Finally got here...

[jmur]

OK, so I'm kind of cheating here, as I used a pre-mixed PG/VG from MFS. But, still in all...made my first today! Used some RY4 alone, vaped for a few hours, but wanted something more in there. Added some caramel, a bit at a time, and even without steeping (just sat for a half day) I'm really enjoying this tonight. And enjoying the satisfaction that goes along with DIY. Wanted to test the waters first to see if I was comfortable doing this, and I am. So soon, I'll be looking to do it the "right" way, and mixing my PG/VG too. But for now, I'm more than happy. Feel like I'm finally going "off the grid" commercially. And I would be remiss without giving thanks to all the folks here who afforded me this education over the past year. Thanks people!

 

[LoveVanilla]

No "cheating" -- that's perfectly acceptable and good sense. Many of us mix to standard base anyway. And personally my Ry4-Double rarely gets steeped; I like the straight mix. And congratulations!

 

[SueandCootie]

Lots of fun to be had, as much or as little as you wish. And like cooking you can try it ANY way you like it, as everyone's tastes are so different. A hobby within a hobby! Enjoy!

 

[Renolizzie]

Fun! One of the best things I ever did was learning how to make my own ejuice, Way cheaper and way more convenient than buying premade.

 

[HeadInClouds]

It's very satisfying, isn't it? And using premixed base is a convenience, not a cheat at all. Do you have a next mix planned, or happy with the RY for the time being?

 

[dannyv45]

Premixed is not cheating. I premix my base 120 to 250mls at a time and just compensate for an average of 10% flavor addition. Cuts my mixing time in half. I just pour base add flavor and steep if nessessary. I even add in my saline to my premixed base.

 

[jmur]

Thanks guys for making me see that it's not "cheating". I was always under the impression that everybody was doing EVERYTHING from scratch. This is good to know. I might move up to mixing my own base soon, but for now, this is good for me. I'm trying to come as close to independent as I can because I'm worried what the future will bring. I'm near (1 month away) my 1 year anniversary of quitting the bad things. After 45 years of killing myself with them. And I'm not about to let this be taken away from me. Mixing my own was my latest step toward that goal. I love dripping, been using Igo and Nimbus, making my own coils and wick. I used to primarily use an MVP2, but I know that will eventually die. So I've moved to battery mods, right now a Vamo5 (so far I like it's ease and reliability), and I'm going to decide on one more (maybe two) mods. I'm liking the Vamo, but I'm thinking I just might look into.....shssssss(don't wan't to start a fight).....a Provari! I'm figuring between doing my own coils/wicks, going to battery mods and now mixing my own juice, that I just may have gotten to the point where no one can regulate this away from me. Of course, they're only trying to do that for my own safety So once again, I thank all the fine folk here who have helped get me to this level. It is REALLY much appreciated.

 

[dannyv45]

right now a Vamo5 (so far I like it's ease and reliability), and I'm going to decide on one more (maybe two) mods. I'm liking the Vamo, but I'm thinking I just might look into.....shssssss(don't wan't to start a fight).....a Provari!

I actually use both as well and lean towards the pravari just for the fact that I've recently got into sub ohm and the vamo don't do sub ohm. I'm looking into a mech mod but undecided as to what to get.

 

[Stosh]

When you're ready to move up from "cheating" (not really..) to making your own base, there's an easy way to go. I have a 120 mL bottle that I have marked off with the necessary levels of nic concentrate, PG and VG to mix my preferred ratio and strength.

Figure out exactly how many mL of each you need for a bottle. Take a syringe and some water, measure and mark the bottle carefully, and each batch is exactly the same, no more measuring. All the measurements are on the bottle...

 

[jmur]

I actually use both as well and lean towards the pravari just for the fact that I've recently got into sub ohm and the vamo don't do sub ohm. I'm looking into a mech mod but undecided as to what to get.

