Frustrated!!!!

[Cwig]

1st time posting, new"ish" member here!!! I have been lurking here for about a month now, about the same time as I got into vaping. Currently it's been 2 weeks since my last analog and its been great! As long as everything is working properly I don't have any cravings at all!

The wealth of knowledge here is beyond belief and I have learned so much. So now I finally will come out of the dark corner and throw my troubles at everyone.

I have been buying juice at a local gape shop since I have started this journey. I have grown fond of smooth, sweet, creamy flavors.... Vanilla, caramel, etc. after a lot of reading up on DYI here I have tried my hand at mixing my own. Ordered several flavors from TPA/TFA and off we go!!!! But the problem is, I can't get anything anywhere near close to what I'm wanting!! After hours of mixing I am about ready to call it quits and just go back to buying it already mixed.

 

[DuckysBooBoo]

Welcome to the forum and congrats! Good Luck!!!

 

[JRudey]

I have grown fond of smooth, sweet, creamy flavors.... Vanilla, caramel, etc. after a lot of reading up on DYI here I have tried my hand at mixing my own. Ordered several flavors from TPA/TFA and off we go!!!! But the problem is, I can't get anything anywhere near close to what I'm wanting!! After hours of mixing I am about ready to call it quits and just go back to buying it already mixed.

I recommend watching this YouTube video by Pirates Belay
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWdDl9vKysQ

Using a graduated cylinder helped me a lot.

 

[Vapeman12]

Welcome and do your self a favor and don't mix a lot, my first was 30ml way to much, I find 15ml bottle is fine. how are you mixing? are you using VG and PG or just one or the other? whats the issues?? just taste eww or what?
I have some black cherry, Cherry, and some vanilla and there all yucky, can't get the taste to what I want i have given up on those 3, I have some strawberry n cream and its Yummy

 

[WarHawk-AVG]

There are e-juice calculator programs out there

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.boggi.esig&hl=en

I believe there is one on the forum, but can't seem to locate it just yet, someone here will post it up shortly

 

[Cwig]

Welcome and do your self a favor and don't mix a lot, my first was 30ml way to much, I find 15ml bottle is fine.

Mixing 5ml at a time.

how are you mixing? are you using VG and PG or just one or the other?

whats the issues??
just taste eww or what?[/QUOTE]
Using 50/50 24mg base, everything meticulously measured . I have tried several different recipes found here and other sites as well. Most have very little flavor or overwhelming bitter flavor. None of them have been anywhere remotely close to what i expect as far as flavor/sweetness/smooth. I do have a couple recipes steeping but I am a VERY impatient person and that probably wont go far!!!

I have some black cherry, Cherry, and some vanilla and there all yucky, can't get the taste to what I want i have given up on those 3, I have some strawberry n cream and its Yummy

I have tried a strawbery n cream with no luck!! Premixed flavors that I have found that I like all have a creamy vanilla or caramel taste to them. I really havent found any fruity flavors that I have care for.

 

[Mike Sheda]

Mixing 5ml at a time.
whats the issues??
just taste eww or what?

Using 50/50 24mg base, everything meticulously measured . I have tried several different recipes found here and other sites as well. Most have very little flavor or overwhelming bitter flavor. None of them have been anywhere remotely close to what i expect as far as flavor/sweetness/smooth. I do have a couple recipes steeping but I am a VERY impatient person and that probably wont go far!!!

I have tried a strawbery n cream with no luck!! Premixed flavors that I have found that I like all have a creamy vanilla or caramel taste to them. I really havent found any fruity flavors that I have care for.[/QUOTE]

Bear in mind, these are FRESH.. sometimes they take a little while to settle in.

 

[yaypudding]

vanilla flavors need a lot of steeping. I have a couple of 30ml batches that i ran thru my ultrasonic cleaner a bunch of times and still need another couple weeks. Also, I didn't know I would need sweetner when I first started, some ethyl maltol or sucralose sweetner is essential.

 

[Vapeman12]

vanilla flavors need a lot of steeping. I have a couple of 30ml batches that i ran thru my ultrasonic cleaner a bunch of times and still need another couple weeks. Also, I didn't know I would need sweetner when I first started, some ethyl maltol or sucralose sweetner is essential.

