Help me jump in head first.

[Maurice Pudlo]

My test mix results

TFA Eucalyptus (menthol),

At 1.0% it is overpoweringly Vicks Vapor Rub without the cooling effect.
At 0.5% it is less overpowering yet remains clearly Vicks Vapor Rub.
At 0.25% it is still presenting as Vicks, likely a reasonable upper limit percentage.
At 0.125% it assumes more of a mildly metallic flavor.

My opinion, mix this at 0.25% or less, this flavor is nothing like menthol cigarettes.

TFA Koolada

At 1.0% it is strong enough to limit the length of your draw on the device; icy fresh at first quickly building to harsh cold that prompts the end of your draw.
At 0.75% it is fresh at the start of the draw, cooling in the middle, and icy at the completion.
At 0.5% it is very mild at first, the effect builds in the middle, and becomes fresh near the end.

My opinion, adjustments in the 0.05% range are likely to give noticeable results, roll-in of the cooling effect is faster at higher percentages, the roll-in effect may be useful in building complex layers of flavors during the draw.

More tomorrow when I have a bit more time to play mad scientist.

Maurice

 

[cg23]

It looks as if my TFA order is out for delivery & the my freedom smokes nicotine is in Louisville.

VaporWorld seems to have just handed my order over to the vape-Mail Master, I need to check on Wizard Labs.

The folks at VaporWorld never did get back with me on my email, based on their slowness in getting my order into the vape-Mail system and lack of response to email communication I can't say I'm pleased with their service. This is not to say their product is bad, I'll get to that when the product gets here.

I purchased a USA produced and locally bottled liter of Heaven Hill Vodka for sterilization. I try to support my local shops when I can.

So all in all today is looking up, its almost time to DIY.

I have seen several posts about DIY being less expensive but falling short of the gourmet/premium e-juices, I'll make no excuses if my efforts don't come up to that level, but I am in no way placing the bar any lower than perfection as my final goal.

Maurice

Maurice Great detailed review. Helpful.

 

[SweptEdge]

Interesting. I like the place to get jars too, Im glad I only got 5 of those from wizard Labs.. There was a tape place that I saw like that before.

I ordered about 15 TPA flavors from Wizard Labs that sounded good individually, but I'm stuck on flavor %s and how much sweetener to add.

 

[Maurice Pudlo]

Interesting. I like the place to get jars too, Im glad I only got 5 of those from wizard Labs.. There was a tape place that I saw like that before.

I'm using a big roll of masking tape and a sharpy to ID my bottles, it works and isn't going to break the bank.

I ordered about 15 TPA flavors from Wizard Labs that sounded good individually, but I'm stuck on flavor %s and how much sweetener to add.

There is a list of percentages floating around in the The Flavor Apprentice thread. I printed it out and used that as a guide to start with. I'm testing each flavor alone and adjusting the percentage to my own liking.

The list (Bold is added by me to the original)

