I don't know if you guys can help me but I'm building my own mailbox, and with me being disabled, I can't be making needless trips 1/8 mile away to an empty mailbox
So what I can't figure out is, how to fix it so it will show on the back of the box, that the mail person has been in there delivering mail.
My mind comes to a freeze on this, it can be real small or any size cause I have a telescopic lense I can look thru to see it.
I'm making it 8" high by 10" wide by 20" long which is close to what the old one was.
So if anybody has any ideas I'd appreciate any suggestions
Thank you in advance
Straightedge

Since you're building the mailbox yourself - why not build in a clear rear wall? You can then see the contents from the house whenever you like.

You might have a local plastics distributor (like Tap Plastics out here where I live) that will even cut a piece of clear stock to the dimensions you specify without a huge expense...

Gunnie

Okay, I like a challenge!
On the door, attach a rod/cable/wire that goes through the back of the mailbox when the door is closed. On a pivot attached the the back of the mailbox, attach a flag/marker which will be held horizontally in place by the rod when the door is closed. When the door is opened, the flag falls to the perpendicular.
You reset the flag when you retireve the mail and it drops when the postal worker opens the door to insert your mail.

Maybe go high tech, check with radio shack for a battery powered light, mail get delivered, switch trips, light turns on, on the part of the box facing the house. you pick up mail, reset switch, ligh goes off until next delivery. wire it up using an LED, and your battery should last a long time.

I know we got signal lights that come on at work, and will stay lit until they get reset, I'm sure radio shack could find the same set up for you. (ours also sound an annoying alarm, just to wake us up, if we happened to doze off, or are in a different part of the plant)

I'm sorry I forgot to mention this is very low budget, I'm using the flag from the old box, and the reason I'm building one is I have some wood, and I have saws and I have a shop, I just don't have any money to spend on a mailbox. I got all kinds of stuff from years before.

I can't put a clear back in it cause then the one who destroyed the old box could see when I get my prescriptions mailed to me.
Now I'm going to see if I can somehow take from something to make a light, with a switch cause I got tons of battery's, and I never thought of that, it's just coming up with a switch that will work, but then it might be a beacon to the one who tore it up to.
I still got to think.
You guys give me some good ideas, I'll try to give them all consideration. Thank you very much
Kerry

Well, at the very least, you could just leave a note for the mail (wo)man to put the flag up part way after they leave the mail, if you can see the flag from where your lense is. You never know, it could work. Thanks for your time.

If you're having problems with thieves maybe you should consider a lock box? Just give the key to the Mail man. Not sure if this is an option but sure as hell beats sitting at the window watching your mail box. Just a thought. HTH
cheers,
Bryan

I don't know about having them raise the flag part way, b/c there might be a mix-up on what's incoming and outgoing. Still, since most mail boxes are made out of metal, and I assume yours is too, you could use some kind of magnet and have them put on the top of the mailbox where you can see it when you have mail. When you go to get the mail, just put it on the side for them to use again. If you have the same mail carrier, then I'm sure they wouldn't mind doing this for you if you asked them nicely. Hope this helps.

If you want low budget cost effective and simple. Take a 4"x4" piece of styrene and paint it dayglow orange. Tie a piece of heavy guage fishing line to one corner. Attach the other side to the bottom corner of the box. Then fashion the door to have a bit of 'friction fit' somewhere along the edge. When you close the door slide the card into the tight spot. The act of opening the door makes the card fall, gravity does the rest. You check by looking for the card swinging in the breeze. You just reset it when you get the mail.
Low cost, effective, easily repaired if there is a problem.

If it is possible to put on a lock and give the key to your mail man, maybe it would be possible to leave a small air horn,the kind used in boating , in the box. When the mail is deliverd the mail man could just give a couple of short toots to let you know the mail is there.
I'm pretty sure it would be loud enough for you to here it from where you are. Just a thought ????
kwp427 (kevin)

If it is a person that destroyed the other one, and is stealing perscriptions from someone who needs them, maybe you should hook that telescopic lens up to a 30-06 or something and wait for the no good criminal to come back. But seriously, my suggestion is, if you have the same carrier all the time, explain your situation and see if they could bring it to the house. Front door service, if I was a carrier and someone, such as yourself, came to me with this situation, I'm sure I could bend whatever rules just a little bit. Never know, it could work. If not, there is always the 30-06! (j/k) Best of luck!

Hi,
I deliver mail for a living. Talk to your letter carrier. You should have a regular one on the route five out of the six days a week. I'm sure you can work something out. He may even bring the mail to your door if he/she knows your handicapped, or he could just drop off the pills, tell him they are being stolen.

Right....tell the mailman and see if they can deliver to your door...just remember him at Christmas and other Holidays with a card and a small gift for his troubles...we always give our mailman tickes to a local movie theater or (because i get them for free at work) tickets to the local minor league baseball team's home games...always a good idea to keep em' cause ya never know when...

hehe

just kidding guys

Thank you everybody for your good answers, I'd like to use that 30 odd 6 one on the one that tore the door off, the manufacturer said it could withstand an elefant standing on it, but not the door I guess.
Oh well, I bought a new metal one, and I got a 6"X2" piece of polished stainless steel that is paper thin, and covered it with shipping scotch tape so no one could cut themselves on it, drilled a hole in the corner, and put a fish stringer to hold it to the mailbox.
Then I slip it in the side of the door, then when the mail person opens it, it falls down, and the sun reflexs on it like a mirror, so now I don't even need the telescopic lenses to see, I can see the flash in the sun without it.
Thank you very much for your time and help, it has been greatly appreciated.
Kerry