DIY Mailbox Post that Swings | SnowPlow Proof with Concrete Footing | How to Build and Install

[@shadymaint1]

My parents mailbox is in a 5 gallon bucket of concrete. Its been that way as long as I can remember. If it gets backed into or hit with a plow it just falls over. Pick it back up and its all good.

[@J_Squatch]

Seen a couple people do a similar thing but with plastic plant pot.

[@tbix1963]

Nice mailbox. I never put too much effort into making it be so nice looking. Where I live nice mailboxes trend to get more damage. My brother built a new mailbox for the family home with a redwood post in concrete and a swinging box. Lasted pretty good until one night in the summer the house shook, the next morning it was sheared off just above ground height and there were tracks from a vehicle on either side down into the side yard. After that I used a small mailbox on a post very loosely screwed into the remainder of the post. The plow driver was nice enough to plow it into the driveway to be found every time he hit it and a few more screws put it back in place until the post was sheared off flush with the concrete. Then I just put a soft metal pipe inset into the post in the ground and the mailbox post. That was very easy to put back whenever it was hit. The best story I ever heard was a coworker. Used steel well casing set into concrete as a post. The town threatened him after removing it with cutting torches after the plow did a cart wheel from hitting it and the crew had to come out and reattach the plow to the truck.

[@ASproutingArborist]

A cartwheel!? What did his yard look like lol. Anyway, how’s your mailbox hanging on (or off)?

[@user-is7es]

In my travels (and noticing a lot of people's mailboxes) I've noticed the mailbox is usually always an afterthought. Someone can have the most beautiful house and the mailbox is always trash. Plow doing a cartwheel > spending a lot of time and money replacing your mailbox constantly. I'm sure that's a big PITA that nobody has time for. That'll show em! 😉

[@OtakuByNight]

Lost 5 mail boxes in 2 years... Luckily I'm at the end of the mail route where they turn around. Contacted postmaster and was allowed to move my box up the driveway a few feet and off the road. Hasn't been hit since. Although when a new person took over the local post office they tried leaving nasty grams in my mailbox about it needing to be on the highway. I kindly left them a copy of the letter from the postmaster authorizing the current location. Haven't heard a peep since, lol.

[@johnossendorf9979]

As someone who has dug his share of post holes, it's awesome that you can dig a 36" deep post hole with just a post hole digger ! Around here in Columbia County NY you MUST have a good digging bar because around half of what you remove to make your hole will be rocks from baseball to basketball size. Then there's the bigger rocks, and places with no dirt just bed rock. It's not uncommon to stab the ground with a shove and hear "tink" every time.

[@rickdunn7585]

Good to know that all of New York is rock I put cinder blocks on top of the shale in the ditch then put a 6+6 in a old milk can with concrete snow plow hasn’t wiped it out in about 10 years

[@unclebuck5051]

Unless yer digging in Elizaville.

[@King_TuTT]

well...I'm glad you highlighted those metal pole types. I was initially was thinking why didn't you just install one of those pole types and be done. I see now how much nicer the wood looks. very much worth the extra efforts for such a good install and curb appeal.

[@chaosplan]

Great build! I’ve seen some contractors you don’t need sonotube below grade, it is primarily used for above grade aesthetics. Below grade the rough edges of the raw hole add a little more friction and stability. I’m no expert but that is what I’ve learned.

[@DIYPETE]

Morning and thank you! I could see possibly a little more stability if below grade, but another thing I was wanting to do is minimize wood and water contact, so having it up a bit keeps it from being in contact from puddling water etc. The concrete is super sturdy, especially since all but a couple inches is in the earth. And the mushroomed out bottom you can do will provide additional stability. Cheers!

[@daleolson3506]

Until frost grabs those edges and lifts it up. Has a harder time grabbing son no tubes

[@ottochristensen4841]

The Home Depot is happy about these kinds of initiatives.

[@wrenchbender01]

Years ago in Ontario a plow operator was notorious for knocking mail boxes over. The county just laughed it off. My box was mounted on a utility pole stump by the previous land owner. So the post was solid. One day after several replacements. I got my hands on an 8” sonotube. I painted the pole white and mounted my box all the way to the rear of it. Then set the donotube behind the post. Next hess as by snow I watched as I had my morning coffee. Then I heard the thud and a crash. He was turned around and backed into an irrigation ditch. I went out grabbed the paper sonotube looked at the driver sitting there with a shocked look on his face. I waved at him as I burnt the sonotube in my burn barrel. Never had another box hit by the plow again.

[@chooch1995]

What?????

