Rural mailbox question

[Kurt Gavin]

Good idea.

[Joshua Putnam]

At a previous employer, our mailbox was a quarter mile from the office. We had a device with a tilt switch and a radio transmitter that detected when the door was opened, rining a bell in the front office. Don't know where he got it, other than it was from a mail-order catalog.

[Carol]

Here's a gadget that would work -- mailbox chime:

[Bob G.]

============= My my mailbox is only 150 pr so feet from my front door BUT I have trouble walking and 300 or so feet is, or rather sometimes is, rather painful ...

So I just wait to check my mail until 4 PM Not much of a problem !

Bob G.

[RLM]

Thank you.

"Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not one bit simpler." -- Attributed to Albert Einstein --

[Robert Gammon]

If the bobber is up, the door is open. This does not necessarily tell you if there is mail inside.

When the door closes again, are you saying that the weight of the washer is enough to hold the bobber high on the back, allowing the cord between the washer and the door to curl up?? If the washer is heavy enough, and the bobber light enough, yes. I might go for a 3/8 nut rater than the washer just to be sure.

Then when you walk out to get the mail, you pull the bobber back down > >

[RLM]

If the bobber is up the door *has been opened*. Only the mailman opens my box. Then only to deposit or pick up mail. Never had any problems with local kids getting in our mailbox here.

That's correct.

The 3/8" washer and the friction of the cord exiting the hole was always enough to hold the bobber in place for me. I used a 1-1/4" plastic bobber that is easily visible from the house. I see no problem with the extra weight of a 3/8 nut or more weight if you choose to use a really large bobber. You may have a greater distance that you have to view it from. The weight just slides on the bottom of the mailbox so it doesn't offer that much friction when opening the door of the box.

That's correct. Close the box after removing the mail and pull the bobber down in back. It is then ready for the next time the mailman opens the box to deliver the mail.

With the door wide open, and the *weight lying* on the bottom of the box. The bobber should be attached near the point on the cord where it exits the rear of the box.

This way when the door is closed the bobber can be pulled down.

[RLM]

The two sentences above are wrong, I thought about this after I sent this. With the door wide open, pull on the cord at the rear of the box enough to raise the weight off the bottom of the box. Then attach the bobber near the point that the cord exits the box.

[Beachcomber]

The radio notification devices may not work for everyone. Reception problems due to weak signals can occur if the distance is too great. The transmitters require batteries and may experience problems during temperature extremes.

Beachcomber

[Mark Lloyd]

My (rural type) mailbox is just about 30 feet from the house, with nothing but air in between. However, none of those RF devices I've ever tried would work reliably. If there's any interference, the most likely source seems to be the box itself (heavy steel).

[Tom Lachance]

Not that tough to make one. I made one 20+ years ago with a stainless welding rod and a piece of aluminum painted a bright color. Twist one end into a small loop and add a coil or three above it. Attach the "flag" to the other end with about an inch protuding from the end. bend a small (30 degrees)angle in the end and attach to a small tab cut and folded up in the lip of the front door that has a hole drilled into it. With a little "fiddiling" and adjusting, you can make a cheap one. When you get the mail, you reset the flag by closing the door and inserting the end of the wire in the hole of the tab. When the mailman opens the door, the flag pops up.