Taking PC as checked in luggage, got it all figured out aside from one thing, packing material that is esd safe for the inside.

[waze_jj]

So I'm checking the PC in but removing the GPU, and CPU cooler, that's going on hand luggage with me. The pc is going inside the case box which will be wrapped with bubble wrap and put on a larger box so I think exterior protection is adequate. But for the inside despite having no large components that have leverage I would still like to pack the PC with something just in case. I have some of that brown packing paper I saved up, half of the people have told  me its fine to use and the other half said its not, so I'm wondering if its fine with the mobo and all that stuff. If its not fine is there any other recommendations for packing since anti static bubble wrap where I'm from comes around 50$ and that's ridiculous, I know its good to spend the money to keep the pc safe but I already spent 25 on a rugged carboard box don't really feel like spending 75$ on just packaging...

[Brooksie359]

I wouldn't pack anything inside in all honesty. Seems like it would have more potential to do harm than good. There aren't really loose components in a pc without a cpu cooler and a gpu that you have to worry about and if you add stuff inside then you are adding stuff that can potential move around inside the case and cause issues. I mean what are you protecting against by shoving packing paper inside the pc case? 

[waze_jj]

3 minutes ago, Brooksie359 said:

I wouldn't pack anything inside in all honesty. Seems like it would have more potential to do harm than good. There aren't really loose components in a pc without a cpu cooler and a gpu that you have to worry about and if you add stuff inside then you are adding stuff that can potential move around inside the case and cause issues. I mean what are you protecting against by shoving packing paper inside the pc case? 

Its more in case something comes loose it doesn't bang around the case, but yeah i guess the chances are low especially if I zip tie the ram levers. only thing I am doing for sure is adding some foam between the psu and the metal bit bellow the gpu, sont know whats called. Id imagine the four screws of the PSU will go through some stress if I dont do that since there is a gap on top, which is fine cuz gravity, but not for shipping cuz it could be upside down or smth.

[Pixel5]

you can just tear up some cardboard and throw it in there that should be more than enough.

[SupaKomputa]

I usually hand carried PC using a sling, put it under the seat.

I don't trust people handling it.

Take all internal components to my back pack.

[waze_jj]

1 hour ago, SupaKomputa said:

I usually hand carried PC using a sling, put it under the seat.

I don't trust people handling it.

Take all internal components to my back pack.

I think its a great solution if you have a slightly smaller case than mine, its a lianli lancool 2 mesh so not very small, not the biggest but a bit big for carry on. I mean i dont trust people but half the process are machines which is even worse, hence why im taking enough precautions so that the box can be drop kicked by john cena and survive

[Kisai]

2 hours ago, waze_jj said:

So I'm checking the PC in but removing the GPU, and CPU cooler, that's going on hand luggage with me. The pc is going inside the case box which will be wrapped with bubble wrap and put on a larger box so I think exterior protection is adequate. But for the inside despite having no large components that have leverage I would still like to pack the PC with something just in case. I have some of that brown packing paper I saved up, half of the people have told  me its fine to use and the other half said its not, so I'm wondering if its fine with the mobo and all that stuff. If its not fine is there any other recommendations for packing since anti static bubble wrap where I'm from comes around 50$ and that's ridiculous, I know its good to spend the money to keep the pc safe but I already spent 25 on a rugged carboard box don't really feel like spending 75$ on just packaging...

Do realize that:

a) Airlines routinely drop luggage from like 20ft in the air

b) Heavy, imbalanced luggage will usually fall and damage anything inside it that isn't clothing.

 

If you want to pack the inside, don't use plastic/polyester or other synthetic cloth/foam. You can wrap the outside with cloth and foam as long as the expansion ports are covered with cardboard. But really I would not ship a computer by air. At least not in the original chassis box and packing material.

 

Honestly, the safest way to transport a desktop is by personal car. The second best way is by fedex/ups/dhl. Both of these options are going to be much more expensive. 

 

If you don't have that option, find whatever cardboard you have (eg cereal box cardboard will do) and just fold it up into toilet-paper tube like shapes and just stick those between the expansion cards and voids so that if they do experience a shock, they aren't hitting something that will break the pcie edge off. Most expansion cards don't have much on them in the first place, it's mainly GPU's that are heavy enough to break the PCIe card slot.

 

 

[waze_jj]

6 minutes ago, Kisai said:

Do realize that:

a) Airlines routinely drop luggage from like 20ft in the air

b) Heavy, imbalanced luggage will usually fall and damage anything inside it that isn't clothing.

