Brand new- lots of questions

[glassgal]

Well... here goes...

I've been lurking now for a few days and trying to learn everything I can about vaping. Until a week ago, I had never heard the term, tho I know several people who have tried e-cigs from stores, without much success.

My husband was diagnosed a couple of years ago with emphysema (COPD). It's getting worse and worse. Every morning he wakes up, it sounds like he's trying to cough his lungs out of his body... but without the full lung capacity. The sounds are just scary, and he goes on and on, like an endless death rattle. We both smoke, he smokes much more than I do.

We've tried literally everything else on the market to quit. But because we both smoke, and are around other smokers, neither of us are getting anywhere. We've still got a nearly full perscription box of Chantix, a 1/2 full perscription box of Nicotrol, 2 boxes of nicotine gum, 2 boxes of nicotine patches, and one box of nicotine lozenges. That's not counting acupuncture, hypnosis seminars, and books. The Nicotrol was completely unsatisfying, it was like sucking plain air through a wet sponge, the Chantix gave us nightmares and stomach problems, etc etc. I could write a book about our failures. We have both smoked nearly our entire lives... in my case, since age 10. Being without cigarettes is like letting someone cut off one of my hands (I know, great attitude for quitting!). But I desperately want to quit for his sake.

Last week, I got the idea of looking into e-cigarettes. I ordered an Ultimate Kit a bunch of cartomizer sets and spare batteries from the first site I saw (Bloog), and as I continued to look, I came across this forum. WOW!!! I have been reading and reading and reading. This is fantastic, the most fantastic being the stories of people who have successfully weaned off of cigarettes without even trying hard, because they took to vaping. I have no problems with cutting back slowly... we're obviously not cutting back now, so anything is better than nothing.

From recommendations on this site, I ordered a cross section of liquids from Liberty Flight (want Tobacco-like juices), because I read that the 808's pre-filled cartomizers I ordered won't last but a few hours of heavy smoking, but are refillable a few times.

Now I'm trying to plan for how much we will need if we want to attempt to replace smoking with vaping.

From what I read, I am thinking of getting an itaste MVP 2 to try, because I came across a YouTube video that showed clouds of vapor coming from it, and the reviewers seemed really happy with the product. I am already expecting cigarette-like 808's in the mail, so thought a box like all day e-cig would be easier to carry around all day in a shirt pocket or purse, and less likely to snap in 1/2 or break if dropped. Is this a good idea for rank beginners who need an all day vaping solution that is easy to use?

If we are moderate-heavy smokers (he smokes AT LEAST 2 packs a day), what juice strength would be best? I'm guessing 24 mg, but that sounds like a lot of nicotine per hit... and how much would we be smoking of it a day? I read 4-6 ml a day here... but am confused... is that 4-6 ml of pre-made e-juice? Is that per fill up of the containers (tanks/cartomizer/atomizer)? How many containers would we go through a day typically if we smoke that much?

So how much juice is normally ordered at a time? Many of the sites I looked at sell them in 10-30 mg sizes. If each of us smoke 6 mg a day, that means we would go through 12 mg of juice a day? If we smoke heavily, that would mean that 2 of us would go through a full 30 ml bottle (1 oz) of pre-packaged juice in 2 days?

The largest quantities I saw for sale were around 4oz (120 mg), which would last roughly a week if the above is accurate. Shipping time alone would mean we would run out if we didn't buy at least 8 oz at a time of juice. Sold in 30ml bottles, we'd have to buy 8 - 30ml bottles a week, or am I figuring this wrong?

At the prices for the premixed e-juice, it seemed that DIY juice was most practical, and I found several places that sold unflavored nicotine in premixed nicotine dilutions. But the tobacco flavoring I saw was sold in 10mg bottles. Nowhere did I find how much you'd use of the flavoring to obtain a 'standard' dilution in the nicotine mix. How much juice would a 10 mg bottle of flavor make? If I ordered a liter of say 24 mg premixed nicotine, and wanted to reduce the nicotine % to say 18 mg, could I dilute with distilled water?

I'm sorry for all the questions, especially if they've been answered already elsewhere. I searched, and tried to only ask the questions I couldn't find answers to. I really appreciate any help you can offer to a complete newbie to this.