[@geniferteal4178]

Unfortunately, there might be rules about having something so solid alongside the highway. Rules going to vary widely depending on where you live.

[@GunnerStrauser]

@@geniferteal4178 ever seen a wooden utility pole?

[@geniferteal4178]

@GunnerStrauser i know there's such a thing as highway light poles, they are designed to break away for the higher speeds of the highway, as opposed to stopping the car. I also read a story somewhere. Someone kept getting their mailbox knocked over and they tried to get the town to do something and then they apparently had permission to reinforce the mailbox and finally another car hit it and the person was, paralyzed and is suing them and I think it's still in court but they should be able to win because the town did say okay But shouldn't have to go through all this.

[@GunnerStrauser]

Never said light pole I said utility pole that's wooden as in it's not moving

[@southernernguy]

Sure wish I had known something like that swing arm mailbox was a thing. I have replaced my mailbox over 20 times in the time we have lived in our current location. Not only did snowplows kill some of my boxes but live near a school so buses and people who can not drive have hit the rest finally move it up on opposite side of ditch so far so good. We will see though. Thanks so much for this information. Great content.

[@DIYPETE]

Thanks for watching! Yeah we have cars slide off etc too so I hear ya. Which is a big reason why I did the concrete footing so if it does happen I can simply rebuild the upper part and not do any digging. Hopefully yours across the street fairs well this winter! Cheers

[@LionSynEscanor]

As a plow driver. People really should invest in these for sure. Plowing for the state the policy for us is. Don’t stop, clear road white line to white line. Then clean up by going 6-10 inches off the road until we see dirt to ensure and help the water and slush drain off to the sides

[@69dblcab]

Ha!!! Plow driver says CHALLENGE ACCEPTED. Good luck

[@DIYPETE]

Haha! Well I’m sure any mailbox will be toast if the driver is challenged to do it :) on a more serious note, have you seen the metal ones when u are out plowing? What do you think of those ones? I see them all over the dakotas and Minnesota/ Wisconsin. Cheers!

[@melikebatgirl8312]

Yeah, most of the plow-destroyed-mailboxes I've experienced won't be helped by this. The concrete-filled milk can suggestion is better, or a spring-hinged post at the*base* , or simply a metal post-holder bracket that can simply be unbolted and re-bolted would make for easier replacement in the dead of winter

[@chrissaucier121]

Plow drivers aim for the nice mailboxes. My mailbox is held together with a plywood “splint” after it got taken out twice last year. Might give this solution a look

[@geedubb-q1u]

Exactly

[@LTDunltd]

Back in the 60s, when we moved out to the country, my dad built a swing away mailbox. The support was 10 feet back from the road, with the arm extending out to meet the specified placement. It didn't self return, so someone had to bundle up and push it back into place.

[@TJF8]

I appreciate your openness and that you showed your mistakes.

[@sonicfanatik]

This couldn't come at a better time! You should be getting a package from me in that mailbox by tomorrow to use for the upcoming backyard rink this year!

[@DIYPETE]

Awesome! Thanks man and let's hope the ODR temps arrive soon!

[@unitedhybrid187]

Mailman is going to have fun when it's windy.

[@SaltySilverStacker]

I just skip them moving boxes on windy days, unless in an envelope window it says “pay to the order of” Seed catalogs and credit card offers can wait.

[@JohnSpaulding]

My mailbox post was installed in 1946 in what was then a very rural road. The mailbox was replaced a few times because of rust, that is until 3 years ago when it and the post were taken out three times. That was it for me. I took measurements from the guidelines and made them as generous as I could. Next I had a 4" square tube coated in Line-X and planted it in a 5 gallon bucket so I could better control plumb without getting killed on the road. The mailbox was oversized stainless steel that was also coated in Line-X. I had my house numbers cut from aluminum on a CNC and then covered them with Reflexite, along with the flag. I lined the bottom of the box with Turtle Tile to help prevent soggy mail. So far, so good, but am planning the next one already. I’ll use sonotube as well for the same reason and easier to mow around. Shortly after I installed it the mailman left me a little note saying he loved it. I went with an oversized box so he didn’t have to get out of the truck as much. The next one might include a place for Amazon, UPS small packages. Not sure on that yet.

[@Tim_Gravy]

Did i need a mail box... no, did i watch ur entire video and enjoy it? YEP, thanks

[@arthurschwieger82]

We live in rural central MN and when they re-did our country road, they replaced all of the posts on our street with a postal pivot. The biggest issue we have had is with the stick on numbers falling off all the time. I recently cut a template with my laser and painted the numbers on the side right under the 3M reflective tape numbers I created with my CNC router. Not something everyone can do but that was my solution. Also made a set for our neighbor.

