My place has a brick tower out front, in which the mailbox is
inserted. It is from the 70's, and is made of plastic. Now it is
warped and starting to crack. he door no longer shuts unless you whap
it into place.

So, question one: It is obviously glued to the brick hole somehow. Any
suggestions on removal?

Question two: What should I use to secure a new one into the hole?

This all assumes that I'll be able to find one to fit, of course. I'm
tempted to just knock the whole thing down, but unfortunately it also
contains the mailbox for my across-the-street neighbor.

Thanks,
-dan z-

__

--
Protect your civil rights!
Let the politicians know how you feel.
Join or donate to the NRA today!
http://membership.nrahq.org/default.asp?campaignid=XR014887
(use cut and paste to your browser if necessary)

Gun control is like trying to reduce drunk driving by making it tougher for sober people to own cars.

On Friday, March 10, 2023 at 1:01:15 PM UTC-6, dyno dan wrote:
> My place has a brick tower out front, in which the mailbox is
> inserted. It is from the 70's, and is made of plastic. Now it is
> warped and starting to crack. he door no longer shuts unless you whap
> it into place.
>
> So, question one: It is obviously glued to the brick hole somehow. Any
> suggestions on removal?
>
> Question two: What should I use to secure a new one into the hole?
>
> This all assumes that I'll be able to find one to fit, of course. I'm
> tempted to just knock the whole thing down, but unfortunately it also
> contains the mailbox for my across-the-street neighbor.
>
> Thanks,
> -dan z-
>
>
> __
>
> --
> Protect your civil rights!
> Let the politicians know how you feel.
> Join or donate to the NRA today!
> http://membership.nrahq.org/default.asp?campaignid=XR014887
> (use cut and paste to your browser if necessary)
>
> Gun control is like trying to reduce drunk driving by making it tougher for sober people to own cars.

There are plenty of dual or double mailbox stands available if your neighbor goes along.
<https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffab&q=dual+mailboxes+residential&iax=images&ia=images>
I'm no help other than that.

On 3/10/2023 2:01 PM, dyno dan wrote:
> My place has a brick tower out front, in which the mailbox is
> inserted. It is from the 70's, and is made of plastic. Now it is
> warped and starting to crack. he door no longer shuts unless you whap
> it into place.
>
> So, question one: It is obviously glued to the brick hole somehow. Any
> suggestions on removal?
>
> Question two: What should I use to secure a new one into the hole?
>
> This all assumes that I'll be able to find one to fit, of course. I'm
> tempted to just knock the whole thing down, but unfortunately it also
> contains the mailbox for my across-the-street neighbor.
>
> Thanks,
> -dan z-
>
>
> __
>
Posting a photo would help.

Getting it off should be easy enough with a hammer and chisel of some
sort. Unless it is mounted to a pole going into the brick. Look for
screws on the side at the base.

There are some construction adhesives in calking cartridge that can hold
the new one in place. I don't recall the brand but I built a stone wall
with that about 20 years ago.

In alt.home.repair, on Fri, 10 Mar 2023 14:26:07 -0500, Ed Pawlowski
<esp@snet.xxx> wrote:

>On 3/10/2023 2:01 PM, dyno dan wrote:
>> My place has a brick tower out front, in which the mailbox is
>> inserted. It is from the 70's, and is made of plastic. Now it is
>> warped and starting to crack. he door no longer shuts unless you whap
>> it into place.
>>
>> So, question one: It is obviously glued to the brick hole somehow. Any
>> suggestions on removal?
>>
>> Question two: What should I use to secure a new one into the hole?
>>
>> This all assumes that I'll be able to find one to fit, of course. I'm
>> tempted to just knock the whole thing down, but unfortunately it also
>> contains the mailbox for my across-the-street neighbor.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> -dan z-
>>
>>
>> __
>>
>Posting a photo would help.

It certainly would. I envisioned bricks on either side and above the
box, bricks that were laid after the box was attached. I think you
envision something else.

Maybe you can use a dremel or angle grinder to chop away parts of the
box from the inside, until you find the part that is screwed to some
part of the tower. A replacement the same size should be easy to find
and then use Ed's advice.

But my advice is to knock the whole thing down and don't worry what
neighbor wants. After all, it's half yours, the half that really
counts. Protect your rights.