 

If you want to pack the inside, don't use plastic/polyester or other synthetic cloth/foam. You can wrap the outside with cloth and foam as long as the expansion ports are covered with cardboard. But really I would not ship a computer by air. At least not in the original chassis box and packing material.

 

Honestly, the safest way to transport a desktop is by personal car. The second best way is by fedex/ups/dhl. Both of these options are going to be much more expensive. 

 

If you don't have that option, find whatever cardboard you have (eg cereal box cardboard will do) and just fold it up into toilet-paper tube like shapes and just stick those between the expansion cards and voids so that if they do experience a shock, they aren't hitting something that will break the pcie edge off. Most expansion cards don't have much on them in the first place, it's mainly GPU's that are heavy enough to break the PCIe card slot.

 

 

I feel like you didn't read what i wrote, no CPU cooler, no gpu, those are going on carry on, so no big leverage, also 20ft, that's very exaggerated, yes they may chuck it like a couple of feet or drop it from standing height but they aren't gonna play shot put with the box. in terms of external protection I've got enough for maybe up to 6ft drops, triple corrugated carboard box on the outside, layers of caking paper and the case box in the centre, plus these foam inserts that go between the box and the glass of the case for even more protection, only real worry is if smth small comes undone and bashes inside, hence why im asking about internal packing materials to avoid components that can come loose to damage other things

[SupaKomputa]

put it in the box it came with. label it as fragile when checking.

For extra protection get a wood packaging and just fill it with foam.

[Kisai]

4 hours ago, waze_jj said:

I feel like you didn't read what i wrote, no CPU cooler, no gpu, those are going on carry on, so no big leverage, also 20ft, that's very exaggerated, yes they may chuck it like a couple of feet or drop it from standing height but they aren't gonna play shot put with the box. in terms of external protection I've got enough for maybe up to 6ft drops, triple corrugated carboard box on the outside, layers of caking paper and the case box in the centre, plus these foam inserts that go between the box and the glass of the case for even more protection, only real worry is if smth small comes undone and bashes inside, hence why im asking about internal packing materials to avoid components that can come loose to damage other things

I certainly did read the original post. The point is, you shouldn't be shipping a desktop computer this way. That's why laptops exist. Laptops fit in your carry-on. Airlines literately do chuck things from the cargo compartment to the ground, luggage goes through some robotic systems in some airports and get lost or jammed. Heck, I'd suggest a train instead, at least you can physically hand it to the person in the luggage compartment, or take it in the car your seat is in if there's space at the front/rear.

 

After seeing properly packed computers get returned with 3" deep dents in their chassis, (destroyed every drive in it) when sent by air, I would dissuade you from shipping it this way. The heavier the overall chassis is, the more likely someone is just going to drop it. Airlines do not give a crap how they treat luggage and if you ship anything that isn't a standard sized soft-surface suitcase, expect it to come back with dents and gouges in it.

 

[progamer21]

8 hours ago, SupaKomputa said:

I usually hand carried PC using a sling, put it under the seat.

I don't trust people handling it.

Take all internal components to my back pack.

big brain

[-rascal-]

I haven't taken a PC / computer case as checked luggage in a LONG time (Christmas 2010 ~ 2011?)

Last time I did it was from California, back up to Canada, it got home safe and sound .... via Alaska / United airlines 

Basically...

• Threw a bunch of clothes (that I bought while down in Cali) inside the empty space of the case
• Threw the RAM + CPU + SSD (in the original packaging + boxes) into the case 
• Put the case back into the original box with packaging foam, etc, release the box with packaging tape
• When I check it in, they slapped a bunch of fragile labels on it...and made me write in GIANT font my "if found contact me here" info on the side of it.
• Carried the GPU + PSU + CPU cooler + Motherboard with me as carry-on

That said, the case was like a 50+ lb CoolerMaster HAF 932, and it doesn't have glass panel(s).

Then again, NewEgg / Amazon / FedEx / UPS ships these glass panel cases around the world without too much issue...

[waze_jj]

21 hours ago, Kisai said:

I certainly did read the original post. The point is, you shouldn't be shipping a desktop computer this way. That's why laptops exist. Laptops fit in your carry-on. Airlines literately do chuck things from the cargo compartment to the ground, luggage goes through some robotic systems in some airports and get lost or jammed. Heck, I'd suggest a train instead, at least you can physically hand it to the person in the luggage compartment, or take it in the car your seat is in if there's space at the front/rear.

