DIY Ejuice Q's

[Gramdogg]

Also look up the flavour not recipes for single flavour it says Avg. 9.4% Median 10%. Thats usually just about perfect.
http://..................../flavor/21925

 

[IDJoel]

Here’s a shot of my exact weights.

I believe you mentioned you were mixing by weight (milligrams). Assuming you didn't have any significant over/under pours, it looks in the realm of reasonable.

Idk that you could’ve been more thorough in your answer. You answered all my questions making me feel better about my beginner mixing abilities. I feel a bit more confident now to move forward.

Glad to hear it. The hardest thing about mixing (I think) is the "unknown" of new flavor concentrates. It can be discouraging, and feel like "I'm doing it all wrong," when it is really just an issue of that particular concentrate not being agreeable to you.

Sorting through all the possible flavor choices can seem like a daunting task; but take it slow. Success will come.

I didn’t want to keep wasting product if I’m doing something wrong.

Understood. And it is smart to ask for second opinions. However, I see no procedural, or conceptual errors. Perhaps a matter of over-flavoring; but based on the wide, and rather erratic range of opinions, I can see your logic. Now you have a bit better understanding why some of us preach "starting low."

Thanks so much for helping out! I do have a Q though...
Why is that, because it’s potent or the mixed reviews?

You're welcome; glad to help.
No; my surprise at you very first flavor choice was for two reasons. The first being most(?) new mixers start with simple, basic, flavors. Like "caramel," or "banana," or "strawberry." A nondescript "Unicorn Vomit" brings nothing familiar OR positive to mind. To me; that is brave!

The second reason is; the extreme range of descriptions of the flavor (in the ELR flavor notes), and the absence of any solid (positive) descriptions. There were concrete descriptions comparing it to "vomit" and "urine" and "plastic chemicals;" but when it came to the "this is the best flavor" comments no one was able to attach any useful comparison. "Best fruit flavor EVER" tells me nothing. What fruit/fruits? Is it candy-like or more of a fresh fruit? Does it remind one of something else? Nothing else? Why?

This is only based on my own limited experience; but I find the flavors I find most useful, have positive descriptions that are detailed and understandable/relatable... I can get a good sense of what the flavor might taste like.

Now, please keep in mind; having a thorough description is no guarantee that I am going to agree with the review (on percentages; or that I am even going to like it/find it useful). But, I feel I at least have a reasonable understanding of what the concentrate is trying to offer.

Also look up the flavour not recipes

@Gramdogg, just an FYI, ECF does not permit hyper links, URLs, or web addresses to ELR. They are auto filtered (see your previous post). Screen shots are tolerated, so if you need to share something from there, that is often more useful.

 

[Gramdogg]

Thanks @IDJoel btw I picked up some TFA hawaiian drink, you were right on about that one... yummy! Funny to because the shop was like "are you sure you want that?". Strong stuff too, I love it.

 

[NatashaTMT]

I believe you mentioned you were mixing by weight (milligrams). Assuming you didn't have any significant over/under pours, it looks in the realm of reasonable.

Glad to hear it. The hardest thing about mixing (I think) is the "unknown" of new flavor concentrates. It can be discouraging, and feel like "I'm doing it all wrong," when it is really just an issue of that particular concentrate not being agreeable to you.

Sorting through all the possible flavor choices can seem like a daunting task; but take it slow. Success will come.

Understood. And it is smart to ask for second opinions. However, I see no procedural, or conceptual errors. Perhaps a matter of over-flavoring; but based on the wide, and rather erratic range of opinions, I can see your logic. Now you have a bit better understanding why some of us preach "starting low."

You're welcome; glad to help.
No; my surprise at you very first flavor choice was for two reasons. The first being most(?) new mixers start with simple, basic, flavors. Like "caramel," or "banana," or "strawberry." A nondescript "Unicorn Vomit" brings nothing familiar OR positive to mind. To me; that is brave!

