Vacuum sealers...

Discussion in 'Functional Gear & Equipment' started by Equilibrium, Jan 7, 2011.


  1. Equilibrium

    Equilibrium Monkey++

    What about what this wein mann member said over here http://www.survivalmonkey.com/forum/gear-reviews/12039-vacuum-sealers.html, "For dry packing 5 gallon buckets. I use a small vacuum pump with a 1/8 inch plastic tube and a common clothing iron to seal the mylar bags. I place bay leaves and a O2 absorber in the bags prior to the sealing." This advice seems logical to me since bay leaves would discourage grain pests and why should we purchase a sealer that uses proprietary bags or a more expensive unit capable of sealing mylar. Has anyone used this method of removing air with a hand pump then sealing the bag with an iron instead of buying an expensive vacuum sealer?
     
    arleigh likes this.
  2. Ajax

    Ajax Monkey++

    From what I understand all you need for Mylar bags is a oxygen absorber and a clothes iron. Put the absorbers in and then seal it and they will do the job just fine to remove the oxygen from the bag. Should kill or severaly stunt any insects or eggs in the grain also.

    I don't know much about the bay leaves. I have read they do work and don't work to keep bugs away but I don't really know.
     
  3. Disciple

    Disciple Monkey+

    Theres a guy over on you tube that does it with a nozzle conncted to a vacuum cleaner. he seale the mylar bag around the nozzle turns the vac on sucks the air out pulls the nozzle out then seals the bag the rest of the way. Whether or not this process is valid for longevity, I dont know seems like somewhat of a pain in the Keister. I think purchasing a vaccuum sealer may be the best way to go. His way way leads to air getting back into the bag which is exactly what you do not want.
    I've looked at a few vacuum sealers, and have found a few good ones that are very well made but there are certain things I want to package in bulk like semolina flour for
    making my own pasta, or sugar, even things like salt. So what I have decided to do and it's a pain in the keister, but it's simple and concise I'm using smaller vacuum bags and doing more dividing up of supplies.
     
  4. sharpshooter

    sharpshooter Monkey+

    I do the vacuum method like the guy on youtube. I use a piece of baseboard as the backer for the mylar bag when I heat seal it, since the profile gives me two distinct seals. I keep the vacuum running while I seal the bag, this seems to pull most of the air out and makes the bag nice and tight. I also use O2 absorbers, so after 24 hours the bags are like a brick.
     
    oldawg likes this.
  5. Disciple

    Disciple Monkey+

    @ sharpshooter; do you ever loose any product in doing it that way? I mean your powder and crystal as in flour, sugar, salt, or any rice or beans?
     
  6. Equilibrium

    Equilibrium Monkey++

    Thank you sharpshooter. I don't think I'm going to invest in a vacuum sealer just yet if I can learn how to achieve the same end result with my iron... I'm totally not into unnecessary consumerism and.... the unit I found that appeared to be the best value was about $300 without shipping and handling. Ridiculous spending that kind of money when there are folk out there like you successfully doing it with an iron. I will have to check into vacuum pumps which I need to do anyway for mason jars.
     
  7. kckndrgn

    kckndrgn Monkey+++ Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    I don't vacuum seal my mylar bags, just seal them with an iron. I use a piece 1" dowel as the backer, seal all but the last 1/2" or so, the press out the remaining air and seal. I use bay leaves (no concrete evidence they work or don't work, they are cheap so I use them anyway), and O2 absorbers (I forget the size. O2 absorbers are put in the bottom, midway point, and on the top of what I'm sealing.
    My family uses a vacuum sealer a lot. We buy our groceries in bulk and split the food into serving size portions in vacuum sealed bags. We even put left overs in bags and seal them since you can re-heat in the bag in boiling water. I'm starting to experiment with putting mixed dehydrated food into the vacuum sealed bags. To make a meal, just open and add water.
    I
     
    oldman11 and STANGF150 like this.
  8. Tracy

    Tracy Insatiably Curious Moderator Founding Member

    I like your meal in a bag idea. I'll have to try that. Thanks! :)
     
    oldman11 likes this.
  9. Gator 45/70

    Gator 45/70 Monkey+++

    A bit off topic but i have used my vacuum sealer for this...
    22lr 002.JPG
     
    oldman11 and Brokor like this.
  10. Equilibrium

    Equilibrium Monkey++

    I lost where I read it but I found a woman who stated she ironed her mylar leaving a 1/2" unsealed then stuck a straw in and sucked out the air herself. There's also a cheap manual pump that looks like it would do the job, Pump and Seal food saver vacuum sealer is better than Tilia FoodSaver?

    adding question for Gator 45/70.... are those bullets you just vacuum sealed? Silly you... you can't eat those. Seriously though... why vacuum seal bullets? Don't those come in boxes you can stack all nice and neat and orderly?
     
    oldman11 likes this.
  11. kckndrgn

    kckndrgn Monkey+++ Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    Equilibrium,
    That Pump & Seal food saver I think was mention a while back on this site and had good reviews. Since I already have a food saver brand, I'll just stick with it. It does the job it's supposed to and does it well.

