Ed:

What vacuum system do you have?  Is this system really that good.  If so, I
will probably purchase one.  Which system do you recommend?

Thanks, Ken




----- Original Message -----
From: "Ed Foster" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, September 14, 2001 4:37 PM
Subject: Re: Use of bleach


> Paul Monfils wrote:
>
>
> >I personally use an outstanding method which easily cleans the interior
of
> >narrow shells, right down to the apex.  Unfortunately, it requires some
> >special equipment that most folks don't have around the house; but I'll
> >describe it anyway.  I use a vacuum oven, which is essentially a chamber
> >designed to withstand the force of a full vacuum, and a powerful vacuum
pump
> >to provide the vacuum.  The vacuum oven can also provide heat (hence the
> >name "oven"), but I don't use heat in cleaning shells - just vacuum.  I
> >place shells like Terebra (augers), etc. in a glass or plastic beaker,
the
> >bottom of which is filled with glass beads (clean sand would also work)
to a
> >depth of about 2 inches.  I push the apex end of the shells straight down
> >into the beads, which holds them in an aperture-up position during
cleaning.
> >Then fill the container with bleach solution, and place in the vacuum
oven.
> >Turn on the pump, and evacuate the oven (remove all air).  This causes
any
> >air inside the shells to expand greatly, and be forced out through the
> >aperture.  Then the bleach can flow in.  Bubbles of gas are also formed
by
> >the action of the bleach on the organic matter inside the shell.  You
have
> >probably noticed this while cleaning shells in bleach.  However, under
> >vacuum, these bubbles come out of the shell at a greatly accelerated
rate,
> >bringing with them many bits of partially dissolved organic matter.  You
can
> >see this because the vacuum over has a glass viewing port in the door.
When
> >the bubbles stop, the shell is completely cleaned.  Then you just release
> >the vacuum, remove the beaker, and rinse out the shells with water as
usual.
> >An average size auger will usually be clean in about 20 minutes, unless
the
> >whole animal was dried inside the shell, in which case it might take an
> >hour.
> >This method also works great with microshells, which it is almost
impossible
> >to clean internally any other way.  You don't necessarily need a vacuum
> >oven.  A simple vacuum jar will do, and is much less expensive.  However,
a
> >good vacuum pump is still fairly expensive.  WARNING!!!  UNDER NO
> >CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD YOU ATTACH A VACUUM PUMP TO ANY CONTAINER WHICH IS
NOT
> >SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR THAT PURPOSE!  The container may implode,
causing
> >serious injury to anyone nearby!
>
>
> You can buy machines for vacuum sealing foods.  They're as cheap as
> $120.  See http://www.tilia.com/shopping/index.htm and click on
> "foodsaver systems".  I would think one of those might work pretty
> well...and you can even use it with food :-)
> --
> --
> Ed Foster
> [log in to unmask]