Hey Blakewest, I think you put it in for the duration of the cure. As a constant pressure is needed to disperse all the bubbles until the resin has fully gone off.
I bought one (without the gauge) from a swapmeet last weekend for $AU 50.00 but I cant use it yet (apart from needing a guage) because all my molds so far have been made without a vacuum. Next to make a vacuum chamber, and find some cheaper silicon.
I can buy it cheaper from the US including shipping then it costs me to buy it here.

Plus the shop that sold me my rubber and clear cast resin sold me 2 completely incompatible products and after much frustration I could not get my surfaces clear.
I did some internet searching and found out that they had sold me a non addition curing silicone which isnt meant for use with the clear resin they sold me.. And this is our only local expert resin shop. Sometimes it's a bit like pushing shit up hill with a rubber fork.
But I am putting it all down to learning and am happy with most of my results as it has actually caused a bit of experimentation which was fun.