 

[nmackan]

Firstly congratulations of your intentions. If you can find appropriate sets (This vary according to individual taste and desire) You will curse the days you smoke, in a very short time.
You should choose the nicotine level trying what is best for you. Say if you get 36mg/ml and if it is too much you can dilute by adding VG or PG if you put 10mg/ml solution 10ml VG orPG you make your juice 18mg/ml if you ad 20ml you get 12mg/ml In short choose the quantity a Unit(10ml for example) and add same or multiple (10, 20, 30..etc) and divide total units. 1unit (10ml ,36mg/ml) + 3 units (30ml 0mg/ml VG/PG) so the result is (36+0)/4 =9mg/ml
I could only explain with my poor math english sorry I hope I could help

 

[yellowsnow]

First welcome to ECF. I've only been vaping for about a month but you would not believe the equipment I have acquired thus far. So in short order you are doing the right thing buy finding this place first of all. And let me emphasize you can't I repeat can't do to much reading here. I had been a 1 1/2 - 2 Pad for 40 plus years. I tried all the things you mention above with no success. In my opinion spend a little more upfront on good equipment and you will thank yourself in the long run. I went all out on everything from equipment to every thing to DIY my on juices. It has been the best thing I've done in my life as far becoming analog free (The dreadful stinkes). So do a lot of research here and ask away on anything you may not understand you will not regret one moment. IMHO

 

[AngiBe]

Congrats on trying the switch from analogs to vaping!!!! I'm trying so hard to get my dad to switch. He's a 2-3 pad Marlboro Red's smoker, has emphysema and asbestos in the lungs (retired steel mill worker) but he's a stubborn guy. Army Vet mentality that vaping isn't "manly" UGH! I think it's more of a fear of something new and giving up something he loves, but is killing him.

As far as nic level, my suggestion is to go higher versus too low only because you want to cut those nic cravings out. I started at 18mg but many times I felt like I needed 24mg. It was tough. I smoked 1- 1 1/2 pad Marlboro lights but have been around smoke literally before I was born. I think everyone's addiction is different.

As far as cutting down nic if its too high, I'm also still learning that. I bough several different levels of unflavored nic to cut down my 18 when I'm ready or for a "big vape night" with friends.

Good luck to you both!!!! Sorry i cant answer all your questions but theres a ton of people on here that really know there stuff. We're all here for you!

 

[Spazmelda]

Whew! That's a lot of questions. Many would require a lot of discussion to fully explain.

I've been lurking now for a few days and trying to learn everything I can about vaping. Until a week ago, I had never heard the term, tho I know several people who have tried e-cigs from stores, without much success.

My husband was diagnosed a couple of years ago with emphysema (COPD). It's getting worse and worse. Every morning he wakes up, it sounds like he's trying to cough his lungs out of his body... but without the full lung capacity. The sounds are just scary, and he goes on and on, like an endless death rattle. We both smoke, he smokes much more than I do.

We've tried literally everything else on the market to quit. But because we both smoke, and are around other smokers, neither of us are getting anywhere. We've still got a nearly full perscription box of Chantix, a 1/2 full perscription box of Nicotrol, 2 boxes of nicotine gum, 2 boxes of nicotine patches, and one box of nicotine lozenges. That's not counting acupuncture, hypnosis seminars, and books. The Nicotrol was completely unsatisfying, it was like sucking plain air through a wet sponge, the Chantix gave us nightmares and stomach problems, etc etc. I could write a book about our failures. We have both smoked nearly our entire lives... in my case, since age 10. Being without cigarettes is like letting someone cut off one of my hands (I know, great attitude for quitting!). But I desperately want to quit for his sake.

Last week, I got the idea of looking into e-cigarettes. I ordered an Ultimate Kit a bunch of cartomizer sets and spare batteries from the first site I saw (Bloog), and as I continued to look, I came across this forum. WOW!!! I have been reading and reading and reading. This is fantastic, the most fantastic being the stories of people who have successfully weaned off of cigarettes without even trying hard, because they took to vaping. I have no problems with cutting back slowly... we're obviously not cutting back now, so anything is better than nothing.

From recommendations on this site, I ordered a cross section of liquids from Liberty Flight (want Tobacco-like juices), because I read that the 808's pre-filled cartomizers I ordered won't last but a few hours of heavy smoking, but are refillable a few times.