The second reason is; the extreme range of descriptions of the flavor (in the ELR flavor notes), and the absence of any solid (positive) descriptions. There were concrete descriptions comparing it to "vomit" and "urine" and "plastic chemicals;" but when it came to the "this is the best flavor" comments no one was able to attach any useful comparison. "Best fruit flavor EVER" tells me nothing. What fruit/fruits? Is it candy-like or more of a fresh fruit? Does it remind one of something else? Nothing else? Why?

This is only based on my own limited experience; but I find the flavors I find most useful, have positive descriptions that are detailed and understandable/relatable... I can get a good sense of what the flavor might taste like.

Now, please keep in mind; having a thorough description is no guarantee that I am going to agree with the review (on percentages; or that I am even going to like it/find it useful). But, I feel I at least have a reasonable understanding of what the concentrate is trying to offer.

@Gramdogg, just an FYI, ECF does not permit hyper links, URLs, or web addresses to ELR. They are auto filtered (see your previous post). Screen shots are tolerated, so if you need to share something from there, that is often more useful.
View attachment 729509

I can’t stress enough how thankful I am for all your advice! I love how thorough you are! I have since figured out my mistake. It wasn’t mixed well. I shook it but now I know it wasn’t mixed anywhere near enough. My son and myself have both taken the bottle out and shaken it several times both yesterday and today. At 24 hrs old we taste tested again. There’s absolutely no comparison! No harshness at all and no “vomit” smell or taste. It needs more steeping but I believe it might be a tasty flavor. It reminds me of different fruit flavored candy all mixed together. I think I just had too much doubt and over thought it. All good though! Thanks again

 

[NatashaTMT]

Boy howdy; aren't you a brave soul to start out with that for your first flavor!

The reason I chose FW Unicorn Vomit for my first mix is I wanted something more than one flavor for my first but did’t have experience with any of mine yet. I considered following a recipe using the “what can I make” feature but opted to keep it simple and still get what I want. And learned a few lessons at the same time, lol

 

[IDJoel]

I can’t stress enough how thankful I am for all your advice! I love how thorough you are! I have since figured out my mistake. It wasn’t mixed well. I shook it but now I know it wasn’t mixed anywhere near enough. My son and myself have both taken the bottle out and shaken it several times both yesterday and today. At 24 hrs old we taste tested again. There’s absolutely no comparison! No harshness at all and no “vomit” smell or taste. It needs more steeping but I believe it might be a tasty flavor. It reminds me of different fruit flavored candy all mixed together. I think I just had too much doubt and over thought it. All good though! Thanks again

Awesome! Glad you got it working for you.

Getting it thoroughly mixed can be a challenge. Not filling a bottle too full is certainly part of it If there isn't enough headspace left in the bottle, and given the thickness of most e-liquids, shaking can be ineffective. Mechanical stirring of some sort (frothers, mixers, stir plates, and even DIY shakers) can all help, but are often more hassle than they are worth for small (<15mL) batches. Hand shaking is still most common.

Just leave decent room at the top of the bottle, so that when you shake up the bottle, you can get a lot of little bubbles to form throughout the liquid. Then, as you have discovered, shake it repeatedly.

You are off and running! You are now officially a DIYer! Yay YOU!!

 

[IDJoel]

The reason I chose FW Unicorn Vomit for my first mix is I wanted something more than one flavor for my first but did’t have experience with any of mine yet. I considered following a recipe using the “what can I make” feature but opted to keep it simple and still get what I want. And learned a few lessons at the same time, lol

And your bravery paid off! (I'm still not sure I would be brave enough to give it a go!)
BTW: Your description was better/more descriptive than anything I have read to date. Well done! Perhaps you have reviewing in your future.

As for easy "more complex" flavors, you might be interested in a concentrate genre that is becoming more and more popular: one-shots. One shots are basically a combination of flavors, that have all been pre-blended for you, and all you do is add your own nic, PG, and VG, to create a finished recipe. Most of the major U.S. DIY resellers are now offering some options. There has been a fair amount of discussion here of late. Do a search for "one shots" to see further info.

