Re: Brake bleed questiion- do I really need a vacuum tool?
No vacuum tools are needed on the clutch either.
I find the vacuum pumps tend to force air leaks around the bleeder threads or the tubing/nipple junction.
I have read here someplace that it's easier to bleed the clutch
not using a vacuum bleeder, though I haven't tried that method yet. I've always used a
Mityvac that I got from Harbor Freight to bleed my brakes, no problems with it once I learned how to use it. The air leaks around the bleeder threads and/or the tubing/nipple junction go into the tubing connected to the vacuum source, not into the brake system, but since you don't know for sure where the air bubbles are coming from, you can always put a wrap of Teflon tape on the nipple threads and improve the seal on the tubing/nipple junction with a small dab of grease or brake fluid for added peace of mind.
Cycle Gear also has a vacuum bleeder that looks very similar to the Mityvac for the same $40 price tag, it may be the exact same product repackaged for Cycle Gear. That's a small price to pay for the convenience of being able to do the job by yourself, and it does speed things up a bit, as Joe suggested. Another advantage of using a vacuum pump is you can use it to empty the old fluid from the master cylinder, then clean any gunk out of it and top it off with fresh brake fluid before you begin the bleeding procedure. You can do the same thing with a turkey baster, but this way you won't introduce any old brake fluid into your Thanksgiving turkey.