tomtomtom123

I noticed the flammable label on my tube patch vulcanizing fluid/glue, so it might not be allowed on flights. So if you're flying, it's probably better not to bring it with you onto a flight and buy one when you arrive at your destination. Definitely don't put it into checked baggage. Maybe I'll carry some glueless patches in case I don't get a hold of a new tube of glue.

Edit: FAA website says flammable adhesive is not allowed in airplane baggage.
https://www.faa.gov/hazmat/packsafe/more_info/?hazmat=3
I think anything with a flammable label is generally prohibited unless specifically listed as an exception.
Nail polish remover being allowed might seem contradictory, but there are both non-flammable and flammable (acetone) types of nail polish remover. I would theorize that non-flammable nail polish remover is acceptable while flammable nail polish remover is not allowed.

phughes

A lot of aftershave is flammable are well. The tube of glue is most likely small. As long as it is under 3 ounces, put it in your quart sized ziplock baggie, along with your other carry-on toiletries.

tomtomtom123

Well, I had a small squirt bottle of optical cleaner confiscated because it had a flammable label. the MSDS sheet said 99% methanol. TSA website says anything flammable is not allowed.

kingston 

The TSA is a joke. I bring whatever I want on the plane and let them take it if they can find it. They are experts at finding bottled water. 100% detection rate. Everthing else, not so much. I wouln't be too worried about a little tube of rubber cement which I keep in the case with my bike every time I travel with it.

Tourist in MSN

I agree with Phughes, bring it in your quart ziplock in your carryon. If you have several small containers of sunscreen, toothpaste, hand sanitizer, etc., I would be surprised if they pull out the tube of glue. I think you will find most hand sanitizers are also flammable.

If you can carry a liter of booze onto the plane that you bought at a duty free store, they obviously are not that serious about the flammability rules.

I usually carry the self adhesive patches but sometimes I also carry the glue type patch kits in addition on a longer trip. I do not like to rely on the self adhesive ones to last more than a couple weeks, thus on a long trip I am more inclined to want to glue a patch on with proper glue.

tomtomtom123

Well, from what I understand, things with the flammable label can ignite more easily at lower temperatures, or give off flammable vapor. Some oils and low content alcoholic beverages do not fall in the same category and are lower risk. TSA separates alcoholic beverages into 2 limits of 24% and 70%. Anything above 70% is not allowed on a plane.

It's the same with some of the dry chain lube with the flammable label. I don't think you should take those onboard either.

kingston 

Because it's not safe or because that's what the rules say? I'm quite confident I could carry a bottle of 70% alcohol, or gasoline for that matter, on an airplane without setting anything on fire.

Remember when we had to turn off our phones for take-off and landing? I can think of dozens of things that used to be fine, then were prohibited, and now are fine again. They're making this stuff up as they go along.

To the original point, rubber cement is not on the list which means it's totally random whether or not they find it and take it. There is zero chance that my rubber cement is going to spontaneously combust in my suitcase and close to zero that a TSA agent will ever find it in my bike case. You do whatever makes you feel safe. I'm packing a patch kit.

Tourist in MSN

I will continue to bring my chain lube along too. Since it is in a 4 oz bottle, I will check it as I have in the past because it would get confiscated in a carry on because the container is larger than 100 ml.

Coming home from Canada in July, someone with the Canadian equivalent to the TSA did not like my quart zip lock, she produced a genuine official Canadian security quart ziplock and instructed me to put my small bottles in it because my baggie looked too big to her. They all fit.

linus

Every year I flew to Oregon for the last three years with a full tube of glue in my bike case without any issue.

tomtomtom123

Well, "nonflammable" oil is described as being acceptable on flights.
https://www.faa.gov/hazmat/packsafe/...nfo/?hazmat=53

What I am referring to is anything with a clear logo and label "flammable", or other things that are easily ignited, which are clearly not allowed.
The TSA website clearly lists "flammable" = NO.
https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-...ing/flammables

A lot of the dry lubricants contain highly flammable solvent, which is why they have a "flammable" label. There was already another thread about flammable lube, and I see that some of the same people are talking about bringing them onboard, so I don't want to talk about it again.

I just wanted to point out that the vulcanizing glue has a "flammable" label on it, so it is clearly not allowed onboard.

You can find more information about what is defined as "flammable" on the wikipedia page:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combus...d_flammability
"Flammable materials are combustible materials that ignite easily at ambient temperatures. In other words, a combustible material ignites with some effort and a flammable material catches fire immediately on exposure to flame."
"Flammable applies to combustible materials that ignite easily and thus are more dangerous and more highly regulated. Less easily ignited less-vigorously burning materials are combustible. For example, in the United States flammable liquids, by definition, have a flash point below 100 °F (38 °C)—where combustible liquids have a flash point above 100 °F (38 °C). "

The penalty for bringing flammables in checked baggage (or at checkpoint) is $350 - $2,100 if caught. So it's less risky and safer to simply buy it at your destination.
https://www.tsa.gov/travel/civil-enforcement

kingston 

Even the incompetent TSA isn't going to fine anyone for something that isn't even on their list and even if they did, $2100 is nothing compared to the thousands of hours of my time they have already wasted. Absolute worst case scenario, they take your glue.

tomtomtom123

Anything labeled flammable applies.
It's not only the risk of a fine, but also the risk of bringing a fire hazard onto a plane.

