vacuum packing Mylar in a freeze dryer
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- Опубліковано 9 кві 2021
- I have discovered a very easy and efficient way to vacuum pack Mylar bags to commercial standards in a freeze dryer. Using a freeze dryer to vacuum pack is not new but the method I will show you overcome the two main problems commonly associated with vacuum packing Mylar bag in your freeze dryer, bag ballooning and distortion and loosing the vacuum when removing the bag.
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This has sold me on the versatility of the machine. But even more it has shown me the $600 for a chamber vac is well worth it. I absolutely applaud your ingenuity it seems time and labor intensive.
Dear sir, you just saved me a big expense of buying a vacuum chamber on line over 500 bucks Canadian. I only did one batch so far after my bread run and have it in jars and use a battery operated sealer. I don't really trust it for long term. So instead of buying the 500 dollar + chamber I'll go and buy some 8 or 9" metal trays for a whole lot less. Thanks so much.
Evan...I'm speachless. Thanks so much for helping the rest of us!!! I can't believe your channel isn't growing by leaps and bounds.
Thank you matthew, My channel has only been out for a few months, I hope it will grow exponentially as my subscriber base increased. I have three more videos in the pipeline including one on small bag packing. Thanks again, Evan
Today was the first I'd heard of this channel!
I am so thankful for this video. Was going to order a unit to go with sealer for the jars, but also thank you for showing how to VP mylar bags. This is very rich info!!!!
I love your channel! You actually show us stuff that Works and have already done your homework!!! Unlike other channels which show you huge waste of my time, which are their failures repeatedly. Shaking my head. Thank you thank you thank you for saving my time and for teaching us how to actually do this properly. As a newbie we like to see things like which direction to turn the valves and stuff like that.:-)
Evan, I am a retired Chemical Engineer. I’m just getting into freeze drying, and don’t have my machine yet (3-5 more weeks!), but you have given me an idea. I like your thinking and I hope I might be able to add an improvement to your process to make it simpler. The stress is caused by too much vacuum too quickly. I propose to remove the air more slowly, to allow the air to flow out with less of a differential and stress on the Mylar. Step the vacuum down. I can think of several ways to do that: in the software, restricting flow to the vacuum pump with a valve, allowing some flow in at the drain valve. I’ll test when I get my machine and let you know. Thank you!!
Hello Jim. Interesting, I like the idea of a control valve that can be adjusted, it makes sense. I don't think the software idea will work, too many lay persons and it would be too involved. The idea about letting air in at the drain valve would limit the vacuum level all together but the valve at the pump to slow down the increase without restricting the boundry sounds like an easy way to do what you suggest. I think some thought and experimintation is in order. Thanks for your comment, Evan
This is such a great video...very thorough. You have helped me understand this whole process so much. Thank you.
Thank You Cyndi!
Great video! Thank you for showing us how to vacuum seal our bags. I'm a newbie to freeze drying and this helps so much!
You Sir are the most amazing teacher!!!! Love your informative videos...!
Well thought out. You got down to the physics of it all. Now I can't wait to get my machine.
I'm new to freeze drying. You are a life saver !! Thank you.
Thank you so much for your video, it is teaching us how to do, save time, we are interesting your channel. Wish you have more great videos and be safe.
LOVE all the help you give ...THX!!! I'm trying to put any extra money toward debt so not buying much of anything but the essentials. Great tip in one comment to use the FD trays instead of buying the pans and I used some larger than normal rubber bands I had bought at Wally World previously. It allows the bags to puff up a little, not as tight as using velcro but the bags suck down very tight around the food. Works great w/o spending extra $.
Rubber bands are a great idea! Thanks for the comment, Evan
Brilliant! Thank you so much!
thank you for the great ideas!!
Evan get yourself a chamber vac and save yourself a lot of trouble, A lot easier!! Avid Armor is a good brand. Additionally you can use the marinate function to rehydrate. The cost of the chamber vac will be offset by saving ware and tear on your Harvest Right.
