DIY mixing vessels, and a liquid nic question

[Cavediver]

Hello all,
I've been researching to prepare for my first DIY e-liquid adventure, but haven't found much info about mixing containers.

Do most of you tend to mix in the final storage bottle, or is it better to find some sort of small beaker / flask / whatever in which to mix ingredients, and then decant into the final bottle?

If you mix in the final bottle, how difficult is this when working up the initial samples in 3 or 5ml bottles?



Also, I'm pretty new to vaping and really don't know if I would prefer pg over vg for a nic base. So far I've been using juice that's mostly pg, and had planned on ordering the base that way, but thought I'd ask if there's any real reason to consider ordering VG base instead.

Finally, I'm planning on ordering 60ml of 50mg from Xtreme, and another 60ml of 48mg from Wizard Labs for a head-to-head trial / comparison. Any good reason not to do this?

Thanks!

 

[The Yeti]

Personally, I mix in a graduated cylinder then pour into bottle(s). The graduated cylinder makes it easy to measure and mix at the same time.

I prefer PG based nic just because it's easier to work with and (it could be just in my head but) I think it tastes better. Unless you're going for very high VG content juice, the PG based nic will do you just fine.

The H2H trial sounds like a good idea, let us know how it turns out!

 

[Cavediver]

Personally, I mix in a graduated cylinder then pour into bottle(s). The graduated cylinder makes it easy to measure and mix at the same time.

Nice. Do you do this for all sizes / volumes, or is this only when you're mixing larger batches?
I can see myself mixing quite a few 3-5ml batches at first, and had planned on using .5-3ml syringes for measuring. While I'd rather not have the added expense of graduated containers, I'd really rather do it right the first time!

The H2H trial sounds like a good idea, let us know how it turns out!

I really don't know if my sense of taste is recovered enough yet or not. I've only been off of the sticks for 3 weeks. If I can't tell a difference, the expensive stuff will go into deep freeze for another head-to-head 6 months from now!

 

[skoot]

I mix right in the final bottle. Even if it's a 5ml sample. I use syringes to measure everything- I tried graduated cylinders but I use 100% VG and got tired of holding the cylinder over the bottle, waiting for the juice to drip out.

 

[The Yeti]

Nice. Do you do this for all sizes / volumes, or is this only when you're mixing larger batches?
I can see myself mixing quite a few 3-5ml batches at first, and had planned on using .5-3ml syringes for measuring. While I'd rather not have the added expense of graduated containers, I'd really rather do it right the first time!


I really don't know if my sense of taste is recovered enough yet or not. I've only been off of the sticks for 3 weeks. If I can't tell a difference, the expensive stuff will go into deep freeze for another head-to-head 6 months from now!

Well, for smaller batches a syringe really works best. Once you get something that you want to make (much) larger batches of, the graduated cylinders can really come in handy. Keep in mind, I usually mix up 240ml at a time of my favorite mixes.

 

[Cavediver]

Keep in mind, I usually mix up 240ml at a time of my favorite mixes.

Lol!
I don't think my wife and I have a combined stash of 240ml!

 

[skoot]

Wow. Yeah, I'm too into messing with flavors to make any batches that large. Mainly I do 30ml.

 

[jclifford]

the larger the batch the less chance of an error coming up. If you are mixing a 3 ml batch a small error gets magnified. I mix pure PG, pure VG and 100 mg nic base in 225 ml batches, fill 9ml's in 10ml bottles and then add flavoring to the 10 ml bottles. If I screw up the flavoring I throw away 10ml of juice, but the margin for screwing up the nic is very small. Testing a bad flavor is no problem, not so with the nicotine strength.

 

[The Yeti]

Lol!
I don't think my wife and I have a combined stash of 240ml!

Just mixed up 1000ml of 11mg nic base last night along with 240ml of her pear and then 7 20ml bottles of some new fruity flavors I got....it's an addiction.

Wow. Yeah, I'm too into messing with flavors to make any batches that large. Mainly I do 30ml.

30ml would last me approximately 2.5-3 days.