[@bradleythomas5445]

Maybe install mounting bracket into the wet concrete, using Hillman anchor bolts? Stronger and eliminates the need to drill into the concrete.

[@DIYPETE]

Definitely another way to do it!

[@allangibson8494]

Or cut a thread on the reinforcement rod…

[@Hoaxer51]

Yea, that’s not going to happen, rebar has a way to irregular surface for cutting threads and the fact that rebar is hardened steel. But that doesn’t mean you couldn’t make a hook bolt (an L shaped bar) and thread the end, they do sell hook bolts that are different sizes.

[@allangibson8494]

@ Rebar is threaded every day. Do a quick search for “rebar threading machine”. It’s the same machine that is used for threading pipes. It’s not “hardened steel” - it’s low grade recycled scrap.

[@b_uppy]

I found that putting a post directly in the ground is better than using moisture-loving (hydrophilic) cement/concrete in the ground to anchor wood or rust prone metal, it just needs to be deep enough. Also better that the post be able to break away rather than cause more damage/harm to a vehicle/passengers, referring to concrete posts people sometimes make...

[@TwilightxKnight13]

When your mailbox has been destroyed numerous times, you tend to stop caring about the safety of the people who cannot keep their damn car on the roadway

[@b_uppy]

@TwilightxKnight13 Safety is a concern when it leaves you vulnerable, because there is always the chance of the accident that leaves you liable for $$$$$....

[@joesimonetti]

To heck with the mailbox...you got a hell of nice property and view...

[@Reesee.777]

and keeping the place you live on earth looking nice should be something every HUMAN strives to do if they have the means.

[@mikecorbett2456]

I had a friend's dad that would replace his mailbox every year either from the snowplows or the neighbor backing out of the driveway on the other side of the street. He did a concrete base, and a very large thick diameter coil spring welded a base and mount on it. The mailbox was a large one with a smaller one inside of it. Concrete was used to fill the voids. They lived on the last house on a dead-end street. When the snowplow was doing its thing, the box would just lean over with the weight of the snow on it. When the neighbor back the car out and hit the mailbox, it would return the hit a few more times. And nothing a can of Rustoleum couldn't fix on the mailbox! Never dis figure out why the neighbor always hit the box when it was set back from the street.

[@kchaney56]

I remember when my little buddy used to help dad like that. Wonderful memory. He is 32 now.

[@DIYPETE]

Time sure flies! I will soak up the toddler and newborn stages as much as I can :) Hope all is well! Cheers

[@Absaalookemensch]

I prefer a 6'-8' gravel extension to the driveway. It makes it safer for both the mail delivery vehicles as well as myself to pick-up/delivery mail. The postal carriers like not having to stop on the road for service.

[@xxJudgmentalxx]

I'm glad to see it's not a thick metal beam that would kill someone if they lost control on ice. People around my location don't care about others.

[@illuminerd3757]

don't drive on ice, they never pay for your mailbox anyway.

[@xxJudgmentalxx]

@@illuminerd3757 I'm not sure where you live but that's not an option around here.

[@francoisfortin5826]

My brother had the same issue! He dug a hole then poured concrete , put a 10 foot metal pole in it (real deep) finally covered the metal pole with a nice wood all around Had a great laugh and told the plow driver to call his boss and explain himself From what we ended learning the plow driver was terminated on the spot!!!!

[@chooch1995]

Nice install! I noticed one of your rebars was right up against the sonotube. That essentially renders it useless as there isn’t a sufficient amount of concrete ‘wrapping’ around the rebar. The others looked fine & will more than easily make up for the gimped one. There’s little stress on concrete poured into the ground for an anchor anyway. Let us know how everything holds up!

[@DIYPETE]

Thanks for watching closely! I noticed while watching that it did as well and realized my error. As you mentioned, I don't have any concern, but will definitely be updating folks how the mailbox holds up over the winter. We unfortunately already have snow. Cheers!

[@allangibson8494]

You need 2” / 50mm of concrete cover to prevent rebar corrosion / concrete spalling (particularly important where salt is present). Using galvanised stud rod bent into a U shape as reo is another option (and then bolting the base to the exposed stud rod).

[@Mymusickb]

What beautiful country looks great!

