COST OF YOUR DYI and flavoring %

[DeeDee1234]

I have been reading threw alot of the dyi treads and two questions are burning in my head.


1) Have any of you figured a cost for your own dyi juice per ml or 10,15 mls? Curious is dyi cheaper, or are you custom making your juice to your taste?

2) Flavoring- In the threads that I have read and I am not saying that I have read them all or anything, from what I have seen thier is a wild difference in flavor%. I am sure if one vendors flavor is more consentrated or if taste is THAT different or what but one poster will state 15-20% and someone else states 1%.

A few even lead me to believe you were mixing the flavor with pg or pga to come up with a flavor % and then flavoring the juice with that mix.

I am confusaled? Are you really flavoring at 20-25 percent by volume? That would mean in a 10 ml bottle - 2 or 2.5 mls is flavoring? the remaining 7.5-8 mls for your nic and pg/vg ratio.

While a different poster may state 10 drops of flavor in a 10ml bottle which would be less than 1 percent by volume.

Help a noob figure this one out?

 

[stressmama]

I started DIY'ing about 2 months ago. I calculated that my e-liquid is about 5 cents per ml (that excludes some one-time costs for syringes, needles and glass bottles). The blend I like is 12% flavoring in a 50/50 PG/VG blend at 18 mg/ml nic. I downloaded the eJuice Me Up calculator which made things much easier. I also made really small batches (like 3 ml) at first while I was sorting out what I liked and didn't like.

I never use the "drops" method, I always measure with syringes. I know myself well enough to know that I would miscount and screw up the "drops" and then have a mess on my hands.

I read this forum a lot before I started DIY'ing, subscribed to threads so I could refer back to them and kept notes about what I read.

When I first started I purchased 48 mg nic in 100% PG, a bottle of VG, some flavorings I thought I would like, some EM (for sweetening) and some AP. Plus syringes in several sizes, needles in several sizes and cobalt blue glass bottles in various sizes. I took the recipes I wanted to try and put them in the eJuice Me Up calculator to determine how much of each component I needed.

I mix by adding the appropriate amount of the nic liquid in a bottle, then I add the appropriate amount of VG, then I add the appropriate amount of my flavoring, EM and AP. I give the bottle a good shake while I'm heating water in the microwave, then put the bottle in a glass of almost-boiling water to steep. Once it cools, I give it another good shake while more water is heating and let the bottle sit in hot water again until the water cools. One more good shake and then in a dark cabinet for as long as I can stand it (sometimes one day, sometimes a week). I also shake the bottle each day to facilitate blending. I always label my bottles with the date and recipe number. My method may not be the best there is, but it works for me.

For me, DIY was really confusing at first. Everyone has their own method and their own likes and dislikes. I read and read and read some more before I placed my first order. The first batch I made was an ordeal, I worried over every measurement. After the first batch or two, it gets much easier. I have flavorings that I'll probably never use, but they sounded good at the time.

Also, whenever I try a recipe, I do a screen shot of the eJuice Me Up calculator and save it to a PowerPoint file. I make notes on each page of the PowerPoint file so I can refer back to them later. I know this is probably over the top, but it works for me.

After some experimentation, I had a recipe I really liked and started making 50 ml batches. This forum was an invaluable resource while I was trying to figure out everything. Now, I really enjoy reading this forum to pick up additional tips and tricks.

Also, be sure you are careful when you handle the nic liquid! Read the safety warnings at the top of this forum. I always wear latex gloves and safety glasses. I always mix in a pie plate so a spill would be contained. I always mix in the kitchen, close to the sink in case I need to wash nic liquid off my skin. I've been fortunate enough to not have a spill or any other problems, but I'd rather be safe than sorry!

Hang in there and keep reading!

 

[DeeDee1234]

When I first started I purchased 48 mg nic in 100% PG, a bottle of VG, some flavorings I thought I would like, some EM (for sweetening) and some AP. Plus syringes in several sizes, needles in several sizes and cobalt blue glass bottles in various sizes. I took the recipes I wanted to try and put them in the eJuice Me Up calculator to determine how much of each component I needed.

I mix by adding the appropriate amount of the nic liquid in a bottle, then I add the appropriate amount of VG, then I add the appropriate amount of my flavoring, EM and AP.




Thanks for the advise momma, What is AP and also what is smooth? Also, Do you know what causes that after taste of flowery soapy in some juices

 

[Hello World]

1) Have any of you figured a cost for your own dyi juice per ml or 10,15 mls? Curious is dyi cheaper, or are you custom making your juice to your taste?

About $ 1 a day, but I vape a lot.