555 10-20% 2/5
Absinthe Flavor Concentrate 5-10%
Almond Amaretto Flavor Concentrate 5-10% 5/5
American Red Tobacco Flavor Concentrate 3-10%
Apple Candy 15%
Apple Flavor 10-15%, 4.5/5
Banana Cream Flavor 5-15%
Banana Nut Bread Flavor 5-7%
Bavarian Cream Flavor 5-15%
Bittersweet Chocolate (Extra) Flavor 10-15% 4/5
Black Cherry Flavor 5-15% 5/5
Black Honey Tobacco 3-5%
Black Sesame Seed Flavor .1 %
Black Tea Flavor 2.5-12% 3/5
Blackberry Flavor 2-15%
Blueberry 15%
Blueberry Candy 13%
Blueberry (Wild) Flavor 15%
Blueberry Flavor (Extra) 10-13% 6/5
Boysenberry Flavor 5/5 ~1%
Brown Sugar 15-20% 4/5
Brown Sugar Extra 2%-10%
Bubblegum Flavor 10-15%
Butterscotch Flavor 12%
Cantaloupe 10-12%
Caramel Candy Flavor 15-20% 5/5
Caramel Cappuccino Flavor- No more than 2 drop in 10ml base
Caramel Flavor 10-15% 5/5
Chai Tea Flavor 10% 5/5
Champagne Type Flavor (PG) 5-7%
Cheesecake Flavor 5-15%, 2/5
Cherry Blossom (PG) 5%-15%
Chocolate Flavor 10%-15% 5/5
Citrus Punch Flavor 5-7%
Chocolate Mint (Not Listed ) 10% (more chocolate than mint)
Cinnamon Danish 10-12% 4/5 (needs to steep)
Cinnamon Flavor(alc) .25-.5%
Cinnamon Red Hots Flavor 5-10% 5/5
Cinnamon Spice Flavor .5% to start
Cinnamon Sugar Cookie 5%-15%
Clove Flavor 2-3%
Coconut Candy: 5-10% 5/5
Coconut Extra Flavor 2%-10% 5/5
Coffee (Clear) 0.25-5%
Coffee (Kona) Flavor 1drop/10ml 4/5
Cola Flavor 5-10% 5/5
Cotton Candy Flavor 10-20% 5/5
Crème de Menthe 5-14%
DK Tobacco Base Flavor 2%-5%
Double Chocolate (Clear) Flavor 10-12% 4/5
Dragonfruit Flavor 5-12%
Dulce de Leche Flavor 10% - overpowering at 20%
Earl Grey Tea 2-3%
Eggnog 10-20%
Energy Drink Flavor 10%
English Toffee Flavor 5-17%
Espresso 3% or less
Flue Cured Flavor 2%
French Vanilla Flavor 5%-10%
Gingerbread Cookie 8-10%
Graham Cracker Flavor 10-15% 5/5 recommended for combining
Grape Jolly Rancher 8% - 10%
Grape Juice Flavor 8%-12%
Green Apple Flavor 12-20%
Green Tea Flavor 5%-15%
Gummy Candy Flavor 7%
Hawaiian Punch Flavor 12%
Hazelnut Flavor 16% 5/5
Hazelnut Praline Flavor 5% 2/5
Hibiscus Flavor 1-2%
Holiday Spice Flavor 0.5-3% (start at 0.5%)
Honey Flavor 1-5%
Honeydew Melon Flavor 5-10%
Honeysuckle Flavor 10- 15% tank cracker
Horehound 5%
Horchata Flavor 5%, 5/5
Hpno Type Flavor (alc) 5-10%
Irish Cream Flavor 10 - 12%
Juicy Fruit 10-13%
Kalua & Cream 5%+
Key Lime Flavor 3%-10%
Key Lime Flavor Concentrate 12%
Key Lime Pie 12%
Koolada 10% (PG) .5-1%
Lemon Lime Flavor 5% 4/5
Licorice(not listed) 3%- 10% 5/5 long steep time (weeks)
Lime Flavor (Essential Oil) 1-5% 4/5
Lychee Flavor 2-7%
M Type Premium Flavor 0.5%-1%
Malted Milk Extra (Conc) 5% (best mixed with others)
Mango Flavor 10-15%
Maple Syrup Flavor 10-15
Maraschino Cherry (PG) 5% 4/5
Menthol Arctic: 2 drops/ml 5/5
Menthol Liquid (PG) 2-5%
Mild Black <2.5% (VERY strong)
Milk Chocolate Flavor 4%-20% 4/5
Mint Candy 12% 4/5
Mint Chocolate Chip 10%
Mocha 5%
Mt. Dew 10-20%
Musk Candy Flavor <3%
Nectarine Flavor 11%
Orange Cream Flavor 5-10% 5/5
Papaya Flavor 10% 5/5
Passion Fruit Flavor <20%
Peach Flavor 12-15%
Peach (Juicy) Flavor 5%- 17%
Peanut Butter Flavor 10-15% 5/5
Pear Flavor 10-15% 4.5/5
Peppermint Flavor 5%-15%
Pie Crust Flavor .5-12%
Pina Coloda 15%
Pineapple Flavor 15% 4.5/5 (authentic flavor w/5% EM)
Pizza Flavor ~5% 5/5
Plum Flavor 5-10% 4/5
Pomegranate Flavor 7.5%-14%
Popcorn Flavor 13%-15%
Pumpkin 7%
Quince Flavor 10%
Raisin Flavor 0.5%-3% (Powerful)
Raspberry Flavor 5-10%
Red Bull: 10%
Red Type Blend 5-15%
Red Oak 3% sweet and smokey
Ripe Banana Flavor 8-20%
Rose Candy Flavor 7%
RY4 Asian Flavor 10-15%
RY4 Double Flavor 5%-15%
Smooth Flavor 2 drops per 5 ml
Spearmint Flavor <5% Very Strong
Strawberries and Cream Flavor 10-12%
Strawberry Flavor 3%-15%
Strawberry Kiwi 20% 1/5
Strawberry Ripe 15%
Sweet Cream Flavor 5-10% 4/5 recommended for combining fake butter taste
Sweet Tart: 10% 5/5 Tastes more like Smarties
Sweetener 2%-6%
Tangerine Flavor (oil based) 1-5% 5/5
Tiramisu Flavor 2-5% VERY strong
Toasted Almond Flavor 15%
Toasted Marshmallow Flavor 10-15%
Tobacco Absolute (1. Pure) <1%
Tobacco Blend (Alc) 0.5-2.5%
Tobacco Flavor 10-20%
Tutti Frutti flavor 10-15% 4.5/5
Vanilla (Bourbon) Flavor(alc) 10-15% 4.5/5
Vanilla Bean Ice Cream Flavor 4-8% 4/5 (excellent mixer) *** this containsAcetyl Propionyl, which carries potential inhalation risks.
Vanilla Cupcake 20%
Vanilla Swirl 10%
Violet Candy Flavor 10% - 12%
Waffle (Belgian) Flavor 8-12%
Waffle Flavor 20% 5/5
Watermelon Flavor 15% 4/5
Whipped Cream Flavor 14% 3/5
White Chocolate Flavor 10%
Wintergreen: 20% 5/5
PA Sucralose Sweetener: .5-2%+ 4.5/5

As for sweetener, I'll work that in after I find out what flavor concentrations work for me. For example at the moment I'm vaping the TFA Horehound 50:50 PG/VG at 8mg/ml on a 2.2 ohm cotton wick dripper at 7.5 watts on my i-taste MVP. I used 5% of the TFA Horehound flavor and it results in a light flavor of mint and anise followed by a faint metallic peppery note. There is a cooling effect as well though slight, this flavor may do well with some sweetness, but to be quite honest I rather like it as is; it is similar to root-beer without the sugary sweetness.

