So I have been reading the DIY forums, and playing around with the e-juice Me up calculator for the past week, and am finally going to take the plunge and start making my own juices. I want to make max VG (90%+) juices in 3-6 nic, using 24 nic, as I want to get some hands on before I start using 60 or 100 nic to make juice. My main questions are where to buy VG/PG/Nic/Flavors. I will be looking to make custard flavors similar to Mothers Milk and Marilyn. As they are my favorite. I know there is a lot of trail and error in DIY, and taste is subjective, but if anyone would be able to point me in the right direction as to a good custard, it would be greatly appreciated. Also any tips or criticisms would also be appreciated. Thanks Everyone!!!
First Time DIYer
- Thread starter bass2007
- Start date
- th_trl_thread_readers 0
- Status
I don't make custards, I mainly vape berry flavors, however, I can tell you where I got my stuff.
Wizards Labs Wizard Labs is located within an hour's drive of my home. I did a bunch of research and made a list of what I thought I would need to get started in DIY. I called Wizard Labs and talked to a lady in the office. They don't really have a "retail" store where you go in and look around, make purchases, check out and leave with your stuff. They generally deal with internet orders which they ship out. However, they were willing to help out a guy just getting into it and told me to come on over.
My wife and I drove over with my list. When we got there (I had called again to tell them I was coming and what time I expected to get there) they had a Chemist waiting for me! Colin, the Chemist, talked to me about what I wanted to do. As we were talking, John, the owner of the business came into the lobby and introduced himself. He explained that he had started vaping to stop smoking and became interested in the process of making juice. With his chemistry background he began looking into the process and decided he could do it better than many of the companies that were supplying equipment and flavors.
John was so into vaping that he purchased starter kits for all of his employees who smoked! That told me a lot about him and his commitment to vaping. Colin vapes and also makes his own juice.
I whipped out my list and we started going through it. They told me that I didn't need all the beakers and flasks and fancy stuff I had on my list. Most just mix into a juice bottle. For measuring they recommended syringes and blunt tip needles which can easily be washed and reused numerous times. John mentioned that he wasn't much of a salesman as he kept talking me out of stuff he could have sold me!
To make a long story a little shorter, I left there with $112 worth of stuff. That included 500ml of 100mg nicotine which accounted for $53 of my purchase. I got VG, PG, a bunch of syringes in different sizes, blunt tip needles, about 8 juice bottles and ten different flavorings.
You can find a bunch of places to purchase your DIY supplies and equipment, but for me, with the service I received there, I will continue to use Wizard Labs.
Good luck, but be forewarned, it becomes addictive!!!
Wizards Labs Wizard Labs is located within an hour's drive of my home. I did a bunch of research and made a list of what I thought I would need to get started in DIY. I called Wizard Labs and talked to a lady in the office. They don't really have a "retail" store where you go in and look around, make purchases, check out and leave with your stuff. They generally deal with internet orders which they ship out. However, they were willing to help out a guy just getting into it and told me to come on over.
My wife and I drove over with my list. When we got there (I had called again to tell them I was coming and what time I expected to get there) they had a Chemist waiting for me! Colin, the Chemist, talked to me about what I wanted to do. As we were talking, John, the owner of the business came into the lobby and introduced himself. He explained that he had started vaping to stop smoking and became interested in the process of making juice. With his chemistry background he began looking into the process and decided he could do it better than many of the companies that were supplying equipment and flavors.
John was so into vaping that he purchased starter kits for all of his employees who smoked! That told me a lot about him and his commitment to vaping. Colin vapes and also makes his own juice.
I whipped out my list and we started going through it. They told me that I didn't need all the beakers and flasks and fancy stuff I had on my list. Most just mix into a juice bottle. For measuring they recommended syringes and blunt tip needles which can easily be washed and reused numerous times. John mentioned that he wasn't much of a salesman as he kept talking me out of stuff he could have sold me!
