DIY mixing question...

[iceman68]

Hello all, new member here. I hope I am posting this in the right section - if not, my apologies.

I'm trying to achieve a 50/50 (PG/VG) mix but am unsure of the correct recipe and don't want to poison myself. Hopefully I can get some direction from some of you more experienced mixologists out there.

I have 48mg/ml nicotine which is pg based and would like to end up with 18mg/ml in a 50/50 (PG/VG) mix as I said. I have tried following some online recipe calculators but am still unsure if I am doing it right.

Can you dilute PG based nicotine with VG or must it be diluted with PG only? Since the nicotine is PG based how does that factor in to the recipe?

For instance, if I want to mix 5ml of 18mg/ml with 5% flavoring here is one recipe I found:

38 drops(1.9 ml) PG with nicotine(48mg/ml)
57 drops(2.85 ml) PG zero nicotine - (Can I use VG instead)?
5 drops(0.25 ml) flavoring
Total = 100 drops

How do I do this and achieve a 50/50 mix of PG/VG?

Any and all help is appreciated.

 

[23skidoo]

Here's what I came up with when I punched your specifics into the juice calculator that I have.


Base PG Nic % 48.00 mg
Target PG Nic % 18.00 mg
Amount to be made for recipe 5.00 ml
Water/Vodka/PGA 0.00 %
VG 50.00 %
Flavor 5.00 %
PGA = Pure Grain Alcohol .
Recipe Calculator

Ingredient....................................ml.........Percentage
PG with nicotine............................1.88........37.5%
PG (no nicotine)............................0.38.........7.5%
Water/Vodka/PGA Based on VG.......0.00..........0.0%
VG..............................................2.50.........50.0%
Flavoring(s)..................................0.25..........5.0%

This is the juice Calculator I used- http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...e-calculator-added-quantity-calculations.html

And here is the DIY E Liquid section of the forums- DIY E-Liquid The "sticky" threads will give you a TON of info, please take a little time to read through them.

Edit- this is assuming your Flavorings are PG based, if they are not it will change the PG/VG ratio, but shouldn't change the nic content. Also, drops/ml are very different between PG and VG. VG is substantially thicker, thereby having fewer drops/ml. You either need to know how many drops of each material you use will be a ml, or use a measuring device (syringe, etc) to get exact ml's needed for your recipe.

 

[klynnn]

Make sure you download the ejuice me up calculator. It is a free download and will help a lot.

 

[Myrany]

I heard there was a calculator like this for the iphone but I suck at finding anything in the store without knowing the name of it. Anyone have a name for me?

 

[klynnn]

Download eJuice Me Up 12.1.0.0

 

[klynnn]

Don't know if that will work on the iphone or not, but it's a good calc.

 

[23skidoo]

I heard there was a calculator like this for the iphone but I suck at finding anything in the store without knowing the name of it. Anyone have a name for me?

Can't vouch for these but here's what the google machine spat out-

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ejuice/id350502065?mt=8

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/liquix-e-liquid-calculator/id515326978?mt=8

And a thread on ECF- http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/laboratory/90132-ejuice-iphone-app-calc-database.html (no replies though)

 

[Myrany]

Don't know if that will work on the iphone or not, but it's a good calc.

Just downloaded it. I was hoping to find the phone app so I didn't have to print the recipes. I mix in the kitchen not the computer room

 

[klynnn]

I have a whole notebook full of printed sheets. Just make notes on them as you go along with the recipes.

 

[Myrany]

Coolios got the iphone one this will help a ton ty ty

 

[iceman68]

Thanks 23skidoo, for the info and advice. Very helpful. I'm sure I'll be exploring the DIY E-Liquid section. With a little practice I'm hoping to get the hang of mixing.

 

[New Orleans]

Good Luck! can you get less potent VG? what if you could cut it in half? then you would have 24mg nic. Just a though. I hope it goes well for you

 

[Myrany]

Good Luck! can you get less potent VG? what if you could cut it in half? then you would have 24mg nic. Just a though. I hope it goes well for you

You can mix the nic juice and whatever combo of PG and VG you require it is one of the nice things about DIY. THere are even online Juice calculators out there that will help you figure out how much of each to use to get what you want.

ANd hello from a bit farther upstate from you

 

[MMarie]

This is how to enter variables into the Breaktru e-juice me up calculator software. In the attached picture, the red letters indicate the following:

A: This is your nicotine base’s percentage of PG to VG. The two (to the left and right) will equal 100%. If your base is 100% PG, enter “100” in the PG box. If 100% VG, enter “100” in the VG box. If 50/50, enter “50” in the PG box and “50” will automatically appear in the VG box.

B. This box is for the strength of your nicotine base. In the example, I am using 48 mg nicotine in a 100% PG base.

C. Enter the strength you want your final mix to be. In the example, I am going to achieve a 12 mg nicotine e-liquid.

D. Enter the amount of e-liquid you want to make. This recipe is for a 30 ml bottle of juice.

E. In my finished e-liquid, I sometimes thin the mixture with distilled water or vodka. In this example, 5% of the e-liquid will be distilled water (and the calculator will compensate… so technically, my 50/50 result will actually be 47.5 PG / 47.5 VG and 5% water).

F. Enter the percentage of each flavor in these boxes, with their names in the boxes to the left. The total of all the flavors will be the percentage of flavor in your final mix. In this example, I am using 9 + 4 + 3 + 2.5 + 1.5 = 20 percent total flavor.

