Im convinced diy is the way...

[BrotherBob]

I haven't really looked up good recipes yet

One tip: Before you place your first DIY flavor order, you might want to order only those flavors you will need to make 3 or more recipes. Order all the flavors for those recipes. Very few (2-3 flavors out of a 50 or more can be satisfying as single one flavor mix) flavors can standalone.
After I receive the flavors I test them as standalone single flavors. These tests are important because they will give a feel for taste and strength (note taking is a must for me) , not necessarily if they taste good, but more on how they might interact in a mix.

A liter of nicotine and a gallon

Might be way too much for nic/liter. Not all nic is created equal and taste is individual. Gallon, if you are sub ohm'g maybe.

 

[fiddleshe]

I plan on ordering nic from I think it's called heartlandvape. I don't subohm but I chainvape all day. I go through about 4.5 ml a day of juice. So that's 135 ml a month. You still think that's too much to order?

 

[amoret]

I have another bottle option. I have hand problems and I drop things - a lot. So glass is pretty much out, except for the 125 ml for my nicotine stash in the freezer. That size is something I can safely deal with for long enough to make a batch of diluted nicotine base. That base then goes into plastic 'ketchup' style plastic bottles.

I like to use 50 ml bottles for filling my clearomizers since they're easy to deal with. A long thin dropper fits the fairly small fill holes. Attached, not child resistant, caps are also handy.
I do have to mix in beakers because my 1 handed 'can't lose the top' bottles do have annoying small mouths. But since everything else about them is perfect I can live with that - I fill them with a 60 ml syringe.

 

[JCinFLA]

I have researched prices and stuff on nicotine and pg/vg. I am just not exactly sure how much I want to buy at this point. A liter of nicotine and a gallon of the others seems like so much but it's cost effective.

You mean a liter of nic and a gallon of each of the others...(others meaning the PG and VG), right? Are you planning on getting the 100mg/mL nic base?Seems like good amounts of those 3 things if your nic base will be the 100mg/mL.

However, what finished nic mg do you vape at, and what PG/VG ratio? Answers to those might change things a bit.

 

[fiddleshe]

Yes a liter of mix and a gallon each of pg and vg. I am getting the 100 mg base. I vape at 24 mg right now. I plan on cutting that back eventually. As far as ratio I don't know. I am going to start out at 50/50 but I want to play with different ratios to see what I like.

 

[IDJoel]

The following info might give you a better understanding of how long a liter might last for you (at your currant usage). Credit goes to @salemgold and her post here which I used as a template.

Here is an example using the numbers that you provided:

You vape 5 mL (rounding up the 4.5) of 24 mg each day 5 mL x 24 mg = 120 mg/day:
120 mg x 365 ( days in 1 year) =43,800 mg/year

You want to buy liters ( 1000ml) of 100mg nicotine:
1000 ml x 100 mg =100,000 mg in each liter bottle

Take the 100,000 mg in each liter and divide by the 43,800 mg/year that you use = 2.28 years.

So, 1 liter of 100mg/mL nicotine concentrate would last you about 2 1/4 years (about 2 1/2 if your 4.5mL/day is accurate).

 

[fiddleshe]

I could live with that. Thanks for doing the math. I am mathmatically challenged. I see calculations and I go running. I am a bit afraid of what the fda might do so I want to stick up on nicotine in case they make it to only where people with a license or something stupid can but it. 2.5 years is plenty of stock for me.

That being said where do people buy the clear condiment bottles from? I thought about looking at the dollar store. What size is a good size for these? I thought 32 oz them I realized how big cups are in these sizes. So I am thinking maybe more 16 oz. I can't find them listed in mls. But I only looked on eBay. Do I need 3. One for pg, one for vg and one for my base?

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

I could live with that. Thanks for doing the math. I am mathmatically challenged. I see calculations and I go running. I am a bit afraid of what the fda might do so I want to stick up on nicotine in case they make it to only where people with a license or something stupid can but it. 2.5 years is plenty of stock for me.

That being said where do people buy the clear condiment bottles from? I thought about looking at the dollar store. What size is a good size for these? I thought 32 oz them I realized how big cups are in these sizes. So I am thinking maybe more 16 oz. I can't find them listed in mls. But I only looked on eBay. Do I need 3. One for pg, one for vg and one for my base?