Now I'm trying to plan for how much we will need if we want to attempt to replace smoking with vaping.

From what I read, I am thinking of getting an itaste MVP 2 to try, because I came across a YouTube video that showed clouds of vapor coming from it, and the reviewers seemed really happy with the product. I am already expecting cigarette-like 808's in the mail, so thought a box like all day e-cig would be easier to carry around all day in a shirt pocket or purse, and less likely to snap in 1/2 or break if dropped. Is this a good idea for rank beginners who need an all day vaping solution that is easy to use?

I think the MVPs are well regarded here. I don't have one, so I'll let someone else comment on whether this would be good for a beginner.

If we are moderate-heavy smokers (he smokes AT LEAST 2 packs a day), what juice strength would be best? I'm guessing 24 mg, but that sounds like a lot of nicotine per hit... and how much would we be smoking of it a day? I read 4-6 ml a day here... but am confused... is that 4-6 ml of pre-made e-juice? Is that per fill up of the containers (tanks/cartomizer/atomizer)? How many containers would we go through a day typically if we smoke that much?

24 mg/ml or 18 mg/ml would probably be a good place for him to start. It's hard to say because sometimes how heavy a smoker you are doesn't exactly correlate with the juice strength needed. Trial and error is necessary (this is going to be a common theme in my responses here, so be ready for it.)

So how much juice is normally ordered at a time? Many of the sites I looked at sell them in 10-30 mg sizes. If each of us smoke 6 mg a day, that means we would go through 12 mg of juice a day? If we smoke heavily, that would mean that 2 of us would go through a full 30 ml bottle (1 oz) of pre-packaged juice in 2 days?

The largest quantities I saw for sale were around 4oz (120 mg), which would last roughly a week if the above is accurate. Shipping time alone would mean we would run out if we didn't buy at least 8 oz at a time of juice. Sold in 30ml bottles, we'd have to buy 8 - 30ml bottles a week, or am I figuring this wrong?

Again, it's hard to say how much you will go through. I use about 3-4 ml a day of 10-12 mg/ml. I would NOT recommend that you stock up on large sizes of any one flavor until you get a chance to try them out for a few days first. You are not going to find every juice that you try vapable. I've had juices that I just simply have to throw away because I can't take more than a few puffs without gagging. I'd buy small sizes first. As soon as you find a few flavors that you like (or can at least vape) order a larger amount. You will not really know how much you are going to need until you've been doing this for a weeks, at the least.

Now, unfortunately, this means lots of orders of small samples with shipping costs. I really do think its more cost effective to do it this way at first. You get a better deal on the larger sizes, but if you hate the flavor it's a false economy.

At the prices for the premixed e-juice, it seemed that DIY juice was most practical, and I found several places that sold unflavored nicotine in premixed nicotine dilutions. But the tobacco flavoring I saw was sold in 10mg bottles. Nowhere did I find how much you'd use of the flavoring to obtain a 'standard' dilution in the nicotine mix. How much juice would a 10 mg bottle of flavor make? If I ordered a liter of say 24 mg premixed nicotine, and wanted to reduce the nicotine % to say 18 mg, could I dilute with distilled water?

DIY juice is an art form and a science. Lol. We have a whole sub forum here dedicated to DIY juices. I'll come back and edit with a link in just a minute. It would be impossible to give a definitive answer to how much of x or y flavor to use. Flavors are different, people's preferences are different. Trial and error is the only way to make a juice you like. There is all sorts of information in the DIY forum about how to make your own liquids, and there are several calculators that help you figure out the calculations needed to get correct nicotine strength, flavor strength, and pg/vg ratio. You generally would not use water to cut the nicotine. A little water is sometimes added, but too much will ruin the mix. http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/diy-e-liquid/

I'm sorry for all the questions, especially if they've been answered already elsewhere. I searched, and tried to only ask the questions I couldn't find answers to. I really appreciate any help you can offer to a complete newbie to this.

Welcome to ECF. I wish you the best of luck!

 

[Debra_oh]

Hi and congrats on the decision to start cutting back. I hope vaping works as well for you and your husband as it did for me. I Tried everything, multiple times, but nothing worked until I picked up an e-cig. I am still amazed that I have not smoked in weeks.

