Vacuum sealing jars for cheap

Baba Ku · Feb 11, 2011

First, purchase a freezer bag vacuum and some bags.
These come in various sizes and with different types of pumps, but this one is the best to use and outperforms the electric pumps.
$4.00 at the grocery store. Comes with pump and three bags. You won't need to buy lots of bags unless you want to use them alone for storage.

I am using the small quart size bags, and pint sized Ball jars with the two piece sealing lids. These jars hold 1/2 zip.
Fill your jar and place on the sealing lid.

Now screw on the holding cap, but not tight...half turn loose.

Place the jar in the bag and seal it up.

Pump out the air as directed. It will take at least a dozen pumps or so...make sure you suck on it hard ladies!

*you can usually hear the sealing lid pop

It's sucked down tight. It will not be multi-atmospheres vacuum like some sort of pro sealer would pull, but it seals the jars air tight.
The fuller the jars are, the tighter it will pull shut.
Ready for long term storage. Make sure your bud is at peak cure and humidity before sealing.

laughingmoon · Feb 11, 2011

Looking forward to giving this a try

Sgt.Stedenko · Feb 11, 2011

Well done. I'll give that a try.

shawkmon · Feb 11, 2011

why ya dont want air getting on outside of the jars? i thought ya were getting air out from inside the jar

mrktwiz · Feb 11, 2011

I smell "STICKY" thread lol...

driftersmokinjo · Feb 11, 2011

Hmmmmmmmmmm you just gave me an idea for a brain storm operation. I am a hvac guy and have some strong vacuum pumps. Gona see what kind of contraption I can come up with for a for a different purpose.

Lazyman · Feb 11, 2011

I would like to try a nitrogen gas injecting system too, anyone ever use one of those for wine or anything?

Baba Ku · Feb 11, 2011

shawkmon said:
why ya dont want air getting on outside of the jars? i thought ya were getting air out from inside the jar

When you create a vacuum in an area that includes a jar full of air, it will empty the jar of air too...and when it does it pulls the lid tight.
Once the air is out of the jar and it is vacuum sealed, we no longer need to keep the vacuum around the jar, so we take it out of the bag.
Viola..the jar remains sealed until you pop it open. It will give noticeable resistance and make the familiar seal breaking sound when you first crack it open.

Folks the aesthetic properties of this technique leaves anyone who may receive a jar like this wanting it again and again. It has great value not only to the quality of your stored weed, but it makes your wares appear top shelf.

B. Friendly · Feb 11, 2011

brilliant, that's what some were thinking but did not know how to do.

like'n it. Puff on

i second STICKY

Blueshark · Feb 11, 2011

Baba, Marketing 101...NAILED it!! Better than freezing it, I would guess. Definately gonna try this one.

habeeb · Feb 11, 2011

-just buy a a real sealer, they have mason jar top attachments

-a good sealer will pull more air then your method

-at the end of the day, after all that work ( 2 to 3 months ) not including if you grew out from seed and cloned the plant, why go sub par?

DiscoBiscuit · Feb 11, 2011

You can do the same thing with a pot of water, a jar basket and heat. Put the lids on half tight, raise the (~1" deep) water temp to ~120 degrees and place the jars into the basket. When the water hits ~120f, remove the jars so the air inside can cool and listen for the lids to snap shut. Vacuum sealed. Same thing as canned tomatoes, they only need a vacuum (and a little salt) to prevent spoilage. With proper drying, temps and storage, pot won't spoil like food, so we don't need the salt.

But here's the deal. Your readers will benefit from knowing whether to pre-dry or even pre-cure their weed prior to vacuum sealing. Curing takes evaporation and evaporation takes air, neither of which exists in a vacuum. To be fair, the vacuum might deter mold but weed moist enough to mold will be too moist to smoke when the seal is cracked.

SpasticGramps did a vacuum storage thread with a moisture meter. He tested different moisture contents before vacuum sealing and reported his preferences. With vacuum sealing, he netted longer storage capability. But as for curing, that probably needs to be done before the vacuum seal. Otherwise you won't notice the difference between six days and six weeks.

IMO, a superficial vacuum seal (may) leak enough to allow a long-term cure of weed, even if the lid isn't removed. But you'd have to reinvent the math of "x" moisture content plus "x" amount of time plus questionable seal = expectations?

Looks like a half-pint jar. IMO, you'll get a better cure with pints minimal, preferably quarts. Half-pints dry much faster than quarts. The slower the evaporation, (w/o a vacuum) the better the cure. If you get it at the right time, the vacuum seal will "seal" the results of whatever you've achieved thus far, at least until the seal is broken.

Mountain · Feb 11, 2011

Your method looks like a super cheap option...and I thought a Pump'N'Seal for $29.95 + shipping was a good deal for jars.

potlatch · Feb 11, 2011

Looks good, BK!

I thought this thread would be what I saw on another site:
Use just the Foodsaver jar attachment and attach it to a Harbor Freight automotive vacuum tool.

Baba Ku · Feb 11, 2011

habeeb said:
-just buy a a real sealer, they have mason jar top attachments

-a good sealer will pull more air then your method

-at the end of the day, after all that work ( 2 to 3 months ) not including if you grew out from seed and cloned the plant, why go sub par?

