Guidance for DIY Juice Noobie

[rudy4653]

Hello All,
So.. I have nothing left to 'fiddle' with and just recently purchased a REO for my lady. Now that we both will be going thru juice I am ready to explore the world of making my own juice. It's going to get expensive now with 2 of us vaping and currently spending about $50 a month on premade juicesfor just myself! I looked at the Wizards lab website and can't believe how cheap liquid nicotine, PG, & VG is!!
I am looking for some guidance on getting started so I figure I'd reach out to the REO forum for professional advice.
I currently vape 12mg. strength as I just cut down from 18mg. My lady wants 6mg strength as she is an former 'ultra light" cig smoker.
My main questions are:
* If I order 12mg strength nicotine do I just cut the mixing ratio amount in half to get 6mg strength?
* If I order nicotine with VG as the carrier do I then just order PG to cut it to get to 50/50 or 70/30 PG/VG ratios?
* Is there a taste/throat hit difference in ordering PG based nicotine and adding VG or getting VG based nicotine and adding PG?
*Is there a ratio mixing guide for amount of nicotine liquid and PG/VG liquid?

I am just getting started so please explain like I'm a 4 year old!
I think this will take care of my lady's and my difference in preferences. I like 60/40 PG/VG mix @ 12mg tobacco flavor with a little throat hit and she likes a weak "ultra light" type smooth vape so I'm thinking 50/50 PG/VG mix @ 6mg strength and no flavoring.

Any noobie guidance appreciated. DIY looks to be waaaaaaay cheaper and chance to "customize" the juice much in the same manner as customizing a RBA to suit taste. My next "fiddle" project!

 

[Bob57]

Thats great your gonna start DIY the savings are big compared to pre-made.
If you visit the DIY forum you will get all the info you need.
Download the 'Juice me up" calculator and learn how to use it and you'll get going in no time.
You'll need some syringes from 1 ml to 10 or 15, "I also have some 20's",, some bottles and flavorings.
If your gonna be mixing Vg & PG you can get a higher nic I use 60 mg but what ever you feel safe with, I wouldn't start with 100mg !
You'll find a lot of info on the forum where to buy everything but you can get pretty much everything you need to get started at WL.

Good luck and have fun, it's almost like a hobby in it's self.

 

[rudy4653]

Thats great your gonna start DIY the savings are big compared to pre-made.
If you visit the DIY forum you will get all the info you need.
Download the 'Juice me up" calculator and learn how to use it and you'll get going in no time.
You'll need some syringes from 1 ml to 10 or 15, "I also have some 20's",, some bottles and flavorings.
If your gonna be mixing Vg & PG you can get a higher nic I use 60 mg but what ever you feel safe with, I wouldn't start with 100mg !
You'll find a lot of info on the forum where to buy everything but you can get pretty much everything you need to get started at WL.

Good luck and have fun, it's almost like a hobby in it's self.

Thanks for the info Bill, I'll check ithe DIY forum out.

 

[ancient puffer]

Just want to add for anyone else lurking on this thread ( ) Yes, it's just that easy. You can get (for example) 24mg and dilute 1/1 with either PG or VG, whichever is your preference. Bam! You've got 12mg ejuice. You can then dilute that 1/1 and wind up with 6mg for your lady. Try it with no flavorings added first, you might find, as have many here, you don't even need it. And it's cheaper by an order of magnitude *nods*

 

[nerak]

Have you read this thread? http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...gonna-buy-any-more-premixed-e-juice-ever.html

Lots of good information in there.

 

[rudy4653]

Just want to add for anyone else lurking on this thread ( ) Yes, it's just that easy. You can get (for example) 24mg and dilute 1/1 with either PG or VG, whichever is your preference. Bam! You've got 12mg ejuice. You can then dilute that 1/1 and wind up with 6mg for your lady. Try it with no flavorings added first, you might find, as have many here, you don't even need it. And it's cheaper by an order of magnitude *nods*

So does that mean if I want 12mg strength unflavored juice @ 50/50 pg/vg I would get 24mg PG nicotine and dilute with plain VG at 1/1?
So 30ml bottle of juice would be 15ml of 24mg PG nicotine base and 15ml of plain VG would come out at 30ml of 12mg juice @ 50/50 blend? Do you find a difference in taste/vapor density difference between pg based nicotine and vg based nicotine? Trying to determine whether to buy PG based and add VG or the other way around.
Thak you for your patience in all these questions!

