Microwave vacume ovens are spesialised laboratory equipment - don't try to do it yourself.. and as far as my knowledge goes the equipment is quite expensive.
>>> [log in to unmask] 01/25/02 02:40AM >>>
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]
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<BODY style="FONT: 8pt MS Sans Serif; MARGIN-LEFT: 2px; MARGIN-TOP: 2px"><FONT
size=1>Microwave vacume ovens are spesialised laboratory equipment - don't try
to do it yourself.. and as far as my knowledge goes the equipment is quite
expensive.</FONT><BR><BR>>>> [log in to unmask] 01/25/02 02:40AM
>>><BR>Ed:<BR><BR>What vacuum system do you have? Is this system
really that good. If so, I<BR>will probably purchase one. Which
system do you recommend?<BR><BR>Thanks, Ken<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>----- Original
Message -----<BR>From: "Ed Foster" <[log in to unmask]><BR>To:
<[log in to unmask]><BR>Sent: Friday, September 14, 2001 4:37
PM<BR>Subject: Re: Use of bleach<BR><BR><BR>> Paul Monfils
wrote:<BR>><BR>><BR>> >I personally use an outstanding method which
easily cleans the interior<BR>of<BR>> >narrow shells, right down to the
apex. Unfortunately, it requires some<BR>> >special equipment that
most folks don't have around the house; but I'll<BR>> >describe it
anyway. I use a vacuum oven, which is essentially a chamber<BR>>
>designed to withstand the force of a full vacuum, and a powerful
vacuum<BR>pump<BR>> >to provide the vacuum. The vacuum oven can also
provide heat (hence the<BR>> >name "oven"), but I don't use heat in
cleaning shells - just vacuum. I<BR>> >place shells like Terebra
(augers), etc. in a glass or plastic beaker,<BR>the<BR>> >bottom of which
is filled with glass beads (clean sand would also work)<BR>to a<BR>>
>depth of about 2 inches. I push the apex end of the shells straight
down<BR>> >into the beads, which holds them in an aperture-up position
during<BR>cleaning.<BR>> >Then fill the container with bleach solution,
and place in the vacuum<BR>oven.<BR>> >Turn on the pump, and evacuate the
oven (remove all air). This causes<BR>any<BR>> >air inside the
shells to expand greatly, and be forced out through the<BR>>
>aperture. Then the bleach can flow in. Bubbles of gas are also
formed<BR>by<BR>> >the action of the bleach on the organic matter inside
the shell. You<BR>have<BR>> >probably noticed this while cleaning
shells in bleach. However, under<BR>> >vacuum, these bubbles come
out of the shell at a greatly accelerated<BR>rate,<BR>> >bringing with
them many bits of partially dissolved organic matter. You<BR>can<BR>>
>see this because the vacuum over has a glass viewing port in the
door.<BR>When<BR>> >the bubbles stop, the shell is completely
cleaned. Then you just release<BR>> >the vacuum, remove the beaker,
and rinse out the shells with water as<BR>usual.<BR>> >An average size
auger will usually be clean in about 20 minutes, unless<BR>the<BR>> >whole
animal was dried inside the shell, in which case it might take an<BR>>
>hour.<BR>> >This method also works great with microshells, which it is
almost<BR>impossible<BR>> >to clean internally any other way. You
don't necessarily need a vacuum<BR>> >oven. A simple vacuum jar will
do, and is much less expensive. However,<BR>a<BR>> >good vacuum pump
is still fairly expensive. WARNING!!! UNDER NO<BR>>
>CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD YOU ATTACH A VACUUM PUMP TO ANY CONTAINER WHICH
IS<BR>NOT<BR>> >SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR THAT PURPOSE! The
container may implode,<BR>causing<BR>> >serious injury to anyone
nearby!<BR>><BR>><BR>> You can buy machines for vacuum sealing
foods. They're as cheap as<BR>> $120. See <A
href="http://www.tilia.com/shopping/index.htm">http://www.tilia.com/shopping/index.htm</A>
and click on<BR>> "foodsaver systems". I would think one of those might
work pretty<BR>> well...and you can even use it with food :-)<BR>>
--<BR>> --<BR>> Ed Foster<BR>> [log in to unmask]<BR></BODY></HTML>
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