Need a DIY starter kit... suggestions?

[Downgraded286]

So, I probably spend about $150-200 a month on juice for my fiancee and myself, depending on what I buy. Tough times are pushing me to get finances under stricter control due to some unforeseen expenses and the desire to pay other debts off more quickly. I figure learning to DIY is one way to save some amount of money...

Anyways with the backstory out of the way, my plan is to stick with a 50/50 PG/VG ratio, keeping things somewhat simple. Nic will be required too. We currently both vape 12mg nic (except the 6mg Space Jam Eclipse I use in my Nautilus), but I could lower that to 10 for simplicity. I don't think we'll be hurting from such a small drop.

Flavor wise, well, she uses Nicquid gen 7, so... I'm not sure what flavorings would create a similar juice... but, she always says she wants juice that tastes like a cigarette, so I suppose any decent tobacco recipe would do for starters.

I suppose I'll also need a cheap RDA. Cheap is the keyword here. It doesn't need to be able to produce huge clouds or anything like that... it would basically be a taste tester device, since RDAs are supposed to be good at changing flavors frequently.

 

[SteveS45]

I will always recommend the Liquid Barn DIY Starter Kit. Everything you need and nothing will be wasted contrary to some who say you get things you will never use. You will get enough to make over 1,400 ML's of e-Liquids and if you want any flavor suggestions to pick just ask.

Good Luck and Vape On Safely!

 

[penstyle]

Looks like a reasonable kit to me. Do they make their own flavorings?

 

[SteveS45]

Yes, go to the pages and all flavors have FDS or Flavor data Sheets so no questions about what they contain. They are also all tested before being released.

 

[sketchness]

Lots of people come on here and have trouble with the liquid barn kit. Harsh vape etc. plus their flavor offering is limited.

I would check out wizard labs as a one stop shop to get what you want. Their lone weakness is they don't carry Hangsen flavors which are great tobacco flavors. Inawera burley is a pretty decent straight up tobacco.

Most of the starter kits are pretty terrible and include things you don't really need. Rts is another place you could try.

 

[SteveS45]

I have never experienced any harshness with Liquid Barn Nicselect or the VG/PG. I will agree the flavors are limited but Liquid Barn is still adding even after 8/8/16. I see more people criticize LB who have never purchased anything from them. Personal experience is a better review then well I heard from someone.

 

[sketchness]

I have never experienced any harshness with Liquid Barn Nicselect or the VG/PG. I will agree the flavors are limited but Liquid Barn is still adding even after 8/8/16. I see more people criticize LB who have never purchased anything from them. Personal experience is a better review then well I heard from someone.

I am not knocking you at all just sharing what I have observed.

And nicselect is $30 cheaper a liter at nicotineriver.com

 

[Capt.shay]

Kits are almost always a bad idea. Some stuff you will use and some stuff you pay for and they collect dust. You don't need a lot of things to get started so just buy what you need as you go along. I strongly recommend mixing by weight ( Mixing By Weight: Basics 101 ) for which you need very few supplies. I also think there are better places than LB to make your purchases. Several places have better selection and price. Wizard Labs, Bull City and the above mentioned N. River are some good examples. As far as pipettes, syringes, bottles etc. ebay is a good bet.

 

[OlderNDirt]

I just got into DIY myself, so take this for what it is worth, .

I took Capt.shay's advice and picked up the scale he recommended in the thread he just suggested and have been very happy mixing by weight. I have some pretty wonky hands and just finished mixing up 4 different flavor 30ml bottles in about 45 minutes. Not bad for me and according to the calculator, at a total cost of less then $3.00, a pretty substantial savings. I picked up everything else to start from Heartland Vapes including a syringe pack I have yet to use. I would suggest getting flavorings elsewhere as theirs come in 4oz bottles which is a lot to try them and I can only imagine how long they will last me.

I also took the advice to try a mix of unflavored to try the nic. I heard of others that vape unflavored all the time which didn't sound that good to me. But to my surprise, it is a rather nice vape that she and you may actually like.

Good luck, whatever you choose.

