Drafty Mail Slot
I have recently and painstakingly restored my 120 year old brownstone door. I added new door hardware but would like to keep the old mail slot. The problems is that it is VERY drafty around the edges and of course the slot is not sealed. A draft free mail slot - a counter top garbage trap - a central vac sweep door: Three of the most useful SLOTS you have ever seen. Slots are simply small passageways through something. In this segment we looked at three very nifty Slots - all completely different. THE INSULATED MAIL SLOT.
No really, I’m serious. What could be the longest running international joke between the US and those Canucks to the North is an actual bona fide product. It would be like West Virginia creating an outhouse that played dueling banjos while you went, and calling it the “Deliverance Model”. Whether it was poor (or good) commercial sense to name Canadian-produced insulated mail slots Draft Dodgers is up to you, but its design is pretty cool.
These mail slots come in two halves that are adjustable to complement doors 1 9/16 inches to 3 1/8 inches. However, as with most things in life a little engineering can make these mail slots fit any door or wall size. I recommend T-Rex duct tape, which you learn about in a later post, but the Draft Dodger distributer has their recommendations as well.
What sets the Draft Dodger apart from ordinary mail slots is their insulation and dirt stopping barrier. Both interior and exterior flaps are insulated with seals to keep the cold air out of the house and the hot air in. Not only are these mail slots insulated with seals around the flaps but also with a thick layer of brushes between the two flaps. This added line of defense keeps dirt, air and peeping Tom’s (or in my case Jane’s) out. It has more defense and filtering agents than the pentagon, or so wikileaks seems to suggest.
The body of the Draft Dodger is made up of heavy duty plastic, and, protected metal flaps help keep rust at bay. Top that off with nylon torsion rods which double as springs for the flaps and you’ve got a sealed insulated mail slot that can handle those fierce Saskatchewan winters and even those not so fierce in Palm Beach Florida.
Draft Dodgers come in two models and two sizes: The Sleeveless Surface Mount and the ELITE Draft Dodger (also known as the ….well I leave that blank to avoid any uproar). Both of these come in regular letter size but the Elite also comes in a magazine size, which is 1 3/8 inches wider. You also get 6 more color choices with the Elite and a larger swing of about 35 degrees on the flap. The Draft Dodgers web site looks like it’s still a work in progress (the photos section has moderately creepy teen and surfing dog photos), but the site does provide the basics on both models and their finishes. The cost is a modest 35 dollars for the Sleeveless and starting out at 47 dollars for the ELITE model. With prices like these we could all afford to dodge the draft.
Slots are simply small passageways through something. In this segment we looked at three very nifty Slots -- all completely different.
THE INSULATED MAIL SLOT
How about a through the door mail slot that does not give you cold drafts?
The Draft Dodger has two gasketed and spring loaded doors, one on each side of the door to really keep out the cold air.
It even has brushes to block the cold air if someone left a letter in the middle of the slot rather than pushing it all the way through. And the double doors helps increase security for the door, you can't reach through from the outside easily.
You can purchase this great device from the Insulated Draft Dodger Mail-Slot Store.
COUNTER TOP GARBAGE CHUTE
The counter top butcher block is cut into the counter. A small frame under the counter holds it in place and at the right height.
Place a garbage can under this 'slot' and all you have to do is tilt up the board and all the scrap slides into the garbage. Nothing falls on the floor. This is a great idea for salvaging a counter top where you have burned the laminate. Cut out the burn and install this cutting board. You could even just put a garbage tray on a shelf below the slot to maintain storage space.
BASEBOARD VACUUM DOOR
Drafty Mail Slot App
Central vacuum cleaners are great but there are times when it is just too much trouble to haul out that long hose to pick up a spill in the kitchen.
Install this 'VacuSweep' trap door, compatible with all models of central vacs, and use your old fashioned broom to sweep the junk right into the central vac.
Lift the lever with your toe, it opens the slot and activates the vacuum cleaner. Sweep in the general direction of the Vac Sweep and it sucks up whatever is thrown it's way. Push on the lid with your toe and it closes the slot and shuts down the machine.
Drafty Mail Slot Free
TIPS FOR CUTTING SLOTS
Drafty Mail Slot Free
When you are cutting slots there are some tips to make the job easier. If your slot will show, that is there is no flange to cover the edges like with the counter top butcher block, you will need to drill your blade holes well inside of the slot outline and then go back with the jig saw and clean out the corners square after you cut the slot. However, if you have a flange, like on both the Vac Sweep and the Draft Dodger, drill the holes centred right at the corners of the slot. This will actually give you clearance for the corners of the insert as well as make the cutting job quicker and easier.
When cutting on a surface that you do not want to scratch, cut out a piece of construction paper slightly larger than the slot. Place this over the work and have the jig saw ride on this protective covering. You will have no scratch marks on that newly painted door.