Buying Juice or DIY for Newbie

[dleerl]

I just started vaping for the New Year and still have a couple of packs left. I have committed myself to not buying anymore analogs. After 50+ years of smoking and having gone through every means available of trying to quit to no avail, I know that I will be a serious vaper. For economic reasons DIY is the preferred method for me.

Currently I have 2-16ml bottles of 24mg. RY4 juice plus 6-3ml bottles of 18 mg. various flavors. Being a 1 1/2 pack a day smoker I estimate this will last probably 2- 2 1/2 weeks, maybe? I have some questions for you experienced vapers and DIY's that will help me make some decisions that I need to make at this time. All answers will be greatly appreciated. This is the third time I have tried to post this question. Everytime I try to post this, I somehow get signed out of the forum. This time I am going to copy it before I submit it because I ama tired of typing it.

1. Should I wait another month before attempting to DIY?

2. Pros and cons of PG and VG.

3. What utensils are needed to DIY?

4. Are there any materials I should buy to protect myself or my envirnoment when DIY'ing.

5. Any suggestions on where I can get the small bottles from to put my juice in? Someplace cheap? Or just a good bottle supplier overall with good prices?

6. I have already read in this forum on mixing,
however there were things missing and that's why I am asking questions.

Where can I buy the calculator? I went to the DIY Flavor Shack at the E-Cig Smoke Store and I didn't see it. I don't know where else to go.

7. If I want to make approximately 60ml of 24mg juice, how much in supplies will I need to buy? Just tell me either PV or VG, nicotine to make it 24mg, and how much flavoring in total. I will break that down by the number of bottles of different flavoring. The DIY flavor shack has small bottles of flavoring but I don't know how many drops come in a bottle and I have no idea how many drops you put in a 10ml bottle. Without a calculator at this time I have no idea what I need to order right now to be ready to mix the juice. I want to order everything at the same time.

8. Any discount codes?

I know I've asked a lot of questions but will be happy with any answers you can provide.

A Happy, Healthier, New Year to Us All

 

[NativeTexan]

I too would like to see these questions answered. I'd love to DIY all my own liquids.

 

[Kent C]

dleerl:I just started vaping for the New Year and still have a couple of packs left. I have committed myself to not buying anymore analogs. After 50+ years of smoking and having gone through every means available of trying to quit to no avail, I know that I will be a serious vaper. For economic reasons DIY is the preferred method for me.

Welcome!!

Currently I have 2-16ml bottles of 24mg. RY4 juice plus 6-3ml bottles of 18 mg. various flavors. Being a 1 1/2 pack a day smoker I estimate this will last probably 2- 2 1/2 weeks, maybe?

dleerl, you've been paying attention! 50ml should get you about 2 1/2 weeks, ymmv.

I have some questions for you experienced vapers and DIY's that will help me make some decisions that I need to make at this time. All answers will be greatly appreciated. This is the third time I have tried to post this question. Everytime I try to post this, I somehow get signed out of the forum. This time I am going to copy it before I submit it because I ama tired of typing it.

There have been some server problems:
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/site-feedback-help/51206-keep-getting-logged-out.html


1. Should I wait another month before attempting to DIY?

Your choice, but no need to.

2. Pros and cons of PG and VG.

Some say PG holds flavors better, but I'm not so sure. PG is not as viscous and doesn't need to be 'cut' - although it could be. Pure VG is very viscous and needs to be cut - a 80:20 (or close to that) is a pretty standard ratio of VG to either PGA(pure grain alcohol) or distilled/deionized water. VG produces more vapor than PG and so even if you choose a base of PG you might want to add some VG and again, a popular ratio is 80:20 PG:VG and you may or may not want to first dilute the VG with PGA/H2O. I would.

3. What utensils are needed to DIY?

Bottles, I like pipettes but syringes that have measures on them are good for precise measurements - such measurements of course necessary for duplicating recipes. Lots of paper towels ;-) PG, VG, distilled water, flavoring, unflavored nicotine juice, a funnel is nice. Note pad/index cards. There are many places that offer DIY kits - most notably:

http://www.diyflavorshack.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=3

E Liquid DIY kits

Happy Vaper - Canadian Quality Electronic Cigarette/Personal Vaporizers and DIY Smoke Liquid

All of the above have flavorings and tools.

Another source for unflavored nic juice:
DIY Smoke juice supplies | My Freedom Smokes
[careful handling that 60 and 100mg stuff]

4. Are there any materials I should buy to protect myself or my envirnoment when DIY'ing.

Rubber gloves to handle that 60 and 100mg stuff ;-) Know that almost any nicotine level of juice is harmful to animals - one drop could drop a cat.