 

[AzPlumber]

First decide if you are going to mix by weight or volume. If you go with weight get a scale if you go with volume get a few syringes (16 or 18 gauge for PG, 12 or 14 gauge for VG)
Get some bottles (never have enough bottles)
Get some nic in all PG or all VG (a mixed PG/VG ratio only complicates the mathematical learning curve) and at least 36mg if your aiming for 12mg.
Get some plain PG and VG
Get some flavors

 

[smacuser]

I suppose I'll also need a cheap RDA. Cheap is the keyword here.

I, and a lot of folks, use an iGo-L; never needed anything more. Check around, they can be bought for cheaper if you look.
Fastttech has them for around $3 if you can wait 3 weeks for shipping.

It's super easy to build on and wick.

 

[Storm0075]

I recently bought the LB kit after several personal recommendations. It will be here next week. To save costs since we are also on a tight budget.... we are reusing bottles that we received juice in. We will be purchasing more flavors slowly over time. Find a recipe you would like and buy those flavors first, then build over time.

 

[JCinFLA]

I'd also recommend against buying a starter kit from a vendor. You really don't need the majority of supplies in a kit...no matter which measuring method (by volume or by weight) that you choose to use.

I taught Science classes for years, so I already had plenty of new beakers, flasks, graduated cylinders, etc. since I bought all of them myself. I used 1 beaker and 1 graduated cylinder, along with (1) 3mL Luer Lock syringe, (1) 10mL Luer Lock syringe, and a few Luer Lock blunt tip needles...to make my first (2) 30mL bottles of DIY eliquids. I used those same measuring supplies 2 more times, but since then...I just measure each of my liquid ingredients and shoot them directly into the bottles my finished eliquids will be stored in! The beaker and the graduated cylinder aren't used at all any more! Takes me only about 5 minutes at most, for cleanup & putting things away again, after mixing several bottles now!

I haven't tried mixing by weight yet, even though I also have a couple scales already, that weigh in the increments necessary for mixing accurately. Might give it a try sometime. But, when it only takes the few materials I use now to measure by volume, and cleanup is so quick...I can't see how it would be much faster nor efficient for me personally.

In the longrun, each person has to decide for themselves what works best for him/her. The method that's easier and more efficient for 1 person, may not be the same method for someone else.

I think the following though, is something to think about for any new person starting to DIY...no matter what method is used for measuring. Find some recipes that you'd like to make before you order any flavorings! Once you find a few recipes...order the flavorings needed for those first. Many people go about that backwards, and then post on here asking what they can make with the ones they bought. Most times, they've chosen flavorings that just sound good to them, and/or are flavors they like in drinks, or candies, etc. There are flavorings that are primary ones, secondary ones (like blenders), additives, sweeteners, etc. It usually takes some from several of those types of flavorings...to be able to mix many of the recipes out there. You don't want to have only a bunch of primary flavorings...with none of the other types that are necessary to make something that's good and truly vapable.

 

[sketchness]

Good little atty for testing. Free shipping and super cheap $2.50. Similar to the igo mentioned above but dual coil

Sigelei Sig-S 22mm RDA Rebuildable Atty

 

[Dougiestyle]

Onestopdiyshop.com has amazing customer service. They offer user friendly starter kits.

 

[Maestro]

I'd also recommend against buying a starter kit from a vendor. You really don't need the majority of supplies in a kit...no matter which measuring method (by volume or by weight) that you choose to use.

I taught Science classes for years, so I already had plenty of new beakers, flasks, graduated cylinders, etc. since I bought all of them myself. I used 1 beaker and 1 graduated cylinder, along with (1) 3mL Luer Lock syringe, (1) 10mL Luer Lock syringe, and a few Luer Lock blunt tip needles...to make my first (2) 30mL bottles of DIY eliquids. I used those same measuring supplies 2 more times, but since then...I just measure each of my liquid ingredients and shoot them directly into the bottles my finished eliquids will be stored in! The beaker and the graduated cylinder aren't used at all any more! Takes me only about 5 minutes at most, for cleanup & putting things away again, after mixing several bottles now!

I haven't tried mixing by weight yet, even though I also have a couple scales already, that weigh in the increments necessary for mixing accurately. Might give it a try sometime. But, when it only takes the few materials I use now to measure by volume, and cleanup is so quick...I can't see how it would be much faster nor efficient for me personally.

In the longrun, each person has to decide for themselves what works best for him/her. The method that's easier and more efficient for 1 person, may not be the same method for someone else.