Hello Prius. I am familiar with chamber vacuums and its a good method of vacuum sealing food, very efficient but also expensive for a unit that will handle larger bags. The other drawback for me is the fact that these units are not made to handle Mylar bags, the sealing bar does not get hot enough. My methods takes advantage of the fact that a freeze dryer is already a vacuum chamber and allows me to tightly seal Mylar bags. Yes, there is some effort but accomplishing the vacuum seal is quicker than it seems in my video, I can tightly vacuum seal 8 large bags in about 15 minutes. The plastic bags that a chamber vacuum sealer is designed to use will keep deeply frozen food for about 5 to 7 years because they will permeate oxygen over time whereas a Maylar bag will not and that is a major consideration for freeze fried food that you want to store for 30+ years, the bag MUST NOT permeate oxygen or the food will go bad. Wet food will keep only slightly longer than it will for food sitting unfrozen in your refrigerator before it goes bad. Thanks for the comment, Evan
One more thing Prius, you mention rehydrating with the marinate feature of the chamber vacuum. Forcing rehydration is not advised because exterior layers of food can over hydrate while leaving the center still dry. Rehydration takes patience to be done right, it should happen only as fast as the food will allow the moisture to permeate on its own. Patience is one of the six cardinal rules of freeze drying and proper rehydration. As for wear and tare on my vacuum pump, that is negligible, it would take thousands of hours of run time vacuum packing bags to total enough wear and tare savings to offset the cost of a vacuum chamber, ergo, the savings you point to would never be realized, Thanks again, Evan
The Avid Armor brand works just fine for mylar Evan. In it fact does not require the heaviest Mylar bag thickness saving a lot of $. The smallest size will do a larger bag when needed by placing the bag outside of the chamber and using it like a clamp type. The marinade function gets all the way through food, not just the outside of the food.. I think you may be a bit misinformed, not having used one, and would love the Arvid Armor model @$400. If using for plastic bag vacuum packing the bags are only $.10.
If the wear and tear is so minimal tovacuum pack in the Harvest R. Why are you posting such elaborate procedure to keep the oil clean? Most people ignore the oil getting dirty faster and will indeed shorten the life of the freeze driver. Really Evan, a chamber vacuum is a much better overall solution. Do try one and buy where its returnable. We need your valuable feedback to extend to actual experience with a chamber vac. Thanks so much!
@@priusdwelling504 Hello Prius, changing the oil happens immediately after finishing vacuum packing so there is virtually no effect on the longevity of the pump and it is not associated in any way with effecting the Freeze Dryer itself. It could effect the pump if left in for a few batches. Also, I have a video showing how to make a vacuum filter which overcomes the problem of particulate. As I explained earlier, I have researched chamber vac specifications and they are not adequate for long term storage (30+ years) nor can I afford to buy one to make a video since I do not buy things just to use them and then return them. Thanks for your observations and comment, Evan
You are a genius. Thanks for the effort you put into this!
Make the hole at the corner of the bag as small as possible. I vacuum packed 5 bags at a time. Just keep the holes tiny. No pans or clips. My sealer is about 3 feet from my FD.
Yes, that will work if you're fast. Evan
I’m a beginner and appreciate your help.
Hi and thanks, Evan. You are extremely clever and innovative. What a great technique, and simple with your method.
Wow, thanks so much for this! Why would anyone give this a down? You've got a new subbie here.
Interesting. The clip you have is called, in Canada, a binder clip if you go to an office supply store. In 7 years I have not managed to get my shelves out. Now I may be motivated to replace the clip.
Great intel! Thank you
My HarvestRite is on the way so I'm trying to get a jump start on methods etc. One question...I assume you like this vacuum system better than using an oxygen absorber in the mylar bag...why is that? Thanks!
I always use an O2 absorber along with vacuum packing. I will admit that when making a video I am thinking about what I am saying so hard that I forget to put one in the bag but that is rare. O2 absorbers do more than just remove oxygen from the bag, they help maintain the freshness of the food over long periods of time. Thanks for the comment, Evan
@@evanrowell5266 Thank you!
They sell inexpensive vacuum chambers on amazon that work just as well at vacuum packing as a freeze dryer. The chamber allows less down time...
