Beginner question regarding drop volume

[nicobeak]

Not sure if I should post this here or new members forum, it's a pretty basic question. I have never made my own juice, but I tried the other day because my neighbor let me borrow his diy kit. There isn't much in the kit, but I am just trying the diy thing out to see if it's something I want to get into.

I've been using an online calculator that goes by drops, and I understand that different droppers have different drop volumes.

My question is: When using the same dropper (for me disposable pipet thing), would vg have a different number of drops per ml than pg or flavorings. This would make sense to me based the density of different substances, but all the calculators I have found only seem to have one drop/ml adjustment.

Any quick tips on just starting out with limited supplies?

 

[Mr.Mann]

No, not necessarily a different amount of drops per se, but it will flow differently thus making it possible to have different measurements (if you could call drops measurements). Honestly, the best and easiest thing you can do is to get a 1, 3, 5 and 10 mL syringe with thin (20 g) and blunt tip (14 g) needles . I use the thin needles for flavoring and the blunt tips for high VG.

If you need syringes but are not in a position to get some (for whatever reason), my PM inbox has room to receive a message. LOL. (For real)

 

[Alien Traveler]

On average 1 ml is equal to 20 drops. But it can vary; depends on liquid, material and diameter of pipette.

mL to Drop Converter, Chart -- EndMemo

 

[dannyv45]

Drops are very inaccurate. Drop size varies from dropper to dropper. As suggested by Mr.Mann, Syringes are a better tool for more exacting measurments. They can be got at most CVS's or online at any DYI shop. Even amazon and ebay has them.

 

[CryoGen]

+1 for syringes

 

[Mr.Mann]

Oh yeah, try to have a plethora of 1 mL/1 cc syringes until you start making huge batches (and even then you will still find them handy).

Couple tips:

-- Keep your syringes clean. What I do: I have two mason jars (or beakers) and one will have distilled water and the other will be empty. I draw up clean water and expel it into the empty jar. I do that a few times until I can be satisfied that my syringes are clean and won't adulterate other concentrates (change clean water relatively often -- I change every couple days). Also make sure to draw and press to get the last bit of water out of the syringe (a good deal can sorta hide in there, as would flavoring).

-- Put clear tape over (or clear nail polish) over the syringe markings so that the markings won't fade (which they will, unless you are using some high-priced syringe).

 

[Flt Simulation]

When using the same dropper, would vg have a different number of drops per ml than pg or flavorings?

VG is much thicker than flavorings ... If you use the same eye dropper and the same amount of drops, you will get more liquid with the thicker VG.

 

[derogg]

volume or weight is the way to go. If you are not planning on sharing or trying to use someone elses recipes drops are a simple method and will probably get you close.
-Dirk

 

[Alien Traveler]

I am using drop method only for flavorings; most of my flavorings from Bull City are in eye drop bottles anyway.

 

[Mad Scientist]

For repeatability and to be able to scale up recipes, you have to measure with something accurate and repeatable. Syringes are the best way to measure very small liquid amounts (balance is good too but a balance of needed accuracy/precision is expensive). I got a huge box of 0.5 ml syringes on ebay for a few bucks. Not hard to measure a volume within a couple 1/100ths of a ml even with my old eyesight lol.

Drops not so good because even the same liquid in the same dropper will give different volumes depending on liquid viscosity at a given temperature and also just the random nature of forming a drop. The randomness may cancel out over a very large number of trials but if a recipe calls for only some certain several drops, it will never really be repeatable.

For larger amounts (multiple ml or several grams), a syringe or cylinder or cheap load cell based electronic scale are fine.

 

[xxJollyRogerxx]

don't forget some pharmacies will give you syringes for free. Especially if they know you there
I am still loving my glass stringes