First time is this a workable idea to get started?

[Beamslider]

Going to try mixing some juice…..Want to try it on the cheap first to see how it comes out. How does this sound for a plan to try out. This would I believe work out to close to 25PG/75VG and 3mg/ml nicotine and would only require VG, Nicotine in PG base, and flavoring.

I want to end up with around 3mg/ml nicotine and will use 24mg/ml base nicotine because it will be sufficient for my use to blend and I don’t really want higher nic laying around.

The mix per 60 ml finished.
7.5 ml base nicotine
46.5 ml of VG
6 ml flavoring

Sound workable?

 

[r77r7r]

Sounds like an easy one for a calculator. Find one yet?

 

[JC Okie]

^^^Looks good.

 

[IDJoel]

Going to try mixing some juice…..Want to try it on the cheap first to see how it comes out. How does this sound for a plan to try out. This would I believe work out to close to 25PG/75VG and 3mg/ml nicotine and would only require VG, Nicotine in PG base, and flavoring.

I want to end up with around 3mg/ml nicotine and will use 24mg/ml base nicotine because it will be sufficient for my use to blend and I don’t really want higher nic laying around.

Are you asking if your numbers are correct; or if it will taste good? Your numbers can be verified by any of the commonly listed calculators on-line, or down-loadable, calculators.

As far as taste is concerned; you tell us. Taste always has been, and will continue to be, the most singular subjective quantifier, to vaping.

Most of us only hope to find 2, or 3, others that share our own (not "right," not "wrong," just "most like mine") palate.

This is where recording notes ( personal perceptions, other's thoughts, time/duration) all come in to play. Trial, success, failure, and comparison, are all the tools we have.

Start, by mixing SMALL volumes of recipes, and see what they tell you. Make notes of what you get from them, and then ask questions. Some will say "yea," while others will say "nay," and none of it is wrong. It is just finding out where you "plug in" with the rest of the community. And, just remember, unless you are trying to mix "for profit," YOU are the only one you are mixing for. If it tastes good; VAPE IT!

 

[zoiDman]

Going to try mixing some juice…..Want to try it on the cheap first to see how it comes out. How does this sound for a plan to try out. This would I believe work out to close to 25PG/75VG and 3mg/ml nicotine and would only require VG, Nicotine in PG base, and flavoring.

I want to end up with around 3mg/ml nicotine and will use 24mg/ml base nicotine because it will be sufficient for my use to blend and I don’t really want higher nic laying around.

The mix per 60 ml finished.
7.5 ml base nicotine
46.5 ml of VG
6 ml flavoring

Sound workable?

mg/ml = Total Nicotine / Total Volume

7.5ml of 24mg/ml Nicotine Base => 7.5 x 24 = 180mg Total Nicotine. And 180mg / 60ml = 3mg/ml.

Sounds Good.

75% VG of 60ml = 45ml Total VG. And Adding 46.5ml of VG (assuming that the Nicotine Base is 100% PG)

Sounds Good Also.

6ml Flavoring/Sweetener per 60ml of e-Liquid => 10% Total Flavoring/Sweetener.

Sounds Very Reasonable.

 

[OlderNDirt]

I gotta agree with what @IDJoel said, especially mixing in "SMALL volumes." Mathematically, it should be easy to cut your numbers to 1/3 for a 20ml total mix, especially if you are adding a single flavor. In a 30ml bottle, that will also give you plenty of head room for some serious shaking. Good luck and have fun!

 

[zoiDman]

mg/ml = Total Nicotine / Total Volume

7.5ml of 24mg/ml Nicotine Base => 7.5 x 24 = 180mg Total Nicotine. And 180mg / 60ml = 3mg/ml.

Sounds Good.

75% VG of 60ml = 45ml Total VG. And Adding 46.5ml of VG (assuming that the Nicotine Base is 100% PG)

Sounds Good Also.

6ml Flavoring/Sweetener per 60ml of e-Liquid => 10% Total Flavoring/Sweetener.

Sounds Very Reasonable.

ETA: If you are going to do this and leave the Flavor out to be added at a Later Date, many of us Call It making "Pre-Mix".