To make a long story a little shorter, I left there with $112 worth of stuff. That included 500ml of 100mg nicotine which accounted for $53 of my purchase. I got VG, PG, a bunch of syringes in different sizes, blunt tip needles, about 8 juice bottles and ten different flavorings.
You can find a bunch of places to purchase your DIY supplies and equipment, but for me, with the service I received there, I will continue to use Wizard Labs.
Good luck, but be forewarned, it becomes addictive!!!
Welcome to ECF and remember one thing about DIY, it's easier to add more than to remove. That's true of flavor, nic, PG and VG! Congratulations on taking this first step in a fascinating aspect of this hobby!
So I have a question is there any benefit from using 100mg/mL nic compared to say 24 mg/mL. I know that obviously you will not need to add as much 100 to reach your desired nic level, as you would a 24. My thinking is that 24 will be "safer" to work with starting out, and as I progress in DIY, I will be more confident when working with higher level nics.
Confidence is worth quite a bit starting out.
Since I started vaping at 48mg/ml and had to mix to that level when I started out, I was comfortable with higher.
Given your goal of 90% VG, I'm not even sure you need any PG since most flavorings are PG and you'll probably get close to your upper PG limit just with flavorings.
Since I started vaping at 48mg/ml and had to mix to that level when I started out, I was comfortable with higher.
Given your goal of 90% VG, I'm not even sure you need any PG since most flavorings are PG and you'll probably get close to your upper PG limit just with flavorings.
100mg solutions are a little more economical (not always though; calculate things out), more hazardous, and less forgiving of small errors like when you're making very small test batches. If you're doing a 6mg 5ml test batch, an error of 0.2ml is far more significant with 100mg than with 48/36mg. if you're keeping a lot stored, obviously 100mg takes up less space in your freezer.
As far as custards, the plug 'n' play method is to get Capella's Vanilla Custard (version 1, the one with all the alpha-diketones in it that are bad for you) and mix at 10-15% and add 2% or so of something else. It's usually out of stock in most places.
I like Wizard Labs a lot. They have great prices on 8ml flavor samples from many vendors, decent nicotine, and a good assortment of equipment.
Holy cow. That's some tolerance level.
Ok so I think I'm going to start with Capella flavorings, and get graham cracker, Van Custard, Van custard v2, simply vanilla, peanut butter, caramel, and NY cheesecake. Anyone have any experience with these flavors, Im seeking a cheesecake flavor as well as custard like I mentioned before. I plan on making samples in 5 mL, of each flavor before jumping in and combining them. I figure this way I can see where I like the flavor profiles individually vs mixing and not knowing which way to go to get a more desired flavor.
My Freedom Smokes has a fantastic deal of nic right now. https://www.myfreedomsmokes.com/nicotine-base-flavorings/nicotine-solutions.html
I have been pleased with Essential Depot for my vg and pg. http://www.essentialdepot.com/servlet/the-Propylene-Glycol/Categories
For flavorings, I use Vaping Zone super concentrated or gourmet flavors. Very strong and you use a lot less so to me it seems more economical. Premium DIY - SC Gourmet E-Cigarette Flavoring By VapingZone - E Cig eGo, E juice, Mods, Cartomizers, Liquid Nicotine, DIY Flavorings
Hope this helps some. DIY saves a lot of money but I actually enjoy it. Good luck to you too.
I have been pleased with Essential Depot for my vg and pg. http://www.essentialdepot.com/servlet/the-Propylene-Glycol/Categories
For flavorings, I use Vaping Zone super concentrated or gourmet flavors. Very strong and you use a lot less so to me it seems more economical. Premium DIY - SC Gourmet E-Cigarette Flavoring By VapingZone - E Cig eGo, E juice, Mods, Cartomizers, Liquid Nicotine, DIY Flavorings
Hope this helps some. DIY saves a lot of money but I actually enjoy it. Good luck to you too.
I'm looking for a good flavor concentrate of peanut butter and butterscotch. Ideas? Other than TFA/TPA? I need something better or stronger. Help please?
