New Toy!

[GlennW]

I'm in a very damp, humid, area and am constantly battling moisture and rust.

I just got a home type vacuum heat sealer and I'm going to put it to good use!

I just tried it on this ground pin that I made, so it could live in a cabinet until I needed it and I won't have to worry about the exposed steel areas rusting or it getting scratched up. I already have a regular heat sealer, but it just seals the plastic bag and leaves air in there, so the parts still tend to rust a bit over time. Oil and other preservatives help, but nothing seems to stop the problem.

You bag up the part, and the machine draws a vacuum on it and heat seals the edge. It's pretty tough plastic as well.

I have lots of tools and things that only get occasional use that need to stay clean and dry, such as, V-blocks, cylindrical square, ring gauges, grinding mandrels, grinding fixtures, maybe even my spare set of Weber gauge blocks, etc. I have many uses for this sort of thing without even giving it much thought!

This may be the greatest thing since sliced bread!

Sorry, simple things like this really excite me...

[mac.doogle]

Thats a good idea.it beats the heck out of spraying it with WD and then having to clean it up when you need it. Will shelf life be an issue?

[coal miner]

Glen , have one those and use it all the time . Great for the freezer and stuff . When it seals it has all ready pulled a vacuum and leaves it conformed to the shape of the piece to be sealed cutting down on storage space . Good idea about storage for rust proofing things . Should work like a charm .
PS .... check E-Bay for bags , a bunch cheaper !

[GlennW]

PS .... check E-Bay for bags , a bunch cheaper !

Hello coal miner,

Ahh! Good tip!

I have rolls of plastic right now and just cut off what I need. It came with some bags as well.



Hello mac.doogle,

I don't reall know what the shelf life would be yet. Probably a considerable length of time though.

Thanks!

[RSG]

Nice unit Glenn. Good idea too as you sometimes forget tools in the crib only to find them a year later all brown. I'm lucky in that department as more than 6 months of the year the humidity is around 40%

[Lew Hartswick]

It's so much easier here in Albuquerque, You just throw it in a drawer and several years later pull it
out and no sign of rust.
I don't know how you folks in FL, MS, LA, etc do any metal work (at least with steel)
...lew...

[BadDog]

Not sure what you guys are talking about. I store raw steel and machines outside, never been a problem for me. My big G8 8" belt grinder sat outside for years under a HF tarp, cleaned up pretty easily. Well, except getting the dust off...

[daved20319]

Here's a tip that might help, Glen. If your machine has an adjustment on the sealing time, use the longer one. Our machine can be set for a 3 or 5 second seal cycle, standard is 3 seconds. This is okay for short term room temperature storage, say up to six months. If it's going in the freezer, I've had seal failures in as little as a couple of months. Use the longer seal time, and I've got stuff that's been in the freezer over a year and comes out just as good as when it went in. Later.

Dave

[GlennW]

Jealousy rears it's ugly head once again...

You guys just wish YOU could grow rust on your parts over night...

[coal miner]

Checked my records on buying bags and the last purchase was for 2 rolls of 11" x 50' @ $ 19.00 a roll .That's a lotta bags . As you have already figured out , you can make your own custom sizes by cutting to size and sealing the ends .One thing to keep in mind as something w/ sharp edges will make a hole in the bag by rubbing or hitting something else . I just take a piece of paper towel and fold it around the piece to protect it . Also works to keep liquids from messing up the seal . Might want to wipe it down w/ some Kroil are something first .

[GlennW]

Thanks coal miner!

paper towel or similar over sharp edges is a good tip!

[Lew Hartswick]

Jealousy rears it's ugly head once again...

You guys just wish YOU could grow rust on your parts over night...

Good one Glenn!
...lew...