Thank you ..thank you..newbie
Going to try
This is great, I am going to give it ago. i think instead of velcro I may use a child's belt adding extra holes if necessary to hold the pans together.
Thank you Great work. Smart man
lol how in the world does this guy only have 3k subs?? this is freaking amazing.
Thank you so much. I was going to try my “seal a meal” for plastic bags on the Mylar, but this looks better. I don’t know if my plastic bag vacuum would work on Mylar. Thank you!
Thank You InLaws Attic, there is a way to draw some of the air out of a Mylar bag with a Seal-A-Meal but it's a hassle to do, does not draw a very good vacuum and is unreliable because it doesn't get hot enough to properly seal a 7 mil Mylar bag. Evan
@@evanrowell5266 OH! Thank you! Then we shall find another way- like your Velcro-pan method for sure- we get our harvest right in about 9 more weeks. Thanks!
Hello Evan. First off, my nerdiness LOVES your videos. Second, I was wondering if you tried putting spring clipped bags without the velcro and pans onto the shelves on the shelving unit relying on the shelving unit itself to reduce ballooning. It probably wouldn't work for smaller bags but maybe it would for larger ones. You could potentially get eight bags done at once. Just a thought. I would try it for myself but my husband is taking our unit back for repairs today. Keep up the good work!
Hello Dawn. Good question and, no I haven't tried it but it but I do know it would be ill advised, the pressure that can develop in the bags is high enough that you would most certainly damage the shelving. In my experimentation I am developing methods for doing small bags that incorporates the use of chop sticks (sounds funny but I will explain in a future video). Long story short - the expanding bags have broke bamboo sticks in half. Thanks for the question, I will bring attention to that reality in an upcoming video. Thanks again, Evan
Thanks, Evan. I certainly enjoy the honesty of your videos and the way you explain what can/gone wrong. It's also greatly appreciated that you share your experiments and experience. From a right-brain, it's critical that we have access to thinkers like you. :) that being said, if a person could find a metal box,open on top and bottom, with dividers welded that would fit the bags, could you stand them up and vacuum several more bags at one time? Thanks again!
there’s one kind of vacuum sealer that has a nozzle dip into bag and fufil sucktion. not as efficient as a chamber machine, but much easier than this one, the brand name magicseal, about 150$ and some expensive model 280$. can do this job.
I would never have even considered using my freeze dryer for vacuum packing. I had ZERO idea that was even a thing. Is there a program for vacuum packing on the machine... I've never seen it & haven't read about it in the manual. Thank you.
No, the FD software is meant for freeze drying alone, however, the fact that the pump can be operated via the vacuum test function with the shelving removed, effectively turns the barrel into a vacuum chamber wherein special programming is not necessary. Using the FD barrel as a vacuum chamber is a fairly well-known operation. Thanks, Evan
Brilliant! I love seeing the dark room with the Harvest Right. I’m curious if this technique could be applied to a chamber vacuum sealer provided it’s the heavy Mylar bags.
Why? a vacuum chamber will seal heavy Mylar.
Do you use an oxygen absorber with the vacuum seal? I didn’t see you put one on the Mylar bag... I only use oxygen absorbers in my mylar bags. If the oxygen is absorbed, what’s the advantage of vacuuming inert gases out? It does look nice and clean... THANKS!
Just make a bigger hole with clip without the pans. Should work also.
I tried that and you are correct, however, I found that the bags still ballooned but not as intensely and about half the time the larger hole allowed the vacuum to release even with the clip provided the ballooning did not pop the clip off. I am working on a way to prevent that from happening. Also without the pans to keep surfaces flat the bag was prone to being misshaped. Thanks for the comment, Evan
@@evanrowell5266 One way is to build up a slower vacuum to have the bag come to equilibrium without ballooning. I do not have a freeze dryer but if you can program a vacuum go to half then quarter than full over long period and release quickly. Just retired engineer trying to help. And if you cannot control via the freeze dryer you can also shut off the vacuum midway and turn on after a minute to increase the vacuum time.