 

[NatashaTMT]

Awesome! Glad you got it working for you.

Getting it thoroughly mixed can be a challenge. Not filling a bottle too full is certainly part of it If there isn't enough headspace left in the bottle, and given the thickness of most e-liquids, shaking can be ineffective. Mechanical stirring of some sort (frothers, mixers, stir plates, and even DIY shakers) can all help, but are often more hassle than they are worth for small (<15mL) batches. Hand shaking is still most common.

Just leave decent room at the top of the bottle, so that when you shake up the bottle, you can get a lot of little bubbles to form throughout the liquid. Then, as you have discovered, shake it repeatedly.

You are off and running! You are now officially a DIYer! Yay YOU!!

I was going to ask about all those tiny bubbles lol. It does seem quite thick! My nic and PG were in the freezer. So that probably didn't help or required that much more shaking. I ordered a milk frother a couple weeks ago which will be here on Monday. I also have plastic beakers to mix in for ease in using the frother. I'm sure it has to help initially. I was concerned with losing flavoring on it. I guess in time it'll all begin coming together for me

 

[NatashaTMT]

And your bravery paid off! (I'm still not sure I would be brave enough to give it a go!)
BTW: Your description was better/more descriptive than anything I have read to date. Well done! Perhaps you have reviewing in your future.

As for easy "more complex" flavors, you might be interested in a concentrate genre that is becoming more and more popular: one-shots. One shots are basically a combination of flavors, that have all been pre-blended for you, and all you do is add your own nic, PG, and VG, to create a finished recipe. Most of the major U.S. DIY resellers are now offering some options. There has been a fair amount of discussion here of late. Do a search for "one shots" to see further info.

Thanks for complement! I just typed what came to mind when I thought of vaping the mix.
I’m sure I’ll have my go with one shots eventually. I’m making myself be disciplined initially until I understand the different flavors and flavor lines better. I ordered a couple “cheats” like FW UV but mostly want to learn to be creative with the single flavor flavorings first, if that makes sense.

 

[IDJoel]

I was going to ask about all those tiny bubbles lol. It does seem quite thick!

Looks like the result of a good shake!

My nic and PG were in the freezer. So that probably didn't help or required that much more shaking.

I personally wouldn't keep PG in the freezer, or even the refrigerator. It is naturally antimicrobial so "cool and dark" is more than adequate (for VG too).

As for the nic; there are lots of different ways of storing this. I keep roughly 3 months worth, out at room temp (stored in the same cool dark closet as my PG, VG, and flavor concentrates), and freeze the rest. I have had no noticeable deterioration to the room temp nic in this time period AND it is a lot easier to work with.

This does a couple of things for me. It reduces the repeated opening and closing of my primary nic supply; which introduces more air each time I open it. And, I don't have to wait for it to warm up; which is both a convenience, as well as reduces the chance of introducing excess moisture from the heating and cooling.

Another thought on shaking... especially if refrigerated; is flavor concentrates. I always give a quick thorough shake to each flavor concentrate before I use it... each time. Most of the time, I imagine I am only wasting a bit of time and a couple of calories, but certain concentrates can separate a bit when sitting... and cooling the concentrate can amplify this. I have read more than one account of someone complaining that a small sample bottle seemed to taste different (weaker) from first batch to last. I have had it happen to myself; but not since I started shaking my concentrates.

I ordered a milk frother a couple weeks ago which will be here on Monday. I also have plastic beakers to mix in for ease in using the frother. I'm sure it has to help initially. I was concerned with losing flavoring on it. I guess in time it'll all begin coming together for me

I use something similar (a small craft paint mixer). There are different schools of thought; and i wouldn't argue with any of them.

My own understanding is that the best way to mix a recipe is to shake a sealed bottle. With a limited amount of air space (aka: headspace) there is only so much flavor loss that can take place before that air becomes saturated and nothing more can escape until the bottle is opened.

Any sort of open container mixing is therefore going to permit greater opportunity for flavor loss.

