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Plumbing a Vacuum in the kitchen

AXE | Posted in Construction Techniques on October 3, 2003 05:01am

I’d like to plumb a small vacuum into my kitchen.  I currently have an old vacuum pump sitting in my kitchen and I draw vacuums before freezing things and when marinating meat, etc.   It’s great, but the wife doesn’t exactly like the pump sitting in the kitchen.  So I’d like to just plumb a neat orderly vacuum connector into the kitchen somehow.

My thoughts were to plumb my basement shop compressed air line into the kitchen and use a venturi valve, but I’ve never used one of those to draw a vacuum.  I’m also not quite sure how to make it look “reasonable” on the wall.

Any suggestions would be great.  Also any good sources for a venturi would be appreciated too.

Thanks -Merc

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  1. HeavyDuty | Oct 03, 2003 05:25am | #1

    You need a rubber hose to draw the air from the freezer bag, right? The only thing I can think of is a gas/air valve they use in the lab. May not get past the fashion police.

    Tom

    1. AXE | Oct 03, 2003 05:34am | #2

      I was thinking about a nice chromed fitting on the wall where I could just pull the hose out of the drawer when I need it.  Slide it on the fitting, use it, take it off, put it away.  I'm not quite sure what that fitting looks like.  I'll probably lose a little vacuum at that connection but who cares?  The flank steak that I'm marinating sure doesn't.

      1. HeavyDuty | Oct 03, 2003 06:34am | #8

        What about a dentist's drivel straw?

        A trap is a must, be sure you remember to clean it out regularly.

        Don has just described the same valve I described in my previous post. Those are air/gas valves for compress air, natural gas, and medical gases. Seen them in chrome only.

        What about a nice compressor blower nozzle. You can pull the sucker up from the deck and suck up everything from those vacuum packs.

      2. HeavyDuty | Oct 04, 2003 04:18am | #13

        Dave has it right on, see post 11.

        Here is the set up in the lab. The valve is activated by pushing a spring loaded button. Run the water first before you open the valve. They always use a trap in the lab because you'll never know what kind of nasty stuff they use as solvent. In your case you can omit the trap. No plumbing, no electrical, no mess, looks presentable.

  2. migraine | Oct 03, 2003 05:47am | #3

      try this site:    http://www.qualityvak.com

    They are a company that sells vacuum pumps and controls(either mororized or venturi) for the woodworking industry.  Might be able to another tool for the shop out of it

  3. WayneL5 | Oct 03, 2003 05:47am | #4

    How would you clean the inside of the fitting, piping, and pump?  With meat juices inside of everything it would get pretty rank, and be a great colony for all sorts of nasty germs.

    1. AXE | Oct 03, 2003 05:55am | #5

      I've already worked out that detail with the portable unit.  Plumb the vacuum through a old salsa jar to precipitate out the juices before they run back into the pump.

  4. CAGIV | Oct 03, 2003 05:59am | #6

    I don't know if it would be practical, but could you plumb it in under a cabinet, maybe under the kitchen sink, have the valve or "outlet" in the cabinet, or conceal it inside the wall cavity and put a door on it?

    I do not know much of anything about what you are trying to do, just some ideas on concealment.

    1. donpapenburg | Oct 03, 2003 06:05am | #7

      Take a screw driver with you  the next time you have to go to the hospital . They sometimes have them plumbed into the wall next to the bed.

  5. User avater
    IMERC | Oct 03, 2003 08:54am | #9

    Cruise by the hospital.

    Any where there is patient care there are all sorts of wall mounted hook ups for just about any thing inculuding vaccum. They generally have some degree of astetics.

    Put the pump down stairs and the hook ups and switching on the wall and as close as you can to an upper cab. Make the hosing and seperator independant and store the assembly in a cab or drawer.

    Merc.... What flavor of mercenary are you?

     

    Who ever invented work didn't know how to fish....



    Edited 10/3/2003 1:55:40 AM ET by IMERC

    1. DaveRicheson | Oct 03, 2003 12:58pm | #10

      You can also pull a vacum by venturi with  water at you kitchen sink faucet. Don't know if is fast enough for what you are doing, but any lab supply source will have the fitting that attaches to your faucet. No trap needed, no electric, and the fitting stores in a drawer with the vacum hose when not in use. They use to use larger versions of these to empty water bed mattresses.

      Dave

    2. AXE | Oct 03, 2003 04:50pm | #11

      IMerc-

      I'm a Old School Warsaw Skullknuckling Mercenary of the highest caliber.    How 'bout you?  What kind of mercenary are you?

      And the DJ is because I know how to spin the tunes...

      DJ Merc.

      1. User avater
        IMERC | Oct 03, 2003 08:15pm | #12

        Industrial...

        The DJ seemed to be a given.....

        As long as Skullknuckling does'nt get confused with Knucledragging or Skullduggery... ROAR!!! 

        Who ever invented work didn't know how to fish....

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