Mixing By Weight: Basics 101

[TheTinMan]

I saw this thread the other night and it made me pull the trigger on ordering my flavors, nic, and a set of scales.

Along with this thread I watched a 30 minute video on making ejuice by weight.

So the last of the supplies arrived today. Took the scales out of the box, got all my flavors, PG, VG, nic, and recipe pulled up on my iPad. 20 minutes later I had 120ml of juice. Shaked off and on for two hours and currently dripping some now.

Big shout out to @Capt.shay for this thread. Thanks a ton!

 

[dobroeutro]

I saw this thread the other night and it made me pull the trigger on ordering my flavors, nic, and a set of scales.

Along with this thread I watched a 30 minute video on making ejuice by weight.

So the last of the supplies arrived today. Took the scales out of the box, got all my flavors, PG, VG, nic, and recipe pulled up on my iPad. 20 minutes later I had 120ml of juice. Shaked off and on for two hours and currently dripping some now.

Big shout out to @Capt.shay for this thread. Thanks a ton!

Congratz! Same for me. I found this thread the day after I joined ECF. 2 weeks later, well you know the rest...

 

[ShowerHead]

I guess, after all this rambling, what I am try to say is; that it may not always be easy-peasy

What it seems like is you do it one way and I contend that is not the point of by weight mixing.

That you have this or that, can or can't measure accurately, have recipes that are broken with 1/4 of 1 percent difference kinda makes you an outlier. In general, when I speak generally, I'm not including all possible situations. Just the common, run of the mill person who wants to be fairly accurate with ease.

 

[TheTinMan]

Congratz! Same for me. I found this thread the day after I joined ECF. 2 weeks later, well you know the rest...

Congrats to you as well. So simple and it's just plain fun to DIY.

 

[Mactavish]

What it seems like is you do it one way and I contend that is not the point of by weight mixing.

That you have this or that, can or can't measure accurately, have recipes that are broken with 1/4 of 1 percent difference kinda makes you an outlier. In general, when I speak generally, I'm not including all possible situations. Just the common, run of the mill person who wants to be fairly accurate with ease.

"IDJoel" makes some good points in his post. I use the squeeze bottles for the higher volume liquids, VG, PG, NIC. Personally, I don't want my flavors in any type of plastic containers, and there are logical reasons why. I bought all my TFA flavors directly from them when I learned they come in GLASS bottles with proper polycone caps. So for me at least, no need to transfer them. One can then use their syringes, disposable plastic pipettes, or in my case a single syringe on my medical repeater.

I didn't learn of weight based mixing here, but the OP made a very nice and easy to understand presentation, no reason not to add to this thread other thoughts and ideas, if not, lock it and make it a sticky or whatever.

Here's a TIP from a DIY weight based newbie:

Try and find HDPE plastic bottles for your liquids, they are a slightly harder plastic, as opposed to the easier to find LDPE plastics. When you get close to your target weight, and you are a few drops away from hitting the target, the added pressure resistance of the harder plastic now makes it easier NOT to over shoot.

 

[dobroeutro]

Treat yourself to 15% off your entire order when you shop Bull City Flavors on Monday, October 31. Enter promo code HALLOWEEN2016 at checkout.

 

[Capt.shay]

I saw this thread the other night and it made me pull the trigger on ordering my flavors, nic, and a set of scales.

Along with this thread I watched a 30 minute video on making ejuice by weight.

So the last of the supplies arrived today. Took the scales out of the box, got all my flavors, PG, VG, nic, and recipe pulled up on my iPad. 20 minutes later I had 120ml of juice. Shaked off and on for two hours and currently dripping some now.

Big shout out to @Capt.shay for this thread. Thanks a ton!

Congratz! Same for me. I found this thread the day after I joined ECF. 2 weeks later, well you know the rest...

Thanks guys! It took a little while to make the OP and I'm so glad to see that effort paying off by way of helping new folks out. The process can seem intimidating to many at first so I broke it down in to nice easy steps with pictures and all and this seems to have made it a lot easier for folks to grasp. Also, it really is just so much easier with a scale. And, let me say again, the way of the weigh was passed on to me and I am very happy that I am able to pay it forward.

if not, lock it and make it a sticky or whatever.

Actually Mac., it is a sticky But, it is a living sticky and I'm glad that the mods did not lock it. I encourage people to continue to comment. Not just about weighing but on the mixing process in general, however, if the conversation goes to far afield I will try to steer it back on course. If someone wishes to continue off topic they may start their own thread.


Happy mixing folks, please continue with any questions or sharing your experience with scale based mixing.

John

 

[TheTinMan]

Thanks guys! It took a little while to make the OP and I'm so glad to see that effort paying off by way of helping new folks out. The process can seem intimidating to many at first so I broke it down in to nice easy steps with pictures and all and this seems to have made it a lot easier for folks to grasp. Also, it really is just so much easier with a scale. And, let me say again, the way of the weigh was passed on to me and I am very happy that I am able to pay it forward.

The original post really takes the intimidation factor and dials it down to a comfort level that makes people stop and say, "Hey, I can do that!"

Since I had a recipe from a trusted poster I had no worries about jumping in with both feet. The way of the weigh along with the recipe had me mixing 120ml from the word go. That one bottle paid for over half the supplies I bought, compared to buying juice from a local B&M.

Can't thank you enough.