You may wish to experiment with several sweeteners to see what they taste like alone; do so at the same PG/VG/Nic percentages of your flavors. When you find the sweetness you like, you can mix together acceptable single flavors and the sweetener mix without altering the PG/VG/Nic percentages of your combined flavor+sweetener mixture.

Earlier this morning I mixed up the TFA Cinnamon Red Hot flavor at the suggested 10% mixture rate, to me the flavor was less pronounced than I expected.

I am attempting to follow a method where I find what too much flavor is and work from there.

By way of example my initial mix is 30ml at the highest suggested percentage, I set up my dripper with a new wick, saturate the wick and test the flavor. If the flavor is too strong I take 10ml of the original mixture and mix that with 10ml of unflavored VG/PG/Nic to cut the flavor percentage in half, set up the dripper with a new wick and try it out again, if it is too strong I do the diluting thing again or if it is too weak I mix 10ml of the weak with 10ml of the original.

Maurice

 

[Maurice Pudlo]

I mixed up a batch of TFA Cinnamon Red Hot at 20% flavoring, this is very near to being exactly what my local B&M is selling as far as taste goes. It is a bit on the extreme end of flavor, vapeable but not what I would consider an all day every day sort of flavor. I'm going to cut it with the 10% batch and see how 15% goes, I suspect it will be more acceptable.

On a different note; TFA Horehound and TFA Creme de Menthe go well together. I just set up a fresh wick in the dripper and alternated drops of each for a 50:50 mix, I thought the combination was very refreshing. I look forward to trying TFA Koolada at a small percentage to bring in a bit more pronounced cooling and alter the end note just a bit.

I'm finding that the menthol I was looking for is more clearly in the mint flavor group coupled with the cooling effect that TFA Koolada affords. Any of the menthol if it is to be incorperated will certainly be in very minute percentages.

Maurice

 

[Maurice Pudlo]

My VaporWorld order came in today, in a clear plastic bottle (no security foil under the cap), in a zip-loc bag, in a small flat rate USPS box. This is about what I might expect from a buddy sending me a bit of his or her stash, except my friends are a bit more professional than this. It is here, it didn't spill, so this is really all about precautions rather than anything else.

I am now just waiting on Wizard Labs to come in, then a full review on each of them.

Maurice

 

[Maurice Pudlo]

I did a bit of natural extraction over the last 12 hours; I zested 2 pounds of limes into a 2.5oz jar and covered with PG for the night. This morning I filtered the extract through a coffee filter and took a vape .

100% PG infused with lime zest.

Its lime, in every way, not bitter like lime juice and not sweet, just lime. Being 100% PG vapor production is not spectacular but it vapes just fine. The color is as green as it gets, in no way cloudy, or laden with particles.



Safe? Not going to make that claim, its my body and I'll take a chance.

On a side note, that is a TFA flavor bottle with the cap liner removed and washed out to remove trace flavors. At some point I can see not needing to buy bottles for juice. Not that bottles are particularly expensive in the first place but this is certainly another DIY cost saver however small that savings may be.

Maurice

 

[Maurice Pudlo]

The third and final bottle of nicotine has arrived.

For the moment I will say Wizard Labs is the absolute winner in the packing department. Bottle bubble wrapped, then placed in three individually sealed heavyweight ploy bags, surrounded by foam peanuts, in a double taped box, inside a bubble padded envelope. Yeah, I'd feel safe chucking this vape mail off a 13 story building.

Maurice

 

[Maurice Pudlo]

It's OK to place the bar as high as you like but always remember to start with baby steps that's how you learn. If you place the cart before the horse and jump in with a huge complicated multi combination mix your creating a recipe for disaster. Start simple and learn the art first. Ask lots of questions along the way that's what were here for.

I had to come back to this thread and just say (You told me so, and you were obviously correct) I've screwed up enough mixes now that I may well have learned my lesson, maybe.

I'm want to revisit the Cinnamon Red Hot flavor again, but this time with way less than 20% and maybe some additional ingredients to add density to the flavor.

Maurice

 

[GMayberry]

I had to come back to this thread and just say (You told me so, and you were obviously correct) I've screwed up enough mixes now that I may well have learned my lesson, maybe.

I'm want to revisit the Cinnamon Red Hot flavor again, but this time with way less than 20% and maybe some additional ingredients to add density to the flavor.

Maurice

I must say, if DannyV says it, abide by it. I have had a few mixes that were CRAP before I used his advice.

And as for Wizard Labs packaging, no one even comes close! They usually throw in a freebie of some sorts, syringe, needle tip, bottle, etc