I will let others with more experience answer your questions and just share a few thoughts.

Do try the Turk and USA Blend from Liberty-Flights. I love it and it really hit the spot for me as a replacement for the analogs (don't forget to use the 20% off button on the LF website).

I would not worry at this point about how much nicotine you are taking in. Start with a 24mg and see how it effects your cravings. Once you have the analogs under control you can think about reducing your overall nicotine intake. Remember, an analog craving only lasts a few minutes if you can ride it out by vaping you will be good until the next craving bout. I told myself I would glue the e-cig to my mouth if necessary and live in a cloud of vaper if that is what it took (it didn't).

Congrats on your decision!!

 

[Spazmelda]

I forgot to add... With regards to getting too much nic, don't really worry about it. If you think about it, 24 mg/ml means 24 milligrams on 1 ml of liquid. Each puff of a cig takes only a tiny fraction of a ml. Additionally, we don't absorb all of that nicotine. We probably don't absorb MOST of that nicotine, but the reason for this isn't fully understood yet as far as I know.

If you start to feel sweaty, dizzy, and nauseous, you've probably had too much nic. Lay off for a bit and either vape a little less or reduce your nicotine strength. If you feel jittery, angry, and irritable you probably aren't getting enough. Vape more or increase nicotine strength.

Oh, also remember that the components of ecig liquid tend to dry you out, so drink lots of liquids.

 

[Baditude]

Welcome! Sounds like you've started some excellent research here, and this is a great place to learn from. Spaxmelda has offered some great advice and information already.

Although the cigalike batteries have their place, they often are not enough to keep you off of the smokes for the long term. Bigger battery capacity is required. The iTaste MVP is an excellent choice. I've been vaping for a year and a half, and I've accumulated several "mods", or advanced e-cigs that use replaceable rechargeable batteries. I won an iTaste MVP and used it daily for about a month. It's an excellent device for a novice. It is very pocket or purse friendly. The built-in battery can last 2 - 3 days between charges, and you can continue to use it while it is being charged. I ended up loaning mine to my ex who is a smoker who agreed to use it to try to quit. The deal is she uses it and quits smoking with it, she gets to keep it. If not, I get it back.

I won't go into the juice flavors other than to say it will be near impossible to find a flavor that tastes like a tobacco cigarette. http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/new-members-information/136573-tip-newbs-seeking-tobacco-cigarette-flavor.html It's impossible to recreate smoke and burning tobacco flavor for e-liquid. You'll find that there are tobacco flavors being offered which you may find to your liking, however they won't taste a lot like a cigarette. There are many other choices to try: menthol, fruit, candy, coffee, deserts, etc. Try a variety over time. Finding the right flavor for you is as important as finding the right gear to be successful.

Most people consume 3 - 5 ml of e-liquid a day. Usually, 18 - 24 mg nicotine works for a 1 pack per day smoker. Your husband may need 32mg, but try the 18 - 24mg first and maybe the same flavor in a 24 - 32mg to see which works best for him. Higher nic in juice can affect the flavor of e-liquid and can make the vapor rather harsh for novices.

Drink plenty of water. The pg & vg in the juice dries out tissues, so that has to be replaced.

When drawing vapor from your device, use the sucking on a straw technique like from a milkshake. Hold in the mouth a couple of seconds, and then either inhale or exhale through your mouth and nose. Nicotine in vapor is absorbed in the mouth and nose, not so much in the lungs. So, you don't even need to inhale in the lungs.

Should you choose to get the MVP, I recommend using either the iClear 16 or iClear 30 clearomizer juice attachments for it. One or the other likely will come with the MVP, but you'll need a couple to start out with. Find a vendor who carries the replacement heads for the iClear as they will need to be replace after a period of time.

Here's a picture dictionary I've made for novices to learn what common juice attachments are currently available to them:

Common Juice Devices

Good luck!

 

[Debra_oh]

Nice pictionary

 

[glassgal]

Thank you guys soooo much!!! I really appreciate the advices, and for the support too. I am so hopeful that our experience will be like yours!! I get excited just reading about all the options, and I figure even if we don't manage to fully quit smoking, we'll enjoy the vapes anyway (with the hope that we will find cigs smelly and gross like some of you have).