 

[DaveP]

For bottles, I'm happy with the 25 pack I ordered from Amazon for $18.95. They are 60ml with screw caps and dripper tip inserts that perfectly fit the fill hole on a Kayfun.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01ITTTSOM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s03?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I use Boston Round 60ml bottles for DIY on the scale. The dropper top openings are small and at least once during a 6 bottle mix I will miss and a drip goes down the outside.

I picked up a three pack of 4oz wide mouth Mason jars recently at Marshall's. I'm probably going to try using them for DIY. That will mean that I have to add a pour step into the HDPE bottles, but the mouths are wide and great for shaky fingers. Doing that will add a step pouring into the 60ml HDPE bottle, but I won't have to stop and wipe the bottle and the drip on the scale while mixing. 4oz is about 118ml, so they would be good for mixing juice I really like in quantities.

 

[Fozzy71]

...
I use Boston Round 60ml bottles for DIY on the scale. The dropper top openings are small and at least once during a 6 bottle mix I will miss and a drip goes down the outside.
...

I use a little stainless whiskey flask funnel to make sure I don't miss the small openings on my boston round bottles I use or these funnels I got 12 of from GBO.

 

[Kenna]

For bottles, I'm happy with the 25 pack I ordered from Amazon for $18.95. They are 60ml with screw caps and dripper tip inserts that perfectly fit the fill hole on a Kayfun.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01ITTTSOM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s03?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I use Boston Round 60ml bottles for DIY on the scale. The dropper top openings are small and at least once during a 6 bottle mix I will miss and a drip goes down the outside.

I picked up a three pack of 4oz wide mouth Mason jars recently at Marshall's. I'm probably going to try using them for DIY. That will mean that I have to add a pour step into the HDPE bottles, but the mouths are wide and great for shaky fingers. Doing that will add a step pouring into the 60ml HDPE bottle, but I won't have to stop and wipe the bottle and the drip on the scale while mixing. 4oz is about 118ml, so they would be good for mixing juice I really like in quantities.

Have you considered using a small funnel? I got mine from BCV I think it was. You could drip into that, aiming for the center as much as you can, but it will all end up in the bottle by the time you add pg/vg. I hang an opened paperclip in the bottle opening before inserting the funnel to provide a way to let air escape from the bottle as liquid is added.

 

[TheTinMan]

Have you considered using a small funnel? I got mine from BCV I think it was. You could drip into that, aiming for the center as much as you can, but it will all end up in the bottle by the time you add pg/vg. I hang an opened paperclip in the bottle opening before inserting the funnel to provide a way to let air escape from the bottle as liquid is added.

I got a couple of funnels from BCV and they are a life saver. Thanks for the paper clip idea. It's takes a while for the VG to empty out of that funnel!

 

[Capt.shay]

I found some 10mm glass funnels that fit a 15ml plastic dripper bottle and bigger. I think I E-bay'ed them.

 

[Eliquid reporter]

Clear condiment/cake decorating squeeze bottles work really well for me. VG works great, but PG can be a little drippy if you aren't careful.

The technique sensitive part is judging the scale settling time. It's easy to go a little over, but a fraction of a milligram here and there doesn't ruin a 50ml recipe. If you are doing tiny sample mixes of ten ml or less, it's critical to get it right.

I Second this


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Mactavish]

Set of 3, Stainlees Steel Funnels:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FKERMW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The smallest one fits inside a 15ml plastic squeeze bottle.

 

[DaveP]

Have you considered using a small funnel? I got mine from BCV I think it was. You could drip into that, aiming for the center as much as you can, but it will all end up in the bottle by the time you add pg/vg. I hang an opened paperclip in the bottle opening before inserting the funnel to provide a way to let air escape from the bottle as liquid is added.

I've thought about a funnel. The right one would fill most of the opening so that the funnel wouldn't tip and spill. I like the suggestion of the paper clip to allow air to escape during a pour.

I'll give that a try. My Boston Rounds bottles are hefty enough to support a small funnel without tipping from top heaviness.

 

[Fozzy71]

I've thought about a funnel. The right one would fill most of the opening so that the funnel wouldn't tip and spill. I like the suggestion of the paper clip to allow air to escape during a pour.

I'll give that a try. My Boston Rounds bottles are hefty enough to support a small funnel without tipping from top heaviness.

This is my favorite funnel to use for DIY in my boston rounds - https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B009CYZWCQ/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Wide, short and won't seal air tight causing it to drain slow like the ones from GBO I linked earlier. It won't fit on some of my plastic dripper bottles I fill from the bigger mixes so I might need to try the paper clip suggestion as right now I just pour slow into those and squeeze them to drain the funnel.

 

[corn flakes]

This is my favorite funnel to use for DIY in my boston rounds - https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B009CYZWCQ/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Wide, short and won't seal air tight causing it to drain slow like the ones from GBO I linked earlier. It won't fit on some of my plastic dripper bottles I fill from the bigger mixes so I might need to try the paper clip suggestion as right now I just pour slow into those and squeeze them to drain the funnel.

I have that funnel. Fit fine in 30ml and 60ml bostons but doesn't fit and of my plastic bottles.

 

[Fozzy71]

I have that funnel. Fit fine in 30ml and 60ml bostons but doesn't fit and of my plastic bottles.

yep, that's why I got the skinny necked plastic funnels from GBO

 

[Kenna]

I've thought about a funnel. The right one would fill most of the opening so that the funnel wouldn't tip and spill. I like the suggestion of the paper clip to allow air to escape during a pour.

I'll give that a try. My Boston Rounds bottles are hefty enough to support a small funnel without tipping from top heaviness.

The one I got from BCV is very light weight. No tipping danger.