So, then it becomes a question of lesser evils vs. benefit. And here is where opinions vary widely. For me, I have settled of the added peace of mind my little hand mixer gives me, with an acceptable increased risk of flavor loss. Am I having to add a little extra flavor to offset the extra loss? I don't know; maybe. But, for me, the benefit outweighs the risk... so I choose to do it.

Others prefer magnetic stir plate, or ultrasonic cleaners, and that is fine too. To each their own. My own breif experiments offered no added benefit so I abandoned them.

The one thing I do not advocate is the use of heat. Heat does accelerate the loss of some volatile flavor compounds.

I’m making myself be disciplined initially until I understand the different flavors and flavor lines better. I ordered a couple “cheats” like FW UV but mostly want to learn to be creative with the single flavor flavorings first, if that makes sense.

You are already off to a much better start than me; I bought every concentrate that was favorably mentioned. Then, when I got it, I had no idea why I ordered it.

Now, I don't order a concentrate, unless I have a specific purpose for it. Then, I make a note in my recipe calculator (I add new flavors to my ingredient list at the time I place an order), and the very first comment in the notes is "why" I ordered it.

All in all, you are doing fine. Be proud of yourself!

 

[NatashaTMT]

When I looked up PG storage and saw “cool & dark” I assumed fridge would be perfect. I mis-typed before when stated it’s in the freezer. My nic is but not PG. I have one of those waist high fridges with the small want-a-be freezers. I already had it in storage and thought it’d be perfect considering it locks. Thanks for letting me know PG shouldn’t be refrigerated! Could it have a bad affect on it already in about a week? I initially read I should keep flavorings refrigerated but later read any with any type of crystals would have separation. I transferred my nic to smaller bottles the first time I needed to open the big one. I’m glad you mentioned a smaller amount of nic is okay to keep out because I don’t really like the extra moisture (you mentioned) in my sterile work space. I got a great deal on the “display” of a metal toolbox on wheels type thing, waist high. It’s perfect because it locks and it’s black with drawers. Also theres a work surface on top for my scales and mixing. I have my gallon of VG in the bottom drawer. Guess Il'l move my PG there also. A couple drawers I’m using for bottles and other supplies. Flavors are in top drawer but will outgrow it soon. I have to find a system for finding each one easier instead of having to go through 100 to find 1.
I have been shaking the flavors before I use. Really everything for that matter. i stumbled across an article about it a few weeks ago. Thanks though!
Hand shaking: After mixing with an electric mixer and then you transfer to it’s bottle, will you still need to shake 2-3 times a day while steeping?
I’ve saw a DIY video where the newly mixed bottle was immediately set on a round object (not scales) for a quick bit then flavor tested. Is that an ultrasonic cleaner? I tried to find the video but can’t now (smh). I was thinking, what is this magical quick mixer? lol
Thanks for warning about heat steeping. I haven’t covered that yet.
Don’t give me too many kudos just yet about not doing flavor shots yet. I ordered over 90 flavors from a total of 3 companies to start with. I did however mostly get single flavors though. That last bit was to make me feel better, lol!
I did some flavor testing this morning and then wrote and mixed 3 recipes this afternoon. Looking forward to seeing how they come out! You're great though and you’ve helped me tons! Thank you IDJoel!

 

[NatashaTMT]

Looks like the result of a good shake!

Thanks & I guess I could’ve mentioned my last message was a reply to yours lol

 

[IDJoel]

Thanks for letting me know PG shouldn’t be refrigerated! Could it have a bad affect on it already in about a week?

"Shouldn't" is a bit strong. "Unnecessary" is probably a better choice of words. The only "harm" I can think of, might be unwanted condensation forming in the bottle, each time it cycles warm to cool/cool to warm.
And no; I don't think you have hurt your PG at all.

Hand shaking: After mixing with an electric mixer and then you transfer to it’s bottle, will you still need to shake 2-3 times a day while steeping?

I do not... but I am also inherently L A Z Y!! If you are inclined to, I certainly don't think it could hurt, but I am also not sure if it helps that much either.