>
>Getting it off should be easy enough with a hammer and chisel of some
>sort. Unless it is mounted to a pole going into the brick. Look for
>screws on the side at the base.
>
>There are some construction adhesives in calking cartridge that can hold
>the new one in place. I don't recall the brand but I built a stone wall
>with that about 20 years ago.

On Fri, 10 Mar 2023 14:01:14 -0500, dyno dan wrote:

> So, question one: It is obviously glued to the brick hole somehow. Any
> suggestions on removal?

I would start with a heat gun (hair dryer) and see if that loosens it up.
Any idea what type of plastic it is? Does it feel waxy? The various
polyethylene/polypropylene flavors are resistant to most solvents so they
are difficult to glue so you may be dealing with a mechanical connection
from mortar. You may be able to soften it enough to peel.

On Friday, March 10, 2023 at 2:26:15 PM UTC-5, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
> On 3/10/2023 2:01 PM, dyno dan wrote:
> > My place has a brick tower out front, in which the mailbox is
> > inserted. It is from the 70's, and is made of plastic. Now it is
> > warped and starting to crack. he door no longer shuts unless you whap
> > it into place.
> >
> > So, question one: It is obviously glued to the brick hole somehow. Any
> > suggestions on removal?
> >
> > Question two: What should I use to secure a new one into the hole?
> >
> > This all assumes that I'll be able to find one to fit, of course. I'm
> > tempted to just knock the whole thing down, but unfortunately it also
> > contains the mailbox for my across-the-street neighbor.
> >
> > Thanks,
> > -dan z-
> >
> >
> > __
> >
> Posting a photo would help.
>
> Getting it off should be easy enough with a hammer and chisel of some
> sort. Unless it is mounted to a pole going into the brick. Look for
> screws on the side at the base.
>
> There are some construction adhesives in calking cartridge that can hold
> the new one in place. I don't recall the brand but I built a stone wall
> with that about 20 years ago.

+1
And I'd only put the construction adhesive in a few spots so that it can
be removed easily if needed. Silicone caulk would work too, it doesn't have
to be real strong, which construction adhesive is. Removal, chisel, big screwdriver,
tire iron if you have one, pry bar, etc. Hopefully a replacement can be found
that is the right size and shape.

On Fri, 10 Mar 2023 14:01:14 -0500, dyno dan <logic@is.important>
wrote:

>My place has a brick tower out front, in which the mailbox is
>inserted. It is from the 70's, and is made of plastic. Now it is
>warped and starting to crack. he door no longer shuts unless you whap
>it into place.
>
>So, question one: It is obviously glued to the brick hole somehow. Any
>suggestions on removal?
>
>Question two: What should I use to secure a new one into the hole?
>
>This all assumes that I'll be able to find one to fit, of course. I'm
>tempted to just knock the whole thing down, but unfortunately it also
>contains the mailbox for my across-the-street neighbor.

Thanks for the replies. Pictures at:
\https://postimg.cc/gallery/BJbGBkS

I used flash fill for the photos, and that illuminated the back of the
open box. Blowing that up, It looks like the back is a separate piece
to which the shell is attached. If I can figure out how to get that
apart, that should solve the removal portion. Maybe there will even
be something behind it to which I can attach another box with screws
or glue.

Obvious are my "splint and J.B. Weld" repairs to the broken door.

-dan z-

(My mail today was soaked by rain. Hope to solve this soon!)

__

--
Protect your civil rights!
Let the politicians know how you feel.
Join or donate to the NRA today!
http://membership.nrahq.org/default.asp?campaignid=XR014887
(use cut and paste to your browser if necessary)

Gun control is like trying to reduce drunk driving by making it tougher for sober people to own cars.

On 3/11/2023 10:57 AM, dyno dan wrote:
> On Fri, 10 Mar 2023 14:01:14 -0500, dyno dan <logic@is.important>
> wrote:
>
>> My place has a brick tower out front, in which the mailbox is
>> inserted. It is from the 70's, and is made of plastic. Now it is
>> warped and starting to crack. he door no longer shuts unless you whap
>> it into place.
>>
>> So, question one: It is obviously glued to the brick hole somehow. Any
>> suggestions on removal?
>>
>> Question two: What should I use to secure a new one into the hole?
>>
>> This all assumes that I'll be able to find one to fit, of course. I'm
>> tempted to just knock the whole thing down, but unfortunately it also
>> contains the mailbox for my across-the-street neighbor.
>
>
> Thanks for the replies. Pictures at:
> \https://postimg.cc/gallery/BJbGBkS
>
> I used flash fill for the photos, and that illuminated the back of the
> open box. Blowing that up, It looks like the back is a separate piece
> to which the shell is attached. If I can figure out how to get that
> apart, that should solve the removal portion. Maybe there will even
> be something behind it to which I can attach another box with screws
> or glue.
>
> Obvious are my "splint and J.B. Weld" repairs to the broken door.
>
> -dan z-
>
> (My mail today was soaked by rain. Hope to solve this soon!)

