Convert a Broken Microwave into a Mailbox

Don't you wish you had a mailbox that was waterproof? One that would be large enough to hold small-to-medium sized packages? One with enough space to hold all your mail if you go out of town for a few days?

Do you have a dead microwave oven? Yes? Then your wish is about to come true!

Step 1 Remove unneeded parts.

Take apart the broken microwave and remove the electrical cord and all of the mechanical innards, except the parts that belong to the door latch mechanism. Reassemble. This will make the box a lot lighter and easier to support on the mailbox pole. If you don't want to do this you can probably get away with just cutting off the electrical cord.

[EDITED TO ADD:] Here is an instructable that will explain how to do this without risking electrocution:
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-To-Take-Apart-A-Microwave

Comments

[Scott_Tx]

Now you can use the door switch attached to a wireless door bell to know when its been opened.

[twisted]

Twitter mail box anyone?

[garywpalmer]

There you go!  An upgrade!

[Weissensteinburg]

 That's a really smart idea.

[blodefood]

Awesome idea!  The graphic you put on it says "hot mail!"  :-)

One caution, though.  If you're away, always have your mail picked up on a daily basis.  People will notice when you are away which could lead to break-ins.

[nickodemus]

That is awesome. Nuff said.

[zomfibame]

wow, that is pretty cool; I kinda' doubt the mail carriers in my section of the universe would go for it though.

[kcls]

Nice job! Can you get a picture of the confused mailman?

[garywpalmer]

Bravo!  This is awesome!!! I love instructables that make something useful out of something that would otherwise go to the landfill.  Just this morning I spent 2 hours in my garage dismantlng my old treadmill.  I broke down all of the steel parts and put them in my recycle trash.  I'm going to use the permenant magnet DC motor out of it to make a wind generator.  Even if I'm only able to power some garden lights with it, it will be worth it.

[caitlinsdad]

Funny thing is that you can actually buy a .7 cubic foot new microwave oven for $45 bucks and mod it which is the same cost as a small dinky brass mailbox that always has your mail sticking out.

[dannydutton]

Brass is pretty heavy and expensive for a mailbox. Steel would be better and cheaper. 

[caitlinsdad]

 That's the tradeoff from a rusty old mailbox, and if you happen to live in a snooty neighborhood, simple enameled steel will just not do.

[zack247]

cool. i'll pay you $250 for one.

(just kidding,i know its unique, and awesome too!)

[depotdevoid]

Hey, that's MY microwave!

5 stars, awesome 'ible!

[l8nite]

This is a really cool idea and as long as your getting your mail I suppose its ok but the USMAIL has all kinds of regulations about mailboxes. A different mail carrier may decide to be a stickler and not deliver your mail... best of luck

[HenryBasenji]

We have had no complaints registered from USPS. However, we live in an urban area where the mail carriers actually get out of their cars to deliver the mail.

It would appear that the most stringent regulations are reserved for people with curbside mailboxes: http://www.usps.com/receive/mailboxstandards.htm

Even in those cases I think it pretty likely they'd approve as long as it met all of the construction, measurement, installation and labeling criteria. A microwave is not very different from a regular mailbox from a structural standpoint.

Thanks!