When you get a recipe you know you like; you can make up to small identical batches at the same time, and then shake one and not shake the other, then do a taste comparison after a set time passes.

I’ve saw a DIY video where the newly mixed bottle was immediately set on a round object (not scales) for a quick bit then flavor tested. Is that an ultrasonic cleaner? I tried to find the video but can’t now (smh). I was thinking, what is this magical quick mixer? lol

Not quite sure what you saw. A UC is always pan/bowl shaped, because the sound waves are transferred through water, so I don't think that was it. I am guessing it was most likely a magnetic stir plate. They are flat, may be round or square, and use a small magnet inside the mixing vessel which is spun by a second magnet that is hidden under the plate.

I guess there is a small chance it was a vortex mixer; which is a specialized piece of lab equipment that orbitally shakes a vessel (like a test-tube or beaker) super fast. They most often either have a little well (for test-tube bottoms) or a flat rubber pad (for beakers). They are cool, but usually expensive (>$100).

Don’t give me too many kudos just yet about not doing flavor shots yet. I ordered over 90 flavors from a total of 3 companies to start with. I did however mostly get single flavors though. That last bit was to make me feel better, lol!

That sounds more familiar!

 

[NatashaTMT]

When you get a recipe you know you like; you can make up to small identical batches at the same time, and then shake one and not shake the other, then do a taste comparison after a set time passes.

I’ll have to do this. Results might be interesting. Do you have a certain amount of time you electric mix or just until you see all the tiny bubbles or something else? My mixer came in early today instead of Monday. So I’m ready. I love vape mail!

I am guessing it was most likely a magnetic stir plate.

That’s exactly what it was! You just have all my answers, lol. So you didn’t really see significant results using one? If I’m not mistaken it seems like you mentioned trying all the alternates.

 

[IDJoel]

I’ll have to do this. Results might be interesting. Do you have a certain amount of time you electric mix or just until you see all the tiny bubbles or something else? My mixer came in early today instead of Monday. So I’m ready. I love vape mail!

The minimum amount of time I feel it takes to thoroughly blend the components.

I know that is totally unscientific, and little, to no help. It also depends on how large the batch is. My ADV mix is an unflavored that I mix up 120-170mL at a time. Because of the absence of flavor concentrates I feel it is harder to harm by over-mixing. So I may mix it for 2-3 minutes (180mL is about the max my little paint mixer can cope with). When I am mixing up my 15-30mL flavored recipes and testers, I try to be more conservative; maybe 15-20 seconds(?).

I look at hand mixers as a win/loss tool (as i do most mixing aids). It is a win because it does a more thorough job of initial blending than I feel I can do shaking by hand. This give me peace of mind (big win). It is a loss because it increases aeration of the liquid (compared to hand shaking). Aeration has two downsides: it introduces extra oxygen into the liquid which increases the potential for oxidation; and it can also accelerate flavor loss. (Some flavor components are comprised of volatile molecules/compounds; which simply means they evaporate easily at room temperature... rubbing alcohol is volatile.)

So, I shoot for the minimum amount of mixing to get a thorough blending, and no more.

That’s exactly what it was! You just have all my answers, lol. So you didn’t really see significant results using one? If I’m not mistaken it seems like you mentioned trying all the alternates.

I did not (yes; I have one for home brewing yeast propagation); but there are plenty of DIYers that swear by them... and their opinions are every bit as valid as mine.

Stir plates are less aggressive mixers than hand mixers (my opinion)which is a good thing. They are also often speed-controlled; which allows for more control during the mixing process. But, because they are constantly moving the liquid across the surface, they are still aerating the mix (just not as quickly). Where it really falls apart (in my mind) is the extended durations that seem so popular with plate proponents. I have read everything from 40 minutes, to multiple hours. To me, this simply erases any advantage of the more gentle mixing. I won't even discuss heated stir plates.

So, stir plates and hand mixers, appear pretty much a wash to me. Hand mixers are faster (seconds vs. hours), cheaper ($5-20 for a hand mixer vs. $15-100+(DIY project to heated retail) stir plate), and smaller/more convenient. I respect all who choose to use a stir plate; I will just not be one of them.