5. Any suggestions on where I can get the small bottles from to put my juice in? Someplace cheap? Or just a good bottle supplier overall with good prices?

Some of the above links has them but for bulk buys this is a popular place:
Home | Plastic Tanks | Plastic Buckets | Plastic Bottles | Labware | Plastic Tubing | PVC Pipe | U.S. Plastic Corp.


6. I have already read in this forum on mixing,
however there were things missing and that's why I am asking questions.

Where can I buy the calculator? I went to the DIY Flavor Shack at the E-Cig Smoke Store and I didn't see it. I don't know where else to go.

There's this:

eJuice Recipe Calculator

...and then Scubabatdan's resource:

FilesAnywhere - FileShare Detail View
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...e-calculator-added-quantity-calculations.html


7. If I want to make approximately 60ml of 24mg juice, how much in supplies will I need to buy? Just tell me either PV or VG, nicotine to make it 24mg, and how much flavoring in total. I will break that down by the number of bottles of different flavoring. The DIY flavor shack has small bottles of flavoring but I don't know how many drops come in a bottle and I have no idea how many drops you put in a 10ml bottle. Without a calculator at this time I have no idea what I need to order right now to be ready to mix the juice. I want to order everything at the same time.

The calculators will give you the ratios and as far as the mixing goes the DIY liquids forum is best suited to answer that.

8. Any discount codes?

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...tronic-cigarette-coupon-code-master-list.html

You should check the individual suppliers forums for deals also. And this new forum:

Suppliers' Christmas Offers - e-cigarette-forum.com • The place for electronic cigarette reviews, news and chat

.. and the classifieds - caveat emptor but check the feedback on sellers.
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/classifieds-swaps/

I know I've asked a lot of questions but will be happy with any answers you can provide.

A Happy, Healthier, New Year to Us All

Happy New Year to you!

 

[Cali]

Ok so I have a few questions on the process of DiY.

So you purchase your unflavored Nicotine Juice correct?

Then you purchase your VG/PG (whichever you prefer)

Then you purchase the flavorings you want.

You mix the VG/PG with the Nic juice in whatever ratio you want. So if you begin with a 36mg Nic juice and mix a 1:1 ratio with the PG/VG you will end up with an 18mg strength Nic juice with no flavoring. You then proceed to add whatever flavoring you want to taste. The end result is a flavored juice of 18mg strength correct?
Then you simply fill your carts, dip, drip, etc.

Is this the process? Where I am not confident and getting a bit confused at is the way you mix the actual bases (The nicotine and PG/VG) to get the actual vapor juice. The flavoring portion I think is pretty easy to grasp. You simply add until you get the desired taste.

Ok so again just as an example. I have a 10ml bottle. I add 5ml of Nic Juice (36mg) then I add 5ml of VG/PG that give me a flavorless Nic juice of 18mg but how do you now add flavoring?

 

[j0ker]

The amounts mentioned are approximates. You do have to leave room for flavor, although not much as the flavor is concentrated.

If you need exact amounts I would suggest using this calculator that i use.
Calculator

 

[Cali]

But that's the overall process right? The flavorings you would want to add would be 0mg nic also correct? I checked out the calculators btw and looks pretty straightforward. Thanks to both of you for those links.

 

[Kent C]

Ok so I have a few questions on the process of DiY.

So you purchase your unflavored Nicotine Juice correct?

Then you purchase your VG/PG (whichever you prefer)

Then you purchase the flavorings you want.

You mix the VG/PG with the Nic juice in whatever ratio you want. So if you begin with a 36mg Nic juice and mix a 1:1 ratio with the PG/VG you will end up with an 18mg strength Nic juice with no flavoring. You then proceed to add whatever flavoring you want to taste. The end result is a flavored juice of 18mg strength correct?
Then you simply fill your carts, dip, drip, etc.

Is this the process? Where I am not confident and getting a bit confused at is the way you mix the actual bases (The nicotine and PG/VG) to get the actual vapor juice. The flavoring portion I think is pretty easy to grasp. You simply add until you get the desired taste.

Ok so again just as an example. I have a 10ml bottle. I add 5ml of Nic Juice (36mg) then I add 5ml of VG/PG that give me a flavorless Nic juice of 18mg but how do you now add flavoring?

As Joker says the levels would be approximate once the flavoring was added and it should be noted that some flavorings are very concentrated - loranns, flavorart and some aren't - liquidxpress, capelas (doens't seem as concentrated to me), some are just no-nic juices to blend with high nic retail stuff where someone wants to dilute the nic without diluting the flavor. So, for example, the liquidxpress flavorings, Rob puts this in his 'mixing notes':

1) Lightweights (you like low nic) (15ml bottle)

4ml of 36mg nic liquid + 7ml of PG or VG your choice + 4ml of Flavoring (not lorann's, but the water based off here)
That's a 9.6mg liquid that should taste good.

