Raspy:

When the "Montreal Protocol" first emerged for the purposes of capturing refrigerant ("Freon", a brand name used by most.) some manufacturer actually made some of those "Reverse Tire Pumps" designed to purge systems and capture refrigerant.

In theory, it is possible to create a vacumn down to the requirements under the rules that went into effect for reclaimation. The reality is that there exist few people in this world that could pump long enough to do a proper job on a refrigeration system. It was legal and cheap, and the unspoken understanding was that it was a legal cover for people that continued to vent refrigerant to the atmosphere.

The way they insured compliance was that you had to register your recovery appliance with the EPA, and the following year when the telephone books came out the EPA could compare service companies with thier records, and anyone that had not registered could be issued a fine through the mail and a cease operation edict. I spent almost $1,000.00 for the real McCoy reclaimation pump, used it maybe 20 times (Most Hvac-R problems are control related.), and it currently sits in my garage looking as clean as the day I bought it. Another way they maintained compliance is a first time caught fine for intentionally violating the Montreal Protocol of $25,000.00 with a bounty of 15% paid to the person who turned you in.

For clothes, that pump will work nicely for evacuating air. Just remember to put clean dry warm clothes in a fairly dry environment in the bag before sealing.

If you want to do the same thing "on the cheap", take a quality bicycle tire pump, put the hose on the air intake end by screwing in a hose fitting adapter, and viola, same thing, probably better, and a lot less expensive.

Good luck!

Bountyhunter