PortafilterProcrastinator yes indeed you hit the nail on the head with the weight issue.
The motivation for the cardboard and foam versus using the 7kg (!) Pelican type hard shell case that I ordered and have sitting sad and alone and disused, is that the whole set up including the cardboard foam, the 4.6kg Flair, the Helor 106 at 1.8kg and lunar scale, weighs in at 8kg.
If I used the hard shell case then my check in baggage is suddenly an extra 14.4kg versus 8kg.
And when the cardboard box diintegrates it is easily replaceable. Although I intend to reinforce it with cloth tape so it will probably last a few years.