[@gibblespascack1418]

For my house, I did the 4x4 replacement. But I live in town where they do not go over 25 mph while plowing. My mom lives 1 mile away and they seem to go over the speed limit of 40 mph and when the snow is wet and heavy, they can heave that up to 35 ft away. So after 3 months, my 4x4 base was blown away, I decided to go stronger with a 6x6 post. The mail box was on a 3 foot lever hinged with a giant spring. that way when the mail box is hit, it just moves out of the way then swings back. If the wing hits the 6x6, the plow truck will know it.

[@andrewhanselman9028]

We always guessed they were trying for a new distance record each time they hit our mailbox growing up. Our mailbox was even further back, on the shoulder then the neighbors, but they still managed to hit it.

[@robertmccall8666]

My dad's friend dropped a 55 gallon drum in the ground and put a utility pole in it and then made a custom mail box out of 3/4 steel plate. The kids that use to hit his mailbox with a baseball bat I bet got a wake up call when they hit the thing .... ...we call it the beast mailbox ...

[@TravelingStacker]

Good way to get a lawsuit against them.

[@robertmccall8666]

@TravelingStacker no rules on how mailboxes can be made or installed in Canada ... If you built it to withstand a snow plow and some idiots decide to smash a baseball bat off it and get hurt ... Well it's built to stand a snow plow ...

[@08_crown_vic]

Montana looks beautiful

[@SnowRaver-p2v]

That's a very pretty post! I've been meaning to add a parcel drop box because my drive is so long..

[@mikegrok]

a tip for a post hole digger... get a drill auger for planting with a 1.5 inch diameter bit. drill that out first. When you use the post hole digger after, you will find that it is much easier to collapse a hollow tube than a solid tube.

[@elisabethhadley7182]

There's a mailbox at the top of M-72 west of Traverse City Michigan that hangs from a very high post. The post has another post attached at a perpendicular. There are chains that hang down and hold the box off the ground. When the snow plow comes, the box gets shoved out of the way with the chain and settles back in place.

[@cabotbluegill]

thanks for this vid i plowed roads 24 years i never once intentional hit one but in the dark heavy snow its hard to see and accidents happened but some times the way people put ther mailboxes up were not good

[@DIYPETE]

Thanks for plowing the roads! I've seen quite a few mailboxes not put up well or done too low and too close to the road etc. I think having the post back a fair amount and the swing will end up working well for my situation, but will definitely report back after it's first winter!

[@zkeller1997]

Pete uploaded a video LFG! first thing to watch when i get home from work i dont build much anymore because time but i love the videos you make man i even thought of moving to Montana as the field im in there's plenty of work. maybe one day anyways great video pete love from az

[@DIYPETE]

Hope all is well down in AZ! We actually try to make it down there a little in the wintertime to get a little sun and break up our long winters. Thanks for watching man and have a good week! Cheers!

[@ahdam82]

I don’t know if you know, but Quick greet is actually not meant to be mixed. You actually dump it into the hole straight from the bag and just add water. It’s a lot easier on the back too. Check out the directions on the bag sometime. The mailbox turned out great.

[@soangry]

My dad was an ironworker. Someone smashed his mailbox, so he replaced the pole with a piece of rebar that had to be around 2" in diameter. That pole is still standing, over 20 years later. I did notice a scuff on it one day, I almost feel sorry for whoever's hands were holding that bat.

[@user-is7es]

Yeah. That'll show 'em! What is it with people who live in the country destroying other people's mailboxes with baseball bats? What is wrong with people?!? 🙄

[@thomabb]

I lost a couple mailboxes to the snow plow. I called DOT and she explained that my mailbox as too close to the road and advised me on proper placement. I followed DOT's suggestion and a week later got a nasty-gram from the post office saying my mailbox was too far back from the road, and included instructions that would have put the mailbox right back where the snowplow had been hitting it.

[@TwilightxKnight13]

Great example of our government at its best

[@user-is7es]

@@TwilightxKnight13 🤣🤣🤣 Yep. Sounds about right. They're either not working together at all or working together to rip you off. There is no in between. 🙄 Reminds me of that scene from Home Alone where he says "WHAT KIND OF IDIOTS DO YOU HAVE WORKING HERE?!?" and she responds "The finest in New York!"

[@jvin248]

The typical upside down "L" post gets knocked down by 50mph ice footballs because the long arm of the box mount bar twists off the vertical post. Last install I did I built it as a "t" where the box is centered on the vertical post on the back side of the snow travel where the post shields the center of the box. The vertical post won't be twisted and bent, only bent from impacts and has thus survived much longer. I also tarred the base of the post and filled the hole with post-setting-foam because it will flex a little on impact absorbing shock where rigid concrete forces the wood post to otherwise take it all. About to be winter and we'll test it all again.

