Hand pump version of a vacuum sealer for mason jars?

Hello permies, I'm interested in vacuum packing dry goods in mason jars (not water bath canning, just dry storage).  I've heard you can use a FoodSaver and get an attachment that will suck the air out of a mason jar and let a standard lid maintain the seal:
Food Saver
Jar Sealer

I've also seen hand pump vacuum sealers but they come with lids.  The lids fit many sizes of jars  But they don't use standard mason jar lids so you need to buy tons of them
VacuWare Lids

Does anyone know of a cheap way (ideally a hand pump) to seal standard lids onto mason jars?  

The only way I can think of to use standard lids would be to heat your jars before adding the ingredients or heat the jar and the ingredients, then tighten the lids.  As the jars cool it seems to me that a vacuum would form.

Here is an article of interest but they use Food Saver Lids.

https://www.tenthacrefarm.com/2014/06/non-electric-mason-jar-vacuum-sealer/

It will be interesting to find what others are doing, other than adding the Oxygen Absorbers.

http://americanpreppersnetwork.com/2012/10/dry-canning-the-easy-way.html

You can buy handheld vacuum pumps at auto part stores, harbor freight, amazon, etc.  They use them for bleeding brakes and so forth.  

https://www.amazon.com/HFS-Brake-Bleeder-Vacuum-Tuner/dp/B00NP60URE

Get one of those and use the Jar sealer with it.

I actually use this technique with wine so a bottle lasts over a week but then I have a special top to go on the bottles don't think they are available for bigger jars .

Peter VanDerWal wrote:You can buy handheld vacuum pumps at auto part stores, harbor freight, amazon, etc.  They use them for bleeding brakes and so forth.  

https://www.amazon.com/HFS-Brake-Bleeder-Vacuum-Tuner/dp/B00NP60URE

Get one of those and use the Jar sealer with it.

That sounds perfect!  Thanks Peter!  I can't seem to find out what diameter the tubing on the jar sealer kit is but I could always thread on a new nipple on the bleeder pump to match.  Yay!

I wonder how much vacuum the FoodSaver creates.  I'd hate to overdo it with the bleeder and implode a jar

Mike Jay wrote:
I wonder how much vacuum the FoodSaver creates.  I'd hate to overdo it with the bleeder and implode a jar

I don't think it's possible to implode a jar.  Even a perfect vacuum will be less than 30 inches of mercury (14.7 psi pressure) on the jar, you're not going to get down to a perfect vacuum.
There are a couple articles on the web that indicate the foodsaver pulls around 20-22 inches of mercury.

If you have a good hand held pump and work at it, you can pull ~25 inches of mercury.  I'd say 15-20 inches will be fine.

Thanks Peter!!!

Sorry, I meant to include the Amazon link from the article.  Peter's link is cheaper!

Hi Anne, sorry, your links were just as awesome as Peter's.  The video on the Tenth Acre Farm blog show him using the FoodSaver attachment but it still seals with a standard lid.  So it's exactly the same as Peter's suggestion.  I pulled out his youtube video and put it below.  The oxygen absorber seems a bit less sustainable since I'd have to keep buying them.  But it's great to know that they are just normal hand warmers.  I'll definitely keep that in mind.

You might want to investigate building a "Vaccu-Canner" - using a pressure canner vessel connected to a vacuum pump and you can do up to 7 quarts at once - you may have to spend some money to build it but they work great...

Thanks Jake, good idea!  I ended up getting a cheap food saver type vacuum packer and the standard accessories to do jars.  I'll probably pick up a hand brake bleeder pump some time but the reviews on Amazon were underwhelming when I looked.

Mike Jay wrote:Thanks Jake, good idea!  I ended up getting a cheap food saver type vacuum packer and the standard accessories to do jars.  I'll probably pick up a hand brake bleeder pump some time but the reviews on Amazon were underwhelming when I looked.

