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Traveling With Cart Overseas


saadasound

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Hey there fellow soundies!

 

I'm going to be mixing a movie in the US Virgin Islands (specifically St. John) in a month or so. I'll be working by myself most likely, but I'm trying to figure out if there's a way for me to bring my modified Dewalt Tough System cart with me as support. Anyone have any advice as to how to ship these cases and cart?

 

I'm also remembering a hard/soft case that I've seen on JW a lot, but can't remember what the name of it is... It's really used as a make up kit, I think, but definitely have seen them on here as simple, small follow cases.

 

Anyone have any other recommendations for support carts or organization cases that are easy to ship and practical? I have some ideas, but would love to hear from you!

 

Thanks!

 

Steve

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My first bit of advice is to use a professional freight expediting company to handle transport rather than trying to deal with the gear as excess baggage. There are a number of companies that provide this specialized service. RockIt Cargo comes well recommended (although I must caution that the last time I traveled internationally with gear was more than 15 years ago):

 

https://www.rockitcargo.com

 

You'll also want to research Customs issues when flying with gear. I would think that the US Virgin Islands would not present Customs issues for a US citizen but, since you may travel on an international flight, I think you would, at least, want to have copies of purchase receipts to establish that your gear was acquired in the States. Better, register the gear with Customs before leaving (you take your cases of gear with a written inventory to a Customs office and they inspect the cases and stamp your inventory). A Carnet might be good if there is any chance you will island hop to another territory.

 

A case for your cart is ideal - I would offer to loan one but you are on the east coast so that's of limited benefit. If a case is difficult to acquire, you can arrange to have your cart crated. That's bit expensive and adds to the weight of your shipment. An alternative might be to have it "palletized." Your freight expediting company lies the cart on a pallet and "cocoon-wraps" the whole business in plastic.

 

Take pictures of each case, both closed and open to show the gear, so you have a record of what was in each case and how it was packed.

 

Time permitting, print a photo of the interior of each case, label the contents, and affix it to the lid or simply lay it in the case. That provides a guide for any customs or TSA official who might open a case and wonder what all those tech (and possibly ominous) devices are. It can also discourage opportunistic shrinkage by establishing what is supposed to be there. Larcenous baggage people sometimes hesitate to grab things if their presence is documented.

 

David

Edited by David Waelder
Added suggestion to inclose print of contents.
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2 hours ago, saadasound said:

 

I'm also remembering a hard/soft case that I've seen on JW a lot, but can't remember what the name of it is... It's really used as a make up kit, I think, but definitely have seen them on here as simple, small follow cases.

 

Steve

Could be the Zuca carts?

 They have an "off road" version, as well as a backpack version - both with bigger wheels that I believe can be taken off for transport. There's a Facebook group of people building these into small sound carts.

 

FWIW Re: Dewalt;  

I used two of the drawer units for almost two years, then one of them broke. Not that "tough", so I don't believe they would hold up as checked luggage. I only used them around the L.A. Area transported in my car, and it still broke....

 

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