@@jfcrow1 Good points John but my goal is to have the vacuum pump running as little as possible, the moisture in the oil builds up really fast and that's not good for the pump if run for a long time or if you forget to change the oil after vacuum packing. Also, using the chopsticks and the clip means you have to build up the pressure inside the bag before it starts to escape. Thanks for your comments, Evan
@@kolobkolobkolobkolob I don't think moisture getting back inside the bag is an issue, the whole point of vacuum packing is removing air and then not letting it back in. It IS an issue when the high humidity from the vacuum sucking back into the vacuum pump, that is why I change the oil after every vacuum packing operation. I do change the oil after every batch but especially after every vacuum packing.
So this is a newbie question so please bare with me LOL!
I read that sometimes you do add the oxygen absorbers. So are you Impulse sealing with an AO right out of the machine when the foods done and then Vacuum sealing the bag this way when you get time?.. If so, How much time would you have to reseal and vacuum the bag before the Oxygen absorber in the bag goes bad?
Thanks!
The O2 absorber will do its job leaving only nitrogen to remove from the bag so you actually have a very long time. The O2 absorber never goes bad it just gets used up. A 300 cc absorber will do a large bag with room to spare. Thanks for the question, Evan
I looks like you could use a couple boards, or thick cutting boards in place of your pans. It MIGHT make hooking the Velcro easier.
Hello Kelly. I know you can't see them but along side the FD are two half inch pieces of furniture grade plywood but I found that the 3/4 inch sides of the pans held tighter control of the large bags, forming them to a better square . Thanks for the comment, Evan
Love this! I'm a newbie with probably less than 10 cycles on my FD thus far, so I'm always looking for new tips. This quickly earned my subscription! I have a question about the utility of the two small trays that you lash around the bag. It seems that while they reduce the volume of the "bubble" in the bag, I wouldn't think that the integrity of the seals would be improved/protected at all. The pressure gradient across that seal is the same with or without the trays in place, so wouldn't the stress on the seal be exactly the same either way? Or is the utility of the trays mainly to maintain a flat/even distribution of product in the bags? Thanks!
How soon after you package do you need to vacuum pack?
Hello House (love the handle), good question. If the food is well dried and sealed in a Mylar bag or a canning jar then you have a very long time. In fact, with the addition of an O2 absorber you have many years, some do not even vacuum pack at all and still have well over 20 years expected shelf life. Vacuum packing is a good thing to do for three reasons. First it reduces the size of the bag making it easier to store more in a smaller space. Second it will add years to the shelf life and, third, it will help maintain the freshness of the food over time. Thanks for the question, Evan
According to Harvest Right the oil needs to be changed every 4 - 5 drying cycles. Have you found that using it as a vacuum packer that you need to change the oil more often or because it is such a short time that it doesn’t matter?
Hello Cheryl, great question and the answer is yes, I change the oil after every batch as a matter of routine but even if I did not I would change it after every time I vacuum packed. The moisture and potential for particulates getting into the oil is just too high. I am working on a home made moisture and particulate filter and I will make a video on how I do it a little later. Thanks for the question, Evan
If you vacuum pack like you demonstrate, I would assume that no oxygen absorber would be needed. Is that correct? Thx
Great! How wide is your binder clips ?
I wonder if a metal sleeve or tube could replace the pans and velcro, Like an MRE's cardboard sleeve does?
yes it can, I even experimented with 6" PVC pipe. It didn't suit my purposes but it does work. Evan
@@evanrowell5266 Great minds think alike haha i just bought a HarvestRight! 3 months wait from now i can start experiments of my own, looking forward to joining the community!
Hi Evan,
I can't wait to try this vacuum pack method! I'm so glad I found your channel today!
My questions is: Would this process be recommended with an oil-less pump? I'm sure it will work but I'm just wondering if it would hurt my pump at all, or if there is anything I need to do with the pump after vacuum sealing. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!
Do you know how much weight of chicken with sauce can be loaded on each tray for a large harvestright tray. Thank you. I loaded trays to top of edge put very heavy for me to carry. About 5 lbs food... 7.32 lbs told tray and food.
