Buying a Scale??

[rob33]

So I've wanting to up my DIY game a little. I've been using syringes and beakers since started several years ago. They work fine with less than 60ml batches "I thought". After researching what scale I needed and got, I noticed a difference in the the quality of the liquid I was mixing. With a eliquid calculator that takes in account weight differences of pg/vg base and flavor the difference is very noticeable.

So how did I decide what scale to buy. I looked on the forum and most everyone said a 500g scale. This is only half of the answer that is the size of the scale. The scale I had in the kitchen was a nice scale for food items. I tried it and not so good for eliquid, see there is a minimum weight that will register on the scale all scales have this. See my scale was a 0.5 gram not near sensitive enough for mixing eliquid. What I found a sensitive scale could be expensive so I had to look a little harder and found one I really liked it was compact, attractive, and most of all accurate and affordable at $16. It's only a 200g capacity, but is enough for me and comes with a calibration weight. It senses change at 0.01g, almost breath of air and I have been well pleased with it.

https://www.amazon.com/calibration-...622&sr=8-3&keywords=brifit+digital+mini+scale

To add: I still mix in a 100ml beaker cause a 120ml boston bottle weights 110g and the beaker only 50g.

 

[uthinkofsomething]

Plastic bottles are even lighter. I needed a 500g scale for the amounts of liquid I make, and I actually could use an even higher capacity scale... Just yesterday I had to make a 500ml bottle of juice for a friend and of course that is way over limit with the bottle and max vg.

 

[Spydro]

Another fan of scale mixing DIY's.

When I cut my DIY's back to 150ml batches from the larger batches I had done from the start 6 years ago back in early 2016 (250ml, 500ml & 1 liter), I switched to using a scale as well. It made my DIY as easy as it gets (along with a magnetic stir plate I also got that retired a commercial UC).

I went for a compact 'Pocket' AWS 100gr Blade Scale to premix my additives. It's all I need for the system I use to put my 150ml batches together (and 30ml trial batches complete with base). It was around $20 shipped with a calibration weight, is stored in a clear case with lid that doubles as a 'bowl' to protect the scale (would catch if anything is spilled).


A gent in Latvia made the magnetic stir plate for me around the same time I got the scale. Another time and effort saver that does a better job than the UC or other methods I did at one time.

 

[sofarsogood]

So I've wanting to up my DIY game a little. I've been using syringes and beakers since started several years ago. They work fine with less than 60ml batches "I thought". After researching what scale I needed and got, I noticed a difference in the the quality of the liquid I was mixing. With a eliquid calculator that takes in account weight differences of pg/vg base and flavor the difference is very noticeable.

So how did I decide what scale to buy. I looked on the forum and most everyone said a 500g scale. This is only half of the answer that is the size of the scale. The scale I had in the kitchen was a nice scale for food items. I tried it and not so good for eliquid, see there is a minimum weight that will register on the scale all scales have this. See my scale was a 0.5 gram not near sensitive enough for mixing eliquid. What I found a sensitive scale could be expensive so I had to look a little harder and found one I really liked it was compact, attractive, and most of all accurate and affordable at $16. It's only a 200g capacity, but is enough for me and comes with a calibration weight. It senses change at 0.01g, almost breath of air and I have been well pleased with it.

https://www.amazon.com/calibration-...622&sr=8-3&keywords=brifit+digital+mini+scale

To add: I still mix in a 100ml beaker cause a 120ml boston bottle weights 110g and the beaker only 50g.

I use a set of graduated glass cylinders, 5,10,25,50,100,200 ml. I mix 200 ml batches about once a month for myself and 400 ml batches a couple times a year for mailing to a brother on the east coast. Recently I made a small 40 ml batch with higher nic and flavoring for a couple of pod systems I use for backup and stealth. I used a 2 ml syringe to measure the flavoring and glass cylinders for the rest. The downside to glass cylinders is some extra clean up time, you'll need some brushes to do it right, and taking extra care not to break one.

 

[DaveP]

This scale is the one I use. I like having the bowl in case a bottle tips over or I accidentally drip outside the bottle. Doesn't happen often, but the bowl catches whatever runs over the bottle top during a pour. It's compact and accurate. The bowl has a ring on the bottom that fits the scale platform and lifts off if you just want to use the scale without it.

https://www.amazon.com/American-Wei...49201442&sr=8-2-fkmr1&keywords=vape+diy+scale

 

[uthinkofsomething]

This scale is the one I use. I like having the bowl in case a bottle tips over or I accidentally drip outside the bottle. Doesn't happen often, but the bowl catches whatever runs over the bottle top during a pour. It's compact and accurate. The bowl lifts off if you just want to use the scale without it.

https://www.amazon.com/American-Wei...49201442&sr=8-2-fkmr1&keywords=vape+diy+scale

I have this same scale. Works great.

 

[Mordacai]

Scientific scales are best, but they're by no means cheap and also they occasionally need calibrating.

 

[dc99]

The scale DaveP listed is the scale most of us use. Its reliable, fairly cheap and is plenty accurate for mixing

 

[zoiDman]

Here is a couple of things I would Look for when buying a Scale to do DIY.

