Vacuum Sealer and Smoked Salmon

Kummok · September 24, 2011, 09:21:44 PM

Quote from: Quarlow on September 23, 2011, 06:54:38 PM
"better chamber type sealer" What is this you speak of? I have not heard of these. Do you have a link?

Yes...they are indeed pricey. The good ones will run $2000US plus. I do a lot of fish but I haven't been able to justify the solo purchase of one (yet!). This is one of those cool tools that might be worth a co-op investment. WARNING: If you do get the opportunity to use one, you will become just "sorta-satisfied" with the Foodsaver but spoiled to forever be on the quest for ownership (or part ownership) of a chamber sealer...that's where I am now after using my neighbors single then double chamber sealer several times. IF you do find yourself in a position to purchase one, don't settle for the dry piston type....go full-on to the oil reservoir type for longer life. Here's a link to a good one with some good features for under $2k http://homesteadharvest.com/vacmastersvp10.html

weedenb · September 25, 2011, 03:00:47 PM

Food Savers are great and I used them for many years but after I also burned out my 3rd one I wanted to go with a vacuum chamber unit. Yikes! no way could I hide the price of a good commercial unit from the wife! What to do?? several years of Ebay surplus shopping and lots of semi humerous engineering trials (/failures) I built my own. It has a 1-1/2hp Leybold 2 stage vac pump and a 12" 5mm heat sealer and has been running for about 8 years now. Like Kummock said, you can't go back! It will go through 200lbs of halibut filets and not even strain. I'm using commercial 3mil Low Oxygen Transfer Rate bags which I buy in 1000 piece case lots for about 6 cents each and appear to give my fish an infinate freezer life.

WARNING - Do not ever try a chamber vacuum bagger, do not even look at them!!!!

Sorry, made you look :)

Kummok · September 25, 2011, 04:36:43 PM

Dang...very impressive!! You are my new hero, Weedenb!! Have you tried building an F-15 yet!?!?!? Somehow I think you could pull it off!

Quarlow · September 25, 2011, 04:49:58 PM

Wish I could see the first 2 pics.

muebe · September 25, 2011, 07:59:03 PM

That is awesome Weedenb!!!! Very creative engineering ;D

So how much money in parts would you say you got into that thing if you don't mind me asking?

SiFumar · September 25, 2011, 08:00:01 PM

Ingenious!

manxman · September 26, 2011, 09:05:35 AM

Very impressive indeed weedenb!

QuoteWARNING - Do not ever try a chamber vacuum bagger, do not even look at them!!!!

I made the mistake of trying one in my local butcher's shop when he asked if I wanted a go........... brilliant! :) Been on the lookout for a second (or third or fourth) hand one ever since but no luck so far.

For the time being I will carry on with the paper towel lasagna method Kummock highlights! ::)

Smokeville · September 26, 2011, 12:39:24 PM

Weedemb, where do you get those bags???? Would they work in a FoodSaver? I think FS bags have to have ribs or something....

I'm paying a lot more than 6c each!

Rich

weedenb · September 26, 2011, 08:42:58 PM

Wow guys, thanks for the comments on my billybob bagger. Its almost like I posted some good internet porn.

muebe:

Cost for components on the final setup wasn't too bad, I lucked out and finally found a good 2-stage pump on Ebay for about $250. That is the key to the whole thing, I had initially got a very nice BUSCH single stage pump but it was a little too slow. Sealer parts are the same ones used on a 12" hand impulse sealer which you can buy the whole unit for around $100. Those two components and a bit of fabrication will be most of what is needed. I went a little overboard and automated the thing with a programmable relay, crydom proportional controller for the heat sealer and some more Ebay surplus pneumatic cylinders and valves. Probably around $500 total for everything I didn't have already laying around the garage.

Smokeville:

Looks like my bag prices went up a bit since I last checked, they are about 8.5 cents each now for 8x12" low OTR. Unfortunately these will not work in a FS style bagger. I've been using http://www.dougcare.com for most of my supplies and I did notice they carry the embossed style bags also for the FS style baggers. Quite a bit more expensive but maybe a good alternative to the retail FS bags. This place also has a lot of really neat commercial bagging equipment if you want to get a bad case of the I gotta have one of those!

Robert......

Smokeville · September 27, 2011, 05:49:57 AM

Thanks, Weedenb;

They are still a lot cheaper than what I'm buying. I'll give them a call to find out the shipping...

Rich