Hello Trina and thanks for the question. The two guidelines for loading trays is first, regardless of machine size, the food must not be more than 3/4 inches thick and second the weight should be at 2.5 lbs per tray on a medium and 3 lbs per tray on a large because the trays are slightly bigger on the large. You can push the limits a bit if the food is on the drier side such as fresh produce but for chicken in a sauce I would definitely keep the trays at three lbs. and no more. Thanks for the question, Evan
@@evanrowell5266 that you so much for your help. Gid Bless
Hi Evan, love, love your video's !! I just seen this video a couple of days ago, just got my FD a couple of weeks ago. So I was so excited to try this, got my pans, Velcro, and clips got it already to go and my FD does not have the option to test, I push the customized and all it has is a way to adjust the temps arrow up or down, if I push cancel it goes back to the start screen, if I pus save it goes back to the start stage, I just wanted to cry. So is it that the newer ones no longer have the option to test the vacuum? Or is there another way to do this.?
Hi Robin, Call Harvest Right and talk to them about your firmware, they have updated it several times in the last year. If you need updating they will email you the file with instructions, it's really easy you just need a blank USB thumb drive. Also, sometimes harvest right puts invisible hotspots on the screen to navigate around the testing windows, I'm not sure why but there is a way, you just have to talk to a tech. If all else fails I have another video showing how to vacuum pack without the screen, it involves setting up as I instruct here and then unplugging the vacuum pump (after turning it off) from the FD and plugging it directly into the wall and then turning it on. A little more effort involved but it works just as well. Let me know if you still have trouble and I will help. Evan
@@evanrowell5266 Ok, thank you so much for responding back to me:) since I just got it a couple of weeks ago I assumed I had the most up to date firmware, but I remember you saying that about unplugging it from the FD and plugging into the wall, I might just try that. Thank you for all your videos you help us out a lot.......
@@robinbrooks4460 Hi Robin. A quick thought. What I did before the firmware update that allows me to use the test mode on the FD I got a short extension cord and plugged it into the FD and then plugged the vacuum pump into it. This makes switching the pump plug from the FD to the wall a lot easier because you do no have to reach around to the back of the FD to unplug the pump. There is one caution, do not use a cord that is lighter than the one on the pump, it has to be an indoor/outdoor grounded cord. A standard lamp cord will not work. Here is a link to the one I use: www.homedepot.com/p/Snow-Joe-3-Outlet-2-ft-14-3-Guage-Vinyl-Indoor-UL-Rated-Extension-Cord-PJ3STR02-143-WHT/309967146 Also, be sure to never plug anything else into it when using it with your FD. :) Evan
On the newer models, you touch the 🍃 in upper left hand corner. This will allow you to run test on Vac pump. Hope you can understand that.
@@robinbrooks4460 wasn't trying to be rude. Was just saying that I hope I had explained it well enough.
So can this process also be used with the older firmware ?,That is having to disconnect the pump from the freeze dryer....?Great job on the instructions !! Thank you !
Hello James, only as long as you can turn on the pump from the screen. I don't know all the different versions of firmware so it's hard for me to say. In any case, if you find that you have to plug the pump directly into the wall but don't like reaching around to the back, use a short extension cord (I made a three foot one just for this purpose) and plug it into the back and then plug your pump into it for easy access. Caution, do not use a cord rated smaller than the one on the pump - something like a lamp cord is very ill advised. Thanks for the question, Evan
Very nice. My first thought was that you pressurized those bags with air. Could the pressurized air add unwanted moisture?
Hi YNOTTONYE2, The bags were not pressurized. I simply sealed them and then cut a small hole in the corner for air to escape when put into the vacuum chamber. When the chamber begins to draw a vacuum the bags appear to pressurize (balloon out) because the air inside is being pulled through a very small hole to the outside of the bag, the inside air is removed very quickly. When the vacuum is released the bags are unable to draw air back in so the bag draws in very tightly around the contents after which I seal the small hole. It renders a commercial quality vacuum pack. Thanks for reaching out, Evan
Hello Evan, Great job. I have bags that are rounded not flat after they are filled with product. What could I use instead of flat pans? Any suggestions? I appreciate all your video's.