 

[Cavediver]

the larger the batch the less chance of an error coming up. If you are mixing a 3 ml batch a small error gets magnified. I mix pure PG, pure VG and 100 mg nic base in 225 ml batches, fill 9ml's in 10ml bottles and then add flavoring to the 10 ml bottles. If I screw up the flavoring I throw away 10ml of juice, but the margin for screwing up the nic is very small. Testing a bad flavor is no problem, not so with the nicotine strength.

Definitely something I will keep in mind once I figure out my pg/vg ratio preferences. Thanks!

 

[Marredding]

I first mix my nicotine into batches of 100 ml@ 15 mg of nicotine 50/50 mix. Then mix 15 to 30 ml bottles with favors. Since I am new to this, I have kept my juice simple. Fruit, sweet cream, candy flavors and menthol, then mix up them together such as berry cream, watermelon ice etc right in my tanks. A little bit of this and a little bit of that and they are wonderful. I can't seem to get the complicated favors to work for me so I just mix them together as I am filling my Clearos.

 

[calan]

I mix base liquids in graduated cylinders and then pour them into empty 250ml or 500ml VG and PG bottles. I like having a few hundred ml each of a 0mg mix and a 12mg mix.

As for mixing new flavors, the best containers I've found by far are the acrylic storage cups they sell at Hobby Lobby for artist's paints. They are excellent for mixing, shaking, submerging in hot water, and steeping. They are crystal clear with soft snap-on lids, and don't absorb flavors as much as the softer HDPE and PET bottles.

Here is a link to an assortment pack with 19 of them; they also sell the sizes individually. The ones I normally use hold about 40ml of liquid, and come in packages of 9 (or 12?) for just a couple bucks.

Once I'm happy with a mix, I transfer it to a cobalt blue glass jar (or an HDPE dropper bottle if it isn't going to be around for long)... and then rinse the cup and toss it in a box for later reuse.

 

[Dvx67]

I use graduated cylinders to mix my nic base, pg and vg. Then syringes for measuring the flavors, directly into the bottle. The graduated cylinders really speed up the process and they make it easy to work with vg, which is difficult to work with when using syringes.

 

[fairythere]

As for mixing new flavors, the best containers I've found by far are the acrylic storage cups they sell at Hobby Lobby for artist's paints. They are excellent for mixing, shaking, submerging in hot water, and steeping. They are crystal clear with soft snap-on lids, and don't absorb flavors as much as the softer HDPE and PET bottles.

I didn't look at the link you provided but I would be interested to know if these containers are food grade? Most art supplies are not and I would steer clear of them. They can leech dangerous chemicals (like BP and other even more dangerous chemicals) that will then be in your juice. Please check it out, I am concerned for your health! I always mix in food grade containers!

 

[Red_Bird]

Anchor Hocking glassware I mix in......using glass or plastic stirrers....then syringe into 30, 60 or 120 ml glass bottles

 

[stillnotsmoking]

I see everyone mentioning graduated cylinders, I myself prefer graduated beakers for measuring/mixing large amounts. They are just as easy to pour from, much easier to pour into and store inside one another for easier storage. I think I picked mine up off Amazon pretty cheap.

Whatever you do, just don't cheap out and buy plastic ones from a walmart-type chemistry set.

Pyrex or Borosilicate Glass .02

 

[Cavediver]

Thanks everyone!

As far as the graduated cylinders are concerned, do you find it helpful to have multiples of each size or will one be enough for a beginner? I'm going to plan on at least one each of 5, 10, and 20, and maybe a few more when I start mixing in volume.

ETA: Glass / good quality comments noted!

 

[Dvx67]

Thanks everyone!

As far as the graduated cylinders are concerned, do you find it helpful to have multiples of each size or will one be enough for a beginner? I'm going to plan on at least one each of 5, 10, and 20, and maybe a few more when I start mixing in volume.

ETA: Glass / good quality comments noted!

For starting out, one of each should be fine unless you want to have spares. I have a 10, 25, and 50. I mix small batches in the 10 ml but I'm not measuring flavors with the graduated cylinders.

 

[Red_Bird]

Graduated cylinders can tip over easily.......if you are making small batches you are better off precisely measuring each ingredient via syringe and dispensing it into your bottle.

 

[Red_Bird]

Anchor Hocking glassware is thicker walled then a graduated cylinder, better balanced and cheaper.

Walmart carries it.

You can mix up small or large batches......