I wonder if my packages will get here sooner if I stand by the mailbox... .

 

[breatheinnow]

happy vaping! all the best for your journey off analogs!

 

[Azmo]

Good luck on quitting. The MVP is an awesome place to start. Easy to use and plenty of features. Just remember to always have a back up and a back up for your back up. Worst thing is not having a battery available when you need it.

For liquid, I would suggest ordering small samples of many juices. You would be surprised how satisfying it can be vaping a cinnamon roll. LOL! You can get pretty cheap small sizes at Mount Baker Vapor and ECBlend. Go with a 50/50 mix at 24mg to start.

When I first started, I could vape over 10ml a day. That goes down over time. Don't worry about how much you are vaping as long as your cravings are satisfied. There are some minor side effects when you first start vaping. Some of them are from your body getting used to vaping, and some are from your body getting rid of the toxins from smoking.

In the beginning, there is a lot of trial and error. Don't get discouraged.

 

[XeniaMike]

Welcome to the forum, I had a book of failures like you did before I found e-cigs. Baditude's suggestion of clearomizer attachments is spot on. It's much easier to refill those than to mess with trying to refill cartos (been there done that). I was a heavy smoker, and 24mg works great for me. After vaping about 9 months now, I think I may be ready to step down to 18mg.

 

[PBOB]

I wonder if my packages will get here sooner if I stand by the mailbox... .

No, you have to walk around the mailbox clockwise. It makes vape-mail come faster, honest!

 

[ancientgeek]

Congrats on your entry into the world of vaping. A message for your husband: My wife also has COPD and had been a 50 year smoker. I bought her a simple eGo C battery with Kanger T3 clearo system. After six months she is still using this and has not had a cig since March... As for her COPD, she had routinely been using two medicated inhalers plus her rescue inhaler throughout the day. Since she started vaping she uses the medicated inhalers maybe once a week and the rescue inhaler virtually not at all. I know that COPD cannot be cured, but vaping certainly has improved her quality of life. It is well worth the trial and error to find what works for you and get off the analogs. Good luck to the both of you.

 

[Gena]

I have the MVP and love it. You will need a back up battery and I suggest a vision spinner kit. I started out 50/50 PG and VG mix with 24 mg of nicotine. I have tried the cartomizers but I prefer the clearomizers or tanks with e-juice. MBV has really good e-juice and you can't beat the price. i have also just discovered Maddcatts and they will send you a free 6ml of e-juice free. As far as finding a good tobacco juice I have not found one. In the beginning I thought I preferred a tobacco flavor I tried several with no luck. Now I prefer fruity flavors my all day vape is MBV's Moo Juice. It taste like a strawberry milkshake. GOOD LUCK!

 

[CreepyLady]

I wonder if my packages will get here sooner if I stand by the mailbox... .

I keep trying this tactic when I am awaiting new devices, tanks, juices or cartos- so far I think my neighbors think I am just a nut case That is the hardest part if you do not have a physical store near by!!!!

If you do have a vape shop close by - it may be a great idea to go in and try out the flavors. I found while visiting family in another state- a fabulous store and discovered, after trying flavors that I would not have EVER ordered that I loved them!!! I also found out very quickly that I was not interested in tobacco flavors (which is what I thought I would like most???) I tend to favor vanillas, caramels and coffees. My fiance however rather enjoys tobacco. So the other issue you may run into is that you will both like very different flavors as the really are applicable to personal taste.

Good luck on your adventures into vaping!!! Also- suggestion on a smaller pocket friendly device - maybe an ego twist or a smok winder.

 

[mkbilbo]

We've tried literally everything else on the market to quit. But because we both smoke, and are around other smokers, neither of us are getting anywhere. We've still got a nearly full perscription box of Chantix, a 1/2 full perscription box of Nicotrol, 2 boxes of nicotine gum, 2 boxes of nicotine patches, and one box of nicotine lozenges. That's not counting acupuncture, hypnosis seminars, and books. The Nicotrol was completely unsatisfying, it was like sucking plain air through a wet sponge, the Chantix gave us nightmares and stomach problems, etc etc. I could write a book about our failures.

