Ask The Chemist

[Mactavish]

QUESTION FOR THE CHEMIST:

The FAQ on the TFA site here:
https://shop.perfumersapprentice.com/flavorsworkshop/shelf_life.pdf

SAYS:
"it is not a good idea at all to store the flavors with the plastic eyedropper caps on the bottles. The rubber that's used with the eyedropper's is extremely soft and interacts
with a great many materials. If you try to store your flavors with these rubber dropper caps attached you will most likely ruin both the caps and the flavors. i hope this helps, linda"

Since I am measuring in weight, I've seen it suggested that one should try to buy flavors in glass bottles with EYEDROPPER caps, or transfer the flavors to them. This to make mixing quick and easy, with minimum cleanup, less to wash as each dropper would stay in their own individual flavor bottle, no cross contamination.

Sounded very efficient until I read that part of the FAQ. Wonder if that would also pertain to all the other possible juice ingredients as well. Any thoughts?

 

[The_Vapin_Chemist]

QUESTION FOR THE CHEMIST:

The FAQ on the TFA site here:
https://shop.perfumersapprentice.com/flavorsworkshop/shelf_life.pdf

SAYS:
"it is not a good idea at all to store the flavors with the plastic eyedropper caps on the bottles. The rubber that's used with the eyedropper's is extremely soft and interacts
with a great many materials. If you try to store your flavors with these rubber dropper caps attached you will most likely ruin both the caps and the flavors. i hope this helps, linda"

Since I am measuring in weight, I've seen it suggested that one should try to buy flavors in glass bottles with EYEDROPPER caps, or transfer the flavors to them. This to make mixing quick and easy, with minimum cleanup, less to wash as each dropper would stay in their own individual flavor bottle, no cross contamination.

Sounded very efficient until I read that part of the FAQ. Wonder if that would also pertain to all the other possible juice ingredients as well. Any thoughts?

This is true if used for extended periods of time. That is why we sell all of our flavor concentrates 120 mL and less is glass bottles and offer syringes and pipettes. Nic concentrates will also leech some plastic over the course of a couple of years, that is why the DIY standard is to rebottle in glass for long term storage.

 

[Mactavish]

This is true if used for extended periods of time. That is why we sell all of our flavor concentrates 120 mL and less is glass bottles and offer syringes and pipettes. Nic concentrates will also leech some plastic over the course of a couple of years, that is why the DIY standard is to rebottle in glass for long term storage.

All my NIC is in glass.

Now I'm thinking of buying a mini Pipette pump to dispense into my mix bottles. I have to do some research on these. I'm thinking that even though the plastic tips are designed for one time use, I could wash them and reuse them as I'm not developing a vaccine! I see really cheap ones at $15, and a decent one for $100. Some cost thousands. Seems even better then washing syringes, and glass droppers after every mix session.

Anyone using these? If so, can you recommend a good make and model? THANKS!

 

[Debadoo]

SAYS:
"it is not a good idea at all to store the flavors with the plastic eyedropper caps on the bottles. The rubber that's used with the eyedropper's is extremely soft and interacts
with a great many materials. If you try to store your flavors with these rubber dropper caps attached you will most likely ruin both the caps and the flavors. i hope this helps, linda"

I read the same thing elsewhere, maybe here, and it really bummed me out. I had wanted to store my flavors in glass bottles with dropper tops for the same reason, easy to mix by weight. Now not sure what I'm going to do unless I just wash out droppers after each mix session. Not a huge deal since I mix a lot at a time

 

[The_Vapin_Chemist]

All my NIC is in glass.

Now I'm thinking of buying a mini Pipette pump to dispense into my mix bottles. I have to do some research on these. I'm thinking that even though the plastic tips are designed for one time use, I could wash them and reuse them as I'm not developing a vaccine! I see really cheap ones at $15, and a decent one for $100. Some cost thousands. Seems even better then washing syringes, and glass droppers after every mix session.

Anyone using these? If so, can you recommend a good make and model? THANKS!

The only thing I will say about those, is that they can be very finicky. They are easy to mess up the calibration and hard to calibrate. Also, just watch your units, most of them read μL (microliters). There are probably some good handouts online about care and use though.

 

[Mactavish]

The only thing I will say about those, is that they can be very finicky. They are easy to mess up the calibration and hard to calibrate. Also, just watch your units, most of them read μL (microliters). There are probably some good handouts online about care and use though.

I was thinking of using them just like a syringe, still using weight measuring. You could pull up to 5 ml's, and slowly just add to a bottle on the scale, get it to whatever weight is called for, then dump the leftover back in the source bottle. The glass ones look too long though. I'm looking at shorter ones that use the disposable plastic tips. Lots more research to do.

 

[sofarsogood]

Number 3, there are many things you could do for your blending. Stir rod, hand mixer, emulsion blender to name a few. I would highly recommend the emulsion blender, you can pick one up at Bed, Bath, and Beyond for like 15 bucks or something and then blending can be done right in the beaker.

Number 4, always store them on their side in a drawer and rotate them so that each one next to the other are facing in opposite directions. As for cleaning them, any tube brush will do (try to get a nylon one).

the blender is a good tip, thanks. I bet they existed before chemistry labs had electric motors, may be a little propeller or agitator on a stick that was turned between two hands. I have a 1000 ml erlaynmeyer flask I'll try to use for combining 1 liter batches (unless you have a better idea) so I'll make a hands powered mixer that will fit through the flask opening. It might be the one and only time it gets used.

