This Guy Put an Entire Post Office Into a Box

In the United States, the Postal Service usually has the most affordable shipping options. But the prices vary based on where and how you’re paying, with third party websites and software often being the cheapest. The same can sometimes be true for UPS and FedEx, too. Typically, you would weigh your package and print the label at home to get that pricing, but what if you’re out and about? For that situation, Skylarmt built an entire post office into a box.

In reality, it is much more likely that Skylarmt built this device in order to demonstrate his PostalPoint software to potential customers. That’s retail shipping software and Skylarmt can travel with this device to show it off. But the device could also be useful for some niche use cases in which the user needs to weigh a package and print a label at the best price. It might, for example, make sense for people that need to set up shipments while at tradeshows and other events.

Whatever the purpose, the device itself is interesting. The entire thing fits inside an Apache 4800 hardshell protective carrying case from Harbor Freight. When opened up like a laptop, the user has access to a small touchscreen monitor, a scale (capable of weighing up to 30lbs), a label printer, a wireless keyboard, and a handful of USPS flat rate envelopes. Using the touchscreen and keyboard, the user can navigate through the PostalPoint software to set up a shipment. When they’re done, the printer will spit out a label to slap on the box.

The scale and printer rest on a sheet of MDF and there is a Lenovo Thinkcentre Tiny computer attached to the underside of that. Skylarmt designed the device to be plugged into mains power, but there is a small 12V battery that can provide about 20 minutes of backup power in case of emergency. The Thinkcentre runs Debian Linux, which can then load the PostalPoint software.

Whether this is a promotional tool or something intended for processing shipments on-the-go, it is a fascinating project.