And I could collaborate with ya too. Zyban started making believe there were invisible aliens standing around my bed, watching me. Half my brain is thinking, "you idiot, there's nothing there, see?" The other half is yammering like a crazy person the funny little grey men were going to kidnap me.

Suffice it to say, I quit taking Zyban.

(And that experience? No way would I get anywhere near Chantix. I've read some stories that stood my hair on end. Actual psychotic breaks. Pfizer still won't admit to those. But, then, they also claimed the suicide thing wasn't a problem either. Guess what, they were lying!)

If we are moderate-heavy smokers (he smokes AT LEAST 2 packs a day), what juice strength would be best? I'm guessing 24 mg, but that sounds like a lot of nicotine per hit... and how much would we be smoking of it a day? I read 4-6 ml a day here... but am confused... is that 4-6 ml of pre-made e-juice? Is that per fill up of the containers (tanks/cartomizer/atomizer)? How many containers would we go through a day typically if we smoke that much?

Not necessarily a "lot per hit". The numbers we're all throwing around here are milligrams nicotine per milliliter of juice. 24 is 24mg/ml. So one ml of juice holds about 24mg of nicotine. And you don't inhale the whole ml at once. A cigarette actually contains around 10mg of nicotine (more or less, varies by brand and all). But even if you smoke the entire cig, you get about 1mg or so. Most is wasted (second hand smoke and such... you know, the cig keeps burning even when you're not puffing on it and that smoke escaping has nic in it so there's a lot lost along the way).

There are some studies that touch on how much nic goes which way in vaping but not a lot yet. I read one article that estimated about half the total nicotine was "available". That is, the whole vaporizing process thing resulted in about half the nic being "deliverable" to the vaper. So one ml of 24mg/ml may actually only yield 12mg of nic total.

Of that, you take more than one "puff" and don't consume the entire ml at once so you're getting some fraction of that fraction "per puff". My clearomizers hold 1.6ml so I guess I could count my "puffs" but I bore easily so I'm not gonna.

On top of that, it's not actually clear (yet) how much nic is absorbed in each "inhale". It's certainly not 100% though.

Anyway, you see where I'm going? It's fraction of a fraction of a fraction... blah, blah and yada, yada.

It's hard to say exactly what the equivalences are. Technically speaking, a pack of cigs has 18 to 24mg of nic total. But that doesn't mean after you've finished that pack, you got anywhere near that much nicotine. Similarly, with vaping, 1 ml of a 24mg/ml juice doesn't mean you get 24mg of nicotine by the time you finish vaping it.

(Also, never trust an e-cig company that says, "Equal to two packs!" or something like that. They don't know anymore than we do what "equals" what. Nobody does yet. We'll get there. Studies are being done. But we don't have any hard numbers at this point.)


You will have to experiment. Like all of us do. I was a two pack a day (and up if stressed) smoker of Salem "light" 100s (funny thing, that's the brand I started with at 16, switched several times over the years only to end my smoking with the same brand I started it... go figure?). I thought, from reading around here and elsewhere, I need to "go high" on the nic level. I tried 24. I stopped sleeping. Okay, not really, I would be wide awake until 2, 3 in the morning. Not "jittery" or anything, just wide awake. Didn't feel bad. Just... wide awake.

That didn't work. I cut my nic level. Down then down and down some more. These days, I "coast" at about 6 to 9mg/ml. I don't stick to a single level. I have 12 to 18 I will use at those times I used to really "crave" a cig. Like that first cig of the day with coffee. I'll often go "high" on the nic level for a while in the morning then switch down to "coast along". My evening vapes are always low nic. Nic is a stimulant and, for me, it's a little like drinking coffee before bed. I can't do that. I'll be wide awake for hours.

On the other hand, I met another member of ECF a while back who had been very similar to myself in his smoking habits who went the exact opposite direction. He went higher. As much as 36 with some 48 (!). And, come to think, lately I have been picking up an NJoy once in a while (they "feel" more like a cig, my PV doesn't) and they're 45mg.

It's highly variable. My advice is always don't buy too much of any particular kind of juice at the start. Get small bottles of different flavors, different PG/VG ratios, different nic levels. Try little samples of different stuff. Nobody can predict what will work for you. If you can find a vape shop (an actual "brick and mortar" store type place) that lets you try samples (many do), go do some sampling.

