Embarking on DIY; the final steps! (Help appreciated)

[TheKiwi]

Hi all! First time posting here, and I would appreciate ANY help at all. I've been vaping since 2010, and have always used juice from vendors. I've heard all these wonderful things about DIY (I'm an avid cook) and after years of apprehension and not-sure-why fears, I've decided to go all in to DIY. I've read up as much as I can and have quite a lot of info as it is, but I thought it would be nice if anyone can help me look through my little plan and answer some lingering questions. There is gonna be some questions about the sources (for VG and pg) and I understand the "best deal" can depend on where I live (due to shipping costs), so yeah Durham, North Carolina is where I'm from. I'll be back from my Iraq deployment in 7 days and plan to get everything shipped to me ASAP. I'm also very trained in lab work, and have experiences working with various chemicals.

So. Stuff I'm getting:
1) 1500 ml of 100mg nic, PG base, from VT. Targeting 5mg juice, so I'll be diluting it to 1nic:19 others.

2) 100ml amber glass bottles for storing the nic in freezer. Intend to use this: http://www.specialtybottle.com/ambereuroglassbottle100mlwdroppercapblk.aspx
The plan is to fill them up and leave very little head space. I'll be storing all in a freezer, and only using 1 bottle at a time.

Question: would I need to wash and clean out these bottles when I get them? If yes, what's the recommended washing and drying procedure?

3) 10ml and 30ml plastic dripper bottles for my mixes. Again, do I need to wash them out prior to use? If yes, what's the recommended washing and drying procedure?

4) ordered a 30min cycle UC for steeping.

5) 1ml, 5 ml and 10ml syringes with blunt tip needles. Gonna use the 1ml primarily for nic, 5ml for flavoring and 10ml for dispensing pg/VG. I'm assuming I should wash it out with water and soap after a DIY session? Currently I plan to designate one syringe to each flavoring or component.

6) VG/PG: I plan to buy a couple liters of both VG and pg, but shipping on those often end up higher than the products itself. Anyone knows of any source that's cheap ESP when shipping to Durham? Planning to buy those in equal parts since I enjoy 50/50 mixes

7) sweeteners: some flavors I hope to do include coffee and dessert types. I understand I'll need sweeteners for those. I've seen mentions of Ethyl Malto and others. I was wondering what's the best/easiest form avail? Something liquids is preferred for easier mixing and prep.

8) the big one: recommendation for flavorings. This one is just impossible to figure out. I know there's TFA, FA, Lorann, Capella, hangsen....... But I was hoping if someone can recommend specific ones pertaining to the juices I'm hoping to get:

- A coffee, and possible a creamy coffee. I'm assuming I can use a straight coffee flavoring, and slowly dial in vanilla and bravarian cream flavorings to get my desired mix. So. Recommendations for coffee, vanilla and brav cream would be nice

- a straight green apple

- a straight grape, preferably one that's as close to the fruit itself. I'm thinking of also possibly adding menthol to the grape and apple, so is there a easy to use menthol enhancer or whatever it's called?

- a RY4

- A straight tobacco. Also hoping to add caramel to it at some point, so a nice burnt caramel flavoring would be sweet.

- any chance of a cinnamon flavor that is not a plastic tank cracker? At some point I wanna make something that's like a cinnamon Danish juice.

9) is there a good website where people go to share or refer to DIY recipes?

That's it! I know it's super super long, but if anyone has time to read through and feedback, I would be very very grateful. Thank you!

 

[Hoosier]

Woot! A new mixer!

Suggestions from what I think I remember from reading the OP...

1ml syringes, you'll need more. You'll find them very useful for flavorings and the syringe will fit inside nearly every flavoring bottle, so the is no need for needles there.

Remember to taste before steeping. You might just be wasting time if you don't know it tastes fine before steeping and have a darn difficult time figuring out the fix if steeping results in crappy flavor...if you don't know what it tasted like before.

I have found that there is a great site with recipes and help. It goes by the nickname ECF, but I cannot remember the URL so hopefully someone will post a link?

Wash to the point you feel comfortable inhaling the contents of what you've washing and you should be fine.

It's great to have long term targets. But start off with small ones. Aim small, miss small. Get a feel for individual flavors and then start combining and get a feel for the way the combine.

Read dannyv45's blogs. There is another pinhead that wrote some blogs on ECF about mixing that goes by the name "Hoosier". He's full of turd, but sometimes in certain situations, folks find gems of knowledge in all that turd.
Sent by big fingers on a tiny phone via Tapatalk

 

[keonee]

I always wash my bottles....amber bottles in the dishwasher and plastic I leave soaking in a bowl.