I think the following though, is something to think about for any new person starting to DIY...no matter what method is used for measuring. Find some recipes that you'd like to make before you order any flavorings! Once you find a few recipes...order the flavorings needed for those first. Many people go about that backwards, and then post on here asking what they can make with the ones they bought. Most times, they've chosen flavorings that just sound good to them, and/or are flavors they like in drinks, or candies, etc. There are flavorings that are primary ones, secondary ones (like blenders), additives, sweeteners, etc. It usually takes some from several of those types of flavorings...to be able to mix many of the recipes out there. You don't want to have only a bunch of primary flavorings...with none of the other types that are necessary to make something that's good and truly vapable.

If you're mixing by weight, you don't need the syringes, beakers, graduated cylinders, etc. Which means no cleanup. That's why it's faster and easier. I have squeeze bottles for the nic, PG and VG. Most of the flavors come in squeeze bottles as well. For those that don't, I use a pipette and throw it away. Accuracy is a plus, but not the main reason for doing it.

 

[JCinFLA]

@Maestro - In my post I said I no longer use a beaker, nor graduated cylinder....just a few syringes & blunt needle tips. So, the 5 minute combination cleanup & put stuff away time...is no big deal. It's not worth changing a mixing method that's working for me, to save maybe 1-2 minutes of that 5...by having no cleanup of the syringes nor tips.

I also don't keep my nic base in a plastic bottle, nor my flavorings. It's all in glass bottles/vials with polycone caps, so no "squeezing out" of those things for me.

Also, I frequently make up to 7 different recipes into their individual 30 or 50mL bottles at the same time. Can't do that without up to 7 scales! But, I can easily do it using syringes and blunt needle tips to measure out each liquid component. I put the Nic base, plain PG, and plain VG, into each bottle first. Then, because some recipes I make have some of the same flavorings in them, it doesn't take long to get those in their respective bottles either. Adding the additional uncommon flavorings in last...is a snap, too.

Also, for a new DIYer...if you compare the cost of even just a decent scale (let alone the cost of a small set of weights) ...versus the cost of a few syringes and some blunt needle tips...there's a huge difference! Why discourage someone from trying the measuring by volume...at a much lower cost...to see if it works for them? If it doesn't, then buy a scale and try that method, instead of the other way around!

There are advantages to each measuring method. It just seems that here on the ECF, those who favor by weight, versus by volume...are just more certain & vocal that their way is THE way.

 

[Eskie]

For me the issue of weight vs. volume really comes down to the amount to be mixed (almost said volume to complicate things). For small batches such as 30 ml of a DIY juice at a time, volume with syringes is easiest for me. If I decide to make large batches such as 200 ml at a time (maybe once I finally have some winning flavored juice that will be my ADV) preparation by weight would likely be easier and faster. Both work, both have pluses and minuses. As I'm still settling on what I really want to DIY, volume is my approach. Cheaper and easier.

Besides, I already have over a liter of premixed I still want to vape, so I'm really not looking to mix up several 250 ml bottles at this time.

 

[dannyv45]

Starter kits are OK for the new DYI'er but you do get a lot of what you don't need along with what you do need and the quality of most kits are not great quality as far as the measuring hardware you do get.

Read my blog on everything you need for the first time DIY'er

What you need to know as as far as supplies and safety for the first time juicer. | E-Cigarette Forum

Then read my other blogs for everything else DIY.

dannyv45's blog | E-Cigarette Forum

 

[Arnold Ziffle]

a while ago I got the liquid barn kit. quite happy with it. it has a lot of tools , ten flavors,nic and pg and vg. the price is reasonable for the amount you get. about the same as a good 120 mil bottle of juice. sure , I haven't used a lot of the tools that came with it but every now and then I need something different than I normally use and I look in the box and there's something in there that will work well. I've never been left wanting.

I will reorder five of there flavors and I ordered nic and pg/vg when they had a 40% off sale.. will they be my only supplier ,no but with there good service and help they will get a lot of my business..

you can always find something a little cheaper from someone else but at this stage of my life I don't care. I bought some nude nicotine armor which is higher than most and all ready set up for long term storage . in the scheme of things all diy is dirt cheap. even the high priced spread.