 

[JC Okie]

Rudy....your calculations are exactly right (above)....and it doesn't matter one bit whether you add the VG to a PG based nic or the other way around. Same difference. See how easy this is going to be? Like Tim said, try it without flavoring first....you might just like it. Then if you add flavoring, depending on the flavoring, you just add a little to your mix. It really is just as simple as that. Amazing, isn't it? When I first started DIYing, I kept thinking that it just couldn't be this easy and that I must be missing something. But...it really is that simple. People can (and do) make it complicated by thinking that they have to have very complicated, specific, flavors....that they can't live without. But....to me juice is juice and I am not that picky. I have a handful that I love and that I keep mixed all the time. Mostly I like very simple fruity flavors or very simple one-flavor coffee flavors, so my DIYing is very easy.

My biggest problem (not really a problem....) is having bottles. I mix some for friends, and end up giving all my bottles away. So since I don't buy juice anymore (to save the bottles)....I end up buying empty bottles every now and then.

 

[rudy4653]

Rudy....your calculations are exactly right (above)....and it doesn't matter one bit whether you add the VG to a PG based nic or the other way around. Same difference. See how easy this is going to be? Like Tim said, try it without flavoring first....you might just like it. Then if you add flavoring, depending on the flavoring, you just add a little to your mix. It really is just as simple as that. Amazing, isn't it? When I first started DIYing, I kept thinking that it just couldn't be this easy and that I must be missing something. But...it really is that simple. People can (and do) make it complicated by thinking that they have to have very complicated, specific, flavors....that they can't live without. But....to me juice is juice and I am not that picky. I have a handful that I love and that I keep mixed all the time. Mostly I like very simple fruity flavors or very simple one-flavor coffee flavors, so my DIYing is very easy.

My biggest problem (not really a problem....) is having bottles. I mix some for friends, and end up giving all my bottles away. So since I don't buy juice anymore (to save the bottles)....I end up buying empty bottles every now and then.

Wow, that easy?? I looked at the DIY thread and a calculator spread sheet and I was like holy s--t , this reminds me of Algebra class many many moons ago, forget it! Now it's starting to make sense and seems pretty easy. Now to complicate things let's take a step further. Let's say I want 12mg stength @ 70/30 mix PG/VG for more throat hit what do i do? Not as easy as 50/50 blend?

 

[hildicat]

The calculators make it simple. Just enter the variables you have and your desired mg and pg/vg ratio. The calculator will tell you how much of each you need to get to your target.
eJuice Recipe Calculator

this simple calculator will make it easy to arrive at any given ratio.

 

[hildicat]

CORRECTION:

Advanced E-liquid calculator - DIY eJuice Calculator for the electronic cigarette ? Svapo.it
this calculator will actually let you put in your nic base (vg or pg) at whatever strength and let you specify your desired final ratio and strength.

I use Apple computers so I can't use the e juice me up calculator. a simple google search will reveal many different online calculators so if you just want to figure out vg/pg ratios you should be set.

 

[nerak]

That link worked then it quit working!

 

[rudy4653]

The calculators make it simple. Just enter the variables you have and your desired mg and pg/vg ratio. The calculator will tell you how much of each you need to get to your target.
eJuice Recipe Calculator

this simple calculator will make it easy to arrive at any given ratio.

I see the calculator. Here's my question. I understand base nicotine & target nicotine to calculate the mixture but I don't see where to calculate mix of say for example 50/50 mix or 60/40mix PG/VG.
So if I want say 60/40 mix of 12mg strength ? I understand the calculation above from JC of 24mg pg nicotine cut 1/1 with VG to come out at 12mg strength and 50/50 blend because I'm basically cutting 24mg PG nicotine in half for 50/50 blend and 12mg strength but how do i cut it to have 12mg strength at 60/40 blend? How much VG do I add to 24mg strength of PG nicotine?

 

[rudy4653]

CORRECTION:

Advanced E-liquid calculator - DIY eJuice Calculator for the electronic cigarette ? Svapo.it
this calculator will actually let you put in your nic base (vg or pg) at whatever strength and let you specify your desired final ratio and strength.

I use Apple computers so I can't use the e juice me up calculator. a simple google search will reveal many different online calculators so if you just want to figure out vg/pg ratios you should be set.

Okay I'll do some research tonight! I'm sure it's not difficult just have to wrap my brain around it. I understand the ratios to get nicotine strength i just get confused on the PG/VG blend part. 50/50 blend seems straight forward just cut 24mg pg nicotine 1/1 with pure VG to get 12mg strength 50/50 PG/VG. It's the 12 mg strength 60/40 blend that has me confused.