[@bp4170]

Fun fact; 90% of the time the snow coming off the plow is what causes the damage, not the plow hitting the mailbox.

[@DIYPETE]

Thanks! I'd say that is primarily the case for us as well. Cheers!

[@geniferteal4178]

I was wondering about this

[@tylermacconnell217]

Or the whip on the end of the wing plow itself.

[@willgallatin2802]

I have a block mason for a neighbor. He built us both a base and shroud from chimney tile, filled with concrete. Did you know snowplows bounce? I didn't until last winter. LOL

[@MatthewPierce9]

Great video. Thank you. Just an observation. By securing the mailbox to the concrete with bolts, the bolts are the only lateral support. If the post was sunken into the concrete the entire mass of the concrete would be the support system. In conclusion I'd say in this setup a snowplow will just break the mailbox off the bolts. Alternatively with an inset post the snowplow would have the sheer the entire wooden 4x4 post. Either way great video thank you. Just my observation.

[@TravelingStacker]

The whole point is so the plow would sheer the bolts.

[@DAS-Videos]

I think that is one of the reasons why he said don't use the post mount that he used. Only two bolts holding it and one slot of metal in the center of the 4x4. A steel box mount would have 4 bolts holding it and it would be more secure. If hit the 4x4 would break, not the bolts/bracket.

[@mikenonameneeded3485]

I live in Louisiana, I didn’t know that was an issue. Down here, it’s just kids with baseball bats. Haha.

[@randyhome1544]

That’s everywhere when a mailbox is on a permanent base. I’ve seen some mailboxes that have chain used as springs that just hang above the road.

[@andyd5492]

Hoping for an update on how things worked out in the spring.

[@wakes_inc]

Meanwhile, here in the South we got 3 inches of snow and everyone took a few days off. I cannot get over how much snow some places get.

[@David-O970]

My dad did something similar to this but his approach was just a little different. 4” pipe 3/8 wall, 6’ imbedded in 18” sonotube and the box itself was 3/8’s plate. He preferred all the give be in the plow 😅😊

[@hansjansen7047]

Mine is a steel well casing with a two foot swinging arm. The box itself is also 3/16 steel. If the plow hits it he'll have to repair the blade, and he knows it. The reason for such a robust structure is not for the plow, but for the hooligans that kept smashing the regular box with a baseball bat.

[@FreezyAbitKT7A]

Those plastic newspaper boxes make a great cushion for your mailbox in addition to the pivot.

[@royreynolds108]

You might want to check into the Odjob Revolutionary Mixing Drum if you use sacked premix concrete occasionally to make mixing very easy. I got one and really like it. Put one sack of mix in the drum, add the necessary water, screw on the lid, roll the drum on the ground for a couple of minutes, unscrew the lid, and dump out the mixed concrete.

[@h82crash]

Nice job, looks great! Sono tube only needs to be a form above ground in this case. There is really no point to setting it in the ground and now you have no way to backfill the gap to stabilize the pier you just made. Nature will eventually "backfill' but will take some time. Pour into your bare hole and set a short tube a few inches down, the above ground portion as form for aesthetics.

[@MakesMeNoDifference-sd9qg]

I just made a self-standing metal stand to put mailbox on. If it got hit, it would just fall over into the ditch. I would just go out and stand it back up & replace the box if needed - I always had a spare in my garage.

[@geedubb-q1u]

Solution, use 2 sono tubes of concrete, with the first one protecting the actual mailbox. The first one should be 3’ above ground about 2’ away from the mailbox, with Plenty of reflective materials to give the plow operator an idea that it’s time to move around the obstacle. Remember mailboxes are NOT on the travelled portion of the road.

[@scoutmaster33]

If you used steel pipe instead of cardboard and extend it to mailbox height you never have to worry again as it will take the plow clean off the truck while he does a 180 - 540 spin into the ditch next to the road on the opposite side of the road…. They only hit it once and never again after wrecking a plow and putting a truck into the ditch.

[@longshooter457]

Give us a video next spring and we will see what it looks like than.

[@allyouneed71]

my grandfather welded 2 coil springs from a scrapped car end to end and them to an old ( and very heavy) rear tractor rim and set on the side of the road.. if(when) the plow hit it it would be pushed back and my granddad would simply put it back.. when they sold the farm he took it with him.. as far as I know; it is still there

[@cjvilleneuve1566]

Where i was raised , a guys had a box mounted to a long post like a seew saw ,those playground kid bascule,. The box was hanging 10 foot in the air and a rope was attach to it , so the mailman could pull it down ,, the other end of the ppooe had a counterweight just enoght so it wa seasy to pull the box down.