I am a member of Jack Spirko's MSB (Membership Support Brigade) for his Survival  Podcast.  I was an instructor at one of his workshops and did a workshop on building pressure canner style drycanners... don't know if you happen to be a member also, but if so, the video of my session is in his video section.  We discovered using a cheap vaccum pump for automobiles for the HVAC system was the cheapest way to get the hoses, connectors and vacuum pressure dial and with one fitting (If I recall) you can convert and be up and running in no time...

cheers,

jake

That's awesome Jake.  When you say "a cheap vacuum pump for automobiles", I'm assuming you mean a brake bleeder pump?  Do you happen to know what level of vacuum you need?  And how many pumps it takes to get there with a hand pump on a pressure canner?  I'm imagining hundreds

Sorry, I didn't mean pumping by hand... using a low cost pump from Harbor Frieght (catch it on sale for $89 and use 20% discount coupon)  Use existing canner or buy a used one.  The pressure gauge kit like this one... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01617TZ8S/ref=asc_df_B01617TZ8S5486323/?tag=hyprod-20&creative=395033&creativeASIN=B01617TZ8S&linkCode=df0&hvadid=241928896524&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13940755486661424050&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9013143&hvtargid=pla-501057928277

or heck, even this cheap kit may work... first time I've seen this particular kit...

https://www.ebay.com/i/142563103959?chn=ps&var=441548456029

Here's a quick demo from John Kohler. I wound up here looking for a pump like the one he uses.



This might be the little hand help pump he has:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00PXHBMAW

Cheers!

Thanks Brandon!  Welcome to Permies :)  Your link to the item on amazon is the correct one per the video.  The amazon reviews for it are pretty bad but maybe that's for its intended purpose and it's even better at this job.  The price sure is good.

I've since purchased that same food saver lid adapter.  So I could just get that vacuum pump and do what John was showing.  And if it doesn't work good enough, I've seen some youtube videos of making pumps from pvc pipe and homemade check valves so I could reverse that design to make my own pump.

Cheers, glad I could join in.

Here's another one by Lasting Freshness. Looks like the rubber end might be softer (John complained about the one he has).
https://lastingfreshness.com/shop/bags/5-pc-vacuum-food-storage-bags-starter-kit

From what I have seen Ziploc also has a product out that pumps the bags using the same technique.

I received the hand held vacuum sealer by Food Saver and the zip lock bags to go with it.  It also works with containers.  I am not sure how I will use it so I looked at Food Savers website.  It is currently on sale for $14.88.

These pumps are a little harder to find than I first thought they would be. I found one more option people might try:
https://www.amazon.ca/SODIAL-Yellow-Compressed-Storage-Extracting/dp/B00PXZID1A

Just a few notes about this manual mason jar vacuum sealing gear. I wound up buying all three of the pumps I posted links to earlier since they were all less than $20 each. Figured I could eliminate the risk of a potential cull plus having an extra one kicking around wouldn't hurt either.

Here's the reviews:
-The longer yellow one is the most powerful but it ships with an ineffective rubber tip. The rubber tip also stinks strongly of toxic chemicals.
-The Ziploc brand pump (which came with a few vacuum bags to use) was the best performer out of box. It has an adequate soft tip for a good seal and pumps stronger than the Lasting Freshness pump.
-The Lasting Freshness pump (which also came with it's own set of bags) fell behind in performance. Though it has the softest tip for the best seal, the body/mechanism just feels flimsy and pumps the weakest of the 3. The color is also a little off but I took what I could get.

(I have not tested the bags for performance but the Ziploc appears to be easier to use with a ready to go airlock valve to place the pump over. The Lasting Freshness bags have little plastic twist caps over top of the airlock valves, a little less convenient but it may be that the bag itself is better. They happen to be labeled Sous-Vide bags so possibly acceptable for use by chefs when cooking in a precision water bath. Also, there are Tupperware style containers available  from Lasting Freshness with vacuum ports built in to the lids.)