Working with Pre-Mix is Nice because all you have to do is Add Flavoring and Shake. I mix up about a 250ml Bottle of Pre-Mix every so often.

It works Very Well because my mg/ml Level doesn't change. Neither is does desired PG to VG Ratio. That and I also use the Unflavored Pre-Mix in Tanks and Squonk Bottles. And just Prime New Wicks with Regular Flavored e-Liquids.

 

[Beamslider]

Are you asking if your numbers are correct; or if it will taste good? Your numbers can be verified by any of the commonly listed calculators on-line, or down-loadable, calculators.

As far as taste is concerned; you tell us. Taste always has been, and will continue to be, the most singular subjective quantifier, to vaping.

Most of us only hope to find 2, or 3, others that share our own (not "right," not "wrong," just "most like mine") palate.

This is where recording notes ( personal perceptions, other's thoughts, time/duration) all come in to play. Trial, success, failure, and comparison, are all the tools we have.

Start, by mixing SMALL volumes of recipes, and see what they tell you. Make notes of what you get from them, and then ask questions. Some will say "yea," while others will say "nay," and none of it is wrong. It is just finding out where you "plug in" with the rest of the community. And, just remember, unless you are trying to mix "for profit," YOU are the only one you are mixing for. If it tastes good; VAPE IT!

Just asking if the numbers are in the ball park. Taste is something that is totally subjective. Just want to give it a try and see how it works out without spending much to play around. Can get enough supplies to play around with several times for under $50 by limiting it to flavorings, nic base and VG. Could make around 12 60 ml bottles with that cost level to experiment with. Or could as suggested drop it down to 30ml or 20 ml bottles and more to play around with.

 

[Rickb119]

Just as a suggestion, you might start with a tank of unflavored and add a few drops of your flavoring to it. If you like it, mix a larger amount. If not, you've only wasted a few ML's.

 

[JCinFLA]

Like some others...I can't imagine making 60mL of a very first mix. If it was just a pre-made base, without flavoring, and you'd add drops of flavor to maybe 5-10mL of it later at a time = I could see the logic of that. But 60mL of a finished mix (with flavoring), as a first time doing DIY? Nope, not me personally.

There have been many on here who jump into the deep end with DIY. They make many 30-50mL bottles (or even larger) of finished eliquids ...trying to find something they like. Later they'll post and say they have all of these eliquids they've made and don't like, and want to know why? What to do with them? How to fix them?

IMO, I'd start by making no larger than 10mL of each finished mix. It will result in less supplies wasted, less frustration for a DIY newbie, and smaller amounts that may only require a few drops here or there to fix them, so they're at least vapable...instead of flushable! Just my opinion though based on what I found worked best for me when I started DIY.

Heck, I even started by doing Bill's 100DTT which only made 3-4mL sample sizes of eliquids first! Got them to the point I really liked each of them, (while taking notes on any changes made), and then made larger batch sizes of them. Never have had any flushworthy ones yet when doing the test samples first.

 

[numsquat]

Agreeing with starting with smaller batches first. I do a 10ml in a 15ml bottle to start and stay at that size until I'm happy with the mix, then scale up. Also helps when you are sooo close but missing that one "something", I will then make 3-4 bottles of the recipe but add one thing different to each bottle, then compare to see if I found that "something".

Can't imagine making 60ml and not being happy with the final product. Would rather toss 10ml than 60, it would be less waste (and I have tossed many 10ml batches).

 

[IDJoel]

Just asking if the numbers are in the ball park. Taste is something that is totally subjective. Just want to give it a try and see how it works out without spending much to play around. Can get enough supplies to play around with several times for under $50 by limiting it to flavorings, nic base and VG. Could make around 12 60 ml bottles with that cost level to experiment with. Or could as suggested drop it down to 30ml or 20 ml bottles and more to play around with.

You are indeed "in the ballpark."

I played a little with the numbers you mentioned in your original post, and this is what my calculator tells me:

I based it on the following info:

• you want to work with 24mg/mL PG-based nicotine
• you want to target 3mg/mL nicotine strength in your finished product
  
• you don't want to buy PG (for now at least)
• you think you want to use 10% flavoring

So, with that for your perameters, you will end up with a 22.5%PG/77.5%VG, 3mg/mL nic, mix. If you use less flavoring; your VG percentage will go up (and PG goes down). If you use more flavoring your VG percentage will go down (and PG goes up). (This is assuming you are using all PG based flavors.)

