All my DIY liquid sucks

[Nikhil]

You probably already know this, but every supplier, even Dekang/Boge does the exact same thing we DIY'ers do - mix PG, nicotine, and flavor. The point of DIY is to make something that you like, specific to your tastes. If you have a problem mixing and you're not doing something crazy like vaping 80% flavor or 60mg/ml it's likely an ingredient. Unless you don't care to customize your liquid, I don't see why you don't try a different nicotine supplier or at least try adding the flavorings you have to liquids you feel don't have enough flavor.

 

[sweetniko]

I do like Maple from the PA mixed with a premade Virginia and a touch of premade caramel.
I didn't like the smell of the PA caramel so that's why I used a V4L caramel but will try another brand of DIY caramel in the future.

I have decided that I really only like 2 premade flavors, Virginia and RY4 (besides EcoPure which I can't afford) and I am OK with that.

I will be a "halfy DIYer"
I plan on doctoring up my 2 premades I like. I will probably only use the maple or EM though. But the EM had a weird smell also...perhaps I should buy the crystals and dissolve them myself. I think nicotine in a base of glycerin with EM added is what EcoRICH is. Mine had that weird bad smell but if I subtracted that it smelled exactly like the above. Maybe in the future I'll buy some nic. with a glycerin base and find out.

I tried to get some use out of the Vanilla Bourban flavor by putting it in seltzer water with Xyitol (sugar substitute) and it was good but I don't drink soda pop.

Most of the other flavors I bought don't smell good to me but it is just me.
The nicotine, on the other hand may not be good to anyone unless they cover it up with menthol. (Spearment covered up the taste but I can't vape it more than a few minutes.)

 

[MacDiver]

When I run test samples, I use only PG and flavouring. It saves on nic and the only real thing we loose is TH.

9 drops of PG to 1 drops flavouring = flavouring at 10%. That is a good starting point, let it sit for an hour or so and then drip it on a clean atty. If that is too weak, make another batch using 8 drops of PG and 2 drops of flavouring = 20% flavouring. Let that sit an hour or so. Blow out you atty and try it. If it is too strong, then your target is between the 2 samples. If you were to mix the 2 samples together, you would have flavouring at 15%. Now leave that alone until the next day. It should be stronger as the liquids have thoroughly mixed.

If it is too strong then your starting point will probably be 10%, but no greater than 15%. That is your starting point for that flavour. It can then be adjusted in subsequent recipes. Many recipes do not come into their own until a couple of weeks down the road where they had a chance to age. I mix my juices fresh, a week or 2 ahead of time.

Switched, This is great advise. I've been making my new mixes at 2-3ml with the full recipe, including nic, and going from there. Didn't know how to do it this way. Besides, I thought the nic would effect the flavor. But evidently not too much.

What's the easiest way to premix PG/VG at 80/20? So far I get my VG from Walmart in a four oz size and PG in a pint so the amounts aren't very big. The only measuring devices I have are 3ml syringes. Do you use lab beakers or something else that's measured to mix with?

Thanks!

 

[wolflrv]

I had some of the same problems you're having when I first started mixing juice. The quality of your ingredients is the first key to success. If you're mixing from scratch I'd suggest getting some small bottles of nic juice, pg and vg from xtremevaping.com. I've tried other suppliers for those components and also done the walmart and hobby lobby trips, but the end result was just garbage, that no amount of flavor could overcome. I mix my 50mg nic juice with 20% vg and 30% pg as an unflavored base. This gives me 25mg unflavored juice.

Then I add 2 drops per ml of flavoring that I'm mixing up, usually in 3ml travel bottles. So that would be adding 6 drops of whatever flavor I'm in the mood for that day. It's simple easy and quick.

As far as flavorings go, I've used Lorann's, Perfumer's Apprentice and FlavourArt. Hands down by far the winner is FlavourArt. Not only does it only require a drop or two at a time, it's dead-on as far as flavor and smell and I often get complements when vaping in public even at how nice it smells. The gang at HappyVaper.com in canada are just awesome and I live down here in Tennessee and get my shipments fast and easy. As far as the Lorann's I like the taste, but it's too sugary and tends to kill my atties. The PA stuff I've still got on my shelf in a box cause it tastes like vaping vodka to me..no flavor..just that alcohol burn...maybe my tastes will change later.

