[Zyrano]

If you are from the west coast, carrying your tools is definitly your cheapest option. Back in the day, we packed a craftmens roll around tool box that locks with about 40 lbs worth of tools in it (10 lbs for the actual box), the rest we carried in individuals' suitcases and bags. We even checked dewalt drill cases and such without a problem. The trick is to make sure all of your tools is accounted for at the end, we had a couple of pieces that got lost in the process.

You can pretty much check anything. When the nationals were still at Disney world, I remember stopping by the racetrack and I picking up a used nascar tire for $5 bux (it just looked cool), I checked the tire in at the airport without a problem.