Hello Julie, I don't know what you mean by rounded, do you mean puffed up? If so you still put them between two flat surfaces. The idea is to keep them from expanding any more as much as possible thereby forcing as much air as possible out of the bags. If they are really rounded then only put one bag between two pans, don't be afraid to put them in tight because the vacuum pack is going to really compress them tightly. Tell me if I have not answered your question and I will respond, Thanks, Evan
Hey Julie me too, round bags. But guess what, they flattened right out when they vacuumed. Look like store bought survival/camping food bags that are sucked down on the food. 😄
I have 10 bags of 3# of wheat berries to do.
I do not think I'm going to use this method.
Seems like a lot of work compared to a Avid Armor USV32.
Are you putting oxygen obsorbers in also?
Hello Randall, yes I do, that last bit of oxygen not pulled out of the dried food by vacuum packing, although having no effect on shelf life, can still have an effect on freshness and flavor over the long haul. O2 absorbers will mop up that last little bit thusly helping preserve that flavor and maintain freshness to a greater level. Thanks for asking, Evan
Wow!!!!!
How does this work with something fragile, say orange slices? Do you end up with orange powder?
Not necessarily, in fact I will address this very issue in my next video. You don't always have to draw a vacuum down to the max (around 3000 mTorr) Those levels will crush a hard container. The secret is to know how far down to draw the vacuum. In my experiments I have discovered that around 150,000 to 100,000 mTorr will do a good job of vacuum packing without crushing the contents. Thanks for the question and stay tuned. I will go into some detail about vacuum levels and the effect they can have. Evan
Are there any studies showing whether mylar plastic outgasses or leaches chemicals into the food?
Hi, Evan. Newbie freeze dryer here. I freeze dried strawberries, blueberries and bananas and placed them separately in eight new 1/2-pint jars with new lids and rings. I attempted to vacuum seal the jars using your method in the freeze dryer. The first time I tried it, I stopped the process at 3500 mTorr. Only one jar had sealed. I ran the process again letting the mTorr get down to 1550 mTorr. This time four more jars sealed. Tried it again with the three unsealed jars getting down to mTorr at 1550-ish . Two of these remaining three jars sealed. I double checked the jar, lid and ring on the last jar, and sure enough, the lid had a small crimp in the edge of the lid. I replaced it with another new lid and tried again to seal it. This last jar never did seal even with the new, perfectly good lid. Any idea why it took so many tries to get the seven jars sealed and maybe why the eighth jar never would seal? Thanks for any suggestions/solutions you may provide.
Hello DCS, There are only four reasons the jars would not seal. First, as you mentioned, the lids have to be new, clean and in good condition. Second the lids should not be cold, warming them up will soften the rubber sealing material, they should be slightly warmer than room temperature, not hot! Third, the rim of the jar must be free of any particulate or moisture, especially oily residue. The fourth reason is most likely the problem, the bands may have been on too tight thusly not allowing the air inside the jars to escape. The only reason to have the bands at all is to keep the lids aligned. Be sure the bands just barely come in contact with the lids leaving the lids loosely sitting on the jar, the sudden release of vacuum will pull the lids down tight without the assistance of the bands. After the vacuum is applied is when you tighten down the bands, in fact some people do not use the bands at all, leaving the lids just sitting on the jar, once vacuum packed they tightly apply the bands or leave them off, they really don't do anything but I leave mine on. Thanks for reaching out, Evan
Do you defrost before you vacuum seal?
Hello T Walczak, I do not vacuum pack wet products so frost is never an issue. Evan
Does this mean that with this method I wouldn’t need to use Oxygen absorbers?
Orange FD. I love it!!! Wish they still had that color. Thanks for this info. This method is so much more efficient and quieter than my vacuum sealer. Am I correct that you do NOT use an oxygen absorber? The FD removes all air?
Hi Mimi. The fact is that I do still use O2 absorbers because they do more than absorb oxygen, they also help maintain flavor and freshness over the long term. Thanks for the wonderful comment, Evan
Oh, and the FD isn't orange, it's red. Because it's in a Dark-Room the lighting bouncing off the deep dark chocolate brown walls makes getting the colors right difficult. :) Evan
Great tips on vacuum packing in the freeze dryer. Did you incorporate the use of oxygen absorbers or was this method so enhanced that they could be skipped?