I oz is approx 30ml. So depending on how you break down the litre of nic will determine how many bottles you need.

Look at it this way.
I would buy 3 1000(liter bottles and caps)32 oz bottles resulting in 1 original bottle of nic base and 3 empty bottles(prefer amber or blue glass).

If you start with 100mg 1000ml or 33.814 oz.(approx litre size)nic base bought from the vendor of choice. When you divide it in half and add pg/vg to the first half to get it back to the 1000ml level you have reduced the mg to 50mg resulting in a litre(1000ml) bottle of nic base.

And filling the 2nd bottle(that you already poured half of the nic base into from the original bottle) and fill with pg/vg you would also then have another 1000 ml of 50 mg. This leaves you with 2 1000 ml of 50 mg.
I would then put one into the freezer for future use. Or you can continue to dilute as above and end up with 4 1000ml of 25mg base.

You can then see how you wish to further dilute it. This is only an example. You can take whatever amount you want and further dilute it and freeze the rest for future use.
I only gave the example above to help you understand the end amount of nic base you would end up with at your diluted mg level.
Hope this helps some.

 

[fiddleshe]

Not at all. That confused the life out of me. Told ya I'm a math ....... To me that's like saying Sally has a pie she ate 3 slices how much does she have left? Heck I don't know. How big were the slices lol. It would be easier for me to use a calculator that says put x amount of pg in bottle put x amount of vg in bottle them put x amount of nicotine in bottle. To give me 24 mg. Them when I'm ready to go down to 18 mg do the same thing. This way seems complicated. But who knows maybe I'm the one complicating it.

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

Ok then. How much do you want to freeze and how much do you want to keep out for mixing use?

 

[JCinFLA]

That being said where do people buy the clear condiment bottles from? I thought about looking at the dollar store. What size is a good size for these? I thought 32 oz them I realized how big cups are in these sizes. So I am thinking maybe more 16 oz. I can't find them listed in mls. But I only looked on eBay. Do I need 3. One for pg, one for vg and one for my base?

If you're talking about the ketchup and mustard type bottles that many people use for their plain PG and VG while mixing eliquids by the weight method...Walmart has them for about $.88 each. They're cloudy clear and are LDPE or PP plastic...won't leach plastic chemicals into the contents. You'll find them most likely in the BBQ tools and supplies section, and/or in the little housewares utensils section.

Don't forget, you'll need glass bottles to break down your liter of nic into smaller sized bottles, to put the majority of it into a freezer for longterm storage. Many people buy the Amber Glass Boston Round Bottles with the polycone caps. A good size is the 120mL (4oz.) ones and even some of the 60mL (2oz.) ones, too. Best place pricewise (including S/H) that I've found, and many order from now...is GlassBottleOutlet.com.

 

[fiddleshe]

Also it is easier to store small amounts of 100 mg nic in my freezer than it is larger amounts of 25 mg for 2 plus years.

 

[fiddleshe]

Ok then. How much do you want to freeze and how much do you want to keep out for mixing use?

Good question. I haven't thought of it. Thought I could just take a bottle out of the freezer and make up some base of my current mg level to last me say 3 months and put the bottle back in the freezer when I was done. I figured I could store the unused base in the fridge. If I can't do that let me know.

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

Good question. I haven't thought of it. Thought I could just take a bottle out of the freezer and make up some base of my current mg level to last me say 3 months and put the bottle back in the freezer when I was done. I figured I could store the unused base in the fridge. If I can't do that let me know.

Sounds like a plan.

 

[JCinFLA]

Also it is easier to store small amounts of 100 mg nic in my freezer than it is larger amounts of 25 mg for 2 plus years.

Yep. You're right. IMO, that's what most are doing with their nic base...leaving it at the 100mg/mL, which takes up much less space in the freezer. Also, PG & VG don't need to be kept in the freezer, or even refrigerator, to last a good while.

 

[JCinFLA]

Thought I could just take a bottle out of the freezer and make up some base of my current mg level to last me say 3 months and put the bottle back in the freezer when I was done. I figured I could store the unused base in the fridge. If I can't do that let me know.

I don't understand why you'd want to make about 3 months worth of base all at one time. Why not just make your eliquids with the PG, VG, nic base, and flavorings as you make a recipe? I know some people make a bunch of base if they never use more than about 1-2% total flavoring in a recipe, but from what I've heard and read...not for using much more flavoring than that. It really limits you on what recipes you can make with it, without having the effects below take place.

