Did things in the wrong order

[Thomas Simms]

Ok i have spent the last 3 hours reading about nicotine (Specifically 50+mg). I have heard your supposed to start out with a low nic base if your just starting DIY. Well i just read these after yesterday i put in a WL order for 100mg120ml PG. I do feel fairly confident in my hazmat skills but it still has me worried a little bit. I have read all of the precautions for high strength nicotine but is there anything not set in stone that would be invaluable to a beginner DIY'r?

 

[thinkingaboutit]

I started at the high level also.

What made it easy for me was using glass "jars" for my initial mix. They are 50 and 100ml but they don't have the small mouth so I felt less worried about spillage of 100mg/ml nic.

 

[BakuPeg]

Nothing to panic about. Just be extra careful, when you mix keep things orderly, and ready for a spill if it happens.
(This goes for any concentration. Some flavors can burn a hole through your table!).
I would wear some latex gloves OR be prepared to wash your hands off swiftly. Don't keep the lid off it any longer than necessary. Keep all pets/children away from the table when you mix.

Using a syringe helps to keep things accurate.

Oh and be sure to steep your juices It helps to keep them from tasteing like pants.

 

[paddymx]

I dilute my high mg level base to a lower "working strength" for when I'm mixing. This way if I get a little on me its easily wiped off before it can be absorbed into my skin. BTW, I have yet to mix without getting some on me and I use 60ml wide mouth jars and syringes for my nic/PG /VG. Still get some on me!

Example:

Also if you are using high mg base when you are mixing the amounts to reach your "target strength", the amount will be so small it will be harder to make accurate measurements! As per the example, its a lot easier to measure 1.09 than say .36 using a 3ml syringe. Even harder with a 5ml syringe.

 

[vsummer1]

I also feel comfortable with basic chemistry so I ordered the 100 mg/ml for my first attempt.

However, being comfortable with it and even having the wonderful calculator and being careful isn't enough for me. Once I had my formula and mixed my first batch, I TESTED the nic level with the nic kit I bought for about $9. And I was right on. I feel better now KNOWING that, and will never wonder again if the nic I bought really was 100 mg/ml and the mixing I did was correct.

Once I had my basic mixture down, I make a batch of it and then just add my flavorings into the smaller bottles.

So, basically ordered 1000 ml (liter) of 100 mg/ml nicotine, transferred it to the 50 ml european stopper BROWN bottles (which I don't bother to label because in my house any brown bottle will ALWAYS be 100 mg/ml nic). Then I take the recipe I tested and make 50 ml of base in a BLUE bottle, and label that with my base recipe and date. Now I know exactly what is in what colored bottle. Since I am not making large amounts of finished product yet, this allows me to test batch flavorings into smaller bottles without having to handle the 100 mg/ml any more often than necessary (and it is in 50 ml bottles to won't have a terrible spill of a whole liter!). I only handle it when I need to make another blue bottle of base.

My base has been tested, the 100mg/ml nicotine is secured in smaller quantities and I feel confident. I also did take into consideration the flavorings I would be adding which will also bring the nic level down, so my base is a bit above what I vape. Since I am not mixing it for sale I am okay with being ~3% on the nic level when I account for less or more flavorings.

This may sound like a lot of extra work, but my safety and confidence are priceless and I can whip up a flavor in minutes.

 

[wendallb]

I do my mixing in a large pie pan so if I get a spill it does not go very far...hope that helps and wear your protective gear always

 

[Thomas Simms]

Well i dont have any safety goggles, would shooting glasses work sufficiently?

 

[wendallb]

Shooting glasses are better than nothing for sure but not as good as complete coverage..

 

[Jim Bob]

I mix my 100 MG/ML Nic down to 40 MG/ML for safer handling , it's easy to get the target nic in finished juice using the calculators that are readily available . That is only what I (and several others) do perhaps not the "best way" certainly not the only way just what works well for my mixing.

 

[Xaria]

At WL, down in the glassware they sell some really nice funnels for a few bucks. It really adds another level of safety, when transferring and mixing my 100mg Nic. I get no dribbles and just pick it up by the edge and place it in sink full of dawn and hot water.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[zoiDman]

Well i dont have any safety goggles, would shooting glasses work sufficiently?

What many people do who use High Nicotine Base like 100mg is to Down Mix it first.

I vape 18mg. When I get Nicotine Base the First thing I do is Dilute it to 22mg and then Put it is a Labeled Bottle. At 22mg, there is about 20% room left for Flavoring and Sweeteners.

So when I want to make a DIY Recipe, I just pull out the 22mg and add Flavorings / Sweeteners. I don't have to Handle the 100mg Every Time and I have Less to Wash afterwards.

You should be Using Gloves and Safety Goggles when working with 100mg. Saving a few Dollars by using Sunglasses and then Getting 100mg in your Eyes, Not Smart.

Think of All the Money Your Saving doing DIY. Break Down and Buy a Pair of Safety Goggles.

 

[Thomas Simms]

Yeah thats what im going to do now is dilute it down to 40mg and keep all the 100mg in the freezer in glass.

 

[zoiDman]

Yeah thats what im going to do now is dilute it down to 40mg and keep all the 100mg in the freezer in glass.

Just curious. What Nicotine mg do you usually vape at?

 

[Vin BioEthanol]

My brother is about to get into diy and I've suggested that he get at least 48mg 100% pg (he vapes at 24) that way it gives him some room to play around with adding vg to the mix to see how he likes it.

I have 100mg 100%pg and I havent diluted the whole bottle, I just make 50ml bottles with 30% vg and no flavor in both mine and my wife's preferred strengths and when we want to mix up something new we just take from those 50ml bottles and add 10% flavor, no calc needed except every couple weeks to mix up new 50s. I do put 10% flavor in the calc when I mix the 50s I just leave out actually putting the flavor in.

 

[Thomas Simms]

Just curious. What Nicotine mg do you usually vape at?

I vape at 24mg but im going to try stepping down to 20mg. Strangely i dont need that much nicotine i only use it because im a TH fiend.

 

[Skoad]

Well im feeling pretty lucky about now.. I started DIYing about a week ago.. Up until last night, I never wore gloves. Ive been using a 60mg Nic base (shoot for about 24-28mg when mixing).. and I havent been wearing gloves or really taking any safety precautions. Luckily Im still alive and no holes burnt through anything. Will definitely be safe from now on.

 

[zoiDman]

I vape at 24mg but im going to try stepping down to 20mg. Strangely i dont need that much nicotine i only use it because im a TH fiend.

The reason I asked is that sometimes you can make the Math Very Simple if you are Flexible with the mg you vape at.

Since you have 100mg right now, what would happen if you made say 60ml of 25mg Unflavored? It would be an easy mix.

Then when you want to do a Flavored e-Liquid, you just added Flavoring and Sweetener to the 25mg. You would end up around 22mg and the Math/Mixing would be Very Simple.

And you wouldn't have to fool with the 100mg Everytime you want to do a Recipe.