Hello Kim. Great question. The pack is so tight that oxygen absorbers can be left out, however, I still use them if their is meat or dairy, it's just a thing with me, I feel better if I use one. Thanks for the inquiry, Evan
👏 👏 Bravo good sir. Thanks for sharing!
thats really cool, do you have a link to the heat sealer you use now?
I got my impulse sealer from Harvest Right when I got my FD. My hand held I got for sealing large bags (I sometimes use 5 gallon gags) and I got it at amazon but I have found it easier to just use the impulse sealer with the vacuum packed bags. What's important is how you set up the chop stick and binder clips so you have time to seal the bag before it looses vacuum. . Here is the link www.amazon.com/Portable-Sealer-Crimp-Mylar-Aluminum/dp/B08317J4ST/ref=sr_1_24_sspa?crid=2IIY1E3Y9ZJBG&keywords=heat+sealer&qid=1636343108&sprefix=heat+sealer%2Caps%2C136&sr=8-24-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFJVjBPWVdSOEI4R0cmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA4ODE5MjZVSEhYTkhJUjFGVUImZW5jcnlwdGVkQWRJZD1BMDc4NDM4NjMzNjNBU0dUUkZCUEkmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9tdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl
I am also experimenting with a C-clamp vise grip heated with a torch to be able to seal the bags while they are still in the FD, it is working out and it is a lot faster. here is the link to what I am using. www.amazon.com/IRWIN-VISE-GRIP-Release-Welding-IRHT82587/dp/B011HX8ZVE/ref=pd_bxgy_img_1/139-4801797-7002137?pd_rd_w=3BQ8T&pf_rd_p=c64372fa-c41c-422e-990d-9e034f73989b&pf_rd_r=BRAWQCQCFAED57F41G8W&pd_rd_r=1c623e9c-7fab-4bf4-900b-92e20e9f3a49&pd_rd_wg=C5Gtm&pd_rd_i=B011HX8ZVE&psc=1 Thanks for the inquiry, Evan
Hello Evan, I just found your videos and have learned alot so far. Questions for you, did you seal the mylar bag and then cut a small hole where the paper clip was placed then reseal it? What were the black straps you used to tie your trays with, velcro? I learned alot of good info, from your cheese videos. You have presented good info. that others have not, thank you. I am looking forward to more of your videos.
Hello Theresa, Thank you for your comments. Yes, the straps I use are velcro double sided so they will stick to themselves. I am working on another one addressing the peculiarities of vacuum packing small begs. There's more to know so stay tuned! Evan
Oh, and as for you first question, yes, I seal the bag completely and then cut the corner where the factory seal meets the seal I made revealing a very small hole. The clip is to keep the two sides of the hole pressed together. It works like this, gently hold your lips together and force air out. You will find that air on your inside will push past your lips. Now, holding you lips the same as before try to suck air in, the force of the air trying to get back into your mouth will cause your lips to seal making it very hard to breath in through your lips if they are held together. The same principles holds true for the Mylar. The clip holds the hole closed allowing the air to force its way out but when the vacuum inside the bag tries to suck the air back in it forces the hold to close tight., Evan
I used two pieces of Corian to build a vacuum system base. The bottom piece was solid, the top had the slot cut out of the center to put the end of the bag in like the commercial units have. I welded the two pieces together with silicone.
I added a top, a piece of 3/4" clear Plexi, I had laying around mounted to the base via a couple hinges.
When done, the beast would take up to a 16" wide bag.
To allow a vacuum on the bag, I added common, self adhesive door gasket material to the base. Also, I drilled a through hole from the side opposite the hinges and into the part the end of the bag would dip into, again, just like it would in a commercial vacuum sealer.
For the vacuum pump, I used a common nebulizer I'd picked up at a garage sale for two bucks. I had to swap the hose internal connection to the opposite side to change it from an oil-less compressor to a vacuum pump.
I enlarged the vacuum hole half way in and just big enough to press a nebulizer end into.
