[PollyFaith]

That is great to know! I had stopped using my sealer because of the frustrating and ineffective sealing process.

[MartHale7]

I am moving away from bags, and I am moving toward Mason jars. They just work…

I am working on using my bicycle pump to get the job done with the mason jars…. Will give that a try.

I don’t have good success with tattler lids with vacuum sealing.

[DeepSouthBamaGRITS]

@MartHale7 Have you tried Heidi’s trick using a vehicle BRAKE BLEEDER??? Same concept if you have the jar lid attachments. It does work as I’ve tried it to have in a grid-down scenario.
Have you seen the newest hand pump vacuum seal device on the market?? It is very similiar to a bicycle tire pump. (I also have a bicycle tire pump for many uses in Grid Down). The new pump vacuum sealer is called a Pump-N-Seal.
https://pump-n-seal.com/pump-n-seal-systems/

pump-n-seal.com

Pump-N-Seal® Systems - Pump-N-Seal®

Pump-N-Seal® Systems - Pump-N-Seal®

[DeepSouthBamaGRITS]

@MartHale7 I have several sizes of Food Saver vacuum seal canisters (found a box of them at a Thrift Store for $5!!!!) to be able to seal some types of glass jars (like jelly jars or condiment jars etc,). You put the jar in the canister with the lid on the jar and it DOES seal it. Takes just a bit longer since you’re pulling air from the jar as well as the canister. I use these jars for different herbs/medicinals I’ve dried or to seal spices I don’t use often to keep them fresh longer.
I know Patrick (Heidi’s husband) has made a canister they sell with the same concept of sealing jars that the jar lid attachments won’t fit or to seal canning jars if you don’t have a lid attachment. I know you are a DIY’er “BRAIN” and wonder if you have any idea what to use to make a jar lid sealer for the larger jars, like pickle jars (some are half gallon but most are gallon). I have lots of these jars I would like to use (other than for waterglassing eggs). I agree with you with using GLASS JARS as moisture DOES permiate plastic over time. Double bagging with vacuum seal bags is not cost effective and no guarantee the product sealed will have a long shelf life if moisture gets in over time.
I figure you could use the brake bleeder/bicycle pump method but that would mean poking a small hole in the lid and covering the hole once sealed. Getting the hole sealed quickly enough to not lose some of the pressure of the vacuum seal is another worry. Would the O2 absorber remove the air in this situation?? I also worry about the tape/round adhesive divets not sealing or staying on the jars over time. PLUS your lid would now have a permanent hole. I guess you could probably try to seal it with some kind of solder/hot glue or the likes of something similar if needed to use it for for liquids (And if you have power to run the soldering/hot glue gun).
I’m not trying to be “COMPLICATED” but I do think outside the box trying to cover ANYTHING that could arise when you have no access to purchase needed items in an economic collapse or grid down situation.
I would appreciate your imput or suggestions.

[MartHale7]

I have been been picking up food savers up at garage sales and thrift store for 5 – 10 $ I am now up to 4 of them.

I have made my own vacuum chamber, and I like this video of how to make a vacuum chamber as it is cheap and cost effective, and allows you to use like an instant pot – pot for your chamber.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_muUXPfTgq8

I like how little you have to put into this design…

[MartHale7]

I am so far outside of the box, they can’t get a radar fix on me 😉

[MartHale7]

Have I tried the brake pump?

Yes I have. It does work but I compare about 30 pumps with the brake pump to my one of my old machines and the old machine does about 20% better in shorter time. Brake pump is a backup to the backup to the backups 🙂