My $60 mailbox flag snapped off and I fixed it with a coat hanger

Last weekend in Portland the mail carrier was a bit rough with the flag on my roadside box and it just snapped clean off. I stood there holding the little metal piece, figuring I'd have to order a whole new flag assembly online for like 20 bucks. Instead I grabbed an old wire coat hanger, bent it to match the shape, and wedged it into the pivot slot. It's been four days now and it actually works fine, even in the wind. The red paint is peeled but who cares, it gets the job done. Has anyone else done a ghetto fix on a mailbox part instead of buying the proper replacement?

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jake_torres681mo ago

Is the flag actually gonna hold up when it gets cold and the wire gets brittle? Portland winter is coming and that coat hanger metal gets stiff as hell once the temps drop. Plus, how long before the mail carrier just snaps that thin wire off too, then you're back to square one with a broke flag and a scratchy throat from yelling at the mailbox? I'd say you bought yourself maybe a month before you're picking up another hanger from your closet.

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