2) Flavoring- In the threads that I have read and I am not saying that I have read them all or anything, from what I have seen thier is a wild difference in flavor%. I am sure if one vendors flavor is more consentrated or if taste is THAT different or what but one poster will state 15-20% and someone else states 1%.

I use way less than 1% flavoring, but use a systematic instead of a recipe approach.

 

[NoLeak]

Curious is dyi cheaper, or are you custom making your juice to your taste?

The price difference between DIY and commercial juice is huge. It's not even close.

I paid $20-30 for a gallon of PG. I've been vaping from it for two years and I'm only 1/2 way through. I paid $50 for 100mg/ml nic. I've been vaping that for a year and I'm not even 1/2 way through it. I forget what I paid for my vg but I use an 80/20 mix so my vg lasts forever. For flavoring, I use menthol crystals and VZ super concentrated flavors. A few dollars of menthol lasts over a year. I use the VZ super concentrates at one drop per 3 ml so one 5ml bottle ($4) flavors over 600ml of juice.

Frankly, I wouldn't vape at all if I had to pay commercial juice prices.

 

[kabonk]

there is a calculator that I use that breaks down the cost as well as give you the ratio to mix at. my DIY runs between $1.30 - $1.60 per 60 ml bottle depending how many flavors go in the mix. On average I mix most of my juices at 10 - 12 % flavoring but some flavors are stronger so it depends on the flavor

 

[Hoosier]

Costs, I dont really track, but I haven't spent a dime in the last few months. Maybe that means I'm overstocked on DIY supplies?

You raise some good questions and they do tend to repeat over the years, but it's the same thing that confuses most looking into this sub for the first few hours/days/weeks...

Flavorings, yes, this is the most important point for me and can be one of the most confusing. (I wrote a blog on flavoring levels in an attempt to help new mixers.) If we are talking one flavoring manufacturer, then yes, ratios will be all over the map. One manufacturer I have recipes of different flavorings from them that vary from 0.5% to 22% and another producer that ranges from 0.35% to 6%, and another flavoring creator's go from 1% to 25%, and I could keep going. Capellas has the narrowest range as those flavorings seem to work between 12% to 18%.

Then you have the same flavoring from the same manufacturer having ranges. This can be because of individual taste, what it is being used to create, and which notes come out at which level. One of the perfect examples of this is tobacco flavorings from FA where mixing in the 0.3-2% range will have a completely different taste as the 3-7% range and another completely different taste at the 8-12% range. The difference in taste can be so great that it is unbelievable that it is coming from the same flavoring bottle. (Another one is DaMulta's Sweet Tart recipe, seriously, how does that flavoring come out to taste that way?)

When I say % of anything, flavoring, PG, VG, or whatever for DIY mixing it is the percentage of the total final volume. 10% flavoring in a 10ml bottle of finished juice is 1ml and the remainder of the components total 9ml.

Yes, I'm really flavoring that way. My recipes vary from 0.35% to 35% flavoring. (Yes 35% flavoring in a 10ml bottle is 3.5ml and 0.35% is .035ml, but I wouldn't mix the 0.35% recipe in that small of a bottle.)

So, you are not too confused, it is just what it is.

 

[Angi2299]

Just started DIY a few months ago and hadn't calculated a price per ml. Your question pushed me to pull out pencil and paper and do the cost analysis. Now my first orders were nic at 48 mg/ml (small 30 ml bottle) and VG from the Grocery store. I am shocked at the cost a little over .09 per ml including flavors. $2.83 for a 30 ml bottle. This cost will come down considerably when I bulk order my nic and VG in the next month. WOWZER

 

[TroyHoot]

Agree with Hoosier. My flavoring percentages range from 5-40% total volume. I like lots of flavor though.. Last I figured my mixes range from 5-10 cents a ml.

Lately I have been buying some single flavors from MBV at very high flavoring and mixing them 50-50 with my diy stuff. Now they started selling 236mil bottles for around $36 I think it is. So after shipping thats 15-16cents a ml. I still like to make my own. But this gives me an option if I dont have time to experiment or cant get supplys in time. This also lets me just get higher nic in these. When I mix them with mine it brings it down to what I want.

 

[Scubabatdan]

Here is my cost breakdown for a 100ml bottle of juice to be made, BTW this sheet is in the excel juice calculator v13. Link is in my Sig.

Some flavors require less some more, I went with the average.
Dan

 

[dannyv45]

I also use a calculator. I started with 250ml vg/pg and 250 ml 100mlpl NIC. I use between 1% - 5% flavoring in 75/25 PG/VG @ 24% NIC for my tobacco mixs and my average cost is about $3.50USD per 30ML. I've been DYI for about 2 weeks and have 3 goto mixes right now and about 6 mixes I'm still experimenting with.