 

After seeing properly packed computers get returned with 3" deep dents in their chassis, (destroyed every drive in it) when sent by air, I would dissuade you from shipping it this way. The heavier the overall chassis is, the more likely someone is just going to drop it. Airlines do not give a crap how they treat luggage and if you ship anything that isn't a standard sized soft-surface suitcase, expect it to come back with dents and gouges in it.

 

I don't have an option, I'm moving to a new place. the shipping cost through post plus tax will be more than double what the case costs, I'm willing to have potential damage to my case since its only 100$, the stuff inside will be alright most likely, also hence why I'm taking the more expensive and likely to break components on my carry on... You aren't offering a solution just saying don't do it get a laptop. Its not a trip for leisure its just moving my system to my new place. Also I was asking interior protection and you're talking about exterior. like sure there is always a risk it will get dented but 2 inch soft foam, with a double cardboard box inside another cardboard box that is triple layered with packing paper in between, i severely doubt any exterior damage happens as long as its not run over by something really heavy.

[Stockholmes]

As the other posters have mentioned, there's a real possibility that the computer gets damaged along the way. Have you thought about possibly selling the system before you move? What kind of rig is it? Of course you would lose money (kind of), but if it gets damaged then you would lose money too. And then buy a new one at your destination?

 

But yeah, thinking about it, with all the shortages and raised prices I guess it might not be the best idea. If you're moving and doing it by plane, how do you transport all your other stuff though?

[Mark Kaine]

take out the ram too - those slots are fickle at best... and yes I'd definitely put some things inside... honestly, t-shirts... soft towels, no synthetics obviously... because you're right stuff may come loose and that'd protect everything... 

 

psu is a head scratcher but similarly 'protected' it probably won't be an issue. 

[waze_jj]

12 hours ago, Stockholmes said:

As the other posters have mentioned, there's a real possibility that the computer gets damaged along the way. Have you thought about possibly selling the system before you move? What kind of rig is it? Of course you would lose money (kind of), but if it gets damaged then you would lose money too. And then buy a new one at your destination?

 

But yeah, thinking about it, with all the shortages and raised prices I guess it might not be the best idea. If you're moving and doing it by plane, how do you transport all your other stuff though?

5800x and 3070, nah im not selling it lmao. Im going to uni so not taking much, but staying at that place for 3 years so i plan on selling the system when leaving. As i said only thing that might get damaged is the case, i just decided to take the mobo off and put it in its box and put it inside the case with packing paper

[Mark Kaine]

Reading it again, it really doesn't make sense to keep *any* components installed in the case if you want to avoid damage... ram cpu etc can be easily put inside small boxes with some foam or ideally their original boxes, put lots of clothes in the case so nothing flies around... gpu, psu would be probably best as hand luggage, psu is heavy, if it drops something *most likely will be damaged. 

 

That said if you have a glass panel and not the original packaging, it will be very very difficult to transport, if you have the original packaging it shouldn't be a problem at all on the other hand. 

 

 

 

[AndreiArgeanu]

38 minutes ago, waze_jj said:

5800x and 3070, nah im not selling it lmao. Im going to uni so not taking much, but staying at that place for 3 years so i plan on selling the system when leaving. As i said only thing that might get damaged is the case, i just decided to take the mobo off and put it in its box and put it inside the case with packing paper

There isn't really any point, but if you want to fill the insides of your case with something you can use instapak foam.

[waze_jj]

20 minutes ago, Mark Kaine said:

Reading it again, it really doesn't make sense to keep *any* components installed in the case if you want to avoid damage... ram cpu etc can be easily put inside small boxes with some foam or ideally their original boxes, put lots of clothes in the case so nothing flies around... gpu, psu would be probably best as hand luggage, psu is heavy, if it drops something *most likely will be damaged. 

 

That said if you have a glass panel and not the original packaging, it will be very very difficult to transport, if you have the original packaging it shouldn't be a problem at all on the other hand. 

 

 

 

Right so for the case i do have the case box, got some extra foam panels to put in between the two foam things, the case and the box to give some extra panel protection, then the case box  wrapped in some packing paper and inside a bigger triple layered box that i glued carboard panels to the inside of the bigger box for even more protection so I would be surprised if the case got damaged, And amount the components yeah im putting the mobo and all that stuff in their original box in the end.