In closing, I'll just say that it took me quite a bit of experimenting and tossing batches(very small ones), or combining them and diluting them and then continually fixing them to get it down to my present routine as stated above. I'm very happy doing DIY-juice though, because I found with all the store bought stuff, that there was just too much inconsistency and I never knew what flavors were gonna kill my atties or just be a waste. Hang in there...don't give up yet...it's really fun when you get the hang of it!

 

[Switched]

Switched, This is great advise. I've been making my new mixes at 2-3ml with the full recipe, including nic, and going from there. Didn't know how to do it this way. Besides, I thought the nic would effect the flavor. But evidently not too much.

What's the easiest way to premix PG/VG at 80/20? So far I get my VG from Walmart in a four oz size and PG in a pint so the amounts aren't very big. The only measuring devices I have are 3ml syringes. Do you use lab beakers or something else that's measured to mix with?

Thanks!

10ml syringes Mac. I don't premix anything anymore. I mix as I go.Wrt large bottles I just decant them into smaller bottle (e.g old VG bottles that have been washed etc...re-labelled as req'd)

When I am at the end of a bottle I just pour it into my syringe (VG first), then anything else will just float on top. I insert the end of a rd toothpick in the hole to prevent seepage, even VG will seep with sufficient head.

 

[Switched]

I do like Maple from the PA mixed with a premade Virginia and a touch of premade caramel.
I didn't like the smell of the PA caramel so that's why I used a V4L caramel but will try another brand of DIY caramel in the future.

I have decided that I really only like 2 premade flavors, Virginia and RY4 (besides EcoPure which I can't afford) and I am OK with that.

I will be a "halfy DIYer"
I plan on doctoring up my 2 premades I like. I will probably only use the maple or EM though. But the EM had a weird smell also...perhaps I should buy the crystals and dissolve them myself. I think nicotine in a base of glycerin with EM added is what EcoRICH is. Mine had that weird bad smell but if I subtracted that it smelled exactly like the above. Maybe in the future I'll buy some nic. with a glycerin base and find out.

I tried to get some use out of the Vanilla Bourban flavor by putting it in seltzer water with Xyitol (sugar substitute) and it was good but I don't drink soda pop.

Most of the other flavors I bought don't smell good to me but it is just me.
The nicotine, on the other hand may not be good to anyone unless they cover it up with menthol. (Spearment covered up the taste but I can't vape it more than a few minutes.)

You have been shown how to troubleshoot your base ingredients. the rest is up to you.

 

[sweetniko]

I was cleaning up my supplies and found a glass jar that was filled.
It smelled like alcohol, I forgot to label it. I think it is probably is 24mg nic in a PG base. I don't know what else would be in it.
It doesn't have that bad smell at all so I poured some of my 24 mg stinky nic from the dropper bottle into another jar and will let it sit a couple of days.
If it smells like alcohol in a couple of days then all I need to do is put the whole batch in a jar with a larger surface area. This would mean it needed to "breathe" somewhat.

I know Oxygen isn't good for nic. but maybe a little bit actually helps it.
I still placed a large order from V4L though.
But I might be able to salvage all the nic if it ages well in my new jar and I can find some better flavors.
Is there a caramel that doesn't smell like candy? I mean a true caramel flavor.

 

[Nikhil]

The reason letting liquids "breathe" helps sometimes is because they have PGA or other chemicals that easily evaporate which can distort flavors that are made for foods.

 

[zoiDman]

... What's the easiest way to premix PG/VG at 80/20? So far I get my VG from Walmart in a four oz size and PG in a pint so the amounts aren't very big. The only measuring devices I have are 3ml syringes. Do you use lab beakers or something else that's measured to mix with? ...

If your going for a 80%PG to 20%VG ratio, then it's 8 parts PG to 2 Parts VG.

Exms:

8 drops PG to 2 drops VG
8ml PG to 2ml VG
8 thimbels PG to 2 thimbels VG
8 shots PG to 2 Shots VG
8 cups PG to 2 Cups VG

Once you have a ratio, it doesn't matter what you use to measure with. As long as you use the same for both.