on the A/C canister there is a little threaded piece which i am assuming is where they fill it. it has that little piece in the middle that if you press it the gas comes out. i pressed it and a little gas came out, then nothing. am i safe in assuming it is all evacuated and i can work on it now?

Correct, there should be no more pressure in the system.

hell mine didnt work the last 2 years i've owned it, i just cracked a line up at the comp very slowly and had zip zero nada.....i'm glad all that a/c junks outta there

thanks for the replies anybody know how big the friggin nut-like things are that i have to take off, i tried a 3/4 wrench on the one by the radiator but the wrench was too small. should i get a pair of big vise grips, the ones with the angled heads? or is there a better way like taking off the pully as a whole and then taking off the plastic looking nut by the canister all as one piece?