Mylar bag questions

[dans]

I've been looking at mylar bags and a couple of questions came up. Sorry if this is repeating others questions or if they are too simple. I did search here for the info but the prepper threads a pretty long.

1) There appear to be 2 types of bags, zipper lock and heat seal. I'm assuming the zipper lock bags don't seal as well as the other but I'd like to have someone confirm this.

2) Can I use my vacuum sealer to seal the heat sealed bags? It would be great if I could.

3) Is it better to seal in bulk (gallons, etc.) or in single/dual meal quantities? For beans, rice, grains, etc., I usually use about 1/2 to 1 cup per meal and it makes enough for leftovers.

4) Is there a guide for the size O2 absorbers to use for different sized bags?

Thanks in advance

 

[Palladin]

Vacuum sealer won't do it. You need to use a flat iron, like the one your wife uses for straightening her hair. Or an iron and an ironing board. Also look into the thickness of the bags I believe I'm using 10 mil, if they're too thin after you heat shrink the bag the food will pierce the bag

 

[kiver]

If you have a chamber vac you can vac seal Mylar. If you have a food saver, you can also cut a strip of plastic food saver bag and place it in the corner of the bag and vac seal it. Then seal it below where you put the strip. Problem is Mylar develops small pin holes fairly easy from sharp contents. what I do now is plastic seal my food with an O2 absorber then throw it in a Mylar bag. You can heat seal the Mylar zipper bags

 

[Knob Creek]

I use the heat seal bags. I heat seal about 75% of the bag. Insert a hose from a small shop vac and suck out the air. Then drop in a Oxygen Absorber and finish sealing the bag.