For the pump, I originally used the cheap Harbor Freight venturi vac pump, with a decent air compressor you can pull a pretty good vac with it... But over the last few years I have scored a couple of electric automotive AC vac pumps so I now use those...
As you an see from this picture I removed all the crap from the lid and plugged the holes, on the top is a vac gauge, and I have a shut off and quick connect coming out the side... Off to the right of the photo is my pressure casting dongle with a self contained regulator, attach the air compressor and done... I also have a HF venturi vac pump dongle but I don't use that any longer, I simply plug in the vac pump and pull it down, then close the valve to keep the vac inside... The tank will almost always hold a vacuum overnight, but there is generally a small enough leak when under pressure that I have to keep it hooked up to the air compressor when doing pressure castings... If I replaced the gasket it would probably hold pressure better but it's not worth the trouble right now...
And here is the container I use to contain spills that I talked about in the previous post... I do it this way as not only to contain spills but to keep dust and particles out of the clear resin...
This setup has worked fine for me as I have not had to do anything larger then the tank... Note, I usually have a lump of clay on the lid that I press the cup into to hold the cup steady...
*EDIT the reason I use the container upside down as it's just easier to place in the vac chamber that way...
and peals right off... The bandaides over the hole provide a very basic air filter and if by chance you have a resin explosion 