    As far as sealing ammo? well, it keeps it dry and with no O2, there is no oxidation of the brass or lead. I don't put my ammo in bags and seal them they stay in ammo cans in the original container or in the case of my 5.56 ammo on stripper clips. Sealing ammo in a bag may be useful in a BOB where you want to make sure your ammo stays clean and dry.
     
    oldman11 likes this.
  12. Equilibrium

    Equilibrium Monkey++

    Try as I might, I can't locate the thread with the reviews using search. If you could provide me with a link... I'd be most appreciative. I received over 500 matches trying to find the review thread using pump seal vacuum jar and pump seal vacuum cans so I totally understand if you can't find it. I thought it odd he'd vacuum seal bullets but now it makes sense.
     
  13. sharpshooter

    sharpshooter Monkey+

    So far I haven't noticed any of the product getting vacuumed out of the bag. I use fairly large bags, so the vacuum is about 6 inches from the product. My thought is, remove as much air as you can, this makes it easier for the O2 absorbers to finish the job. Since I keep the vacuum running, I don't get air back into the bag while I seal with the iron.
     
  14. Disciple

    Disciple Monkey+

    Now I can deffinatly see vaccuum sealing ammo for a bug out bag or if your going to store it under the ground. I can also see vaccuum sealing primers by the sleeve. But I really can see Vaccuum sealing your Gun Powder especially if you want to get past the 50 lb. limit, and that beiing the case I would actually triple bag the powder vaccuum seal first bag fold flap on first bag wrap with saran wrap two to three times
    then seal in second bag,fold flap down wrap with just a little duct tape then place in Mylar Bag then vac seal the mylar bag then label it. Overkill? Yeah it is, but I can hide those bags anywhere. I can place it in the middle of a mylar bag of beans or rice. I could bury it in a 5 gallon bucket of dirt and plant tomato's on top, whatever.
     
    oldman11 likes this.
  15. magnus392

    magnus392 Field Marshall Mags Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    I received an email offer on the Foodsaver MiniPlus for $21 instead of the retail of $69. Ad says discount applied at check out. Feel free to try it. Picked on of the larger models up when it was on sale for $24. So far has worked great.
     
    oldman11 likes this.
  16. Falcon15

    Falcon15 Falco Peregrinus

    There is no need to vacuum seal dry goods. Oxy absorbers also kill pests, as the egg hatches, the lack of O2 kills the larva.

    A good method I have researched, which is highly plausible, is the use of a bit of dry ice, dropped on top of the food to be sealed (on a bit of cardboard for things like sugar and salt). The dry ice is solid CO2, which sublimates quickly, driving the oxygen out of the foodstuff (since CO2 is heavier than O2 it displaces the O2 in the foodstuff), then an oxygen absorber pack dropped in and the Mylar bag heat sealed shut.
    The benefit of a vacuum seal is to remove the oxygen to reduce rancidity and deter oxidation of foodstuffs.
    From the University of Minnesota Extension Service:
    The cheapest, least expensive method in the long run is adequate O2 absorbers, and a heat sealed package to keep the oxygen and wet out.
     
    oldman11 likes this.
  17. Equilibrium

    Equilibrium Monkey++

    I agree with you. For now at least.... I've pretty much decided the best route for me is to skip buying a vacuum sealer for bags and run with the hand pump for mason jars and a clothes iron and oxygen absorbers for mylar bags, Sealing Mylar bags for food storage | Provident Living. I don't need the food in the jars to last for decades.... only through the next growing season is all. If you don't mind my asking, what's the cheapest online source you've found for O² absorbers?

    adding question- If you have a good online source for mylar that would be a great help too.
     
    oldman11 likes this.
  18. Falcon15

    Falcon15 Falco Peregrinus

    Hand warmers from the Dollar Store. 2 per pack. Pretty cheap and easy to get.
     
    oldman11 likes this.
  19. Equilibrium

    Equilibrium Monkey++

    "Hand warmers from the Dollar Store. 2 per pack. Pretty cheap and easy to get."
    What would the hand warmers do for my dehydrated produce? I'm afraid I'm not quite following you on this one.
    Also too...
    If you don't mind my asking, what's the cheapest online source you've found for O² absorbers?

    adding question- If you have a good online source for mylar that would be a great help too.
     
    oldman11 likes this.
  20. kckndrgn

    kckndrgn Monkey+++ Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    hand warmers = O2 absorbers

    they are the same thing, just in different packages
     
    oldman11 likes this.
  1. JC Refuge
  2. JC Refuge
  3. JC Refuge
  4. JC Refuge
  5. Alanaana
    Uploaded by: Alanaana, Mar 1, 2023, 0 comments, in album: Alana's_Adventures
  6. Alanaana
    Uploaded by: Alanaana, Mar 1, 2023, 0 comments, in album: Alana's_Adventures
  7. RJFab
  8. duane
  9. TnAndy
  10. john316
  11. DKR
  12. DKR
  13. apache235
  14. Ganado
  15. alaskachick
  16. Motomom34
  17. Bandit99
  18. Asia-Off-Grid
  19. oldman11
  20. Asia-Off-Grid
survivalmonkey SSL seal        survivalmonkey.com warrant canary
17282WuJHksJ9798f34razfKbPATqTq9E7