Hot air gun. Stick the nozzle in, close the door as far as you can, then
run the gun for a few minutes until the plastic is soft enough to peel
out. Push the middle of one side toward the other side, grab it with
heavy long nose and handled pliers or some substitute and twist to wind
the material around the tool thereby pulling it away from the sides.

In alt.home.repair, on Fri, 10 Mar 2023 14:01:14 -0500, dyno dan
<logic@is.important> wrote:

>My place has a brick tower out front, in which the mailbox is
>inserted. It is from the 70's, and is made of plastic. Now it is
>warped and starting to crack. he door no longer shuts unless you whap
>it into place.
>
>So, question one: It is obviously glued to the brick hole somehow. Any
>suggestions on removal?
>
>Question two: What should I use to secure a new one into the hole?
>
>This all assumes that I'll be able to find one to fit, of course. I'm
>tempted to just knock the whole thing down, but unfortunately it also
>contains the mailbox for my across-the-street neighbor.
>
>Thanks,
>-dan z-

If I were in your shoes, I wouldn't want to tear down the brick tower.
Unless you have a big impressive mansion, what else do you have to look
big and impressive besides the brick tower? Nothing makes a homeowner
look more "to the manor born" than gateposts or an impressive mailbox
tower. I wish I had one. Now I get mail through a slot in my door
but when we had a rural mailbox out by the road, It was just two pieces
of 4x4, an upright and another piece at right angles, painted white,
like every other poor soul on the street. No one could tell we were
secretly rich, or had dreams of becoming that.
>
>
>__

In alt.home.repair, on Sat, 11 Mar 2023 11:35:05 -0800, Bob F
<bobnospam@gmail.com> wrote:

>On 3/11/2023 10:57 AM, dyno dan wrote:
>> On Fri, 10 Mar 2023 14:01:14 -0500, dyno dan <logic@is.important>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> My place has a brick tower out front, in which the mailbox is
>>> inserted. It is from the 70's, and is made of plastic. Now it is
>>> warped and starting to crack. he door no longer shuts unless you whap
>>> it into place.
>>>
>>> So, question one: It is obviously glued to the brick hole somehow. Any
>>> suggestions on removal?
>>>
>>> Question two: What should I use to secure a new one into the hole?
>>>
>>> This all assumes that I'll be able to find one to fit, of course. I'm
>>> tempted to just knock the whole thing down, but unfortunately it also
>>> contains the mailbox for my across-the-street neighbor.
>>
>>
>> Thanks for the replies. Pictures at:
>> https://postimg.cc/gallery/BJbGBkS

This is even better than I thought. You look not just rich but that
you've been rich for generations.

>> I used flash fill for the photos, and that illuminated the back of the
>> open box. Blowing that up, It looks like the back is a separate piece
>> to which the shell is attached. If I can figure out how to get that
>> apart, that should solve the removal portion. Maybe there will even
>> be something behind it to which I can attach another box with screws
>> or glue.
>>
>> Obvious are my "splint and J.B. Weld" repairs to the broken door.
>>
>> -dan z-
>>
>> (My mail today was soaked by rain. Hope to solve this soon!)
>
>Hot air gun. Stick the nozzle in, close the door as far as you can, then
>run the gun for a few minutes until the plastic is soft enough to peel

Is it plastic? Maybe. Even if it's metal, your advice is good. For
metal, just change to vice-grips for twisting, and maybe two pairs for
pulling.

>out. Push the middle of one side toward the other side, grab it with
>heavy long nose and handled pliers or some substitute and twist to wind
>the material around the tool thereby pulling it away from the sides.

I think you can get a new mailbox exactly like the old one. But easier
than that would be to remove the one next to yours and put it in where
yours is now. You can put your old one in its spot. Tell your
neighbor it was hit by a car. Hit and run, but you got the license
plate: LNP7134 is a good one.

If your neighbor's box is having trouble too, when you find one for
yourself, you might want to buy two, so they will totally match, if
little stuff like that matters to you or him.