 

[Hiding]

I see the calculator. Here's my question. I understand base nicotine & target nicotine to calculate the mixture but I don't see where to calculate mix of say for example 50/50 mix or 60/40mix PG/VG.
So if I want say 60/40 mix of 12mg strength ? I understand the calculation above from JC of 24mg pg nicotine cut 1/1 with VG to come out at 12mg strength and 50/50 blend because I'm basically cutting 24mg PG nicotine in half for 50/50 blend and 12mg strength but how do i cut it to have 12mg strength at 60/40 blend? How much VG do I add to 24mg strength of PG nicotine?

You would either need a different mg/ml nic base, or would also need some plain pg and vg. (need both plain, not just the opposite of your nic base)
And need to run everything through a bit of a formula.

 

[nerak]

I see the calculator. Here's my question. I understand base nicotine & target nicotine to calculate the mixture but I don't see where to calculate mix of say for example 50/50 mix or 60/40mix PG/VG.
So if I want say 60/40 mix of 12mg strength ? I understand the calculation above from JC of 24mg pg nicotine cut 1/1 with VG to come out at 12mg strength and 50/50 blend because I'm basically cutting 24mg PG nicotine in half for 50/50 blend and 12mg strength but how do i cut it to have 12mg strength at 60/40 blend? How much VG do I add to 24mg strength of PG nicotine?

E-Liquid Calculator Ten Flavor's Plus PG/VG Adjusting

This one is good for VG and PG mixtures.

Put in 24mg 50%VG and 50%PG
Put in target level of 12mg at 60%PG and 40%VG
Put in the quantity, say 15ml
Put for Flavor 1 20%

check the box for tos at the bottom, then calculate.

 

[rudy4653]

That link worked then it quit working!

Thank you! I'll check it out tonight.
I'm happy now I have a new "fiddle" project AND have a new mini and RM2 coming for my lady. I must admit I'm excited to get her RM2 to try out as I have heard so many great things about them. The thing is that they came out AFTER I bought 2 Hornets so I'm looking forward to comparing the 2. If I like the RM2 better I plan to either A- convince my lady that the Hornet looks more stylish on her new purple mini or- sell a hornet and get another RM2. I have a stainless Hornet that could go but keeping my black Hornet as it looks great on my Ebony/Utile mini woodvil.

 

[rudy4653]

E-Liquid Calculator Ten Flavor's Plus PG/VG Adjusting

This one is good for VG and PG mixtures.

Put in 24mg 50%VG and 50%PG
Put in target level of 12mg at 60%PG and 40%VG
Put in the quantity, say 15ml
Put for Flavor 1 20%

check the box for tos at the bottom, then calculate.

Got it. Thank you!

 

[Norman Clature]

Hi Rudy,

Lots of good advice given. It's probably easier than you think. Either start (as others have said) with an "unflavored" batch or a "complete" 1 flavor like "Double RY4" from TFA, or some of the Hangsen tobaccos (if you like tobaccos.)

In other words; if you don't go overboard with complex recipes that require a bunch of recipes you will have the basics down and then can start experimenting sort of creating you own variations, or making recipes ECF members suggest/post with different flavors. Or it could turn out you really like totally "unflavored" vaping.

I you do try some recipes there are some simple additive "staples" you might want to pick up like Vinegar, Concentrated Lemon Juice, etc. (which you can get at the grocery store) and "EM/Cotton Candy", and either MTS Vape Wizard or TFA Smooth from most online vendors like Wizard Labs, Ecigexpress, The Perfumers Apprentice, etc.

Norman

 

[Chiku]

If you like fruit flavors I have found the super concentrates and gourmet super concentrates at Vpaing Zone to be very good, and really easy to work with. The super concentrates recommended starting percentage is 2.5%, and for the gourmets SC's it's 1%. My favourites are the strawberries (not the strawberry- I didn't like that one), blackberry, apple cinnamon and duchess pear.

DIY juice is a lot of fun, make sure to get lots of bottles, I like 10ml plastic ones for trying out new recipes, and 30ml glass with glass droppers for once I'm happy with what I make. I had to order more bottles a few times. Good luck

 

[unloaded]

I'd suggest getting your nic base in PG. it'll be easier getting to the ratios you want. Also 36mg would be a good starting point. It's safe enough to work with and the higher concentration gives you more wiggle room to get to the ratios you want. I buy PG at Tractor Supply for $20 a gallon. VG I get from Walmart, it's like $4 for almost 300ml. I get my nic base 100%PG at 100mg/ml. Only reason I get it that high is because it was less bulky and I was stocking up in case FDA does something crazy. I keep a 120ml bottle of 20mg-60pg/40vg unflavored on hand for mixing purposes. The high strength stuff is safely stored away.