DIY e-juice help

[s0uthstar]

I've recently started making my own ejuices (nicotine free) & i was wondering if the rule of thumb is to give every batch i make a hot bath? Ive done a tone of research and a lot of recipes ive ran across recommend hot baths. My last question has to do with single flavor recipes. I purchase all of my flavors from bullcity and only a handfull of them list the recommendation for flavor percentages 5% 10% etc. How do i find this information out for single flavor recipes?

 

[4lph4num3r1c]

Google the manufacturers name and starting percentages. Example: Capella starting percentages. Try em at the starting point and adjust to your liking.

 

[Jdurand]

Some will say a warm water bath speeds steep times, others swear by an ultrasonic cleaner and then those that use magnetic mixing machines. Most of us just shake the heck out of it and let our juice steep for a week or so in a cool dark place. It really comes down to personal preference and how much time you've got.

Flavor percentages will vary from flavor to flavor and company to company. Tell us what company made the flavorings and we can tell you how WE mix them, but your idea of flavorful juice and ours can vary as well. Try making real small batches or the 100 drop method starting at a very low percentage and work your way up until you like what you have.

Sorry I couldn't be more exact, but DIY really takes personal preference to a whole new level.

 

[s0uthstar]

Thank you for the feedback. As for the companies, its TFA/TPA, Cap, FlavourArt, Flavor West & INW. I usually make 10ML test bottles for every recipe that i try out.

Some will say a warm water bath speeds steep times, others swear by an ultrasonic cleaner and then those that use magnetic mixing machines. Most of us just shake the heck out of it and let our juice steep for a week or so in a cool dark place. It really comes down to personal preference and how much time you've got.

Flavor percentages will vary from flavor to flavor and company to company. Tell us what company made the flavorings and we can tell you how WE mix them, but your idea of flavorful juice and ours can vary as well. Try making real small batches or the 100 drop method starting at a very low percentage and work your way up until you like what you have.

Sorry I couldn't be more exact, but DIY really takes personal preference to a whole new level.

 

[Jdurand]

Thank you for the feedback. As for the companies, its TFA/TPA, Cap, FlavourArt, Flavor West & INW. I usually make 10ML test bottles for every recipe that i try out.

Of the flavors you list, the INW will most likely be the lowest percentage of all of them. Some capella flavors taste weak until you hit the 5-7 percent mark. I have never used flavor west. Like I said though, some will say 5 percent of a flavor is too strong and other can't taste it till they get to 10 - 12 percent flavor. It all depends on what you like and how sensitive your taste buds are.

 

[retired1]

Moved to DIY E-Liquid

 

[nova_did_it]

Thank you for the feedback. As for the companies, its TFA/TPA, Cap, FlavourArt, Flavor West & INW. I usually make 10ML test bottles for every recipe that i try out.

This is what I do as well. I make first time flavors in 10ml batches then test them after I let them steep a little. I haven't used any hot baths, or warmers, or mixers. I just mix and shake the bottle several time while it is steeping.

Depending on the flavor. I steep from 2 days to 1 week. Single flavors for me can be ready to vape in as little as a few hours to a few days. More complex flavors where I'm mixing a few flavorings together, I normally allows at least a week to steep.

I know pretty quickly if there is not enough flavoring or too much and I have to pull back the percentages.

I think at first, the hardest part is waiting cause I wanted to so badly test what I was making. Now that I've been dIY'ing for a few weeks, its much easier to wait for a new batch to steep since I'm finishing off the test batches from earlier.

This whole DIYing thing is fun!

 

[JCinFLA]

@s0uthstar - I agree with Jdurand about DIY varying a lot based on personal preferences. There is NO set flavoring % for each flavoring or from manufacturer to manufacturer, nor method to steep (if you even steep your eliquids at all), or way of measuring your ingredients, etc., etc. that is THE only way to DIY. You try different methods, different % of flavorings, different brands of flavorings, etc. until you find what works best to suit your own preferences and tastes.

For example, some of us don't regularly do the steps involved in "steeping". The only time I wait to vape a new eliquid I've made...is when I need to let the ethyl alcohol in a flavoring I've used, evaporate off before vaping it. However, IF I made eliquids with tobacco flavorings in them, I'd let them steep...since I've heard tobaccos do usually require a minimum of 2 weeks to steep before being their best.

I use Bill's Magic Vapor's 100DT (100 drop test) for testing new recipes, and I agree with & use his methods for finding my preferred flavoring %, deciding whether to steep an eliquid I've made or not, etc. Those work for me, but may not for others. DIY involves trial & error, checking out how others do things, making adjustments as you go along, tweaking recipes to suit your own tastes, etc.

I think at first, the hardest part is waiting cause I wanted to so badly test what I was making.

You don't have to wait before testing new eliquids you make. In fact, it's a good idea NOT to wait to test them. You may want to read some of Bill's blog posts about it, as well as how to do his 100DT and the advantages of doing it. He's been a long-time eliquid maker (used to make it commercially), is highly respected on the ECF, and is a wealth of information about DIY...which he freely shares with us all on here. There are also many recipes, in a huge variety of types, found within his blog. I regularly make about 6-8 of them, and so do many others on here.