Conclusion:
-I left the Ziploc pump as is and put the Lasting Freshness tip on the best pump (generic yellow). The smelly black rubber tip from the yellow one went in the trash rendering the Lasting Freshness pump somewhat useless.

Side note:
The Food Saver jar lid vacuum sealers were not designed to be used with these hand pumps. They have a small hole in which they expect you to attach a hose from their electronic vacuum bag sealing devices. Their branding is printed in raised letters around the surface where we place the rubber seals to pump out the air. This is mildly disruptive to the vacuum seal when pumping. I am in the process of shaving those bumpy letters smooth.

All in all this seems like a fantastic way to store food items (dry or wet) in mason jars for extended short term storage. I found this thread on my search to find out more about how to get all this working. There was very little info available everywhere. Thank you to the OP Mike Jay and all the contributors.

Thanks for the pump trial Brandon!  Looks like the Ziploc one is about $20 on Amazon.

Hey Guys! I recently purchased a Pump-N-Seal (https://pump-n-seal.com/). I found it to be MUCH more effective than the Ziploc and Lasting Freshness versions listed above. It holds a VERY impressive seal and works great on Mason Jars of all sizes. I also purchased the bags and have used them for produce and poultry - no freezer burn!

Alexa May wrote:Hey Guys! I recently purchased a Pump-N-Seal (https://pump-n-seal.com/). I found it to be MUCH more effective than the Ziploc and Lasting Freshness versions listed above. It holds a VERY impressive seal and works great on Mason Jars of all sizes. I also purchased the bags and have used them for produce and poultry - no freezer burn!

I second this suggestion. I bought the mason jar foodsaver lid attachments and use my pump-n-seal to vacuum pack all of my dry foods.



The pump-n-seal comes with check valve tabs, but I like using the foodsaver attachments with metal canning lids so much better. I also vacuum pack leftover cooked ground meat in quart jars and pop those in the freezer. Like Alexa said, no freezer burn.

Alexa May wrote:...I recently purchased a Pump-N-Seal (https://pump-n-seal.com/). I found it to be MUCH more effective than the Ziploc and Lasting Freshness versions...

Excellent! Thanks for the tip. I can't wait to try this new system.
Cheers!

A suggestion was made early on in this thread, that it's possible to do an oven canning method with dry goods, and then seal them before they cool, creating a vacuum inside the sealed vessels. This wouldn't work with anything you want to keep below that temperature, or for anything heat would destroy, but would this work, otherwise? I mean, if I had dried goods, shelf-stable, that I wanted to vacuum-seal in mason jars to extend the freshness/longevity, is there any reason it wouldn't work?

I only ask because it's good to have a backup in the event that the plastic toys break when you have a mountain of preservation to do. Heck, I was being flippant, but really, all you need is for the seal to fail, or for a crack to develop in the seam of the plastic of the pump cylinder, and it could make it impossible to attain a sufficient vacuum.

-CK

Chris Kott wrote:A suggestion was made early on in this thread, that it's possible to do an oven canning method with dry goods, and then seal them before they cool, creating a vacuum inside the sealed vessels. This wouldn't work with anything you want to keep below that temperature, or for anything heat would destroy, but would this work, otherwise? I mean, if I had dried goods, shelf-stable, that I wanted to vacuum-seal in mason jars to extend the freshness/longevity, is there any reason it wouldn't work?

I only ask because it's good to have a backup in the event that the plastic toys break when you have a mountain of preservation to do. Heck, I was being flippant, but really, all you need is for the seal to fail, or for a crack to develop in the seam of the plastic of the pump cylinder, and it could make it impossible to attain a sufficient vacuum.

-CK

Keep in mind this non-heat dry vacuum storage method is by no means a sterile long term food storage plan. My intention is mainly to extend the freshness of dry goods, especially those that have been ground or crushed already.

From what I've heard in the Raw Food enthusiast circles, any heat in the range of 108°F would be pushing it for altering the nutritional contents of the food you are trying to protect from oxygen. But in general terms, most dry good will have a long enough shelf life to be just fine anyways if a few seals break. If you check on them occasionally you can correct the flaws in your stores and keep everything tip top.

