Made a Vacuum Bag

[Matt Meiser]

I finally got a chance to work on a vacuum bag. I was able to find all materials locally:


Vinyl, 4 yards for $10 at Wal-Mart
Bicycle inner tube canibalized for the valve stem, $2.50 at Wal-Mart
Piobond contact cement, $6 at the local Ace Hardware (seems to be similar to the HH66 vinyl cement)


I was able to make a roughly 54" x 54" bag for about $20. I followed the Joe Woodworker instructions and found it was pretty easier, though I made one messy mistake when I spilled contact cement on the bag. Took a lot of paper towel and some acetone to clean it up. :mad:

I cut a section of the inner tube around the valve stem and kept about 2" of tube around the stem. I cut a small hole in the bag and glued the stem through the hole. After removing the valve core, it works great and a 1/4" hose fits perfectly, if not a little tight, over it.

I haven't made anything to seal the open end, but folding the end of the bag over itself and clamping a piece of 2x4 over it worked fine to start.

[tod evans]

matt, i`m interested in the real world life of homemade bags.. please keep us posted. thanks, tod

[Matt Meiser]

Will do Tod. I'll probably only use it a few times a year though, so I expect it will have a long life.

[Dave Tinley]

Congrats on the bag and for that price you could whip up a couple of different sizes.

As for closing you may try what I did. Take two lengths ( I used a 40") of 2 inch pvc pipe, cut one in half length wise, wrap the opening of the bag around the solid length and then fit the piece you cut in half over it. Seals real good.

Dave

[Ed Blough]

What are you using to draw a vacuum?

[Teri Lu]

I finally got a chance to work on a vacuum bag. I was able to find all materials locally:

Vinyl, 4 yards for $10 at Wal-Mart
Bicycle inner tube canibalized for the valve stem, $2.50 at Wal-Mart
Piobond contact cement, $6 at the local Ace Hardware (seems to be similar to the HH66 vinyl cement)
I was able to make a roughly 54" x 54" bag for about $20. I followed the Joe Woodworker instructions and found it was pretty easier, though I made one messy mistake when I spilled contact cement on the bag. Took a lot of paper towel and some acetone to clean it up. :mad:

I cut a section of the inner tube around the valve stem and kept about 2" of tube around the stem. I cut a small hole in the bag and glued the stem through the hole. After removing the valve core, it works great and a 1/4" hose fits perfectly, if not a little tight, over it.

I haven't made anything to seal the open end, but folding the end of the bag over itself and clamping a piece of 2x4 over it worked fine to start. Matt,

No need to buy a new innertube. Bike shops toss a lot out in the trash when doing repairs. Just ask and they'll most likely give you a decade's worth. Even high end bike shops toss Schrader valve innertubes although most are Presta valves.

-- Teri

[Dave Tinley]

What are you using to draw a vacuum?


A Dryvac Pencil !! :D

[Jim Becker]

Matt...sounds interesting. Pictures??

[Matt Meiser]

Matt...sounds interesting. Pictures??

Guess I'm busted. I'll take the camera out with me this evening.

For the vacuum source, I have a Gast pump that my dad gave me a while back. I'll get pictures of that setup as well.