[@wipatriot510]

Need one of these, we have a township plow driver that's blind in one eye and can't see out of the other...

[@devenp.5508]

I also did this but mine is a 5’x5’x4’ concrete footing, an 8” diameter solid steel post and the box itself could be used as a jail cell. But your way is cool too.

[@TwilightxKnight13]

Fortunately we’ve never had anyone hit our mailbox, but we are lucky to live in a small rural community on a cul-de-sac so we don’t get high speed drive-bys. If someone did hit and break our box, I would be inclined to install the type of thing they use around entry doors at a store. Steel tube filled with concrete and mount the mailbox on top.

[@danagovang2520]

A neighbour's box was too close to the road. He got tired of it being hit, so he buried a 3' length of train rail in front of the box, with about 5" sticking out. The plow that hit it ended up on its side in the ditch across the road. The driver had minor injuries. Recovery and repair to the plow, plus fines, cost him over $150K. They de-registered his address for rural route delivery, so he had to drive into town to collect his mail at the post office. This was in 1978, so his total cost was three times the value of his house.

[@apex007]

You could build a wooden shroud around the mailbox. This would prevent the mailbox from shattering if it gets hit.

[@wyattpatteson1504]

Watching you use that post hole digger brought back memories not good ones lol

[@Gugernoot]

I'm curious on if the mailbox has to be a distance from the road rather than in a spot the mail man can get to pulled into the driveway?

[@ledzepcleo]

Our old mailbox got destroyed by snow plow, boy did that piss me off. It was an expensive locking mailbox and it got destroyed. My aunt's mailbox had one of those plastic mailboxes that sits over a 4x4 post. It was crooked and I decided to push on it too straighten it out. Of course I break the 4x4 post off. Luckily I had already watched the video on how to fix these and Home Depot is like 5 minutes away. So I managed to just dig a new hole in the dirt cut the post in half and get this done mostly before dark.She's on a very busy road. I believe I used a hand trowel. I think I only had to go a couple feet down. It's still standing a year or two later.

[@blakem9109]

I don't know why I'm watching this, except for curiosity. My mailbox has a pull off area between it and the road and we haven't had multiple inches of snow in a decade or more. Neat video though.

[@mrcryptozoic817]

Me likewise. I'm by the end of a cul-de-sac so I don't have problems. But this was such a good presentation and clever invention that I watched the whole thing carefully. Good job! Where my box is, I clear snow past the front of the box a few feet and so never have a snow blocked driveway or box. Most people say "Road? Their job, not mine." Well, if it affects you, why not?

[@andyarchitect]

In the UK the post is usualy delivered through a letter box slot in the front door. In the US are mail boxes next to the road just a rural thing or common in suburban and city areas too?

[@SCP_Gate-Guardian]

Unless you live in an apartment or a condo they're always gonna be near the road.

[@DonziGT230]

After fixing ours a few times we replaced the standard flimsy metal tube with thick walled structural steel tube. It's been hit a few times, but the vehicles take the damage and the tube stays put.

[@dirttdude]

i've got a 4" inch pipe burred 15' deep in concrete, filled with steel and concrete, the box is a large box with a smaller box inside, also filled with concrete and steel, surrounding and protecting the inner box.

[@Doubie.]

Long story short my grandfather got tired of buying mailboxes so he had a friend build one out of ar500f after he passed me and my dad had to carry that 600 pound mailbox 20 feet out of a deep snow bank because the plow guy started to fall asleep at 3am The mailbox had a scratch in the paint and needed a new bigger hole to sit in the plow was totaled and the truck went to the shop to have its frame repaired The reason he had the box had nothing to do with the township plow guy (he was a good friend) but they don’t do our road last when they’re tired anymore

[@jvmiller1995]

I had a friend that got tired drunk drivers taking his out on a little curve on this old 2 lane highway. I had some 4x4 3/8 wall steel tube at our work and welded him up a post from hell that he sunk 4 feet deep in the ground. About a year later he found a jeep wrapped around the pole and the entire front clip hanging off of it. He got sued over it because you can't put a solid structure in that close on a state highway in Oklahoma. The driver was seriously injured. I bet every state is different and even every county but before concreting a solid 4x4 post of anything into the ground be sure you check the codes. Even if it swings away if the pole is a hazard for cars losing control, you might get into trouble. Not trying to be an internet troll but I sure did think twice about it after that.

