Vacuuming (removing air) at home?

[sygyzy]

Hi,

In many of the MG recipes, you are supposed to put the solution into a vacuum to remove all the air bubbles. These machines are very expensive. Besides leaving it in the fridge overnight to de-air, is there another technique that can be used? I tried putting the solution into a container and sucking the air out using a Foodsaver. It worked, a little bit (I could see the solution rising) but obviously there are still plenty of bubbles.

Are there any other tricks?

[pounce]

Using a foodsaver cannister is going to be about the same thing. A FS can pull 29hg. How much is expensive?

I think I would try not using a blender or introducing the bubbles in the first place. Try mixing the alginate in a little alcohol and then add your liquid. This will help to prevent clumping and possibly the need to spin it in the blender.

Edited April 18, 2008 by pounce (log)

[sygyzy]

I haven't checked prices. The Foodsaver canister is not the same thing. You can try it yourself. It cannot create enough of a vacuum to pull out the bubbles.

P.S. Just checked on Le Sanctuaire - $3350 for a vacuum machine.

[Doodad]

Two things instantly came to mind.

Vacuum extractor from the auto parts store. It is used to pull bubbles out of the clutch fluid after a swap. Hand powered, can't be too expensive.

I work for a sports gear company aimed at kids. We sell ball inflators that also deflate by reversing the piping. I can check on a price, but given their size I don't think they are pricey.

[pounce]

I haven't checked prices. The Foodsaver canister is not the same thing. You can try it yourself. It cannot create enough of a vacuum to pull out the bubbles.

P.S. Just checked on Le Sanctuaire - $3350 for a vacuum machine.

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I do this already and use this approach for food and other things like plastics and paints.

The FS and a canister can actually pull a decent vacuum. 29hg is a lot. You can build a vacuum chamber for this taks very easily with a pvc cylinder and some lexan. They are frequently made for removing the air in mold making crafts (google for references) If you have a compressor you can get a cheap venturi vacuum "pump" that will pull more vacuum than an FS. You don't need a vacuum seeling machine for this task. Just a purpose built cannister where you put your mix to remove the bubbles.

I still recommend that you avoid putting air in your mix to start and avoid the air removal task all together.