So how much juice is normally ordered at a time? Many of the sites I looked at sell them in 10-30 mg sizes. If each of us smoke 6 mg a day, that means we would go through 12 mg of juice a day? If we smoke heavily, that would mean that 2 of us would go through a full 30 ml bottle (1 oz) of pre-packaged juice in 2 days?

The largest quantities I saw for sale were around 4oz (120 mg), which would last roughly a week if the above is accurate. Shipping time alone would mean we would run out if we didn't buy at least 8 oz at a time of juice. Sold in 30ml bottles, we'd have to buy 8 - 30ml bottles a week, or am I figuring this wrong?

Actually, you're risking having a big bottle of OH YUCK! you shove in a cabinet and never look at again.

You should see my collection of juices in the, "Well, that didn't work" cabinet. Oof.

This forum is the accumulated experience of (quite literally) thousands of vapers. You can learn truck loads here. What you can't get here are exact instructions on what will work for you, personally. You're the only person who can find that out. Some go higher on the nic and "puff" less often. I went the other way, dropping down on the nic level and vaping frequently.

Also, you could run into things like the flavors you think you'll like, you won't. And flavors you don't think you'll like, you'll love. I smoked menthol cigs most of the time over the years but can't stand menthol vape. Why? I dunno.

Don't try to "stock up" at the start. You're risking wasting money. Sample. Try things. Get little bottles. "Sample packs" if a vendor offers such.

At the prices for the premixed e-juice, it seemed that DIY juice was most practical, and I found several places that sold unflavored nicotine in premixed nicotine dilutions. But the tobacco flavoring I saw was sold in 10mg bottles. Nowhere did I find how much you'd use of the flavoring to obtain a 'standard' dilution in the nicotine mix. How much juice would a 10 mg bottle of flavor make? If I ordered a liter of say 24 mg premixed nicotine, and wanted to reduce the nicotine % to say 18 mg, could I dilute with distilled water?

Well, if you want to do the DIY liquid thing, you could start where I did. Mount Baker. They sell plain nic with the PG/VG ratio and nicotine level to order: 236 ml Unflavored Nicotine Juice USA made - Mt Baker Vapor - Electronic Cigarettes. Then it's just a matter of adding flavors (they sell those also of course). I use between 10 to 20% flavor in my mixes so that's 1.5 to 3ml per 15ml bottle. So... 10mg flavor ends up making roughly 50 to 100ml of e-liquid? Did I do the math right? I'm having a big "off" day today. My allergies have gone nuclear on me or something.

Problem with jumping straight to DIY at all is do you know your preferred PG/VG ratio? Do you know what a PG/VG ratio is yet? Do you know what PG and VG even are yet?

Try not to rush yourself too much. I can see why you have a sense of urgency (and you have have very good reasons for it) but if you rush yourself into all this too quickly, you could end up seriously disappointed. Unintentionally cause a train wreck and think the whole thing was a bad idea.

You're going to have to do some experimenting and ask a lot of "dumb" questions. And don't let the "dumb question" thing bother you. I been here long enough the silly forum software labeled me a "senior" member. Yeah right. I got a ton of dumb questions about DIY liquids. I'm still a "noob" on doing my own. I got a lot to learn. And I have no clue what the "mod" bunch are up to. I just nod and smile.

("Mods" are really advanced stuff like guys who rebuild their car engines and all. There's "something for everybody" in this vaping world thing.)

I'm sorry for all the questions, especially if they've been answered already elsewhere. I searched, and tried to only ask the questions I couldn't find answers to. I really appreciate any help you can offer to a complete newbie to this.

Meh. Everybody's a newbie at first. Anyway, this is what the New Member section is for. Ask away. It's a nice place. I like it here. It's fun. Sometimes, it's even wildly silly. It's a good community. It really is.

But take your time. Experiment. Don't be shy with the "dumb" questions.

And I'll give you a bit of encouragement this way...

I'm 51. I started smoking around 16 or 17. Started trying to quit in my mid-20s. Failed miserably every time. Had horrible, horrible experiences. Dizziness, flu like symptoms, temper out of control to near rage fits, people who would start out "encouraging" me in my quit attempts would offer to buy me cigarettes because they couldn't put up with me anymore.

