Getting Ready to buy a Food Sealer need advice please.

[SconnieQ]

got 20 lbs salmon LOX that will be ready for sealing. I also ordered the gold back foil bags to make the lox look great for gifts.

Ed, please show pictures of your sealed salmon lox. I tend to get lazy and seal in a stack, because it's a lot of work to fan out in standard vacuum bags. Do the gold foil bags come with a cardboard backer? How do you slice your lox? I slice by hand with a granton edge slicing knife. Any tips there? Do you use a slicer?

[Eds smoking]

I slice with a 12 inch simeter knife that I also use as my skinning knife, it's real sharp. When I pack the lox this week I'll post pics.  The bags have no cardboard. They have a foil like back with a vac textured front. I have a board I use to slide the lox  into bags. When i process I'll post.











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[SconnieQ]

I slice with a 12 inch simeter knife that I also use as my skinning knife, it's real sharp. When I pack the lox this week I'll post pics.  The bags have no cardboard. They have a foil like back with a vac textured front. I have a board I use to slide the lox  into bags. When i process I'll post.

I have been searching for a source for the gold/silver or gold/black backer boards used for vacuum sealing lox. I can only find sources in the UK. I think I will start a new thread to see if anyone knows where to get them delivered to the US. From what I have found online, the gold backed bags can only be used in chamber sealers, and are not compatible with suction sealers. But I would think the cardboard inserts could be used in any vacuum sealer.

[DivotMaker]

Makes a great-looking package, Kari!  Now you just need a custom label for the outside!

[SconnieQ]

Makes a great-looking package, Kari!  Now you just need a custom label for the outside!

Haha! Those are not mine. The photos are from the internet (UK sites), to try and show the gold/silver cardboards I am trying to find for packaging my lox.

[DivotMaker]

I didn't think they were... just commenting they make a great package, and that a custom label would top it off. 

[SconnieQ]

I'll definitely consider the custom label, if I can just find the darn things. 

[Jeffinn]

I've got the Weston Pro 2300 and I like it alot. It was a bit pricey but money well spent.
I replaced my last two foodsavers after a little over a year for each one. The last one was a $200 unit that wasn't repairable (it couldn't even be disassembled).
The Weston parts are all replaceable.

[Walt]

I am also happy with the Weston pro 2300. Built like a tank.

[barrytm]

Another option is a snorkel vac.   I have the Sinbo  http://www.amazon.com/Sinbo-Light-Industrial-Vacuum-Sealer/dp/B00GN2KU0O   the main advantage is that you can use flat bags, also called chamber bags, which are much cheaper than the mesh or embossed bags used in other sealers.   $50 for 1,000 chamber bags 8" x 12 "  http://www.webstaurantstore.com/ary-vacmaster-30723-8-x-12-chamber-vacuum-packaging-pouches-bags-3-mil-1000-box/120VPM30723.html    The best pricing I could find for mesh bags was around $160. 

[NDKoze]

My parents just bought a VacMaster 350 Pro and this thing is very solid. It may be a bit overkill for some home users, but it is a very fine machine.
https://shop.vacuumsealersunlimited.com/VacMaster-Pro-350-876350.htm

We packaged 56lbs of Venison Snack Sticks this weekend in a little over an hour.

[Limey]

I too have a VacMaster 350 Pro and am very pleased with it.