[@ronpeacock9939]

where I grew up (country livin), my father drove snow plow and he had to go repair those damaged mail boxes after they hit them. I used to see many like the steel one shown (except much bigger extentions) all over where they could swing upon being hit and the vertical was beyond the ditch. This, this looks nice... My father built one using old anchor chain (from an old lake freighter) that got damaged a little when some drunk idiot hit it.. in the summer.. it broke a weld... and the car....

[@afd33]

Mines got a metal post sunk in to a concrete filled old milk can. If the plow hits it it gets knocked over, but I can stand it right back up. Mines a lot more protected from wind than yours though.

[@DIYPETE]

Nice! As for wind, we get very high winds and drifting snow around here so I will definitely put it to the test. I have the hinge pretty snug and if it were to get blown and move, it seems to return to the center point just fine. But will definitely know a lot more and be able to report after it's first winter! cheers

[@stevebrewster701]

Looking forward to next years version

[@shaun8256]

The one guy in the comments made a very valid point that majority of the time it's the snow coming off the blade that does the damage. So how well is that going to do against the drunk teens out on a mailbox clubbing night is the true question!

[@paulbriggs3072]

Galvanized post supports that implant into the wet concrete are very common, cheap, quick and easy to install. Easy to make plumb with a small torpedo level. Sonotube is not necessary, just pour the concrete into the hole. Fiberglass rebar will never rust below grade. Same price as steel. Maybe wood wider than the mailbox would absorb the impact of the plow rather than the metal box. Looks like a neat and clever design otherwise.

[@Defossion1]

Dang, we're coming up on the annual hockey rink vids! Can't wait!

[@DIYPETE]

Thanks man! ODR season will be here before we know it!

[@mnmike6884]

Having some water in your mixing tray before you add dry cement will help with your mixing.

[@belowfray5251]

Excellent

[@DIYPETE]

Thanks! Glad you liked it.

[@Patters3]

as somebody who never experienced this (yes yes suburban life) im curious in terms of price/annoyance/effort, would it not be easier to just install a warning pole like 4 feet *before* the mailbo? just something simple yet evident like going to lowes/home depot for a 10 foot segment of 4 or 5 inch wide rigid plastic pipe, chop it to 7 feet or whatever desired length and then anchor that just before the mail box after painting it in whatever bright orange/red/warning stripe colors you wish just as a road marker.

[@bluerider0988]

Had a spring mailbox pole when i was a kid. It was kinda like the toy animals mounted on a spring at playground, except taller. I'm not sure why we had it because we lived in the suburbs and didn't have issues with the mailbox getting damaged. It just ended up being a playtoy because we were always pulling it to the ground and then letting go of it to watch it flop back and forth like a punching bag.

[@rwdplz1]

We called 811, all the lines were marked, started digging, and the phone lines to the house were directly under the mail box post.

[@DIYPETE]

Oh man that’s a bummer! Hope you were able to get it sorted out!

[@IsNoyb]

I used a 16-inch brake drum a dt466 crankshaft a piece of 2-inch by 3/4-inch steel bar and 2 bags of cement set the crankshaft in the brake drum welded the steel bar to the end of the crankshaft and installed the mailbox my mail box got hit again the brake drum crankshaft and steel bar goes under the truck in front of the rear axle and neatly destroys the drive axle the mail box is set 10 feet off the road and when they hit it is not my fault and the state has to fix their truck and for some reason the mail box don't get any more.

[@Justifiedforce]

Looks good

[@DIYPETE]

Appreciate the feedback!

[@jeffglasow]

my dad built large dimenter pipe welded on pivot. plow guy hit it twice a year. one time so hard the back spin cracked plow blade.

[@boonecountygenerators3052]

36" deep? That may or may not be deep enough, depending on where you live. Frost heaving will make a mailbox post lean badly, given enough time, if you don't get below frost depth. I recommend checking your local building codes for minimum depth for frost footings and get below that.

[@poorsob]

I never understand why someone digs a post hole and then puts a tube in it which will be wobbly later. Just pour into the hole and fill all the voids. Have the tube above grade to make it pretty. And then you dug it that deep and had nothing set in the concrete to support the post. I am very confused.

[@user-is7es]

Yeah I ain't no concrete worker but the post already looked wobbly. I kinda wondered why he didn't just set the hardware directly into the concrete before it hardened. I suppose it makes it easier to replace the hardware if there's a problem or it gets bent or something but it still creates a weak point in the structure.