Making a quantity of base first, then adding flavorings to a small portion of it later (30mL or 50mL or 100mL bottle size)...is going to do 2 things: 1. reduce the mg level of your nic in that portion, and 2. change the PG/VG ratio from what you want it to be. Depending upon what total % of flavoring the recipe you're making calls for...will determine how much the nic mg will go down and how the PG/VG ratio will change. It will do that for every recipe you make with the premade base.

 

[DancingHeretik]

I don't understand why you'd want to make about 3 months worth of base all at one time. Why not just make your eliquids with the PG, VG, nic base, and flavorings as you make a recipe? I know some people make a bunch of base if they never use more than about 1-2% total flavoring in a recipe, but from what I've heard and read...not for using much more flavoring than that. It really limits you on what recipes you can make with it, without having the effects below take place.

Making a quantity of base first, then adding flavorings to a small portion of it later (30mL or 50mL or 100mL bottle size)...is going to do 2 things: 1. reduce the mg level of your nic in that portion, and 2. change the PG/VG ratio from what you want it to be. Depending upon what total % of flavoring the recipe you're making calls for...will determine how much the nic mg will go down and how the PG/VG ratio will change. It will do that for every recipe you make with the premade base.

I tend to mix at about 10%. I just mix up a bunch of base (nic, pg, and vg) based on 10% flavoring. That way, whether I use 8% or 13%, it's going to be in the right general area.

I'm very lazy.

 

[IDJoel]

That being said where do people buy the clear condiment bottles from?

Another place (local) you can check is one I use here in Boise and I see you have one there in Phoenix too. It is:
Standard Restaurant Supply,
2922 E McDowell Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85008
Phone602) 275-8550

They have a pretty good selection and their prices are quite reasonable. Here is a link to their website so you can decide if you want to check them out: Standard Restaurant Supply.

What size is a good size for these? I thought 32 oz them I realized how big cups are in these sizes. So I am thinking maybe more 16 oz. I can't find them listed in mls. But I only looked on eBay.

I only use the condiment bottles for my working bottles (the bottles used to directly add PG, VG, and nic while mixing. Anything for storage I want to have a descent cap/seal on it (esp. my nicotine). PG. and VG stay in their gallon jugs and go into the linen closet (where there is room) and the nic gets broken down into 250mL glass bottles and get stored in the freezer.

I have found, for me personally, I don't like larger than 12 ounce squeeze/condiment bottles. I find anything larger is too hard to control the pour; especially when they are full. The sheer weight/volume can force the liquid out faster than I want or can easily control. I personally prefer 8 ounce for PG, and VG, and 4-6 ounce for nic; but that is just me and I don't usually mix larger than 30mL/1 ounce batches. I prefer to sacrifice the convenience of not having to fill them as often in trade for better control. You may feel differently (I know of others that do); especially if you intend to be making larger batches frequently.

 

[DaveP]

Many will say exposing the e-Liquid to sunlight will destroy the nicotine as I have had some trying to tell me putting them under a desk lamp will do! Had to remind them my incandescent bulbs do not emit UV Rays.

The kitchen window I mentioned is on the side of the house where the sun doesn't shine through directly. UV can be reflected but it's a cool spot with no direct sunlight. Light itself isn't the best for nic, but I'm at 3mg/ml any way.

I just like the back-lighting in the bottles. It makes pretty bubbles when I shake them!

 

[Eskie]

Yes a liter of mix and a gallon each of pg and vg. I am getting the 100 mg base. I vape at 24 mg right now. I plan on cutting that back eventually. As far as ratio I don't know. I am going to start out at 50/50 but I want to play with different ratios to see what I like.

If you vape 5 ml a day, at 50/5, you'll go through ~1L of VG/PG a year. Actually less PG as flavors typically come in PG, and if you buy your nic in PG that also counts. Rather than buying a gallon (~4L for simplicity) is way overkill. Me? I but a quart/liter at a time. I still have 3/4 of a bottle of PG sitting around as I mix 70/30, maybe ~10% flavorings and nic in PG. I just finished my first quart of VG a month or so ago. As I don't expect any supply issues with that stuff, having a GlyCube of 4 gallons stashed somewhere doesn't seem to make sense in my circumstance.