If you don't want your PG/VG ratio to fluctuate with the amount of flavoring you use, you will want to purchase some PG as well, to be able keep your ratio stable AND use your flavor(s) at various percentages as taste dictates.

Also, note that I did this as a 10mL size. This will make the math easy for whatever sized recipe you end up choosing to make.

 

[Beamslider]

I have a pretty accurate gram scale that does up to 400 grams in hundredths of a gram. Would it be better or more accurate to use gram weight instead of ML for 10 or 15 ML samples?

 

[OlderNDirt]

I have a pretty accurate gram scale that does up to 400 grams in hundredths of a gram. Would it be better or more accurate to use gram weight instead of ML for 10 or 15 ML samples?

With a little reading here, you will find that by volume or weight is an ongoing conflict for both "better or more accurate." IMHO, it is pretty much a personal preference in procedure with neither being absolutely accurate and therefore, better.

Since you already have a scale, give by weight a try. For the cost of a couple syringes, by volume is doable. I personally prefer by weight, but have other vaping uses for syringes. Then go with what works for you and disregard those proclaiming the other method is "better or more accurate."

 

[zoiDman]

... Would it be better or more accurate to use gram weight instead of ML for 10 or 15 ML samples?

LOL

 

[IDJoel]

I have a pretty accurate gram scale that does up to 400 grams in hundredths of a gram. Would it be better or more accurate to use gram weight instead of ML for 10 or 15 ML samples?

"Best question" for derailing a thread... ever!

@OlderNDirt summed it up pretty well; find what works easiest for you, and stick with that. Whatever method, that keeps you mixing and vaping, and off the stinkies, is the method that is right for you.

@Capt.shay has a good tutorial on how to mix by weight here: Mixing By Weight: Basics 101

I personally try to stay away from conversations that focus on "accuracy." I can play devil's advocate, and find fault with any any mixing method, short of using commercial lab equipment that is completely impractical (and costly) for the home DIYer. ("Weight averaging," for the weight method; and "industry acceptable tolerances" of syringes, for volume method; are just one example for each.)

I think, for the normal home DIYer, the better focus is "repeatability," and not "accuracy." Being able to do the same thing each and every time you mix, to get the same results each and every time you mix,... and finding the easiest way to achieve that, will better serve the DIYer's goals (having a tasty vape, that I can make time, and time again, without hassle). For that, either method is perfectly fine! So, it boils down to which am I more comfortable using?

@Beamslider, you are actually in a great position to try both, as you already have a scale that can display gram weight to 0.01 grams (the most common recommendation). And syringes, and blunt-tipped needles, are dirt cheap. Experiment with both, and find what works best for you.

 

[90VG]

I got so used to making my batches of e-juice that I don't accurately measure anything anymore. I put about 2-3 mm of 100mg/ml nic in first. Put in flavor to about 10% of bottle level, then top off with the base. Never tasted a difference.

My base is 50/50. I fill up empty 1 litter bottle half way with PG, then top off with the VG. Getting super accurate isn't that important for everyone. It works, and it's simple and fast.

 

[IDJoel]

I got so used to making my batches of e-juice that I don't accurately measure anything anymore.

If it works for you; then it is right for you!

I am not sure that I would recommend that way, for a new, or novice mixer. There are just too many uncontrolled variables, that can make for a bad vaping experience, and cause a person to give up on DIY. Controlled, deliberate, and repeatable, measuring (by weight OR volume) may be slower, but more likely lead to favorable results. At least in my mind.

 

[90VG]

I've just mixed so many times I know what my mix looks like. Works for me, but you have to measure or weigh to begin with so you get the feel of it.

 

[numsquat]

I can honestly say I've never made the same recipe twice because I've always been a little off here and there but never enough to have a taste difference. Have done both mL and by weight, I feel I'm more accurate by weight, at least I'm most comfortable using weight. So I stick with the same method regardless of the batch size.

Try both, see which you like better, and just go with it.