Shopsmith Forums

They work well. I believe they were first used to repair a damages section of fence. I have used one years ago. Only problem in my area is that anytime you go to dig a hole or drive something into the ground, a rock will move to center itself there!

reible wrote:When I was out shopping at Menard's (yes they are having another 11% sale) I got this:

Shown inverted. You put a scrap piece of 4 x 4 then drive it in the ground, no digging required. This one is 24" deep which was the shorter one they sell. Once the frost is out of the ground I see how well it drives in.

The present post is going to be a pain to remove so I might mover over a foot or so and then cut the old post flat to the ground and let nature take is course.

Anyone use one of these and if so what did you think?

I'm wondering how easy it will be to get it to go straight, not a fan of tipped mail boxes.

Ed

We have one for our mailbox, it's been there about 20 years now. I bumped it with my van last year and pushed it part way over but was able to straighten it up again. (it's in sand/gravel, we are next to an old gravel pit) I have also used them to set fence posts.

I got the box at the flea market, and gave it a new coat of paint, it's looking a bit rough now, must be time to spruce it up again.

They can go off course if they hit a rock, when that starts happening hit the side to straighten it up again. Definitely easier when the ground is still soft and wet. They also come in a more expensive version where the socket part is adjustable.

Y'all are fortunate if you have a mail'person' that understands the purpose of the flag and what it means and why the 'person' needs to raise it or check the box when it is already raised.

Some do, some don't.

There are two flags on the box the Ed Reible and I have. One flag red is to notify the mail service there is out going mail in the box. There is another yellow flag that is triggered by the door this is to let you know that the mail box door has been opened so you know the mail has gone. On mine the small piece of plastic that triggers the yellow flag is worn. So the yellow mail has gone flag is not reliable. This causes needless trip to mail box to see if I got mail.

Ed in Tampa wrote:There are two flags on the box the Ed Reible and I have. One flag red is to notify the mail service there is out going mail in the box. There is another yellow flag that is triggered by the door this is to let you know that the mail box door has been opened so you know the mail has gone. On mine the small piece of plastic that triggers the yellow flag is worn. So the yellow mail has gone flag is not reliable. This causes needless trip to mail box to see if I got mail.

Back in simpler time only one flag was needed.

If you put mail in for 'pickup', you raised the flag - the carrier(gender neutral) gets the mail when the flag is noticed and leaves any that is delivered and lowers the flag - observation of the flag being lowered by the carrier informs the occupant(gender neutral) of both.

If no mail to be picked up, the flag is left lowered - when the carrier delivers the mail, the flag is raised - the occupant can then observe the flag raised and go get the mail - then the flag is again lowered.

What does an extra flag do, and why does it need to be connected to the door? Is the carrier incapable of raising/lowering the flag.

BTW this only works if thy neighbors are honest(not thieves).

JPG wrote:

Ed in Tampa wrote:There are two flags on the box the Ed Reible and I have. One flag red is to notify the mail service there is out going mail in the box. There is another yellow flag that is triggered by the door this is to let you know that the mail box door has been opened so you know the mail has gone. On mine the small piece of plastic that triggers the yellow flag is worn. So the yellow mail has gone flag is not reliable. This causes needless trip to mail box to see if I got mail.

Back in simpler time only one flag was needed.

If you put mail in for 'pickup', you raised the flag - the carrier(gender neutral) gets the mail when the flag is noticed and leaves any that is delivered and lowers the flag - observation of the flag being lowered by the carrier informs the occupant(gender neutral) of both.

If no mail to be picked up, the flag is left lowered - when the carrier delivers the mail, the flag is raised - the occupant can then observe the flag raised and go get the mail - then the flag is again lowered.

What does an extra flag do, and why does it need to be connected to the door? Is the carrier incapable of raising/lowering the flag.

BTW this only works if thy neighbors are honest(not thieves).

This also requires the cooperation of the mail carrier. On my box if the door has been opened I know it. As the door opens the alert flag automatically goes up. The red flag is just to notify the mai carrier I have out going mail.

With your method if you have outgoing mail you never know for sure if the flag is up because you raised it or it is because the mail carrier did. With my mailbox I know if the mail box door has been opened since I reset it. I think it is a great idea! And the system works perfectly, until the box gets so old that little tab that suppose to raise the alert flag gets worn down and slips. However after about 20 years I think I can say it is time to replace it.

Ed in Tampa wrote:

JPG wrote:

Ed in Tampa wrote:There are two flags on the box the Ed Reible and I have. One flag red is to notify the mail service there is out going mail in the box. There is another yellow flag that is triggered by the door this is to let you know that the mail box door has been opened so you know the mail has gone. On mine the small piece of plastic that triggers the yellow flag is worn. So the yellow mail has gone flag is not reliable. This causes needless trip to mail box to see if I got mail.

Back in simpler time only one flag was needed.

If you put mail in for 'pickup', you raised the flag - the carrier(gender neutral) gets the mail when the flag is noticed and leaves any that is delivered and lowers the flag - observation of the flag being lowered by the carrier informs the occupant(gender neutral) of both.

If no mail to be picked up, the flag is left lowered - when the carrier delivers the mail, the flag is raised - the occupant can then observe the flag raised and go get the mail - then the flag is again lowered.

What does an extra flag do, and why does it need to be connected to the door? Is the carrier incapable of raising/lowering the flag.

BTW this only works if thy neighbors are honest(not thieves).

This also requires the cooperation of the mail carrier. On my box if the door has been opened I know it. As the door opens the alert flag automatically goes up. The red flag is just to notify the mai carrier I have out going mail.

With your method if you have outgoing mail you never know for sure if the flag is up because you raised it or it is because the mail carrier did. With my mailbox I know if the mail box door has been opened since I reset it. I think it is a great idea! And the system works perfectly, until the box gets so old that little tab that suppose to raise the alert flag gets worn down and slips. However after about 20 years I think I can say it is time to replace it.

Yer memory that short?

Yes it ALL requires cooperation and common understanding of 'what's what'.

Guess folks were smarter way back then(so also were 'rural' mail boxes more common).






Oh maybe farmers are smarter than city folk!