It works great, and if I kill it, I go get one of the others I picked up at yard sales. Too, since the sealer I use can be adjusted, I can adjust the temp for any vacuum bag I want to use.
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SIDE NOTE: I have to build another to replace the one above, which the ex swiped, on her way out the door, along with the sealer.
Sounds like you put a lot of thought into it and it does sound like it would work! Good on you for innovating! I like hearing when people use my motivation to expand upon, Evan :)
When you said 38 did you mean 38,000 thousand? Or 3,800 hundred?? Or 38
Sorry for the confusion, 38000 mT
Do you still use an oxygen absorber?
Yes I do because an O2 absorber also helps maintain freshness and flavor. Thanks for the inquiry, Evan
I know this doesn't apply to this video, but i want to tell you that i got my freeze dryer and have been trying it out for a little bit. I loaded it to the 2 1/2 lb per tray and it took more than twice as long if i would have stopped at the edge of the tray. Can you please analyze which way is more cost effective? 2 1/2 pounds per tray or 2 cycles of only to the edge of the tray.
Hello Mary, very thoughtful question and I already know the answer. Because of freeze time, which is locked in by the FD as well as the Final Dry which has a minimum time, and the fact that the moisture level is what the FD monitors, two cycles will cost much more in time and energy and therefore efficiency. 2 1/2 lbs. per tray is the most efficient target weight and a single cycle is best. No matter how many cycles you use the FD takes a certain amount of time to sublimate a certain amount of moisture no matter how you break up the time so the fewer starting and ending cycles you use the better. As I stated in previous videos, if the FD runs a complete cycle and the food needs a little more time to become completely dry (no cold centers) I don't add more dry time, I use a dehydrator to finish up. It is less costly and the food suffer no adverse effects like it would should you use only the dehydrator (no freeze drying at all) start to finish. Let me know if I understood your question correctly, I will be happy to discuss it with you again. Thanks for asking, Evan
@@evanrowell5266 you totally understand my question. Thank you for your prompt response
What mttr do you have it get to? I heard you say 38 on the first round, and then the second one you said 3000.
Hello Tiffiny, I was probably referring to 3800 mT. What I was implying is that you never need to get below 3000 mT but in many cases you need not get below 120000 mT. It all depends on what you are packing. Light delicate food will do well at 120000 mT so it does not crush while there are times, like when packing meat, that getting down below 10000 mT is desirable. Remember, 3000 mT will crush a metal can. Thanks for reaching out, Evan
I am a huge fan of yours, but I don't have 30-40 minutes to watch videos. Maybe try to decrease the redundancy, and keep vids to 13-15 minutes and set up a blog sight for the thought process behind your inventions. (Also, you should consider parenting this method!)
The pump seems very quiet in this video. Which pump are you using here? Thanks.
The oil filled. Evan
Does a oxygen packet need to be put into the bag if vacuuming?
No, sometimes I don't with vegetables but it's still a good idea with prepared foods because there will still be a small amount of oxygen left even with vacuum packing which can effect freshness and flavor. An O2 absorber helps preserve freshness over the long term by mopping up that last little bit of O2 so I still use them and I always use them with meat.
So my question is this, is an oxygen absorber really necessary if we can achieve this kind of vacuum? My husband says it’s a waste of an absorber if I do both. What say ye? ;-)
even under a high vacuum there will still be a small amount of O2. Not enough to make a difference in the longevity of the storage but it can make a difference in freshness and flavor retention. A small ( maybe 100cc) O2 absorber will mop up any remaining O2 in the bag leaving behind only nitrogen and a minuscule amount of other trace gases making the product fresher tasting when opened. If you open and then close a jar or bag on a regular basis then an O2 absorber is not necessary. Evan
Thank you for sharing! Do you still need to put oxygen absorber?
Great question I will ask again to see if we get a response.
Great video but so long winded :) You need a tldr; part of the video.
Yeah, you're probably right but I'm new to this whole video thing. Besides, some people need the long drawn out version. In time things will get more refined. Thanks, Evan
@@evanrowell5266 I disagree with the commenter as well. I need all the little detail I can get to understand how and why the process works. Your videos are great and I have just found you so keep them comming.