Does it run on Batteries Only? Or does it run on a Cord/Wall Wart? Or maybe it can run on Both?
Does it Auto-Off after some amount of Time? And if so, How Long?
What is the Calibration Method (if there is one)? And what Weight Standards do you need to Do It?
What is the Scales Resolution?
And, of course, what is the Scales Total Capacity?

The Top 3 to me are Creature Features. Auto-Off can be a PITA sometimes. And Calibration can be done with Nickels and Hundred Dollar Bills. Although that can be a PITA also.

Resolution? Simple... +/- .01g

Now Capacity is where things/methods can diverge.

If you Want a Scale that you can put a Glass Storage Bottle on it and then Mix everything in the Bottle, then you are probably looking at a 500g Scale.

But some people feel that they Don't need -/+ .01g accuracy to weigh VG or PG or Nicotine Base. And that a Graduated Cylinder is Fine. Especially if one is using "Pre-Mix".

So what the Scale is Really Needed for is to Weight the Flavoring(s)/Sweetener. So if all you are doing is Weighing the Flavoring, you can get away with a Scale that has Less Capacity.

 

[BrotherBob]

This is only half of the answer

Got to go with what you think you want, from the replies, I think most of the pros and cons have been mentioned.
There is a case to be made (many) for mixing in syringes only.
Could view:
Mixing By Weight: Basics 101

 

[DaveP]

Mixing, however you choose to do it, it far cheaper than buying vendor juice and you get to develop juice you like over time and repeated mix variations. Another plus is that you know what's in your juice bottle because you made it yourself. That assumes you know what's in the flavors you buy, but at least you know the flavor brands and have resources from the flavor maker that allow you to request a materia safety data sheet (MSDS) that lists any components that could be undesirable.

 

[gpjoe]

This scale is the one I use. I like having the bowl in case a bottle tips over or I accidentally drip outside the bottle. Doesn't happen often, but the bowl catches whatever runs over the bottle top during a pour. It's compact and accurate. The bowl has a ring on the bottom that fits the scale platform and lifts off if you just want to use the scale without it.

https://www.amazon.com/American-Wei...49201442&sr=8-2-fkmr1&keywords=vape+diy+scale

This one. For the price of a single bottle of commercial juice - pays for itself after mixing one bottle of DIY juice.

 

[DaveP]

Plastic bottles are even lighter. I needed a 500g scale for the amounts of liquid I make, and I actually could use an even higher capacity scale... Just yesterday I had to make a 500ml bottle of juice for a friend and of course that is way over limit with the bottle and max vg.

I do four 100ml glass bottles of unflavored and six 50ml flavored bottles each time I mix. I have 4oz and 8oz glass bottles, but those usually get used for breaking a liter of 100mg/ml nic base into smaller sizes for freezing. Of course, when you are mixing for someone else like you are doing it's probably better to just mix up one BIG plastic bottle and save time.

I have a very few friends who vape and most of them don't do DIY. I probably need to check in at the vape shops and see who else does DIY in my area.

 

[uthinkofsomething]

I do four 100ml glass bottles of unflavored and six 50ml flavored bottles each time I mix. I have 4oz and 8oz glass bottles, but those usually get used for breaking a liter of 100mg/ml nic base into smaller sizes for freezing. Of course, when you are mixing for someone else like you are doing it's probably better to just mix up one BIG plastic bottle and save time.

I have a very few friends who vape and most of them don't do DIY. I probably need to check in at the vape shops and see who else does DIY in my area.

I've been trying to encourage my friend to do diy, all he ever vapes is skittles clones. I started by making him a mix that had 9 flavorings but recently got FW Rainbow candy and he says he can't tell a difference, so now he gets a 10% max vg 3mg liquid. So easy to mix... And yeah, I just don't want to do multiple bottles for him. I've actually been mixing the 500mls in old vg or pg 500ml bottles from nic river.

 

[Capt.shay]

I personally would not use one of the little "dope dealer" scales such as the op shows. Not only does it not have enough capacity but one spill would probably ruin it do to it's design with the level scaling surface and controls. The difference in price for a decent 500g scale is minimal particularly considering you will be spreading the cost across every bottle you make as you will need your scale each time.

 

[Capt.shay]

I've been trying to encourage my friend to do diy, all he ever vapes is skittles clones. I started by making him a mix that had 9 flavorings but recently got FW Rainbow candy and he says he can't tell a difference, so now he gets a 10% max vg 3mg liquid. So easy to mix... And yeah, I just don't want to do multiple bottles for him. I've actually been mixing the 500mls in old vg or pg 500ml bottles from nic river.

Don't let FW Rainbow sit around the flavor cabinet to long. It turns in to lemon juice

 

[uthinkofsomething]

Don't let FW Rainbow sit around the flavor cabinet to long. It turns in to lemon juice

Are you talking about the concentrate itself? I go through it pretty well. 10% mix is what I've been doing, which is 50mls for 500mls e-liquid about once a month. Also make 30 here and there for others. Lol I can't stand the flavor myself!