Dark Ages of Vape DIY recipes

[IDJoel]

Sorry I only use the drop method and not %'s, I just started doing it that way, way back when about everyone used drops and never changed. I suggest try 10 ml by drops and see if you like it, if yes then convert to the way you like by % or by weight for bigger volumes I keep my juice making so simple and just mix in the bottle too. I add my drops, then half the Nic PG/VG mix I use and shake well then add rest of base and mix again. Pretty easy! LOL

I apologize if I was sounding critical; that was not my intention. I understand and am glad that you have found what works best for you. It just makes it difficult for the rest of us to be able to recreate your offering unless we have your identical bottles/droppers. I mix mostly with syringes and have tried duplicating other drop-based recipes. In doing so, I have found that my efforts can vary by as much as 50% (on low percentage mixes) total flavor added; just based on whether I have an 18 or 16 gauge needle on the end of the exact same syringe (unfortunately most of my flavors are in glass vials vs. plastic dripper bottles).

Unfortunately, communicating in "drops" is like communicating in "scoops." It is like me trying to give you a casserole recipe; telling you to add 6 scoops of shredded chicken, 4 scoops of diced tomatoes, a half scoop of finely chopped onion, and a sixteenth of a scoop of fresh chopped garlic. Put it all in a 9 x 9 baking dish and fill with macaroni and broth. Without an agreed upon understanding of what a "scoop' is your ability to make a casserole that tastes like my casserole in pretty slim.

Perhaps I could equate your "drops" to "parts." 5 drops X = .05mL X, and 3 drops Y = .03mL Y; combine all flavors into a flavor base and then mix that flavor base together with an unflavored PG/VG/nic base. That will mess with my PG/VG ratio and my nic strength. But, at least it will let me taste your overall flavor profile, as you intended (assuming all your different flavors have the same-sized drops and my equivalencies are correct). I will still need to play with the "flavored" to "unflavored" ratio but I should have a basic understanding of what you want me to taste.


And now I see I must apologize once again. You created this thread to share recipes and not discuss technique. Please forgive me; I did not wish to hijack your thread. Your recipes do sound yummy! I just get a bit (OK a lot) OCD about my making what you are making.

 

[kross8]

I'm curious how you arrived at your percentages. Are you basing this on the common average of 20 drops per milliliter? Because with that math my numbers look like:

• 200 drops/10mL total (20 drops/mL average) Total Recipe
• 5 drops Vanilla Cupcake - FW
  
  • = 5dr/20dr per mL = 0.25mL/10mL = 2.5%
• 3 drops Vanilla Bean Ice Cream - FW
  
  • = 3dr/20dr per mL = 0.15mL/10mL = 1.5%
• 5 drops Yellow Cake - FW
  
  • = 5dr/20dr per mL = 0.25mL/10mL = 2.5%
• 2 drops Whipped Cream - FW
  
  • = 2dr/20dr per mL = 0.10mL/10mL = 1.0%
• 5 drops Lemon - NF
  
  • = 5dr/20dr per mL = 0.25mL/10mL = 2.5%
• 5 drops Cake Batter - NF
  
  • = 5dr/20dr per mL = 0.25mL/10mL = 2.5%
• 2 drops EM (cotton candy/EM 10% dilution)
  
  • = 2dr/20dr per mL = 0.10mL/10mL = 1.0%

  
  
  

  • 27dr/200dr per 10 mL = 1.35mL/10mL = 13.5% total flavoring
  (sorry for the silly formatting; I was trying to make my thoughts understandable)

Or am I all wrong and you are working on a 40 drops per milliliter premise (in which case your percentages are correct)?

I guess what is most important is how many drops per milliliter is @bnrkwest working with? We need to know that to have any hopes to replicate her recipe.

And I apologize in advance. I am NOT trying to be contentious. You and I are both correct because drop size is dependent on fluid temperature, viscosity, and drip tip size. This is why I prefer "percentage" for sharing recipes; it doesn't matter whether I measure by volume, weight, or drops. I can convert the stated percentage to my desired method of measurement.

i used this site,, in my case it has a 35drops default--i think 33 is more correct.. you can change it. i was 'mid recipe' when i started putting in her recipe--i over edited and got the first incorrect %
link may be buggy,,,i use e-liquid calculator... you can google it
http://..................../create

 

[IDJoel]

i used this site,, in my case it has a 35drops default--i think 33 is more correct.. you can change it. i was 'mid recipe' when i started putting in her recipe--i over edited and got the first incorrect %
link may be buggy,,,i use e-liquid calculator... you can google it
http://..................../create

I understand. I am familiar with elr. I frequently review their flavor resources (particularly average percentages used in mix and stand alone). I find it quite helpful. Not sure how it received it's "scarlet letter" from ecf.