It's easier to start out with 1 flavor e-liquid to get the hang of it.....and much less steep time.

I really do enjoy one on one flavors.....the fruits are very good.

Good Luck to You!!!

 

[Celestiiaa]

Just letting you know that Bull City Vapors is in Durham, NC! They have most of the stuff that you have on your list, several of the most popular flavoring brands, and are reasonably priced. They also started selling VT Nic recently but only up to 240ml.

I just got my first shipment from them and was very pleased with their service.

The only problem I saw was that they do not have 1ml syringes or very many options for bottle sizes so I think I may order my bottles from Packaging Options Direct next time.

For higher quantities of VG and PG you could try www.myfreedomsmokes.com. They are located in Charlotte.

That's about all I can help with being new to DIY myself but I wish you lots of luck!

 

[TheKiwi]

Thanks everyone for the input! Keep em coming! Also would appreciate flavor brands for those I mentioned. Thanks!

 

[Hoosier]

Enough of any cinnamon will damage polycarbonate...it's the chemistry between the two that is at work. Can't get the flavor without a certain chemical and that chemical and polycarbonate don't play nice.

So, if you like cinnamon, get rid if the polycarbonate tanks. I wouldn't use that specific plastic for anything my juice came in contact with, but that's me.
Sent by big fingers on a tiny phone via Tapatalk

 

[RonJS]

Question: would I need to wash and clean out these bottles when I get them? If yes, what's the recommended washing and drying procedure?

3) 10ml and 30ml plastic dripper bottles for my mixes. Again, do I need to wash them out prior to use? If yes, what's the recommended washing and drying procedure?

4) ordered a 30min cycle UC for steeping.

5) 1ml, 5 ml and 10ml syringes with blunt tip needles. Gonna use the 1ml primarily for nic, 5ml for flavoring and 10ml for dispensing pg/VG. I'm assuming I should wash it out with water and soap after a DIY session? Currently I plan to designate one syringe to each flavoring or component.

6) VG/PG: I plan to buy a couple liters of both VG and pg, but shipping on those often end up higher than the products itself. Anyone knows of any source that's cheap ESP when shipping to Durham? Planning to buy those in equal parts since I enjoy 50/50 mixes

7) sweeteners: some flavors I hope to do include coffee and dessert types. I understand I'll need sweeteners for those. I've seen mentions of Ethyl Malto and others. I was wondering what's the best/easiest form avail? Something liquids is preferred for easier mixing and prep.

8) the big one: recommendation for flavorings. This one is just impossible to figure out. I know there's TFA, FA, Lorann, Capella, hangsen....... But I was hoping if someone can recommend specific ones pertaining to the juices I'm hoping to get:

- A coffee, and possible a creamy coffee. I'm assuming I can use a straight coffee flavoring, and slowly dial in vanilla and bravarian cream flavorings to get my desired mix. So. Recommendations for coffee, vanilla and brav cream would be nice

- a straight green apple

- a straight grape, preferably one that's as close to the fruit itself. I'm thinking of also possibly adding menthol to the grape and apple, so is there a easy to use menthol enhancer or whatever it's called?

- a RY4

- A straight tobacco. Also hoping to add caramel to it at some point, so a nice burnt caramel flavoring would be sweet.

- any chance of a cinnamon flavor that is not a plastic tank cracker? At some point I wanna make something that's like a cinnamon Danish juice.

When I was searching the internet for bottles, I noticed some sellers were offering "cleaned" bottles (at a higher price). While I suspect this was for manufactures who wished to place the bottles immediately on their production line, it gave me pause. It's up to you if you feel you need to clean your bottles. I fill one with vodka, shake it, and pour the vodka into the next bottle & repeat. I then put the bottles on my dishwasher rack to drain.

5) I suggest you consider getting a 20ml syringe also. I use mine a lot. When working with VG, a 14 gauge blunt tip is the ticket.

6) many of us are happy we bought our pg/vg from ED

http://www.essentialdepot.com/servlet/the-218/1-Gallon-Veg-Glycerin/Detail

7) Get a small bottle of TPA Sweetener. It might last you forever.

8) Coffee? Inawera. More Starbucks than Folger's

Cinnamon Danish Juice? Cappela's flavoring works for me.

Grape? Scroll down today's postings. There's 3 pages on grape.



Ron

 

[TheKiwi]

I think I have everything I need! Thanks Hoosier and Ron and Celestiaa and everyone else.

I'll be around to ask questions once I actually start.

Nice blog posts btw Hoosier