Honestly; I still believe closed (capped) bottle shaking is still the least damaging manner of mixing an e-liquid. If I am mixing a particularly fragile recipe, like a lemon-dominant recipe; I will cap it, hand shake it, and give it a couple of extra days in the cupboard.

I am just impatient (I am a firm believer in tasting all new(to me) recipes immediately after mixing, to get a reference point, in order to judge aging effectiveness/necessity), I am lazy (I hate the monotony of hand shaking), and I am skeptical (I always doubt my ability to adequately combine all ingredients when hand shaking). Therefore, I choose to sacrifice a margin of exposure, for plain and simple convenience. And, so far, it has worked for me.

 

[NatashaTMT]

The minimum amount of time I feel it takes to thoroughly blend the components.

Makes perfect sense and is sorta what I was thinking but just didn’t know for sure. I mixed up a couple last night with the milk frother that turned almost a frothy like white. I’m assuming I mixed a bit too much. Of course it settled back to normal color after a few.
I appreciate that you acknowledge your views are yours and doesn’t mean others are wrong. That being said, I feel you have merit in the fact you’ve “been there done that”. Once again, thanks for being so descriptive in your answers! Gets me thinking, lol
I hope you know you’ve helped me a good bit jumping into DIY. Thank you IDJoel!

 

[IDJoel]

Makes perfect sense and is sorta what I was thinking but just didn’t know for sure. I mixed up a couple last night with the milk frother that turned almost a frothy like white. I’m assuming I mixed a bit too much. Of course it settled back to normal color after a few.

There are all sorts of little cordless hand mixers out there. If yours has more of a whisking action (with the coil of wire around the perimeter; like this:

)
You will introduce a lot of air into the mix (the white milky appearance you are seeing). And, also risk some higher level of potential flavor loss. I would not be too concerned; but do use it sparingly (just enough to get that uniform froth top-to-bottom and no more). If flavors seem a little too flat, and you think it might be because of over mixing, mix up a small (5-10mL) sample of the same recipe and hand shake it instead of using your frother. Then compare the two recipes side by side. If the hand shaken one is a lot more vibrant and flavorful; then either reduce your frothing time, or look for a new mixer.

I appreciate that you acknowledge your views are yours and doesn’t mean others are wrong. That being said, I feel you have merit in the fact you’ve “been there done that”. Once again, thanks for being so descriptive in your answers! Gets me thinking, lol

I have no delusions about my mixing prowess . I am mediocre at best. (I'm not apologizing; my mixing works just fine for my needs.) I want to make sure that those I am trying to help understand that. Mine is just one opinion, in a DIY community that numbers thousands, and should be given no more value than that.

I have the time, and I am happy to help; but I don't want anyone dismissing other's ideas, simply because I might write more.

I hope you know you’ve helped me a good bit jumping into DIY. Thank you IDJoel!

You are most welcome; and it pleases me if I have been able to help you. Thank you for all your kind words! You've made me smile.

ECF truly is a community. I started out just like you. I had no real idea of what I was doing, and it was this wonderful community, that took the time to launch me on my way. And is has never stopped. To this day, I am learning, and reevaluating my own understanding and techniques, all because of the wonderful people here, who are willing to take their own time to share their own journeys. Little of what I have to say is original. I might say it a little differently (usually with a lot more words); but you will see all my sources, right here on these threads.

I am glad you have chosen to be a part of us. I look forward to reading about your own journey!

 

[go_player]

1) I’d planed on mixing 5ml stand alone “test” ejuice to learn each flavor well before mixing with other flavors. I recently read about an alternative. Can I really put a drop of flavoring in a certain amount of water and swish in my mouth to learn it’s stand alone profile? This would save loads of time (opposed to the former almost 100 times) and a bit of product also!

Wouldn't recommend. Great way to destroy your palate (I speak from experience.) If you have to taste in Kool-Whop instead. But better to mix the testers. You will only understand your flavors when you vape them. There is no substitute.

