# Secret to Loading Vaucum Seal Bags without a Mess



## rabbithutch (Jan 9, 2013)

Does anyone have the solution to loading your bags - vacuum or Ziplock - without getting liquids all over the tops where they are going to be closed?

I'm thinking that some sort of funnel that is elliptical and conical is the answer.  Of course, it would be great if it were a food tolerant piece of plastic whose dimensions could be fixed to that of the bags one is sealing.

Does anyone know of such a product?  Or, better still, a DIY solution that can be adapted?

I've searched but my search fu is bad today and I'm getting either the entire world of funnels or nothing at all.

TIA


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## handymanstan (Jan 9, 2013)

I roll the edge inside out and pull it down about 3 inches then add the food and pull it back up.  Although I have had problems with this too I have better luck sealing this way.  Hope it helps.

Stan


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## bkleinsmid (Jan 9, 2013)

Tupperware used to have a funnel (oval in shape with a broad top edge) that was just for filling 1 gal bags and seal-a-meal bags.

I have also taken those bags and put then into a 1 qt tall container and pulled the edge down over the outside of it. That will also give you something to hold the bag if you need two hands to fill it.

Brad


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## jkc64 (Jan 9, 2013)

I put mine in a regular kitchen canister and roll the open end over the edge, I can fill hands free that way.


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## humdinger (Jan 9, 2013)

Rabbit hutch,

If we're talking a lot of liquid here, sometimes I will drop a 1 or 2 gallon sized ziplock bag into a empty stock pot or bowl with high sides or even a household mop bucket and then roll the sides down as stan mentioned above. (Bucket cleanliness is up to you.. ;)

Then I'll use a paper cup or something to ladel about 5 cupfulls of liquid into the bag. This liquid will naturally pool at the bottom and stabalize the bag in the pot. Now you should be able to widen the mouth of the bag open as big and round as it will go and the liquid at the bottom will help hold it's shape, thus giving you maximum room to pour the remaining liquid in.

One benefit to this method is now that the bag is stabilized by the pot sides and liquid at the bottom, you can use two hands to pour the remaining liquid in (if needed). In other words, if your aim is good, you won't even need to hold the bag while you pour the remaining liquid in. Just remember to leave ample room to zip it closed.

Good luck.


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## athabaskar (Jan 9, 2013)

One of these canning funnels might work for you.


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## hambone1950 (Jan 9, 2013)

I think if you just fold the top of the bag down (as if you were going to turn the bag inside out)
An inch or so...that keeps the top clean while you spoon or tong whatever into the bags. When your full just fold them up with clean hands and you're ready to seal or zip.


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## mike johnson (Jan 9, 2013)

I use a wide mouth qt. or 1/2 gal. Ball Jar stick bag over the top and turn over. Have a towel to wipe outside of jar as necessary. This works great.


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## handymanstan (Jan 9, 2013)

Mike Johnson said:


> I use a wide mouth qt. or 1/2 gal. Ball Jar stick bag over the top and turn over. Have a towel to wipe outside of jar as necessary. This works great.


So simple.  Thanks Mike I will use this method for sure.

Stan


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## shoneyboy (Jan 9, 2013)

I have(had) a couple plastic drinking cups (not foam) that I cut the bottom out of and cut notches around the edge just for loading plastic bags with.....I use cheap cups, the 64oz ones that you might get from the gas station for $1.00 with a drink in them......They drive the wife crazy too..
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





...She can't stand me littering up HER kitchen......So she will throw them away, but then she will be the first one to ask me, do you know where one of those cups are at 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





 ????? 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





 I can't win..........ShoneyBoy


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## daveomak (Jan 9, 2013)

RH, evening.... I got this cool tool for Christmas....  It is handy...... Harriet Carter carried them 2/$10.....  that is a 1 gal bag in there....