G. Most flavors are in a PG base. Enter 100 in all the PG boxes, unless you know for sure that it is some other base. If you know for certain that the flavoring contains neither PG nor VG, check the box.

H. This is just a guide. Different droppers will all have a different number of drops per ml. When actually mixing, it is more important to look at the actual ml amounts that you’re mixing than the number of drops.

I. This is the percentage of PG to VG that you want to achieve in your final mix. In this example, I want a 50/50 e-liquid. Entering a number in one box will automatically fill in the other to achieve a 100% total.

When you are through entering the variables, click on the “calculate” button and it will tell you exactly how much of each ingredient to mix together to achieve your desired juice.

My final juice with this recipe starts with a 100% PG base of 48 mg nicotine and results in 30 ml of 50PG/50VG (or actually 47.5/47.5/5 as noted above), 12 mg juice that is 20% flavor.

Hope this little tutorial gets you started!
[edit because I can't add today]

 

[boshans]

Here's what I came up with when I punched your specifics into the juice calculator that I have.


Base PG Nic % 48.00 mg
Target PG Nic % 18.00 mg
Amount to be made for recipe 5.00 ml
Water/Vodka/PGA 0.00 %
VG 50.00 %
Flavor 5.00 %
PGA = Pure Grain Alcohol .
Recipe Calculator

Ingredient....................................ml.........Percentage
PG with nicotine............................1.88........37.5%
PG (no nicotine)............................0.38.........7.5%
Water/Vodka/PGA Based on VG.......0.00..........0.0%
VG..............................................2.50.........50.0%
Flavoring(s)..................................0.25..........5.0%

This is the Juice Calculator I used- http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...e-calculator-added-quantity-calculations.html

And here is the DIY E Liquid section of the forums- DIY E-Liquid The "sticky" threads will give you a TON of info, please take a little time to read through them.

Edit- this is assuming your Flavorings are PG based, if they are not it will change the PG/VG ratio, but shouldn't change the nic content. Also, drops/ml are very different between PG and VG. VG is substantially thicker, thereby having fewer drops/ml. You either need to know how many drops of each material you use will be a ml, or use a measuring device (syringe, etc) to get exact ml's needed for your recipe.

I found 40 drops equals 1mL, at least with the VG juice I use...I tried dropper tips, and the standard tips from plastic bottles, and it is about 40 drops per mL, I dropped 40 drops into a small bathroom cup, and then sucked it up with my syringe, and everytime that is what it was.....I never understood why all these sites say 20 drops to a mil. Just thought I'd throw that out there...

 

[iceman68]

Good Luck! can you get less potent VG? what if you could cut it in half? then you would have 24mg nic.

The VG I have is just plain - 0mg, and also I have a bottle of plain PG. The nic base I have is 48mg PG based. I could order less potent nic base but would like to use what I have first.

I thought about cutting it in half by just mixing equal parts nic base and plain PG. For instance, 5ml of 48mg nic + 5ml of plain PG would = 10ml of 24mg nic, if I am correct. I think I might try that and then go from there with adding VG to get it down to 18mg or 12mg.

 

[iceman68]

I found 40 drops equals 1mL, at least with the VG juice I use...

Like you say, I have also heard 20 drops per ml. This adds a new twist to things. I guess I'll have to measure carefully.

 

[MMarie]

iceman, there are too many variables with counting on number of drops. Droppers are different sizes. Also, different liquids have different viscosity and different surface tension and will yield different amounts with the same number of drops from the same or different droppers.

You must actually use measuring graduates and measure the amounts; you can't rely solely on the number of drops.

 

[iceman68]

You must actually use measuring graduates and measure the amounts; you can't rely solely on the number of drops.

I am starting to realize this is true. And especially for larger quantities where counting drops just wouldn't be practical. I'll be using a syringe.

 

[Nite_PHX]

The VG I have is just plain - 0mg, and also I have a bottle of plain PG. The nic base I have is 48mg PG based. I could order less potent nic base but would like to use what I have first.

I thought about cutting it in half by just mixing equal parts nic base and plain PG. For instance, 5ml of 48mg nic + 5ml of plain PG would = 10ml of 24mg nic, if I am correct. I think I might try that and then go from there with adding VG to get it down to 18mg or 12mg.

Hi iceman

I wouldn't suggest cutting your PG based nic in half and here's my thoughts on it.

First off a simple formula to figure the percentage of nic base that will be needed to achieve your desired nic strength is (desired nic strength divided by nic base). So if you want 18mg/ml finished product and your base is 24mg/ml the formula would be 18/24=.75 or 75%. Take a look at what 23skidoo posted. Base nic 48, target 18. 18/48=.375 (PG with nicotine = 37.5%) Easy stuff huh.

Now let's say you add 15% flavoring which is probably going to be PG based. You're now at 90% PG (75% nic base + 15% flavor) which leaves room for 10% VG and your original post stated you wanted a 50/50 mix. With a 48mg/ml base you have room for 12.5% PG based flavor and still achieve your 50/50 blend.

In my opinion an easy way to achieve your 18mg/ml finished product target is the get your nic base in VG at 36mg/ml and use this to achieve your 50/50 finished product. If you want to go with a lower nic level at a future date you can always dilute some of the VG base with no nic VG. Unflavored PG % will vary based on the amount of PG based flavor a recipe requires. The VG will always be constant in a 50/50 mix.

DISCLAIMER: I'm new to DIY and the above are just my thoughts and opinion. I have no desire to harm anyone with inaccurate information. I suggest you do the math and triple check it before putting it into your lungs.