All his blog posts:
Bill's Magic Vapor's blog | E-Cigarette Forum

His 100DT explanation:
Using Bill's 100DT Taste Test Method | E-Cigarette Forum

 

[DaveP]

Some flavor mixes are vapable in a day or two and most get lots better after a week to two weeks of steeping. Buy a few bridgeless 510 atomizers for testing. They only cost about $3 each. You just drip a several drops and vape a few hits. They wash out easily under the sink tap between flavors. Shake them dry and they are ready for the next flavor.

 

[BrotherBob]

I've recently started making my own ejuices (nicotine free) & i was wondering if the rule of thumb is to give every batch i make a hot bath? Ive done a tone of research and a lot of recipes ive ran across recommend hot baths.

Hot baths may save you some time. I use a natural steep. This means no hot baths or frantic shaking etc...
Rule of thumb: If in doubt 2 weeks min. for most flavors. A few categories like custards,tobaccos etc. 4 weeks or more depending on the flavor. If a flavor turns bad in a mix after 2-4 weeks, I chuck it all and won't buy it. I have too much going on to worry about a flavor going bad with too much steeping.
If trying to beat nature, I find, trying to beat nature rarely works for all mixes.

I purchase all of my flavors from bullcity and only a handfull of them list the recommendation for flavor percentages 5% 10% etc. How do i find this information out for single flavor recipes?

Some online vape information will even give you better starting points depending on the popularity of the flavor.
You really have to know yourself and add or subtract (used in a mix or SA [standalone] depending on your experience and take on the flavor.

 

[dannyv45]

i was wondering if the rule of thumb is to give every batch i make a hot bath? Ive done a tone of research and a lot of recipes ive ran across recommend hot baths.

The rule of thumb is to taste a mix as soon as you mix it. If it's good to you then vape it if not adjust it. If still not good after slight adjustments steep it and see if it improves if not toss it. Warm bath, crock pot, ultrasonic cleaners are all good ways to steep if your in a hurry.

There are many mixes that people say require steeping that I find vapable right away. So the only advice you should trust is that of your own taste buds. I used to be a big believer that you had to steep everything you mixed but now I hardly steep a thing.

Read my blog on steeping.

Everything you wanted to know about steeping and then some. | E-Cigarette Forum

 

[DaveP]

The rule of thumb is to taste a mix as soon as you mix it. If it's good to you then vape it otherwise steep it. Warm bath, crock pot, ultrasonic cleaners are all good ways to steep if your in a hurry.

There are many mixes that everyone says require steeping that I find vapable right away. So the only advice you should trust is that of your own taste buds. I used to be a stonch believer that you had to steep everything you mixed but now I hardly steep a thing.

Read my blog on steeping.

Everything you wanted to know about steeping and then some. | E-Cigarette Forum

I second that comment! I'm vaping some FA Virginia that I mixed 3 days ago and enjoying it. I can't wait for it to get a little better in a week or two (if there's any left).

My FA shade mix was also good last night. It was part of my DIY session 3 days ago. I still haven't tried the FA Dark Vapure, but I suppose it will be good or I'll have to add something to make it good. Maybe a little Shade or Virginia will be suitable.

OTOH, I'm just getting my FA Desert Ship to a vapable steep level after about 3 weeks. It was pretty nasty during the first week. 7 Leaves was good, but a little sweet for a week or so when it began to develop some character.

 

[nova_did_it]

@s0uthstar -



You don't have to wait before testing new eliquids you make. In fact, it's a good idea NOT to wait to test them. You may want to read some of Bill's blog posts about it, as well as how to do his 100DT and the advantages of doing it. He's been a long-time eliquid maker (used to make it commercially), is highly respected on the ECF, and is a wealth of information about DIY...which he freely shares with us all on here. There are also many recipes, in a huge variety of types, found within his blog. I regularly make about 6-8 of them, and so do many others on here.

All his blog posts:
Bill's Magic Vapor's blog | E-Cigarette Forum

His 100DT explanation:
Using Bill's 100DT Taste Test Method | E-Cigarette Forum

Appreciate your advice. I will read the 100DT taste test method. I missed that post!

 

[SteveS45]

My smallest test mixes are 30ML because if it needs to be tweaked or adjusted I will experiment with one 15 ML bottle. Heating high VG as I normally make speeds up the infusion by thinning out the mixture. But the Real Rule Of Thumb is what works for the person doing the mixing because no matter what anyone suggests you will do what works for you because it works.

 

[Semiretired]

After you find your favorite recipes you will probably start mixing larger batches which means they are all going to steep longer before you vape them. You can time your mixes when you get down to about 2 weeks worth left of your current stock.

Some people add extra flavor to pull the flavor out faster, but if you are mixing larger batches it is going to steep and the extra flavor may get in the way as it steeps. Test and learn...

 

[SteveS45]

I rarely mix any batches larger than 60ML even with my favorite Tobacco. Just recently I picked up Vanilla Cream Tobacco and that could turn into my new favorite. What was one of my top 5 last month might not be a contender next week. I like to change things up often and experiment.