2) I’ve read repeatedly to steep custards for 3 months minimum for maximum flavor potential. Does this also apply for all cream bases... milk, ice cream, cheesecake, any creamy “dairy” flavors?

CAP VCV1 might peak after two to three months, but it's fine after a couple weeks. Inawera custard is a good custard that requires less steeping. Most recipes (tobaccos aside) are fine after 2-3 weeks (or less.) Most dairies only need a week or so .

3) Acetyl Pyrazine - I know this adds bakery, cereal or grainy to the recipe. With supporting flavors, can this be used to replace bakery items such as donuts?

No. I'd put off playing with additives like AP until you're comfortable with basic flavors. But AP is basically a flat peanut by itself.

4) What adds “goey” feel to a recipe? For example, I know which flavors to mix to make cake taste like a certain type of brownies but not how to make it feel goey like brownies. Is that possible? (learning about layering atm so know this might be tricky)

Texture is hard to come by, because we can only suggest it. If you want gooey think about which flavors you associate with gooey, and play with them until you get something you think suggests gooey. Note that your gooey might not play that way for other palates.

Also note that many things that need weeks to come into their own can add something to shake and vape recipes (I consider shake and vape to be three days, because almost everything improves after three days.) I love FA Fresh Cream, and I'll often add just a bit to fruit recipes that are meant to be shake and vaped. After three days it smooths them out a bit, and adds richness. A week later it adds cream.

The same could be said for many cookie recipes that use custards. A bit of custard adds sweetness and richness to the cookie initially, but after a few weeks the custard dominates the cookie. Recipes evolve over time. One of the keys to a good recipe is understanding when it will be good, and when it will cease to be so.

 

[NatashaTMT]

If yours has more of a whisking action (with the coil of wire around the perimeter; like this:

That’s exactly the kind I have and I don’t think it’ll last long. It weakens very quickly after putting it into my mix. It comes back when I bring it out but I’m not impressed. I probably should've spent a bit more on one.
Rest assured, I’ll be keeping an open mind when it comes to “other ways” of doing all things DIY. However, I’ll also remember what you’ve shared and eventually form my own opinions in time.
Even after my short experience with ECF I can already tell its a different sort of ecig community compared to others. Not to say theres anything wrong with the others. I just haven’t experienced the same willingness to help I see and get here. I had so many questions I couldn’t get answered else where. Some even sneer and poke fun with "the newby" questions. I’m grateful I’m figuring it out and maybe before too long I can help another new to DIY and pass it on. I know there’s a lot of great people here and that I’ve met one here in this thread!

 

[NatashaTMT]

Wouldn't recommend. Great way to destroy your palate (I speak from experience.) If you have to taste in Kool-Whop instead. But better to mix the testers. You will only understand your flavors when you vape them. There is no substitute.



CAP VCV1 might peak after two to three months, but it's fine after a couple weeks. Inawera custard is a good custard that requires less steeping. Most recipes (tobaccos aside) are fine after 2-3 weeks (or less.) Most dairies only need a week or so .



No. I'd put off playing with additives like AP until you're comfortable with basic flavors. But AP is basically a flat peanut by itself.



Texture is hard to come by, because we can only suggest it. If you want gooey think about which flavors you associate with gooey, and play with them until you get something you think suggests gooey. Note that your gooey might not play that way for other palates.

Also note that many things that need weeks to come into their own can add something to shake and vape recipes (I consider shake and vape to be three days, because almost everything improves after three days.) I love FA Fresh Cream, and I'll often add just a bit to fruit recipes that are meant to be shake and vaped. After three days it smooths them out a bit, and adds richness. A week later it adds cream.

The same could be said for many cookie recipes that use custards. A bit of custard adds sweetness and richness to the cookie initially, but after a few weeks the custard dominates the cookie. Recipes evolve over time. One of the keys to a good recipe is understanding when it will be good, and when it will cease to be so.

All great advice. Thanks so much!