 

[DeeDee1234]

Here is my cost breakdown for a 100ml bottle of juice to be made, BTW this sheet is in the excel juice calculator v13. Link is in my Sig.

Some flavors require less some more, I went with the average.
Dan

Very cool Thank you

 

[NeKro13]

Wow after reading this thread its has caught my attention to maybe try the DIY juice making. The cost of DIY and commercial juices is unreal. I really need to look more into this and maybe get a shopping list put together and try it out.

 

[stressmama]

Thanks for the advise momma, What is AP and also what is smooth? Also, Do you know what causes that after taste of flowery soapy in some juices

AP is acetyl pyrazine. It adds a slightly nutty flavor. My daily vape consists of double RY4, EM and AP. I actually use Cotton Candy from The Flavors Apprentice instead of mixing my own EM (ethyl maltol).

I also can't help you with the flowery soap taste. Your e-liquid may need to steep longer. I'm hoping someone else will come along that can answer this question for you.

I'm not sure what "smooth" would be. I've read threads about various flavors smoothing out sharper flavors.

Good luck with your DIY adventure! I've had a blast with it and am saving a lot of money.

 

[malus_rex]

I average about $5.5-$6 per 100ml. It will get cheaper as I pinpoint my favorites and order those in larger bottles. I prefer super concentrated alcohol-base flavorings, especially for tobacco.

I strongly recommend starting with alcohol base if you want tobacco flavors. I started with PG-based and almost gave up trying to determine the proper percentages. It was WAY easier to find percentages that tasted right with the alcohol base. I also find alcohol base needs less steep time to taste good, which is helpful when you are starting out and impatient to try your creations.

 

[cptr13]

I figure my costs the old fashioned way. I use math and a calculator. Start at the beginning quantities and work your way backwards. Figure the cost of what you buy (I buy PG/VG by the gallon and nic by the liter), break it down to the per ml cost, do the same thing with flavors, etc then put it all together for each bottle you make. It's time consuming on the front end, but if you don't have a lot of variation (different flavor vendors or percentages) then you should quickly be able to put together a reference sheet that will keep you in the ballpark for costs long term. It's worth it in my opinion. Here's some examples for me. I've had changes as I've grown my business and bought in larger and larger quantities. Also, I'm more interested in a reasonable ballpark, not, to-the-penny costs. To get that, you need to make sure you factor in shipping and reculate every time your cost varies from vendor sales. I allow a +/- 10 cent variation, which I'm ok with. My total cost estimates below are for 12mg bottles, the mid-point and a workable average because I make 0-24mg bottles.

PG 1 gallon = 3785.408ml-$23-2ml per cent
VG 1gal = 3785.408ml-$23-2ml per cent
wizardlabs, 60mg, 500ml nic liq ($45.59)-9c/ml

pg=3c
vg=3c
flavor=21c
bottle= 35-50 cents
TC per 10ml =58 cents
TC per 20= roughly 80 cents
TC per 30ml- roughly $1.15

Not sure if this is coherent, but I hope it helps.

**Edit
The above cost estimates don't include the bottle costs

 

[Red_Bird]

If you use strictly Capella and Flavour Arts flavorings like I do, pretty much, cost per ML is slightly higher...not much

TFA flavorings are cheap, so is Lorann + Flavor West....VZ sc is almost as cheap...considering how concentrated it is

 

[xpackaday]

I kinda use a ball park of $1 per 10 ml as my cost. But that does not include the measuring equipment. Flavors; I buy some duds that sit on the shelf never to be used, just like you do when you buy ejuice. I think I was in the red after 3 month when I started.

My flavor cost is higher then the above spread sheet. I think I'm about $5 for 10ml which will make about 100ml ejiuce. My PG and VG is about $13 per L., My nic at 100mg is at $44 per 250ml. I would love to find Dan's source, it looks like I'm paying way to much?

 

[xpackaday]

I kinda use a ball park of $1 per 10 ml as my cost. But that does not include the measuring equipment. Flavors; I buy some duds that sit on the shelf never to be used, just like you do when you buy ejuice. I think I was in the red after 3 month when I started.

My flavor cost is higher then the above spread sheet. I think I'm about $5 for 10ml which will make about 100ml ejiuce. My PG and VG is about $13 per L., My nic at 100mg is at $44 per 250ml. I would love to find Dan's source, it looks like I'm paying way to much?

 

[DeeDee1234]

Wizard labs 100mg - 250mls is $30.00

The prices and quality are great, btw