transporting a moc via aeroplane

[BrickCurve]

I am going to an interstate convention next month and (rather than an 8 hour drive) have to transport my moc via aeroplane in relative safely, any advice?

[nerdsforprez]

For what is is worth, I am in the military and have moved my collection several times. Although never by plane, the following tips might be helpful.

I am not sure what you are moving, but large sets, IMO, need additional support if moving long distances. Even if built incredibly strong, LEGO elements just won't hold up well if they weight several kilos. How big is your MOC? I moved both the below:

by pacing two-by-fours underneath the (crane) and a piece of plywood under the diorama. This allows the internal chassis or main construction of the models remain intact. Both are over 4,000 pieces and therefore very heavy but both have traveled over 1300 miles with no problems (the diorama lost a few pieces up top, but easily found in the box and an easy fix. If you can keep the main structure of the model intact, the rest of the model will stay intact as well).

Smaller models I place in a box (with padding) and place that box in another box. With this approach, although there may be shifting it is the inner box that is shifted and the inner contents (the MOC) remains intact. The inner box moves as a whole, and therefore no harms comes to it. For padding I have actually found that tons of plastic bags actually works better than styrofoam or other forms of padding, and currently it is my preferred method of adding padding......

I am actually moving at the current time. I will be documenting the process and after my move hopefully provide some write-up of the process and success......

[Legotom]

What are you moving? I'd take of any small parts that are likely to fall off and put them in a ziplock bag. Run your hand fairly hard over the model and see what comes off. If it's largely hollow (like a building) fill the insides with some sort of padding. The double boxing as above sounds like a very good idea. Take it hand baggage (carry on) if at all possible.

DON'T put fragile stickers on it! That just makes the baggage handlers throw it harder.

Have you considered sending it overnight with UPS/Fed Ex/ whatever. Might be cheaper than baggage charges on the flight.

[Peppermint_M]

Lots of padding and a solid box to keep it in. I managed to get a number of MOCs from the London to Chicago with minimal damage, though the most intricate did need re-building.

[AmperZand]

Take lots of photos of your MOCs including close-ups so you can rebuild them if they're destroyed or go missing. Of course, if you already have a record of them in LDD, you may not need pictures.

Edited July 3, 2015 by AmperZand

[BrickCurve]

For what is is worth, I am in the military and have moved my collection several times. Although never by plane, the following tips might be helpful.

I am not sure what you are moving, but large sets, IMO, need additional support if moving long distances. Even if built incredibly strong, LEGO elements just won't hold up well if they weight several kilos. How big is your MOC? I moved both the below:

by pacing two-by-fours underneath the (crane) and a piece of plywood under the diorama. This allows the internal chassis or main construction of the models remain intact. Both are over 4,000 pieces and therefore very heavy but both have traveled over 1300 miles with no problems (the diorama lost a few pieces up top, but easily found in the box and an easy fix. If you can keep the main structure of the model intact, the rest of the model will stay intact as well).

Smaller models I place in a box (with padding) and place that box in another box. With this approach, although there may be shifting it is the inner box that is shifted and the inner contents (the MOC) remains intact. The inner box moves as a whole, and therefore no harms comes to it. For padding I have actually found that tons of plastic bags actually works better than styrofoam or other forms of padding, and currently it is my preferred method of adding padding......

I am actually moving at the current time. I will be documenting the process and after my move hopefully provide some write-up of the process and success......

What are you moving? I'd take of any small parts that are likely to fall off and put them in a ziplock bag. Run your hand fairly hard over the model and see what comes off. If it's largely hollow (like a building) fill the insides with some sort of padding. The double boxing as above sounds like a very good idea. Take it hand baggage (carry on) if at all possible.

DON'T put fragile stickers on it! That just makes the baggage handlers throw it harder.

Have you considered sending it overnight with UPS/Fed Ex/ whatever. Might be cheaper than baggage charges on the flight.

This is what I am moving. The rear tower, most of the vegetation, the curved wall and the cottage roof will have to be removed and at the very least put in carry on luggage. Sadly I didn't make the moc in sections so the base will have to be kept together.

[Bricksnaps]

I'm going to brickfair va at the end of the month and it's a 13. Hr drive. My mic is 9ft long though so I'd rather drive then risk it on a olanex

Good luck, you have a month, why not rebuild in sections- that's a good fun experience in itself.

It's a good moc I like it