KoSho Karate Pantano, Tucson, AZ-- Making a Bo Case

It's a fair assumption that if the airlines won't let
you bring a two-inch nail file in the cabin of the
plane, they're not going to let you bring your bo.
That means if you're flying to a tournament, it has
to ride in the hold: In the hold with heavy,
hard-sided suitcases. Having been tossed in there
unceremoniously by baggage handlers who have
been known to bring the finest products of American
baggage manufacturing technology to their knees.
How do you protect your best competition bo?
Here's one solution. You can make this case out of
PVC pipe and fittings, which you can purchase at
most home improvement stores. Though I can't
make any guarantees, especially if your luggage is
being routed through O'Hare, I've sent my case into
the hold three times, and it's none the worse for the
wear.

The best way to put the case on an airline is to put it in a ski bag first. Airlines aren't quite sure what to
do with weapons cases. But ski bags? That's something they know about. If you're traveling with friends,
you can fit at least three PVC bo cases in a ski bag, sling the whole thing over your shoulder, and
surrender it to baggage check with few worries.

Next, glue on the threaded fittings, one to the
short top piece and the other to the long bottom
piece.

A note about the threaded fittings: They might
need some lubrication. I've used a bit of Vaseline,
and it seems to work OK. Also, don't tighten them
all the way down, or you'll never get them
unscrewed again. I tighten mine a little more than
halfway each time I close the case.

Cut at least a foot off the top of the pipe. That way
when your case is open, you will have enough room
to grab the top of the bo and pull it out of the case.
Cut some small rounds out of foam. Any packing
foam will work. Glue the foam into the inside of two
end caps. Then using PVC glue, glue the end caps
onto one end of the short piece of pipe and one end
of the long piece of pipe.
Caution: The PVC glue is serious glue. Once it dries
it's permanent, so fit everything together and try
the case with your bo inside before you apply any
glue.

Also, the stuff reeks. Open a window.

The material is PVC piping, and it's available at most
home repair stores (like Home Depot). I used a
medium grade as a compromise between weight and
durability. It's 1-3/4" in diameter (outside
measurement). I don't recommend the lightest
grade, but if you absolutely, positively want
protection and are willing to pay in weight, you
might consider the heaviest grade. Measure to
make sure your bo will fit inside. Get a length that
will fit your bo with an inch or more of wiggle room
top and bottom. You'll need that room for foam
padding.