Tools, Ingredients, Helpful Links, Tips & Videos
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Try not to be alarmed. The initial setup is a little pricey, but after gathering all of these tools and ingredients, you will be saving money in the long haul, immensely!
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--Online Calculator: To get familiar with how the mixture is calculated.
-Online Juice Calculator
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--Downloadable Software: I use this software to easily calculate the mixtures.
-EJuiceMeUp Calculator
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--Storage Bottles: (I prefer at least 4 to start with. I use 1 for PG, 1 for VG, 1 for Nicotine and 1 for your finished mix. It is a good idea to store the Liquid Nicotine in the Freezer or Refrigerator and always remember to shake VERY WELL before each use).
-Vestil 8oz. Squeeze Bottles
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--Luer Lock Blunt Tip Needles: (Assorted, at WizardLabs... get about 2 sets of these to start with... Depending on your preferred juice ratio, it's always nice to have different Gauges on hand. The higher the Gauge, the smaller the hole is, so if you're working with a very high ratio of vegetable glycerin, obviously you would use a lower gauge needle, since the 'VG' is so thick).
FYI, Here are the color codes for the 4 preferred needles:
GREEN = 14 Gauge (0.069"id x 0.083"od) Typically used with thick liquids like VG
PURPLE = 16 Gauge (0.053"id x 0.065"od) Typically used with thick liquids like VG
PINK = 18 Gauge (0.038"id x 0.049"od) Typically used with PG or flavoring
YELLOW = 20 Gauge (0.025"id x 0.036"od) Typically used with PG or flavoring
-Luer Lock Blunt Tip Needles
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--Luer Lock Syringes: (I'm happy with 6cc's for smaller doses in a recipe). If you have a Tractor Supply Store, grab a 6 pack to start with).
-Luer Lock Syringes
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--Borosilicate Beakers: These are great to work with! You can find a nice set on Amazon!
-Borosilicate Beakers at Amazon
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--Dripper tank: Optional, to test flavors. It beats wasting your coils that you will use when the finished product is not what you expected.
It's a good idea not to add the Nicotine base when you are first testing out your new flavor. Test the new flavor in the dripper tank. If you like it, then you can go ahead and add the Nicotine base to your mix. In a case that you didn't like what you were tasting and added the Nic already, it could get pricey because you may have to discard your whole mix.
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--Ultrasonic Cleaner machine (UC):
This little machine does wonders! It will do two jobs at once. Since the mixture will need to be shaken and mixed VERY well, the UC machine will mix the liquid for you (I still give it a nice shake after it's done and before every use). Not only will it shake the contents, it will age the mixture also, as it blends it.
I've gone through and bought several UC's to test out. I kept the one with the 3 minute timer because it is built very well and works very well, but the downfall is that, you have to stand over it constantly to start it back up after the 3 minute cycles.
Sonic Wave
Stand clear of these machines! They overheat something fierce.
BlackHillsGoldSource UC
WJ Hagerty Digital
This is a very nice one here and the one I use most of the time and it was recommended by my friend Cheechako.
60 Watt Pro UC w/30min.Timer
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--Propylene Glycol (PG): A gallon jug, also at Tractor Supply.
-Propylene Glycol at TractorSupply
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--Vegetable Glycerin (VG): A gallon at WizardLabs (or shop around for coupons, discounts, etc.., but this is a good price).
-Vegetable Glycerin at WizardLabs
____________________________________________________________________________________________
--100 mg. Nicotine Liquid Base: 1 Liter will go a long, long way! I suggest selecting the option for 100% PG (I had troubles with the VG mixture with fowl smell,etc... besides it is much easier to work with, because of the low viscosity in PG).
-100mg. Nicotine Base at MyFreedomSmokes
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--DIY Flavoring: This is all your preference. So far, I really like Brands like "Capella" and "The Flavor Apprentice (TFA)". I buy from a couple different Vendors...
-MyFreedomSmokes (under Nicotine & Mixing supplies) or just do a search on the site for the flavor you're looking for).
-WizardLabs (under Flavor Lab) or just do a search on the site for the flavor you're looking for).
____________________________________________________________________________________________
CLICK ON THE LINKS:
-DIY Tutorial
-Recipe Mixing Station
-Learn how to read a Syringe
-Mixing by Weight: If you would ever like to get into 'mixing by weight', this is a tutorial for that.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Example for a 30 ml. recipe that calls for 10% of Flavoring, with 12mg. of Nicotine,
at a rate of 35/65 (35 PG/65 VG):
3.6 = ml nicotine ejuice
7.2 = ml PG
16.2 = ml VG
3 = ml flavoring
____________________
30 Milliliters
____________________________________________________________________________________________
I want to thank my friend Cheechako for all of his help on getting me started up with DIYing!!
____________________________________________________________________________________________
to be continued...
____________________________________________________________________________
Try not to be alarmed. The initial setup is a little pricey, but after gathering all of these tools and ingredients, you will be saving money in the long haul, immensely!