DSCF0759.jpg



__ daveomak
__ Jan 9, 2013


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## doctord1955 (Jan 9, 2013)

I have used my orange roast compressor for years!! I also made a couple of funnels using  3 PVC with a 4 or 6 in adaptor on top for funnel!  Also took a 3 in pipe and cut it length ways to make a way to slide things into bags!  works great!


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## jarjarchef (Jan 9, 2013)

DaveOmak said:


> RH, evening.... I got this cool tool for Christmas....  It is handy...... Harriet Carter carried them 2/$10.....  that is a 1 gal bag in there....
> 
> 
> 
> ...


OK Dave you beat me to the punch!!!!

My wife gave me one of these too.I have not tried it yet, but looks like it will work without issue.


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## daveomak (Jan 9, 2013)

We just used it for spaghetti sauce... worked good.....


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## rabbithutch (Jan 10, 2013)

That is exactly what I need.  

Thanks for the pics.  I'll get my bride to include a pair in her next Harriet Carter order.

rh


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## cmo1977 (Jan 11, 2013)

I have used a 2 liter plastic bottle with the ends cut off. It has worked well when loading up salmon in vacuum bags.


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## roller (Jan 11, 2013)

This is what I use also..


Athabaskar said:


> One of these canning funnels might work for you.


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## smokinhusker (Jan 11, 2013)

I stand the bag in a plastic food container and the size depends on how much I'm doing, roll the top back and use my 2 cup Pyrex Measuring Cup to fill the bag. I also freeze the liquid in plastic containers like this, when frozen pop the liquid out and vac seal it. Works great for me.

 













7f55-1-large.jpg



__ smokinhusker
__ Jan 11, 2013


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## rabbithutch (Jan 11, 2013)

Great ideas!

I especially like the 2-liter bottle idea and the freezing liquids before vacuum sealing.

I've learned a lot from just this one post!

:bluesbros:


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## toby bryant (Jan 11, 2013)

RH,

Thanks for starting this thread, some great info on a problem that all of us run into.


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## dirtsailor2003 (Jan 11, 2013)

For liquids like stock, I freeze in ice cube trays. I know that it takes 1 cup of liquid to fill 12 cubes in my trays. I freeze the tray and vac pac 24 cubes, or 2 cups of stock per bag. If I only need one cup I take out 12 cubes, etc...













8365161913_6200fd3dee_o.jpg



__ dirtsailor2003
__ Jan 9, 2013


















8366233782_09264a9c24_o.jpg



__ dirtsailor2003
__ Jan 9, 2013






I'm sure you could pack them nicer and get a better pac, but I was in a hurry.


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## rabbithutch (Jan 11, 2013)

You are most welcome, Toby!


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## diggingdogfarm (Jan 11, 2013)

I find folding the bags back all the time to be a pain in the petunia!!!!!!
Takes extra time and wrinkles up the bag.

I cut the bottom out of a heavy zip top bag or the like to make a sleeve that'll easily slide in and out of the vacuum bag, that protects the seal area.



~Martin


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## gran torino (Jan 11, 2013)

Nice...!!!

I use an old (I mean old 3# coffee can) and roll the bag over...!!!

I will have a look at HC in the morning..!!

Thanks

Dave


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## gran torino (Jan 11, 2013)

I like that idea..!!

That is the blessing of many minds working on the same problem.....!!!

Thanks

Dave


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## diggingdogfarm (Jan 13, 2013)

[COLOR=#red]Here[/COLOR] you go!



~Martin


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## stovebolt (Jan 13, 2013)

DiggingDogFarm said:


> Here you go!
> 
> 
> 
> ~Martin


Says I don't have permission to access the server.

Chuck


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## overground (Jan 14, 2013)

stovebolt said:


> Says I don't have permission to access the server.
> 
> Chuck


I got the same thing first...then refreshed the page and it appeared.

Here it is for ease.













post-68597-0-82507300-1326297922.jpg



__ overground
__ Jan 14, 2013


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## stovebolt (Jan 16, 2013)

Thanks for the picture. That looks like a fine idea. I have used my canning funnel, but mine isn't widemouth. That should work great.