Just sayin' if the appropriate brushes had been on your site I'd have put them in the order for the cylinders.

Thanks again

 

[Mactavish]

Wouldn't a blender introduce more OXYGEN into the mix, one of the 3 enemies of nic, and oxidize it sooner?

 

[The_Vapin_Chemist]

I was thinking of using them just like a syringe, still using weight measuring. You could pull up to 5 ml's, and slowly just add to a bottle on the scale, get it to whatever weight is called for, then dump the leftover back in the source bottle. The glass ones look too long though. I'm looking at shorter ones that use the disposable plastic tips. Lots more research to do.

I'm not sure on the sure on how the cheap ones work, but with the expensive ones that would not work too well. They are designed to pull up the exact amount set and then dispense that same amount with one fluid movement of your thumb. So I would definitely get a cheap one to test it out first. Let us know if it works out well for you after multiple batches.

Wouldn't a blender introduce more OXYGEN into the mix, one of the 3 enemies of nic, and oxidize it sooner?

If mixed on a low setting for a minute or two and the blending instrument does not come out of the solution it will not have a major effect on the e-juice. In some cases it speeds up steeping as well, and that is always a plus.

 

[The_Vapin_Chemist]

the blender is a good tip, thanks. I bet they existed before chemistry labs had electric motors, may be a little propeller or agitator on a stick that was turned between two hands. I have a 1000 ml erlaynmeyer flask I'll try to use for combining 1 liter batches (unless you have a better idea) so I'll make a hands powered mixer that will fit through the flask opening. It might be the one and only time it gets used.

Just sayin' if the appropriate brushes had been on your site I'd have put them in the order for the cylinders.

Thanks again

A flask or beaker will work just fine. In past we have not thought about carrying the brushes, but it is a good idea. I will run it by the purchaser and operations manager and see if that is something we can get on the site.

 

[Hightech Redneck]

I have a friend that just started mixing. He is still experimenting and told me several of the recipes he has found etc..
But he said several recipes said to microwave for 10 seconds.
He has been doing this, and I told him not to.
Am I correct in this is a bad idea?

 

[The_Vapin_Chemist]

I have a friend that just started mixing. He is still experimenting and told me several of the recipes he has found etc..
But he said several recipes said to microwave for 10 seconds.
He has been doing this, and I told him not to.
Am I correct in this is a bad idea?

I have done it a couple times in the past, but I do not recommend it as a first choice option. It does speed up the steep time significantly, but there is no way to know what it is happening to the juice once microwaved.

So different wave sets (frequency sets) have different effects on molecules. For example, IR has a stretching effect on molecules, where microwaves vibrate molecules and creates heat from this friction. Through this heat and energy though, additional reactions could occur that would not normally happen without the input of this energy.

 

[sofarsogood]

I'm sure this has been asked already. Do you have any opinion about whether pg or vg is preferable for long term storage of nic? My hunch is it makes no difference but may be there is more to it? My preference is PG unless there is an advantage to VG.

 

[The_Vapin_Chemist]

I'm sure this has been asked already. Do you have any opinion about whether pg or vg is preferable for long term storage of nic? My hunch is it makes no difference but may be there is more to it? My preference is PG unless there is an advantage to VG.

There has indeed been a discussion on this in the past. I prefer PG over VG myself is the short answer.

 

[Mactavish]

I'm sure this has been asked already. Do you have any opinion about whether pg or vg is preferable for long term storage of nic? My hunch is it makes no difference but may be there is more to it? My preference is PG unless there is an advantage to VG.

Nicotine Comparisons

 

[The_Vapin_Chemist]

The bulk of the discussion we had here took place on page 2. I had to find it.

 

[The_Vapin_Chemist]

Hey everyone, hope you are all doing well! I just wanted to drop in and see if anyone had any questions for me?

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

Can you tell me why some flavors take longer to age than others? I am referring to a term known as 'steeping' as some DIYers' call it.
Why are some flavors ready to vape as soon as they are mixed? And some, like creams and chocolate take a good 3 weeks or longer before they taste good enough to vape.
I know that some flavors are shipped in alcohol so that has to evaporate but even after that occurs they still need to age.
Thanks

 

[The_Vapin_Chemist]

Can you tell me why some flavors take longer to age than others? I am referring to a term known as 'steeping' as some DIYers' call it.
Why are some flavors ready to vape as soon as they are mixed? And some, like creams and chocolate take a good 3 weeks or longer before they taste good enough to vape.
I know that some flavors are shipped in alcohol so that has to evaporate but even after that occurs they still need to age.
Thanks

It is a number of things (I do not of course claim to know all of them ), but some I do know are yes the alcohol can play a factor. As the alcohol evaporates, the flavor will change. Another reason is the mechanism by which the molecules oxidize and react with one another. Some of these reactions can take time because it is just a slow reaction or it needs additional oxygen (shaking the bottle mixing more air into the liquid). The viscosity of the VG (if we are talking about a Max VG juice) can slow the molecules from bouncing around and reacting with each other. These are some of the possible reasons and I am sure there are more.

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

It is a number of things (I do not of course claim to know all of them ), but some I do know are yes the alcohol can play a factor. As the alcohol evaporates, the flavor will change. Another reason is the mechanism by which the molecules oxidize and react with one another. Some of these reactions can take time because it is just a slow reaction or it needs additional oxygen (shaking the bottle mixing more air into the liquid). The viscosity of the VG (if we are talking about a Max VG juice) can slow the molecules from bouncing around and reacting with each other. These are some of the possible reasons and I am sure there are more.

Thanks