... so you'll see that the flavoring is a bigger percentage of the overall batch and that will affect the final mg vs. using a 'few drops of lorann flavoring'.

 

[Cali]

Awesome! Thanks for all the info. So buy the Nic Liquid (no flavor). Buy the VG/PG. Buy the flavor. Mix, vape, enjoy, repeat? lol

 

[Kewtsquirrel]

Pretty much - I've been mixing all of my own liquid for months now, and I'll never go back to the crap that you buy commercially anymore.

I get my unflavored juice from bliplabs.com, then add 15-30% flavor depending on which flavor I want, and cut it down to the desired nicotine level using glycerine I pickup from walmart. Try the watermelon flavor from lorann, it's amaaazing

 

[dleerl]

Thanks Kent for answering all of those questions I asked. After going to My Freedom Smoke to look at the unflavored ejuice prices I decided to buy some there. When I was ready to check out I realized that they cut the price in half at the check out so it was really a good deal so I haven't closed my browser yet. I have another question to ask before I decide how much to buy.

Does the nicotine juice keep? If it does I'll buy a large quantity at this price. I'll wait for someone to answer before I'll close my order.

Thanks everyone for all your help.


Donna

 

[Mia]

Let me add one important thing, use small ml bottles until you get the hang of it. The last thing you want to do is experiment and wind up with 30ml of juice you hate. I suggest 6ml bottles to start with.

 

[dleerl]

Also, where are you getting this Lorann flavoring from? When I tried to find it, all I could find were products that were supplied to restaurants and bakeries? Can someone give me a link to it, please.

 

[Kent C]

Awesome! Thanks for all the info. So buy the Nic Liquid (no flavor). Buy the VG/PG. Buy the flavor. Mix, vape, enjoy, repeat? lol

Welcome... You got it!

 

[Kent C]

Thanks Kent for answering all of those questions I asked. After going to My Freedom Smoke to look at the unflavored ejuice prices I decided to buy some there. When I was ready to check out I realized that they cut the price in half at the check out so it was really a good deal so I haven't closed my browser yet. I have another question to ask before I decide how much to buy.

Does the nicotine juice keep? If it does I'll buy a large quantity at this price. I'll wait for someone to answer before I'll close my order.


Donna

Donna,

Nic juice keeps from 18 - 24 months - cool, dark, dry - I don't recommend the fridge because of the humidity and going in an out factor.... others do recommend that though.

 

[Kent C]

Also, where are you getting this Lorann flavoring from? When I tried to find it, all I could find were products that were supplied to restaurants and bakeries? Can someone give me a link to it, please.

https://www.lorannoils.com/c-6-super-strength-flavors-candy-oils.aspx


Also see these for water soluble vs. oil soluble - basically you want water soluble flavoring.

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...rs-color-coded-complete-ingredients-list.html

http://www.exogenesis.co.uk/Loranne1.htm


http://www.coupons2grab.com/lorann_oils-discount-coupons

 

[Mia]

Here is a link of DIY juicers.

DIY e-liquid - e-cigarette-forum.com • The place for electronic cigarette reviews, news and chat

 

[Cali]

I notice on the lorann website it says the flavors are highly potent. is there a different guideline you should use if you're going to use these flavorings?

 

[Kent C]

I notice on the lorann website it says the flavors are highly potent. is there a different guideline you should use if you're going to use these flavorings?

Like Mia says- go to the DIY liquid forum - there's lots of specific recipes and guidelines for the use of flavoriings.

 

[dleerl]

Besides Cali's question above, I would want to know what size bottle one should order given these are potent flavorings? I have no idea what a dram is? Is it enough to make 10ml test bottle?

 

[Kent C]

Besides Cali's question above, I would want to know what size bottle one should order given these are potent flavorings? I have no idea what a dram is? Is it enough to make 10ml test bottle?

From loranns, the dram bottle is sufficient to start - if you find one you particulally like, order a bigger one in the next order. I went big on butterscotch ;-) There's a lot of reviews of their flavors at the DIY forum - some are very powerful - lemonade for example - one drop can affect a 30ml mix. English toffee is unusally strong. Coffee flavors - not worth buying, imo, but some like them.

I start with a 3ml bottle -and add drops of nic juice, vg and then flavoring a drop at a time and test. 3ml = 60 drops and use the same dropper/syringe, etc. for each liquid - there are different size 'drops' depending on what you're using. Take excessive notes. lol