I stumbled into vaping by accident. Bought a Blu brand disposable when I went to get my regular carton of cigs. Just wanted to see what this "e-cig" thing was. To me, it was just a new toy. Until I realized I had forgotten to light up a cigarette for the entire rest of the freaking day. I mean, I ran to dig up the receipt and check the time on it. Nine hours. No "craving" for a cig. I forgot about them. Just... forgot.

Dove head first into this stuff. Before I even knew ECF existed. Actually, first time in my life, took an unopened carton of cigarettes back to the store and exchanged it for a Blu kit. Me. Returning a carton. An unopened carton. The whole experience was so surreal, I told no one for two weeks. Not even family. Nobody. Not a word.

Could not "quit" 100% at first. I was "dual use" for, I dunno, six weeks? From day one, I slowed way, way down. Cut back from two packs (and up) a day to maybe... six cigs a day? Found ECF, started asking my "dumb questions". Blew money I did not have trying a dozen different things until I "hit" the right combination. But I was so stunned at how far I was getting in cutting back on smoking and how easy it was compared to all my "quit" attempts, I decided long as my total was no more than what I'd been spending on cigs, I'd spend until it worked right?

April 15, 2013 (heh, you recognize what that day is I'm sure... non-USers reading along, that's our deadline to get our federal tax forms filed) I remember I had two cigs. I was frustrated and, yeah, I'd waited until the last minute to finish up.

I'm not even sure how many more I had that week. That may have been the total for the week. Literally. It just kept slowing down and slowing down until I can't tell you if those two were two out of a half dozen for the week or if those two were the only two I had that week. I can tell you I got a shipment of new juices in I needed room for and whatever was left in that last pack of cigs went in the trash because it was in my way. So did the ashtray. I literally no longer saw any "point" to having them around.

Some quit smoking the day they start vaping. And I hate... erm... I'm very, very happy for them!

Some of us, it takes time. I figured long as my smoking was going down, I was good.

'Bout two weeks ago, I walked out of the grocery store and there was a guy standing outside, smoking. I walked right through a cloud of his smoke. I actually inhaled it and thought, "Mmmm... I still like the smell."

Kept walking. Fired up the PV when I got the bags in the pickup, vaped my way home.

I still have this fond feeling for smoking. Still kind of "miss" it. Still like the smell of tobacco smoke. Just don't seem to have the "urge" to do anything about it. Little store not five miles down the road right now. I could have a pack in the house inside of fifteen minutes. I don't seem to care.

It's a little... eerie. I never thought I'd quit. Nobody thought I'd quit. My mother is still stunned.

Heh, know how she "found out"? She's, um, 74 now. I went up to her house to deal with something or other and, out of the blue, she grabbed my shirt sleeve, sniffed it, and said, "You don't stink!"

Gee, thanks mom!

I had to confess I was--apparently--quitting smoking. I actually said it that way, "I seem to be quitting smoking". I was still... dazed.

But I'll warn you, there will be bumps along the way and some frustrating moments. And I, for one, took a while to get to the point I can be around smokers and "not care". But here I am. And it was nothing as hard as those "quit" attempts. Nowhere near rough as those.

Also, blueberries.

I love blueberries. I vape blueberry all kinds of flavors. Screw tobacco, I have blueberry!

 

[Spazmelda]

Lovely and helpful post Mark!

 

[AgentAnia]

Welcome to the forum, glassgal, and hearty congratulations on you and Mr. glassgal (glassguy?) for making the switch.

I can't add anything to the tons of good advice and information you've gotten here, except for two things:

1. Can't stress enough about having backups. (With ecigs, it's not like you can pop out to the convenience store at 2AM for a pack of smokes...) At least 2 batteries for each of you, 2 chargers (so one battery can be charging while the other is in use; actually, for the two of you, probably 3 chargers, one as a backup), delivery devices, and plenty of juice, which leads me to

2. If you get into mixing your own juice, by all means check out the DIY forum here, but don't let the recipes put you off (they seem terribly complicated to me!). It can be quite simple (my preferred method for most things...). Check out vendors who sell "concentrated flavorings," which need only one or two drops per ml of nicotine base, resulting in single-flavor juice. It can really be that simple!

I wish both of you a wonderful vaping experience! and I hope to see more of you around the forum.