CliffordK

The TSA is unpredictable.

I like to hang around and watch while they dig through the luggage, although they don't really want to hand anything back. But, I've had complaints at the passenger check station, but never with the checked luggage. They don't like padlocks though.

What do you have? 1/8 OZ? Even if the whole tube exploded, with low pressure, it won't bring down the plane. And, if it does, then we have bigger problems than a tube of patch glue.

You do realize that just about everything in your luggage is flammable, right? Your clothes. Probably the plastic and fabric of the luggage, etc.

So, what if they take a $1 tube of patch glue?

My biggest thing is that I tend to have tools with me, and the TSA gets quite unpredictable with small tools. I often like to have a razor blade with the patch kit to trim those pesky seams, although sandpaper also works. Just imagine get caught smuggling a razor blade onto a plane Heck, I could imagine a TSA agent going ballistic over a tube rasp.

tomtomtom123

Flammable and combustible are different things. One of the problems with flammable liquids is that some may generate vapor that can ignite. Lower pressure would actually generate more vapor, and the expanding air in the container would have a greater risk of releasing the vapor from the container. Also, the flash point tends to be lower at higher altitudes and lower pressure, meaning that it can ignite at lower temperatures when on an airplane. Flammable is defined as flash point below 38C.

"Fuels which have a flash point less than 37.8 °C (100.0 °F) are called flammable, whereas fuels having a flash point above that temperature are called combustible."

For example, paint booths are supposed to use special fans that cannot short or spark into the airflow to prevent ignition of the solvent vapor. Used rags with some solvents/chemicals are also at risk of auto ignition due to self heating when exposed.

There are good reasons why some liquids carry a flammable label

staehpj1

Hmmm, I never gave patch kits a thought when it comes to the TSA. I have flown with a patch kit or maybe 2 in my tool bag on the bike many times. I never had a problem. I think they were always new unopened patch kits. Not sure if that matters though. Is there a minimum amount before TSA are concerned? The tubes in the kit I have here are only 4ml (about 1/8 ounce).

indyfabz

I have also never considered the glue. I keep my patch kit with glue in the little compartment of my CamelBak. That goes in my duffel, which gets checked. Never had an issue with that or chain lube, which also gets checked.

I did have some huckleberry jam confiscated from my carry on. Had bought it the night before and totally forgot about it. My argument that it was jam, got jelly, failed.

BTW...The phone thing is likely due to the fact that, BITD, there was no "airplane mode."

staehpj1

I don't remember ever seeing the TSA go through the luggage in sight of me anywhere I flew with my bike or without my bike for that matter. My bags always disappeared at the baggage check not to be seen again until the baggage claim at the destination other than maybe seeing them get loaded on the tarmac.

I guess I have been in a few airports where maybe the TSA might have done their inspection in the public eye, but I didn't see it. If so it was only in really small airports like KOA in Hawaii (the whole airport is under roof, but open air) where I could picture that happening and even there it seems like I remember the bags getting taken away behind a wall, but maybe they went somewhere I could have observed.

I am not really all that frequent of a flyer, but I have flown from a fair number of airports. Am I missing something of have I just not flown from airports where the TSA do inspections in the open?

ThermionicScott 

If you want to demonstrate that a 5g tube of patch glue is flammable, please make a video. Until then, let's take the hysterics down about 20%. I happen to like patch kits that actually work.

Rob_E

I have flown with my bike several times. I always have a patch kit, and I usually leave it in the same container as my bike. It's never been confiscated or noticed as far as I know, even though they almost always open up the bike box and poke around.

My experience with rubber cement is that it's going to evaporate before too long once you break the seal. These days I consider them to be almost a single-use item because enough time usually passes between flats that the tubes are already dried out the next time I go to use one. But even a fresh tube is minuscule, and I don't see it as a fire hazard, but an unopened tube is completely sealed.

I mean there was that one time that my plane did catch fire and we all died, but I think that was a coincidence.

Honestly, I wouldn't advocate knowingly stashing flammables in your bags, but if a couple of ounces of rubber cement are going to bring down a plane, we're all already done for.

CliffordK

I think it varies from airport to airport. It used to be that one would check in the bags at the counter, and the bags went on a belt and vanished.

But, with some airports, or airlines, one goes to the counter, checks in. They tag the bags, then one carries them over to a scanning station. There are often screens around the station, but one may still be able to hang out while the bag is being processed.

I haven't flown for a few years, and can only remember a few specific airports and processes.

indyfabz

Yes. It can be all over the place. For example, some airports have large scanners that can scan something as big as a bike box. Watched my bike box get scanned in Venice back in 2013. The security agent literally gave me a thumbs up. On the opposite end of the spectrum was in Portland, where the TSA agent was opening bike boxes and inspecting them. When we flew from Philly to Venice we found notes in our bike boxes informing them that they had been opened and inspected.

I have flown out of Missoula several times over the last few years after tours. You do, in fact, carry your checked bags over to a scanning station and they run it through the machine. Never flew with a bike though so I don't know what they do in that case.

CliffordK

It might be a reason to consider the type of bike box, and the ability to safely pack and repack.

indyfabz

I don't bother flying domestically with a bike. I ship. Much more convenient for me. No ground transportation issues.

linus

It's a piece of good information knowing that technically it can be confiscated.

tomtomtom123

It's clearly labeled flammable on the packaging.