Anyone using food vacuum sealers for stabilizing wood?

R

rlinger

Joined
Mar 29, 2002
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I have been kinda wanting one of those home food vacumm sealer gadgets for some time but didn't want to spend the bucks. Now that I would like to stabilize handle material it would make the price easier to take if I could use it for both.

I've seen them use these things to pull a partial vacuum on canning jars.

So - anyone using one for that??

Roger
 
Gee Roger that was my idea ;)

OK I haven't stabilized anything. However, I do own a Magic Vac with the canning jar attachment. So I tried it just now and thought I'd let you know.

I placed a piece of wood in a mason jar, filled it almost to the top with water, hooked it up, and the wood bubbles like it's boiling. I repeated over and over. The first 10 seconds it bubbled plenty. After that there wasn't much.

My assumption is that it works. I'm going to try drying some wood in the dehydrator for several hours, then give it a go with the Minwax.

Thought this info might help,

Steve
 
Steve,

Sounds good. If you can see the atmospehere coming out of the wood its pulling. Does it pull enough is the question. Sounds good to me though.

About how much are those things costing now at a place like WalMart, I wonder?

Roger
 
I use the attachment for the Mason jars hooked up to my vacuum pump. Put vaseline on the sealing edge. I have tried a number of valves and such, so far this works the best.
 
Indian George,

Hmmm, that got me thinking. I wonder if the fumes off the wood hardener will damage the pump in the food vacuum?

George, do you use the Minwax hardener? Do the results polish up like the commercial stuff?

Thanks,

Steve

Man, if this process works it'll save a bundle.
 
Steve; I use the Mini-wax. It isn't as good as the commercial done product,but you do not have the capital outlay. I have a industrial vacuum pump so I could not tell the affect on yours. I would think as long as you didn't get any liquid into the pump it would be okay. You could use a second container to trap the liquid.
 
Roger - What a Great Idea!!!

Talk about a win-win-win...

1. Wife is happy because she can use it to seal food
2. I'm happy - stabilizing my own wood
3. Wallet is happy - " "

First thing I'll do is test it on one of the cherry blocks you sent me...:eek:
 
Dan,

I just got through emailing you to see if the wood got their okay. Glad you got it and hope there is some in the box you may like.

I've been wanting one of those things for years but just didn't want to put the extra bucks out. What got me going on it is remembering years ago watching them (on TV) pull a partial vacuum on a canning jar. So, why not!?!?

I also like Indian George's thoughts on cascading a buffer jar to protect the gadget from possible contamination. A person could make the buffer jar a permanent fixture to a in-house fabricated line.

Roger
 
I have been using one of those for about a year. I did several experiments with various hardeners and found I couldn't do nearly as well as WSSI so I go that way now. On the other hand, I have been treating some elk antler with Minwax Hardener and some with Marine Spar varnish. In both cases I added red rit dye to see the penetration. The liquid dye mixed fine with the Minwax but not with the Varnish. I ended up putting in powder dye with varnish. Penetration with the Minwax was maybe 1/32" to 1/16" after a couple weeks soaking. I'm on the 3rd or 4th week now with the Varnish to see how deep that goes. I use quart wide mouth jars and the attachment that comes with the food saver. I've never gauged the vacuum but I suspect it isn't that much -- but it will work better than simply soaking. I've also tried to pull slow cure epoxy and super glue into wood with limited success. I'd suggest buying a real cheap used one and experiment. Possibly you'll have better luck. I just don't think they pull enough vacuum to be real good for stablizing. On the other hand, when I got some sheaths from Sandy Morrisey, he ships them in vac sealed bags to protect them from spills during shipping. I need to start doing this myself.
 
Pendentive; GEEEE!! I hope the food will be as happy as you are after you are done with it.:) :) :) Then again Acetone and Mini-Wax may make a good marinate.:barf: :barf: :barf:
 
I have had some success with Mini-Wax wood hardner and Mini-Wax wipe on poly. I have tried epoxy and varnishes without much success. The thing about stabilizing wood is to use something that will penetrate the wood. Next I am going to try something from this web site. www.abatron.com.
 
I understand George uses acetone as the special ingredient in his famous "Heat-Treating Relish"
 
Bruce: You are close it is the MINI-WAX. It hardens up your stools so it does hurt that much on the way out.:eek: :eek: :eek: :D :D
 
i myself breate, absord, etc, enough crap that i would not use a machine that proceses food near acetone or hardner. remenber long term all these little amounts add up! and my stools can be used as grape shot! and hot shot chain! :)
 
Ok. Fair enough.

It was just my impression that with an overspill bottle, I could safely use the jar attachment and then the bag sealer could be used separately.

After all, isn't the point that it removes air?

Perhaps I am unfamiliar with the inner workings of the vacuum sealer.

I just thought that if you could use it (the bag sealer) with raw meat, then that must mean that no "microbes/etc." were passed into the machine. Otherwise they would warn against it because it would contaminate all future sealings.

Can anybody help here?
 
If you have a compressor, which I know many of you do for blasting and stuff, can get industrial vaccuum attachments for these that will pull a good vacuum. I know, cuz I have had one sitting on my shelf for 4-5 yeras never used. :) This would be a bit safer probably, because I must admit the idea of running minwax/acetone fumes through a food processing product disturbs me a little.

I hate it when I hit enter too early. What I was thinking of though was something like this:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=3952

I've never tried it, as I STILL don't have compressor to go with mine, but it might be worth a try.
 
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