Though I gotta say 33-35 drops per mL seems pretty high unless it is coming off an 18 gauge needle. I would put glass droppers and plastic pipettes closer to 20-23 drops per mL. "Defined units of measure" help bunches!

 

[Fozzy71]

I would easily lose count trying to count drops... mix by weight ftw.

 

[kross8]

I would easily lose count trying to count drops... mix by weight ftw.

i use 1ml, 5ml, 10ml syringes and a 60ml shot glass thing for larger 600ml batches.. at times I use a turkey baster ($3-4 at Krogers/ $1 @ dollar store) to refill small bottles.

 

[Fozzy71]

I use a scale and squeeze bottles. If a flavor doesn't have a dropper I use a pipette and toss it. The only thing I ever have to clean after making a recipe is the small funnel I put in the recipient bottle to help make sure all my squeezes/drops make it into the final container due to my sometimes shaky hands.

 

[IDJoel]

i use 1ml, 5ml, 10ml and a 60ml shot glass thing for larger 600ml batches.. at times I use a turkey baster ($3-4 at Krogers/ $1 @ dollar store) to refill small bottles.

Turkey baster? Nice! You are a beautiful example of how we all can find a method that works for us! The method may not be the same for each and every one; but if it keeps us away from the stinkies we have succeeded!!

 

[Bonskibon]

Sorry I only use the drop method and not %'s, I just started doing it that way, way back when about everyone used drops and never changed. I suggest try 10 ml by drops and see if you like it, if yes then convert to the way you like by % or by weight for bigger volumes I keep my juice making so simple and just mix in the bottle too. I add my drops, then half the Nic PG/VG mix I use and shake well then add rest of base and mix again. Pretty easy! LOL

I have converted to the drop method myself. I find it easier and not to concerned with some drops being bigger than others.

 

[Bonskibon]

Here is my favorite clone recipe thus far:
Cultured - 1%
2% FA - Fresh Cream
5% FW - Yogurt
3% Inwera- Raspberry
3% Sweet Cream PA
1% Cotton Candy

 

[kross8]

Here is my favorite clone recipe thus far:
Cultured - 1%
2% FA - Fresh Cream
5% FW - Yogurt
3% Inwera- Raspberry
3% Sweet Cream PA
1% Cotton Candy

It looks good!-- I am really liking INW flavors (more than FA)

 

[IDJoel]

I use a scale and squeeze bottles. If a flavor doesn't have a dropper I use a pipette and toss it. The only thing I ever have to clean after making a recipe is the small funnel I put in the recipient bottle to help make sure all my squeezes/drops make it into the final container due to my sometimes shaky hands.

How do you account for what sticks to the side of the funnel?

I'm just pulling your leg. I have started to shift from measuring by volume to measuring by weight just for the visual benefit. I'm only 54 but reading those fine marking on a syringe is rough. Beyond the convenience of the digital readout I am still out till further notice. Most of my flavors are in glass (I won't put them in plastic, or dropper-topped bottles because of accelerated loss of desired volatiles... some flavors I won't touch but once every six months if that). And I am too cheap to toss a pipette or syringe for every flavor every time; so clean-up seems to remain about the same. Weighing just works for me.

But if my scale took a dump today; I would have no stress returning to volume. I never really understood the "no clean-up" argument. When I measure by volume I use/reuse the same syringe and needle for the majority of the recipe; only changing to go to a larger size when volume dictated. I will simply give 2-3 pull/squirts in PGA between each ingredient, a quick wipe of the needle with a clean corner of a paper towel, all to avoid cross contamination and I am ready to go.

Either way; I still have a couple of pipettes or syringes to swizzle/swish with PGA and put away and I'm done.
Any way you look at it; DIY is easy peasy!

 

[bnrkwest]

I apologize if I was sounding critical; that was not my intention. I understand and am glad that you have found what works best for you. It just makes it difficult for the rest of us to be able to recreate your offering unless we have your identical bottles/droppers. I mix mostly with syringes and have tried duplicating other drop-based recipes. In doing so, I have found that my efforts can vary by as much as 50% (on low percentage mixes) total flavor added; just based on whether I have an 18 or 16 gauge needle on the end of the exact same syringe (unfortunately most of my flavors are in glass vials vs. plastic dripper bottles).