I don't know if I'm looking to go sub-ohm just yet. I've been really happy with around 1.2 - 1.4. And I finally just got the b**ls to up my watts. Was leery of doing that before, don't know why, but wow, what a difference it makes. I think somewhere down the road, as with everything else so far in this learning experience, I will try sub-ohm. Just glad to know that there's folks here that I can learn from. I've been saying "thank you" a lot to you all lately, but I really mean it. Vaping has literally changed my life and I'm so grateful to all the folks here who I've learned from!

 

[jmur]

Have another question also. Do all you DIY-ers follow recipe measurements strictly? I'm probably guessing you don't. Here's what I mean. Got my supplies in yesterday. Right now, got three flavors going that I'm really pretty happy with. A butter rum, with some caramel, an RY4, with caramel and a FA-Royal, with caramel. (Guess I like caramel)! So, what I've been doing is measuring out about a little under 4ml of pre-mix 75/25 nic (because I'm only using 5ml sample bottles), then about 1 or less ml of flavoring, but then adding drops of the other flavors I want as I sample it. So, not really measuring the additional flavoring, just adding till I find a sweet spot. It works for me, but for some odd reason I'm curious to know if others do it this way too.

 

[LoveVanilla]

I'm pretty rigorous in precision measurement and detailed notes so I can recreate something that I like. Otherwise it becomes like the fisherman's story about the one that got away... But the first rule is to please the customer first -- and that's you!

 

[jmur]

Yeah, that makes sense. I'll find something I really love and not be able to recreate it Guess I'm doing the lazy way right now. Only my second day at it, so I guess I feel a little free to experiment. But your point is well taken. I'm enjoying what I've mixed already, so looks like it's time to keep a log.

 

[Stosh]

I'll keep track of the percentages of flavorings I use to make up a single flavor mix. Then will mix the results in a tank, 3 mL at a time to try combinations.

One of my favorites, coffee & bourbon, I like more of one or the other day to day, sometimes with a little squirt of caramel. Mixing a tank at a time, I get the flavor I'm in the mood for that day. Not reproducible exactly for a big batch, but I do get an approximate ratio if I do want to scale it up larger.

 

[dannyv45]

I do keep strict notes and do accurately measure. There are times that I also get lazy when experimentating but still don't stray much from accuracy. I may pour 29ml base instead of 30 or may be off on flavor by .01 or .02 but not much more then that.

 

[JohnnyDill]

I actually use both as well and lean towards the pravari just for the fact that I've recently got into sub ohm and the vamo don't do sub ohm. I'm looking into a mech mod but undecided as to what to get.

Hmmm why not try this mech: $24.63 Nemesis Style Mechanical Mod - stainless steel / with telescopic 510 contact pin at FastTech - Worldwide Free Shipping

It has very high reviews, works with all three battery sizes, all with or without a kick. Seems like a winner. I am waiting for mine!
http://www.fasttech.com/products/1411/10006524/1501000-variable-wattage-kick-module-for-mechanical-mod-pv

 

[wllmc]

my buddy has that one. he seems to like it. cant beat the price. I got an hcigar sentinel m16 clone on ebay for 35 bucks. I use it way more than my APV's or other pricier mech mods I own.

Hmmm why not try this mech: $24.63 Nemesis Style Mechanical Mod - stainless steel / with telescopic 510 contact pin at FastTech - Worldwide Free Shipping

It has very high reviews, works with all three battery sizes, all with or without a kick. Seems like a winner. I am waiting for mine!

 

[yooperdad]

Another newbie to DIY . Do you need to freeze, refrigerate, or just store in cool dark place your flavors and Nic? Thanks.

 

[JohnnyDill]

Another newbie to DIY . Do you need to freeze, refrigerate, or just store in cool dark place your flavors and Nic? Thanks.

A cool place is fine for everything, but people that "hoard" large amounts of nic tend to freeze in glass containers for long term storage. Many anticipate government intervention/taxation of our beloved hobby.

 

[yooperdad]

A cool place is fine for everything, but people that "hoard" large amounts of nic tend to freeze in glass containers for long term storage. Many anticipate government intervention/taxation of our beloved hobby.

Can I assume more than a year is long term ? And I have been buying Nic in 100% vg. Can either vg or pg be frozen? Thanks.