__________________________________________________________________________________
--Online Calculator: To get familiar with how the mixture is calculated.
-Online Juice Calculator
____________________________________________________________________________________________
--Downloadable Software: I use this software to easily calculate the mixtures.
-EJuiceMeUp Calculator
____________________________________________________________________________________________
--Storage Bottles: (I prefer at least 4 to start with. I use 1 for PG, 1 for VG, 1 for Nicotine and 1 for your finished mix. It is a good idea to store the Liquid Nicotine in the Freezer or Refrigerator and always remember to shake VERY WELL before each use).
-Vestil 8oz. Squeeze Bottles
____________________________________________________________________________________________
--Luer Lock Blunt Tip Needles: (Assorted, at WizardLabs... get about 2 sets of these to start with... Depending on your preferred juice ratio, it's always nice to have different Gauges on hand. The higher the Gauge, the smaller the hole is, so if you're working with a very high ratio of vegetable glycerin, obviously you would use a lower gauge needle, since the 'VG' is so thick).
FYI, Here are the color codes for the 4 preferred needles:
GREEN = 14 Gauge (0.069"id x 0.083"od) Typically used with thick liquids like VG
PURPLE = 16 Gauge (0.053"id x 0.065"od) Typically used with thick liquids like VG
PINK = 18 Gauge (0.038"id x 0.049"od) Typically used with PG or flavoring
YELLOW = 20 Gauge (0.025"id x 0.036"od) Typically used with PG or flavoring
-Luer Lock Blunt Tip Needles
____________________________________________________________________________________________
--Luer Lock Syringes: (I'm happy with 6cc's for smaller doses in a recipe). If you have a Tractor Supply Store, grab a 6 pack to start with).
-Luer Lock Syringes
____________________________________________________________________________________________
--Borosilicate Beakers: These are great to work with! You can find a nice set on Amazon!
-Borosilicate Beakers at Amazon
____________________________________________________________________________________________
--Dripper tank: Optional, to test flavors. It beats wasting your coils that you will use when the finished product is not what you expected.
It's a good idea not to add the Nicotine base when you are first testing out your new flavor. Test the new flavor in the dripper tank. If you like it, then you can go ahead and add the Nicotine base to your mix. In a case that you didn't like what you were tasting and added the Nic already, it could get pricey because you may have to discard your whole mix.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
--Ultrasonic Cleaner machine (UC):
This little machine does wonders! It will do two jobs at once. Since the mixture will need to be shaken and mixed VERY well, the UC machine will mix the liquid for you (I still give it a nice shake after it's done and before every use). Not only will it shake the contents, it will age the mixture also, as it blends it.
I've gone through and bought several UC's to test out. I kept the one with the 3 minute timer because it is built very well and works very well, but the downfall is that, you have to stand over it constantly to start it back up after the 3 minute cycles.
Sonic Wave
Stand clear of these machines! They overheat something fierce.
BlackHillsGoldSource UC
WJ Hagerty Digital
This is a very nice one here and the one I use most of the time and it was recommended by my friend Cheechako.
60 Watt Pro UC w/30min.Timer
____________________________________________________________________________________________
--Propylene Glycol (PG): A gallon jug, also at Tractor Supply.
-Propylene Glycol at TractorSupply
____________________________________________________________________________________________
--Vegetable Glycerin (VG): A gallon at WizardLabs (or shop around for coupons, discounts, etc.., but this is a good price).
-Vegetable Glycerin at WizardLabs
____________________________________________________________________________________________
--100 mg. Nicotine Liquid Base: 1 Liter will go a long, long way! I suggest selecting the option for 100% PG (I had troubles with the VG mixture with fowl smell,etc... besides it is much easier to work with, because of the low viscosity in PG).
-100mg. Nicotine Base at MyFreedomSmokes
____________________________________________________________________________________________
--DIY Flavoring: This is all your preference. So far, I really like Brands like "Capella" and "The Flavor Apprentice (TFA)". I buy from a couple different Vendors...
-MyFreedomSmokes (under Nicotine & Mixing supplies) or just do a search on the site for the flavor you're looking for).
-WizardLabs (under Flavor Lab) or just do a search on the site for the flavor you're looking for).
____________________________________________________________________________________________
CLICK ON THE LINKS:
-DIY Tutorial
-Recipe Mixing Station
-Learn how to read a Syringe
-Mixing by Weight: If you would ever like to get into 'mixing by weight', this is a tutorial for that.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Example for a 30 ml. recipe that calls for 10% of Flavoring, with 12mg. of Nicotine,
at a rate of 35/65 (35 PG/65 VG):
3.6 = ml nicotine ejuice
7.2 = ml PG
16.2 = ml VG
3 = ml flavoring
____________________
30 Milliliters
____________________________________________________________________________________________
I want to thank my friend Cheechako for all of his help on getting me started up with DIYing!!
____________________________________________________________________________________________
to be continued...
