Long term storage and vacuum packing supplies

[OkieGentleman]

If anyone is interested I have spent the last month trying to get together information on vacuum packing foodstuffs and supplies for long term storage. I will write my information up and post it if several of you are interested. My wife says I talk too much so if no one is interested I will shut up.

 

[Old Fart]

There's been some discussion on this over the years. Please share.

 

[BadgeBunny]

Yes, please share. And thanks in advance!

 

[OkieGentleman]

I am going to receive in the next few days a new vacuum unit called a SINBO DZ-280/2SD and about 600 bags of various sizes, materials and thicknesses. This is an external snorkel machine apparently the only one in this price range, about $105 dollars plus some shipping to $130 or more from some dealers. I have looked at dozens of sites that sell this particular unit. This design has been around for years, exactly how many I cannot say, but I believe between ten and twelve years based on some of the comments I have found.I think the patent is old enough that the patent is now defunct and a number of Chinese, Taiwanese, Malay and Japanese companies are making this unit.

I have also found that there appears to be 3 models of this unit.

This vacuum sealer is one of the few snorkel style units that can be used with most any bag that can be heat sealed. This unit does not use the expensive "waffle channel" used by 99% of the vacuum sealers being sold. It is the ONLY snorkel unit in a $100 price range. You just slip the snorkel between the edges of the bag, lock down the bag holder and seal the bag. There are a number of Utube addresses I will put in and dealers sites that I will also put in. I have no commercial interest in any of these sites and will gain no advantage by recommending them.

What I am going to do is spend the next few days after I get my bags and the vacuum sealer is test various bags, methods, material being sealed and try to furnish this board with an ongoing set of the results of my experiences.

What I am going to receive is:
1- SINBO model DZ-280/2SD Snokle Vacuum unit - cost $105.00 plus approxiamatley $12.00 shipping
Freezer Bags Package - cost $45.00 plus some shipping.

100 - 2.5 inch X 10 inch 3mil thick bags
100 - 8.0 inch X 10 inch 3mil thick bags
100 - 10.0 inch X 13 inch 3mil thick bags
100 - 8.0 inch X 10 inch 3mil thick bags with Resealable Zipper
100 - 8.0 inch X 10 inch 3mil thick bags Boil able

60 - 10 X 14 3.5 mil thick Mylar long term storage bags - cost $14.00 free shipping thru E-Bay
50 - 10 X 14 7.5 mil thick Mylar long term storage bags - cost $32.25 free shipping thru E-Bay

What is important here is that the model DZ-280/2SD unit has a 4 mil wide impulse sealer and has a seal length of 10 inches. The "standard" DZ-280/A model has 2 smaller impulse heater strands that do not always seal the heavier/thicker bags. It took me almost 40 hours of surfing the net and looking in dozens of places before I found someone that had printed an explanation of the difference between the three models of sealer, almost all of the units out there are model /A units, even on sites that say /2SD, the companies did not even know about the error on their web page until I asked to verify the model they were selling.

There also seems to be a lack of information that details what bags work best with a vacuum sealer, or at least I have not been able to get what I considered clear answers. I am going to get my own answers and will share them with you. One of the things I found at one supplier site was bags 5 inch X 60 inches, 36X52, 42X48,54X48 and 30X51 just to name a few.

I will get back on in a few days after I have received my supplies and detail my efforts.

 

[dennishoddy]

the vacume packer I use to put up venison runs about $60. Bags are optional.

 

[Old Fart]

Interesting, those are some really big bags.

 

[radarmonkey]

I just use a foodsaver brand sealer. Works great. Ziploc makes vacuum bags now but I prefer the foodsaver brand ones. I seal up all kinds of things for future use.

 

[Parks 788]

Why would you use a vacuum sealer with Mylar bags? Not really needed. Do you have any O2 absorbers?

 

[OkieGentleman]

I intend to vacuum pack my foodstuffs with an oxygen absorber and a moisture absorber. This way I reduce the amount of oxygen the absorber has to collect and have a oxygen content of almost zero. I will take my ammo and vacuum seal it, after putting it through a final tumbling with walnut shells and without any oil on the surface. This will let me long term storage blocks of ammo.

 

[Cinaet]

the vacume packer I use to put up venison runs about $60. Bags are optional.

Brand? Thanks in advance.