Good to know... so what kinda % are you using OP, maybe you should try more of one or the other or just try like the VG or just PG, i have heard and from what I have try on my own the VG/PG ratio makes a difference

 

[trouble1000]

With DIY it's best to start off simple. Mix up a small batch with just one flavour concentrate first, start with a low percentage of flavour and gradually add more flavour until the mix tastes almost right. Then leave it to steep. It's easier to perfect single flavours first than complicated mixes with 4 different flavours, sweeteners, vodka, distilled water etc.

I know you probably want an immediate vape, but to be honest. It takes a lot of time to get mixes just right. Have a look for Hoosier's blogs, he's a mine of useful info on DIY.

To give you an example my favourite DIY juice is chocolate caramel with a hint of cream and honey, it took me at least a month and probably 10 tries to perfect it and at least 2 weeks steeping.

 

[Cwig]

vanilla flavors need a lot of steeping. I have a couple of 30ml batches that i ran thru my ultrasonic cleaner a bunch of times and still need another couple weeks. Also, I didn't know I would need sweetner when I first started, some ethyl maltol or sucralose sweetner is essential.

Ill give these 2 batches a week to see if they start coming in. Both have Cotton Candy in them as a sweetener.

One is 10% caramel, 5% Bavarian Cream, 5% Cotton Candy in 50/50 PG/VG. Can't remember where I got this recipe but it sounds good. To me anyways. May not be worth a dang.

 

[Ryedan]

I second the comment from trouble about checking out Hoosier's blog here. Specially the one about flavoring levels, but all are really good and helped me a lot when I was first starting.

I found I needed to be very meticulous at first. Excel spreadsheet for recording data, make test samples with one flavor only at various concentrations, test and vape the good for a week to see how it goes over time. Then start combining 2 flavors at different concentrations. The higher the number of flavors the more complicated it becomes because one flavor can mask, enhance or combine with the other.

So, that's what I did. I am naturally meticulous and enjoy the experimentation process. I did have good juices on hand when I started so I would not become impatient. It's not for everyone. If you don't have the patience or appreciate the process at least premixed juice is not that expensive

 

[AttyPops]

Oh for crying out loud!

Try peppermint.

Or Grape.

Done.

OK, seriously....

The e-juice vendors spend a lot of time getting a recipe just right. (well, most of em). And they don't give it to you either. For a reason.

KISS. and save $$$. Buy a few bottles every so often of pre-made if you can't get close enough.

I just finished vaping 30 ml of unflavored. Now peppermint. So hey....I guess it all depends. If I'm saving nearly a dollar per ml compared to some vendor prices I'll vape a lot of nice simple peppermint. A lot. And won't complain a bit.

That doesn't mean I'll never buy a bottle of pre-mix again. But sheesh! Some of the prices are just crazy out of line, IMO. And of course there's juice hype and fanboi-ism.

Do what ya do.

 

[Mike Sheda]

True... it's easier to get single flavors to taste good. Start small, keep adding flavor till you hit the sweet spot. Then when you have two good juices, mix the juices. Much easier.

 

[cvedrick]

Try steeping, I just put them in a towel or box and leave them in my truck, parked in a sunny spot for a few days.

The guys at MtBaker tell me they put theirs in their glove box......

And I read a thread where a lady tucked hers into her brassiere, I guess for guys, your front pocket would work too.....

 

[Cwig]

Try steeping, I just put them in a towel or box and leave them in my truck, parked in a sunny spot for a few days.

The guys at MtBaker tell me they put theirs in their glove box......

And I read a thread where a lady tucked hers into her brassiere, I guess for guys, your front pocket would work too.....

Never would have thought to put in in my truck!! 100 degrees daytime 65 at night. Might just be the secret.

 

[AttyPops]

Or a mug/bowl of warm water overnight. (capt tightly)

 

[Mike Sheda]

Or a few cycles in a UC if you have one.

 

[AttyPops]

Or a few cycles in a UC if you have one.

Cool. I love abbreviations and acronyms. They do such a great job of facilitating conversation. Maybe ECF should have that underlined so dumb ....'s like me can understand. That's one of those new-fangled dishwashers, right?

And if that's an ultrasonic cleaner....does it make the juice go clear?

I crack me up.

 

[Vapeman12]

So they Steep better in the sun. Hum, mine are in a dark bedroom in a cabinet.