Another new DIY'er...

[Ty89m]

As someone who'd like to take the plunge into DIY juice, I've got a simple question. Would it be wise since I'm starting out, to just purchase PG Nicotine at 36mg instead of 100mg for safety sake? I'm well aware of the dangers imposed by handing strong nicotine bases, and feel I'm prepared to deal with said dangers. So, would that be a safer bet for a beginner like myself?

 

[GrannyM]

It depends on where you want your ending strength to be. If you want to make juice that is 18 mg/ml or lower, then purchasing 36 mg/ml should be fine. Generally, to allow most flexibility with VG ratios & allowing for flavorings you want to purchase at least twice the strength of what you want to have as a finished product.

 

[glassmanoak]

IMHO, it would indeed be safer to use 36 mg/ml nic base. HOWEVER, that strength limits your ability to control the final proportion of PG/VG in your juice.
I started using 60mg juice and it worked well in MY situation. But, one must always be aware one's particular situation.. ie. kids, pets, storage, etc.
Good luck and enjoy a great hobby !



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[Ty89m]

Thanks all, I'm shooting for around 24mg as my max, and would like a ratio of around 80/20 or 70/30 (PG/VG) So perhaps I'll try and get some 60mg. I'll keep reading on the safety precautions to take while mixing my liquids. I don't have kits or pets, so that shouldn't be an issue, and have a freezer in the garage that only I have access to.

 

[DeFib]

I'll just jump right in and say, order the 100mg. I played around with 36mg and 60mg before deciding that 100mg should have been my first purchase. Plus you can save ever more using it. Oh and as far as it being safe, just wear some gloves, avoid spills, measure accurately and you will be glad you got it. E-Cig Express has the best prices I've found so far too..

 

[the_vape_nerd]

I'm going to go with defib here. Just get the 100 mg. It will offer you the most flexibility to control the final vg/pg ratios. It's also cheaper. Buy a bunch of dilutant and some empty larger sized bottles. Cutting it isn't all that big of a deal. Just wear gloves and eye protection. A pair of swimming goggles will be just fine.

You can cut it to like the 36mg range yourself in a few minutes. I also advise you to get a small funnel for this. Wizard labs has those in stock or you can get one from wal mart though it might be a bit bigger than necessary.

 

[DeFib]

I would also suggest that you cut it, when you mix it with your flavorings. Each recipes you make will call for a different amount of PG/VG and this will drastically affect the amount of PG you add at the end. If you cut it in large quantities before you mix it, you may end up having issues with the exact amount. For example, lets say you're making a 3ML batch. Let's also figure you want a 70PG / 30VG ratio and it calls for 20% flavoring, which is .6ML. If you have already CUT your 100mg nic to your desired strength, lets say it's 24mg, then depending on your PG/VG ratio you may or may not get the desired result. If you cut it, while mixing and you want 24MG, you will add approx, .73ML of 100MG PG, 1ML of PG and .75ML of VG. Including the 20% flavoring at .6ml this is .08ML above 3ML, which will fill your entire 3ML bottle and make for very accurate results. The 3ML bottles also hold a little more than 3ML, 3.2ML to be exact. If you try to make this with 24MG that has already been cut, not only will it drop way below 24MG, but you can't get the 60% PG you desire because your NIC is to weak from the start.

I read posts all the time about cutting NIC down like this, but it doesn't work out right and those doing it will spend ALOT more time struggling to get their ratios right than they will enjoying that 70/30 24MG VAPE.

I hope this makes since and if you have any more questions, feel free to PM me anytime and I will do my best to help..

 

[nanovapr]

I agree with DeFib, and the reasons he gave. Still? 100mg is borderline hazardous to handle. If you want, start with a small bottle of 60mg to get your feet wet (and not wet by spilling juice.....). 100 mg does give you the most variety possible, but it's OK to start out with lesser, to get it figured out.

Be safe, use proper protection (it's not hard) and measure carefully (don't use drops). A good program or spreadsheet is much better than just trying something.