But yes, heat the contents in a jar then cooling with a sealed lid will create a decent vacuum. However, your food will be changed at the chemical/nutritional level.

So, not sure if Food Saver has discontinued the mason jar adapter in an attempt to sell their proprietary containers, or if they are just out of stock everywhere due to current weirdness, but I can't seem to get my hands on an adaptor.  I have in mind that I might be able to make one using an adjustable rubber gasket.  If I'm successful, I'll post here.  If anyone has trod this path before, feel free to share your learnings.

Hey Beau Davidson— I’ve been a fan of the Pump-N-Seal which works very similar to the Food Saver mason jar attachment just without the use of electricity or batteries. It’s basically a hand pup that works with all size mason jars and re-usable bags.

So you don't need any attachments for the pump and seal to use it for mason jars? Is really strange now you can't buy the food saver one. Seems like the only one I can find to seal mason jars. I just bought the cheap Cabelas vacuum sealer and darn I forgot need the attachment from foodsaver. Maybe I should have just got the foodsaver one?? Didn't want to spend so much and everything always has such mixed reviews.

No attachments needed on the pump n seal in order to seal mason jars. You punch a hole in the top of the lid with this little hole puncher they provide (looks like a thumb tack), and then place a tab over the hole and use the pump n seal to extract the air from the jar. The package comes with a bunch of tabs but you can also order more from their website. I’ve actually been reusing my tabs and haven’t had any issues with it. Not sure about the Cabelas versions but this one is the closest and best alternative I’ve found to the Food Saver attachment.

Sara Strong wrote:... Is really strange now you can't buy the food saver one. Seems like the only one I can find to seal mason jars.

Is this the one you mean? It says it's for mason jars:
https://www.amazon.com/FoodSaver-T03-0023-01-Wide-Mouth-Jar-Sealer/dp/B00005TN7H/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=sl1&tag=learnselfre0e-20&linkId=5604cdee0f929fec71e28817e940ee70

Hi,

I'm on the search for a way to  vacuum seal dry goods in mason jars.  I have a foodsaver unit, but you can't find the mason jar attachment anywhere right now.

So I found a temporary solution... (This is also good for the very small jars that aren't 86mm or 70mm wide)

When vacuum sealing anything, if there are no obstructions (tight fitting lids), the vacuum seal has even suction everywhere in the bags.  So my s temporary solution is to make a foodsaver bag that is long and sealed on one end.  Put the mason jar you want to vacuum seal in the bag standing up with the thin lid on the jar.  Add the tightening ring but keep it very loose.  The ring is just there to keep the thin lid from sliding off the desired position.  Now, seal the bag normally.  As it seals, make sure the bag doesn't get sucked down between the tightening ring and the top of the flat lid.

Hope this helps someone until they finally make more sealing attachments.

where can I buy this plastic break bleeder?  

Tessa, welcome to the forum.

Could I ask what a "plastic break bleeder" is?  I don't seem to find anything on the forum and Mr. Google doesn't know what it is.

A note on the "Pump-n-Seal" pump.  I love the product and have been using it for years, but I've encountered one problem.  As with most vacuum hand pumps, the primary force on the plunger happens during the draw or pull cycle.  The connection between the shaft and handle (knob) is highly stressed.  The knob is threaded plastic attached to the end of the threaded metal shaft.  After a very short time the low strength plastic threads stripped and the handle pulled off.  Pump n Seal was not responsive to my request for a new knob (within warranty period) so I improvised by drilling through the knob, sticking the threaded shaft through, and putting a nut on the end to secure the knob to the shaft.  This fixed the problem and has worked great for the last 10 years.  Just wish they honored their warranty or at least fixed the design.

Helpful video on this topic.

I saw this method of hacking a bicycle pump or syringe to make a DIY vacuum pump at an Appropriate Technology Conference hosted by ECHO.
http://edn.link/tn93