I've been getting all my liquids from Myfreedomsmokes, been very happy. I also haven't found their selection of bottles and caps anywhere else. I use the 24mm pierceable caps on 125ml bottles to keep all my unmixed liquids in. Use a syringe with needle through the cap to remove the liquid and air bubbles.... no spills, mess, contamination and not excess air get to anything. 99% of the syringes and needles I use I get from Amazon.com
Yes, yes, yes to all this, especially the part about saving a lot of money. I don't have good luck with any of the major flavoring companies like Loranns but everything I have gotten from Vaping Zone has been excellent, granted I have only purchased the super concentrates with good reviews. And they are so easy to mix - 1 drop SC per ml of base is a good starting place. I got a gallon of VG (I use it for other stuff too) and a half gallon of PG from Essential Depot a few months ago and these will last me years. I got the liter of MFS 100mg for $50 and at the 10mg I usually mix, this will also last me many years. I dispensed it to 4oz plastic bottles and froze most of it so hopefully it will keep that long. The 10 SC flavors I got from VZ will make about a gallon total of juice which is a two year supply.I figure that my cost per 30ml bottle of 10mg juice is now less than $1 not to mention as good or better than even the "premium" $20 per 30ml juices.
Last edited:
So I have made a further decision on DIY, im just going to go and make my own at 0 nic. I feel more comfortable, and besides im trying to get off nic completely so why not? Still wondering about which flavor company to go with however...
Wow..that sounds like a very awesome experience with Wizard Labs! What a nice guy!
I don't live close enough to visit any of the vendors I have purchased from, but I can say I've been super pleased with Bullcityvapor.com and Onestopdiyshop.com. Both are very nice and helpful. Bullcity is pretty much my go to, however, because of two things. They carry Inawera flavorings and Vapors Tek nicotine. I am more likely to at least get close to being able to order all I need from Bullcity. One stop was kind enough to offer help to a noob like me though, so they are my number two just because they're so nice
It sounds like you've done your homework! Over on the recipes forum there is a thread for a Mother's Milk clone. I'm pretty new to mixing myself, but I would highly recommend you try that recipe from that thread, if only to make something really tasty right off the bat. I agree x 10 with Hoosier that having confidence is a big plus with this and mixing something great right away will give you that "OMG I CAN DO THIS!" moment that will really set you off right. Single flavor samples help you figure out how a flavor tastes on its own, but recipes like that have also helped me understand how flavors work together, and how things like fruit and cream balance out. I'm a big creamy fan too..bakery and custard is probably my favorite "genre" of eliquid.
So when I order, I make a list of flavors needed from recipes I want to try, and then add in other flavors as I see them and think of ideas of my own I want to try. Bullcity is great for very inexpensive small sizes. I think they've paid off the USPS or something too, because they ship faster than any vendor of ANYthing I've ever bought online.
I'm excited for you! Please be sure to post back after you've made your first juice and let us know how it went! Nice to see someone post that has put in some effort into what needs to be done prior to even ordering materials..you have a head start already and I bet you do great.
edited to add: I might be getting a little ahead of you here, but when you go to make your next purchase (as in, okay, I'm a DIYer now, bigger amount) think outside the box. Pretty much anything that can be had from a source other than a DIY ejuice site will be cheaper from a different site, purely because those guys are buying it from there too then marking it up for their DIY site. Think vet supply for syringes, container places for bottles, essentialdepot.com for PG/VG.
Can you tell I'm enthusiastic? Give me an opportunity with someone like you who might share my passion for vaping and I'll write you a novel! Sorry for the length.