Unfortunately, communicating in "drops" is like communicating in "scoops." It is like me trying to give you a casserole recipe; telling you to add 6 scoops of shredded chicken, 4 scoops of diced tomatoes, a half scoop of finely chopped onion, and a sixteenth of a scoop of fresh chopped garlic. Put it all in a 9 x 9 baking dish and fill with macaroni and broth. Without an agreed upon understanding of what a "scoop' is your ability to make a casserole that tastes like my casserole in pretty slim.

Perhaps I could equate your "drops" to "parts." 5 drops X = .05mL X, and 3 drops Y = .03mL Y; combine all flavors into a flavor base and then mix that flavor base together with an unflavored PG/VG/nic base. That will mess with my PG/VG ratio and my nic strength. But, at least it will let me taste your overall flavor profile, as you intended (assuming all your different flavors have the same-sized drops and my equivalencies are correct). I will still need to play with the "flavored" to "unflavored" ratio but I should have a basic understanding of what you want me to taste.


And now I see I must apologize once again. You created this thread to share recipes and not discuss technique. Please forgive me; I did not wish to hijack your thread. Your recipes do sound yummy! I just get a bit (OK a lot) OCD about my making what you are making.

Oh no problem, if you want to use a pipette or syringe for drop testing that is fine, I have drippers in some bottles I use but some I use a pipette. Some drops may be fatter, I know, but I don't worry about it. In cooking it is like a "handful" of this and a "pinch" of that. I cook that way and don't measure exactly. I just throw stuff together LOL Guess I make juice the same way

 

[bnrkwest]

Apricot Lemon Cake :
2% Armenia (Apricot) (FA)
8% Lemon Cake (INAWERA)
2% Marshmallow (FA)

Flavor total: 12%

I will vape this until its all gone,, which is about the exact moment I run out of time to mix more up . I need to get into the habit of making bigger batches.

So how many drops it that ?? LOL

 

[mattiem]

My Citrus Delight by Mattiem

10% Juicy Orange (Capella)
5% orange cream TFA
4% lemon (TFA)
4% mandarin orange (TFA)
2% Tangerine (Capella)
Lemon juice - 1 drop per 3ml (yep, just the little yellow plastic lemon)
optional- a drop or 2 of sweetener to taste
This is a mix and vape recipe so no steeping is necessary.

I worked on this one for a while and it just wouldn't pop. Decided to add the lemon and there it was

 

[bnrkwest]

I always went by the 30 drops= 1ML from back in the days of filling Cartos It took 30 drops to fill one Carto full LOL Showing my vape age here

 

[bnrkwest]

My Citrus Delight by Mattiem

10% Juicy Orange (Capella)
5% orange cream TFA
4% lemon (TFA)
4% mandarin orange (TFA)
2% Tangerine (Capella)
Lemon juice - 1 drop per 3ml (yep, just the little yellow plastic lemon)
optional- a drop or 2 of sweetener to taste
This is a mix and vape recipe so no steeping is necessary.

I worked on this one for a while and it just wouldn't pop. Decided to add the lemon and there it was

Yummy!

 

[bnrkwest]

I need to mix up more Lemon Vanilla cake and I am going to try liquid stevia for sweetener, will let everyone know how that works No EM this time.

 

[Fozzy71]

I always went by the 30 drops= 1ML from back in the days of filling Cartos It took 30 drops to fill one Carto full LOL Showing my vape age here

fwiw when using my scale with flavorings (very fine tip/hole) each drop is usually .02 grams so it would take me 50 drops to get a ml of flavoring. Trying to coint that high (or higher) when doing 100ml batches does not sound very efficient or accurate compared to just using a scale and squeezing until close then finishing with a few drips until I hit the number I need.

 

[bnrkwest]

fwiw when using my scale with flavorings (very fine tip/hole) each drop is usually .02 grams so it would take me 50 drops to get a ml of flavoring. Trying to coint that high (or higher) when doing 100ml batches does not sound very efficient or accurate compared to just using a scale and squeezing until close then finishing with a few drips until I hit the number I need.

Whatever works is what is best. If I do big batches I go by ML, but usually mix up 50 ML once I like a flavor, so not too many drops

 

[bnrkwest]

Tried the stevia and it's not bad, sometimes it can have an after taste but only used 2 drops so not noticeable to me. But depends on everyone's taste buds