YOU buy the sealer, I will stick with the $4 gadget.

Baba Ku · Feb 11, 2011

DiscoBiscuit said:
You can do the same thing with a pot of water, a jar basket and heat. Put the lids on half tight, raise the (~1" deep) water temp to ~120 degrees and place the jars into the basket. When the water hits ~120f, remove the jars so the air inside can cool and listen for the lids to snap shut. Vacuum sealed. Same thing as canned tomatoes, they only need a vacuum (and a little salt) to prevent spoilage. With proper drying, temps and storage, pot won't spoil like food, so we don't need the salt.

You couldn't buy a jar basket for $4.
Maybe do a tutorial on canning apricots for us, Disco?

DiscoBiscuit said:
But here's the deal. Your readers will benefit from knowing whether to pre-dry or even pre-cure their weed prior to vacuum sealing. Curing takes evaporation and evaporation takes air, neither of which exists in a vacuum. To be fair, the vacuum might deter mold but weed moist enough to mold will be too moist to smoke when the seal is cracked.

The deal is that I already mentioned that issue...."Make sure your bud is at peak cure and humidity before sealing."

DiscoBiscuit said:
IMO, a superficial vacuum seal (may) leak enough to allow a long-term cure of weed, even if the lid isn't removed. But you'd have to reinvent the math of "x" moisture content plus "x" amount of time plus questionable seal = expectations?

I can guarantee you that once it is sealed, and you tighten down the lid, it will not leak. Do your apricots leak air?

DiscoBiscuit said:
Looks like a half-pint jar. IMO, you'll get a better cure with pints minimal, preferably quarts. Half-pints dry much faster than quarts. The slower the evaporation, (w/o a vacuum) the better the cure. If you get it at the right time, the vacuum seal will "seal" the results of whatever you've achieved thus far, at least until the seal is broken.

Again, there will be no curing going on in the jars. This is about sealing cured weed, not wet nugs. Visit the curing threads first.
And this method works out best when the jar is full...no matter the size.

DiscoBiscuit · Feb 11, 2011

Baba Ku said:
You couldn't buy a jar basket for $4.
Maybe do a tutorial on canning apricots for us, Disco?

I'm not an apricot fan but low heat will seal jars. I think the last basket I got was 99c. But if it seals the lid, I like your gadget better.

The deal is that I already mentioned that issue...."Make sure your bud is at peak cure and humidity before sealing."

You're right, my oversight. My bad. Thanks for reiterating.

I can guarantee you that once it is sealed, and you tighten down the lid, it will not leak. Do your apricots leak air?

Rarely, but it happens.

Again, there will be no curing going on in the jars. This is about sealing cured weed, not wet nugs.

Got it.

Visit the curing threads first.

Yep, be sure to check out Gramp's thread if you're interested.

And this method works out best when the jar is full...no matter the size.

Interesting thread. The half pint is kinda cute.

ak-51 · Feb 11, 2011

I am very interested in vacuum sealing my jars. I am leaning towards the foodsaver brand mason jar sealing cap, but I am not really sold on the actual foodsaver sealing machine.

For one I don't need a food sealer. The only thing I need is a vacuum pump for the jar attachment; no need to pay for a bunch of other features I won't be using. For two I am not quite sold on how powerful or durable the foodsaver pump is.

I would rather buy some kind of hardware device that I could rig up to pump out the air. A brake line bleeder is the obvious choice, but I have read pretty mediocre reviews of the durability of many of those. Is there anything more heavy duty that would do this job?

jammie · Feb 11, 2011

Mountain said:
Your method looks like a super cheap option...and I thought a Pump'N'Seal for $29.95 + shipping was a good deal for jars.

love the pump n seal. mold can't grow in a vacuum so you can leave the humidity levels a bit higher. i usually recheck the seals every 4 months or so.

ak-51 · Feb 12, 2011

So assuming you burp the jars as per your normal routine, is it possible to cure in a vacuum?

I want a nice slow cure but with a safeguard against mold, could this be made possible if the jars were re-vacuume-sealed in between burping? Is it necessary to have normal pressure air to dry and cure? Or does the vacuum in the jar effectively act as a stasis, where the bud will just perpetually stay in the near-exact condition it was in when you placed it into the vacuum.

My current batch is basically dry and in the process of jar curing right now. I don't anything to vacuum seal the jars with at the moment so trying this stuff out is out of the question for me until the next run. I'd like to try it out then. If moisture would still leech out of the buds in the vacuum I would like to try placing everything in jars earlier than normal.

Thoughts anybody?

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Vacuum sealing jars for cheap

Baba Ku

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laughingmoon

Active member

Sgt.Stedenko

Crotchety Cabaholic

shawkmon

Pleasantly dissociated

mrktwiz

Member

driftersmokinjo

Lazyman

Overkill is under-rated.

Baba Ku

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B. Friendly

"IBIUBU" Sayeith the Dude

Blueshark

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habeeb

follow your heart

DiscoBiscuit

weed fiend

Mountain

potlatch

Baba Ku

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Baba Ku

Active member

DiscoBiscuit

weed fiend

ak-51

jammie

ganjatologist

ak-51

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