I don't live close enough to visit any of the vendors I have purchased from, but I can say I've been super pleased with Bullcityvapor.com and Onestopdiyshop.com. Both are very nice and helpful. Bullcity is pretty much my go to, however, because of two things. They carry Inawera flavorings and Vapors Tek nicotine. I am more likely to at least get close to being able to order all I need from Bullcity. One stop was kind enough to offer help to a noob like me though, so they are my number two just because they're so nice
It sounds like you've done your homework! Over on the recipes forum there is a thread for a Mother's Milk clone. I'm pretty new to mixing myself, but I would highly recommend you try that recipe from that thread, if only to make something really tasty right off the bat. I agree x 10 with Hoosier that having confidence is a big plus with this and mixing something great right away will give you that "OMG I CAN DO THIS!" moment that will really set you off right. Single flavor samples help you figure out how a flavor tastes on its own, but recipes like that have also helped me understand how flavors work together, and how things like fruit and cream balance out. I'm a big creamy fan too..bakery and custard is probably my favorite "genre" of eliquid.
So when I order, I make a list of flavors needed from recipes I want to try, and then add in other flavors as I see them and think of ideas of my own I want to try. Bullcity is great for very inexpensive small sizes. I think they've paid off the USPS or something too, because they ship faster than any vendor of ANYthing I've ever bought online.
I'm excited for you! Please be sure to post back after you've made your first juice and let us know how it went! Nice to see someone post that has put in some effort into what needs to be done prior to even ordering materials..you have a head start already and I bet you do great.
edited to add: I might be getting a little ahead of you here, but when you go to make your next purchase (as in, okay, I'm a DIYer now, bigger amount) think outside the box. Pretty much anything that can be had from a source other than a DIY ejuice site will be cheaper from a different site, purely because those guys are buying it from there too then marking it up for their DIY site. Think vet supply for syringes, container places for bottles, essentialdepot.com for PG/VG.
Can you tell I'm enthusiastic?
Give me an opportunity with someone like you who might share my passion for vaping and I'll write you a novel! Sorry for the length.
Last edited:
I can't help on the butterscotch..I so far haven't made much with that flavor.
For peanut butter though, I have tried Cap and TFA and found both pretty lacking. I did, however, discover a good trick from a Grand Master clone recipe. If you want peanut butter, mix hazelnut, caramel and a little AP. Better peanut butter than any flavoring I've found so far. This is my Elvis:
Inw Banana (Aromat line) 2%
FA Hazelnut 2%
TFA Marshmallow 7%
TFA Caramel Candy 5%
Acetyl Pyrazine 3 drops per 10 mL
The AP probably varies wildly to taste. But anyway, this is a better peanut butter than either of the two concentrate I tried ( to me). You should certainly play around with the caramel/hazelnut/AP ratios depending on your own tastes and the recipe you are going for but that might give you an idea.
Sorry for the hijack! Just had to pipe up on this after my own discovery.
I like, and use, some from TFA, FA, CAP, VZ, FW, and INW.
Electronic Cigarette, Clearomizer, USA e-Liquid, e-Cig Juice, DIY Flavors, Wholesale Nicotine, Empty Bottles for E-Liquid - ecigExpress
http://www.bullcityvapor.com/
Each brand has both good and bad.
FA (FlavorArt) is normally used at lower percents, 1-5%.
CAP (Capella) more forgiving (percents) for new DIYer's, 8% ish.
FW (Flavorwest) a lot of people need to go to 15% with some of these.
TFA varies quite a bit but my average is 10-12% for main flavors, and 1-3% for mixers.
INW tobaccos/enhancers are pretty good, only need 2-3% usually.
VZ-SC tobaccos (some) are pretty good, only need 2-3% also, (alcohol based).
And the VZ-SC Goumet flavors are not bad either.
Many here have tried them all and picked out favorites from each brand...
Alright so I'm going to start with just getting Cap flavors(just for simplicity now), VG, no PG (as im trying to get max vg and the flavors have pg in them). 10 mL dropper bottles, and syringes. Just need to find which websites to use. I can't wait for this VAPEMAIL!
So I have almost everything picked out for my first bout in DIYland. The only problem or dilemma I am having is with the blunt tipped needles, I read on one of the threads or blogs 22-24 ga fo flavors and I can find any. I can only find 20 ga. Im assuming this will work and the 22-24 are more for drops rather than mL?
- Status
Similar threads
