to Highjack this but i just can not stand tsa and had to say something

 

LoL well I used to sport a big 'ole goat but can only have a 'stache now cause of work. BUT i DO..well did, play the drums.

Magnesium's ignition temperature is so high that you would need to bring something else with you to get it burning and that sort of thing would be pulled.

Only thing Li Ion batt packs are really good for is meth LoL

I read ur post 3 times and cannot make sense of it................

 

@modly.
No ink here, but I have a little bit of metal goin round. My avatar is actually a shopped photo of me. I keep rosewood beads and puka shells tied in the braids of my goat. That with 4" of spikes up top don't make a friendly appearance.

Needless to say, I get "randomly" selected everytime i go through.
I haven't tried with a toughbook yet. I'll be sure to post back next time I do.

 

One of my Japanese friends that I have traveled with across the border is named Osama
In both cases when they look at his id it draw's all the attention away from me lol

 

I don't fly much, but on my way home on leave last year I brought the toughbook. I had to power it up for the TSA folks at one airport (getting on the plane at Dallas/ Ft. Worth if memory serves), but never had any issues getting it through.

 

I take them through all the time. Even if you have the thin airport friendly bags, it is best to take out the toughbooks, as they have a different signature based on the thickness and configuration.

Hadn't thought of it, but on Monday I'll run one through both the front baggage scanner and the checkpoint ones and get a printout. If anyone is interested, I'll scan it and post the pic. Not sure what level or slice will look the best, but will have to play with it to find a cool look.

 

Thanks! Should be interresting.

 

Kewlies! ToughBook pr0n!

mnem
bent.

 

I have actually seen what my toughbook looks like going through the xray scanner and there is not much to hide, it was possible to see the mobo, drive battery etc.