Vettepilot;
We've discussed the vacuum deal before. I think it's an excellent idea. Especially if a guy could open a can of powder and use some, and then re-seal it under vacuum. I would think it would pull all the moisture out, on short order; which would basically extend the life of powder, indefinitely.
Another thing I've thought on the vacuum deal.... If a guy could come up with a proper chamber which say bolted a lid on the chamber, with a sure seal of some sort; you could cook charcoal, and it looks to me like it would retain near 100% of it's volatility. I could be wrong, and regularly am, but a vacuum chamber heated to 550°F. would not even allow the wood to smoke, would it? There would be zero air and a negative pressure. Looks to me like the wood would cook and all the moisture would be pulled off, which is probably 80% of smoke. I definitely think it's at least a very intriguing idea.
To carry the idea a step further... it seems to me that you could cook charcoal many degrees cooler, too. If wood tries to spontaneous combust at 450-500°F, while under a vacuum, water boils at less than 100°F., it would seem to me that 450°+- would cook charcoal all day.