# First attempt at using Mylar



## lazydaisy67 (Nov 24, 2011)

I'm not sure I did it right. I wanted to use 1 gallon bags since I think it's a much more manageable size for my family. Anyway, I had seen a guy on youtube seal up 1 gallon bags with his foodsaver, which I thought was brilliant so I tried it. I couldn't get it to vacuum, which I found out later was because the Mylar is smooth instead of "quilted" like the Foodsaver bags. So....I filled the bags up more, almost to the top, and tried to get as much of the air out as I could and then put O2 absorbers in there, sealed it with my flat iron but they still look like they are "puffy" with air. Do I need to start over? Any ideas on how to get that Foodsaver to vacuum with the Mylar?


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## CulexPipiens (Nov 17, 2010)

I have used 1 gallon ziplock mylar bags. What I do is fill them as full as I can get and still close the ziplock. https://www.usaemergencysupply.com/emergency_supplies/mylar_food_storage_bags.htm When I'm sure I can't add more I then drop in the O2 absorbers and squeeze out as much air as I can and zip them closed. I then use a vacuum sealer just to provide the heat to actually seal (above the ziplock part) the bag closed. I find it takes 3 cycles with the sealer I have until the bag is reliably sealed. Over the next day or two the O2 packets do their thing and the bag squeezes down around the contents. My intent is if/when I need to use it, to cut the top off and then use what I need and zip it back closed between uses. Worse case I can always reseal below the ziplock part and just have a smaller bag then.

Since you just did your bags, give them a few days and see if the puffiness goes away. Worst case, cut the top, new O2 packs and reseal.

There are many videos on youtube showing the sealing procedure. Check there if you want a visual to make sure you're doing it correctly.


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## IlliniWarrior (Nov 30, 2010)

mylar bags differ by manufacturers ..... different mil thickness also ..... the FoodSaver type heat strips don't always give a good enough seal ..... the heat elements also weaken as they age .... same thing with DIY heat sealing clamps from hair straightners ..... much better off using a clothes iron .... heat elements are much more durable and heat adjustable/accurate ....

200-400 CC for 1/2 gallons //// 300-500CC 02 absorbers gallons //// 1500-2000CC for 5 gallon buckets .... always remember your "open air" time limit .... you 10-15 minutes after opening the factory packed 02 absorbers ....


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## Moose33 (Jan 1, 2011)

HI lazydaisy, what did you put in the bags and what size O2 absorbers did you use? When I seal up beans, rice, wheat and the like the bags pull down pretty tightly. They look like they've been vacuum sealed. When I seal up oatmeal they seem to pull down much less. It may leave more, IIRC, nitrogen in the bag but that's ok for the long term. As CulexPipiens said, it may take several hours for you to see them pull up around the food. Leave them overnight and see what they look like in the morning. Oh, and pictures please, I love looking at other people's food storage. 
Take care,
Moose


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## OldCootHillbilly (Jul 9, 2010)

If ya wanna seal them mylars with a vacuum sealer, cut a strip a vac bag about a inch ta inch an a half long the same width as yer mylar bag an slip it in the bag after ya got yer dry goods in there. Make sure the vac bag strip be bout 1/2 inch below the edge a the mylar bag an put it inta yer vac sealer. Make sure the strip a vac bag be over yer heat seal strip an inta the vac chamber an vac seal. Don't move it an seal a second time. Move the bag down an seal, then reseal the same spot.

Now I got a regular hot bag sealer that I follow up with an seal the top a the mylar bag with. Ya now got a vac sealed mylar bag.

On a note though, I've had trouble with my last batch a mylar bags, there evedently got pin holes in em cause I've had bout a 3rd of em loose there seal. Never had that problem before so just watch em fer a spell.


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## kappydell (Nov 27, 2011)

The O2 absorbers vary according to the chemicals in them, so the rates at which you will get a decrease in bag puffiness will also vary, Mine take uip to 2 weeks because my storage area is cool (aropund 45 degrees) so they work slower. Give the bags a bit of time. If the puffiness does not squeeze out, however slowly, when you press on the bag, then your O2 absorbers are probably slow.


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## CulexPipiens (Nov 17, 2010)

kappydell said:


> ... If the puffiness does not squeeze out, however slowly, when you press on the bag, then your O2 absorbers are probably slow.


Or maybe you got bad ones or the bag they came in had a leak or something.


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## Herbalpagan (Dec 8, 2008)

sounds like an issue with your oxygen absorbers. I don't worry over much about a little puffiness....I've gotten most of the air out, the contents are protected from light, moisture and pests. It's better than how things used to be stored!


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## Possumfam (Apr 19, 2011)

lazydaisy67 said:


> I'm not sure I did it right. I wanted to use 1 gallon bags since I think it's a much more manageable size for my family. Anyway, I had seen a guy on youtube seal up 1 gallon bags with his foodsaver, which I thought was brilliant so I tried it. I couldn't get it to vacuum, which I found out later was because the Mylar is smooth instead of "quilted" like the Foodsaver bags. So....I filled the bags up more, almost to the top, and tried to get as much of the air out as I could and then put O2 absorbers in there, sealed it with my flat iron but they still look like they are "puffy" with air. Do I need to start over? Any ideas on how to get that Foodsaver to vacuum with the Mylar?


Sometimes it takes a little while for the O2s to finish working. Your post is from yesterday - does it look better today?


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## lazydaisy67 (Nov 24, 2011)

They do look less puffy, yes, but not completely sucked to the food inside (wheat) like I saw on the youtube video. The mylar bags I got don't have a ziplock thing at the top, they're just a flat opening. I've tried all kinds of ways to get them to seal in my Foodsaver and it just won't work!!! Grrrr... It seems to me that the Foodsaver won't accept a bag of any sort if it's not the width of the sealing channel. Does that make sense? I don't know why that makes a difference. I'm going to keep trying. I DID only throw one 300cc absorber in each bag. I guess I should have put in more. Thanks for the input, will keep trying.


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## CulexPipiens (Nov 17, 2010)

Try 2 absorbers per bag. 

You don't need a ziplock, just flat bags work fine too and are what most use. Try using an iron on it to seal the bag if your food saver isn't working well. I did my first batch of bags with an iron and they came out fine. It was only later that I found a food saver at a second hand store and bought it for $3 and have used that to seal my later batches.


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