[@thepubliceye]

I have a question about rebar or steel in concrete. In places like Rome, there are concrete structures 100's of years old, and rebar was never used. Concrete with rebar and what is known as rust jacking will cause it to fail, so why do we use it

[@andrewr2650]

For my area (northern Michigan) this type of design just doesn’t work. The wet heavy snow coming of a wing plow travels 10-20’ off the road. So when the plow goes by a wall of snow hits the entire width of the mailbox all at once and knocks them flat. The only thing a pivot does is create a weak point. Best thing for around here is a big base and a tiny mailbox to minimize the area for the snow to push on, or a row of mailboxes in some kind of braced frame.

[@user-is7es]

You can't do a tiny mailbox though. USPS has size standards for mailboxes and they must be of a certain dimension by law. That's why most of the mailboxes you buy in stores are all the same bland boring thing. They meet the standards set forth by USPS.

[@andrewr2650]

@@user-is7es apologies, by tiny i meant a USPS standard size metal mailbox, not the oversized/decorative ones people are so fond of. Tiny box in comparison to the post it is attached to.

[@dannydaugherty527]

check your laws in the state I live in you are not allowed to put concrete on the right of way, and if you do and the plow hits the concrete and does damage to the truck, it's up to the property owner to pay all the repairs to the truck, and trucks are not cheap repairs

[@DIYPETE]

Great advice to check state and local laws. The USPS recommends 4x4 posts that would break upon impact or small diameter metal tubing that would bend so they wouldn't become a hazard to vehicles or a plow should it get hit. So I'd definitely say concrete would not be recommended as you mentioned. A wood or metal post in concrete in the ground or a concrete footing near ground level are both very common though. Cheers and thanks for your input!

[@hugegamer5988]

another great option are very large boulders. Pricy if you buy them and get them delivered but if you can put a large one of at least 4’ diameter just ahead the plow will not win. It’s landscaping so you could also do the same by setting up a raised garden just ahead of the mailbox, use old railroad ties and spike them together, also at least 4’ wide and 2’ high. With the weight of all the frozen earth inside the plow will have a harder time actually getting to the box than with the boulder.

[@dannydaugherty527]

@@hugegamer5988 I know a man that put bricks around his mailbox that looked great but the county and the post office both told him he couldn't do that, so he had to take it down, the state replaced my mailbox years ago and they have yet to take it down since

[@Flea-Flicker]

I have a question? Will this survive a few innings or more of "mailbox baseball?"

[@timmyg6145]

I'd check with the highway department first .. In most states, countries and cities, anything on the ROW of the road has to be by law ,breakaway... So when someone hits your mailbox now, they can sue you and the country or state ,whatever road too... That definitely goes for brick mailboxes also ... State of Tennessee for sure..

[@SCP_Gate-Guardian]

Cool story bro. Federal law supercedes state county and city law so no it isn't illegal anywhere in the US. They can try to sue they'll be inadvertently admitting to committing a federal crime.

[@4sl648]

My dad put an 8 ft lally column into the ground 5 ft and 3 ft above grade, Welded mailbox. Bats and plows had no further effect.

[@kellytorrey3018]

here in Genessee county in Michigan a snow plow hit my mailbox. I called the maintenance department they fixed it for nothing they put in a stop sign metal pole it is very springy been there for 20 years. I have a plastic mailbox.

[@johnwood551]

I would have set the bracket while the concrete was wet as you can push the bolts in with your hand .

[@SandBoxJohn]

I don't need to go to the effort and expense to implement such a solution as I have my mail delivered to Post Office Box. I do not pay a fee for the Post Office Box as there is no mail box on the edge of the road in front of my home to put the delivered mail in. The Post Office Box is across the street from financial institution I bank at making it very convenient.

[@huf67]

It looked like from the thumb nail that you buried a steel i-beam into concrete.... Now that would be plow stopper !! When I was a kid we kept getting our mailbox hit by the drunk guy down the road. My grandpa put a steel pipe into concrete with a welded steel platform for the mailbox. It got hit one more time and messed up his car really bad. The sheriff was called and he had to pay to fix it. Grandpa knew how to do it !!

[@robertu]

That would still get destroyed in the winter at my parents house. I think their record was finding their mailbox about 30 feet up the road

[@danb6556]

And when the snow plow goes by, yes it will sway like it built to, but I’ll bet it throws all the mail out with the force it’s hit with.

[@DIYPETE]

It certainly may, and Iike I said, I'll be putting the design to a test myself this winter. The hardware and design are from a company named Postal Pivot and while the reviews are great, I haven't personally used it for a winter yet. If i did have an issue I could always look into a stronger magnet or something. Honestly not real concerned about this, but of course if it does happen frequently I'll let you know!