Chuck


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## rabbithutch (Jan 16, 2013)

Great ideas!

I bought a canning funnel and one of those bag holders from Amazon and with Prime I paid no shipping.

I also drug out a soda bottle and cut the top and bottom out.

Now I can stand a bag up in the clips and use the canning funnel or the soda bottle cylinder.

No more muss, no more fuss!

I want to thank everyone for excellent ideas and suggestions.


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## siletzspey (Jan 16, 2013)

I too use a simple cottage cheese or yogurt container and cut the bottom off.

--SiletzSpey


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## rabbithutch (Feb 11, 2013)

FYI

Recently found these . . . 













Sliced bread.jpg



__ rabbithutch
__ Feb 11, 2013






at Bed Bath and Beyond (BBB- scroll down).  They can be rolled up to form a funnel to help loading bags.  They are easily cut with ordinary scissors but knives don't do them in.

I cut one of them into ~ 6x8 rectangle and use it to scoop up chopped items and transfer to whatever container.


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## jwbtulsa (Feb 11, 2013)

I bought a three pack of thin flexible cutting sheets (walmart i think, maybe target). I pile whatever onto it, roll it, then dump into the bags. For liquidy things I have wrapped them into a funnel shape. They wash easy and are cheap. did I mention cheap? use them for multiple things. good for keeping the poultry goo off of my good boards. If they get too worn out, I give them to the kids as work mats for projects and such. Recycle bin when they get trashed.

update: wife just said she gets them at bed, bath and beyond.

update to the update: Hey Rabbithutch, great minds think alike!!!!


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## hogrider47 (Feb 11, 2013)

When I'm going to freeze some liquid in bags I always put it in a container that will fit the bag then I just freeze it and then take it out of freezer and pop the frozen stuff out of the container then put it in my vacuum bag and seal it up no mess at all works for me. hope that helps


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## Ramon Melgar (Aug 18, 2021)

daveomak said:


> RH, evening.... I got this cool tool for Christmas....  It is handy...... Harriet Carter carried them 2/$10.....  that is a 1 gal bag in there....
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Hi Dave,
Is this pouch holder still available in the market?  What is its name?


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## daveomak (Aug 19, 2021)

Yep...

Amazon.com : zip bag holder for plastic bags


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## Ramon Melgar (Aug 19, 2021)

daveomak said:


> Yep...
> 
> Amazon.com : zip bag holder for plastic bags



Thank you!  I am excited to use them.


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## KCDC (Feb 18, 2022)

I have cut out the bottom of a 24 oz. plastic container of sour cream or a two pound container out of the deli and it fits perfectly in a one Quart bag. I did the same thing with a 14 oz. container that had a cheese spread from Gordon Food Service (GFS) and it fits perfectly in a one pint bag. There might be a yogurt container that is of similar size to the GFS container. The GFS container is 3 5/8" dia. O.D. at the top. 2 3/4 dia. O.D. at the bottom. Hope this helps.


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## BXMurphy (Feb 19, 2022)

rabbithutch said:


> Great ideas!
> 
> I especially like the 2-liter bottle idea and the freezing liquids before vacuum sealing.
> 
> ...



Vacuum sealing frozen = perfect!

Murph


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## SmokinAl (Feb 19, 2022)

Try this!





						THE PAPER PLATE METHOD FOR VACUUM SEALING
					

We used to roll the edge of the bag over to try to keep it clean, but it always seemed to distort the end of the bag. And half the time it still got some juice or meat on it anyway. I don't know how we came up with this method, but it works for everything as long as it will fit on a paper plate...




					www.smokingmeatforums.com
				



Al


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## Bearcarver (Feb 19, 2022)

I've been doing both the cuffs & the Paper Plate thing for years.
I tried the throwaway "cutting boards" a couple times, and they're too flimsy. A coated Paper Plate works the best.

Bear


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