HELP!!!trying to make my own liquids

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Brad-c

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Jul 5, 2010
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hawaii,puna
hi im in the process in making my own liquids using vg... i dont understand the method in cutting down of the nicotine... all i know is that everyone uses pg or vg as a base but what else is their to add? and how do i get the percentages and right amounts of both base and nicotine and whatever else is there to add? im very sorry but i am in need of help if its possible PLEASE...
 

Automaton

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Jun 23, 2010
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Hey Brad!

PG and VG are bases that help turn the liquid into vapor. You can use one or the other, or both.

Your nicotine juice is also based in either PG or VG - it will say on the bottle.

All-PG liquid has a better throat hit, more taste, but less vapor.

All-VG liquid has tons of vapor, but less throat hit and taste. It also need to be thinned down a bit with water, or else it will gum up your atomizer. But don't use more than 20% water or it will wreck your liquid. Also make sure you use distilled water.

A lot of people like liquid with both PG and VG.

You don't say what nicotine strength you have, but you wouldn't want to vape anything over 36mg, and even that is very high. For your first try, cut it down to 24mg or so at the most. Highly concentrated nicotine is very dangerous, and you don't want to over-do it.

Here's a link to a really easy e-liquid calculator I've been using for DIY. I've been using PG-based nic juice, cut with VG, 5% water and 15% flavor.

eJuice Recipe Calculator

Good luck!
 

Shaka

Super Member
ECF Veteran
Jun 2, 2010
580
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Honolulu, HI
Aloha Brad!

Welcome to ecf! Always great to see another Islander join us!

Here's links to two juice calculators that may help. The first one is good for simple recipes, and the second one when you're mixing multiple nic levels, bases, and flavors:

eJuice Recipe Calculator
E-Liquid Recipe Calculator


I use all vg because I like a soft throat hit (th) and lots of vapor, and vg does that. Most people like more th, so they use a pg/vg mix. A good starting point is a 50/50 or 75/25 pg/vg mix, bearing in mind that your nic juice and many of the flavorings also will add pg or vg to the equation.

You should also go to our E-cigarette Techincial, Tip and Tricks, E-liquid Recipes subforum for recipes that members have contributed. Here's the link:

E-liquid Recipes - E-Cigarette Forum

I get my mixing stuff from DIY FlavorShack. The owner Dawn is simply incredible to work with, and she really wants her customers to start mixing their own, You can learn a lot from her forum here: DIY FlavorShack - E-Cigarette Forum

Hope this helps.
 
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VaporChef

Super Member
ECF Veteran
May 27, 2010
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Welcome to the adventure, Brad!

I can also attest to the vast amount of information in the DIY forum areas. Read and explore, you'll get there! Other posters already have pointed you in the right directions for next steps in your learning curve. ECF is a fabulous resource and the people here are a real, contributing community, you're in the best forum I've found for real, honest information.

Dawn at DIY FlavorShack is indeed awesome!! I got one of their mixing kits and love it, their customer service is over the top. Of course it didn't hurt that I already had a small collection of LorAnn flavors in my kitchen... but I eagerly added more flavors from Dawn's site along with the kit. I've been inventing a lot of fruity pound cake recipes, it's lots of fun experimenting (but does take time). My tastes are already changing, and I like that I'm not limited to juice vendors' selections; I've bought a total of maybe 30 ml of premixed juice so far, 18-36 mg.

I still have about 1-2 week's worth left in my 30 ml bottle of 36mg unflavored nic juice from my kit and I've been mixing for about 6 weeks. I'm not a real heavy vaper but I am consuming more than I anticipated.

BTW, Dawn likes to add free samples to her customer orders... I have read that MadVapes has done the same in the past, just placed an order with them yesterday, I'll see when it gets here later this week! These two vendors are TOTALLY different when it comes to juices they carry - in size and available flavors. So if it's juice and mixing supplies you want, check out DIY FlavorShack, they have the largest selection by far of any vendor I've looked at (and I've looked at a LOT of sites the past month or so!). Prices are a bit higher but you get what you pay for - because Dawn sells high quality USA-made nic juice, not Chinese stuff I have less confidence in. (That said - I may be trying some Chinese unflavored juice from another vendor soon, just to compare.)

Also - Dawn offers a nice discount on first time orders although I can't recall the specifics now (it's 5% for subsequent orders using "ecfrocks"). You can search for coupon codes on their threads in the suppliers forum. Most vendors offer such discounts, you just have to find the codes... there's a master list someone is maintaining, and vendors post occasional special promos from time to time in their subforums. Research pays!
 

QuickyRicky

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Jul 3, 2010
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iv only been making e-juice for 2 days. and im NOT using nicotine. but my simple mix is about 80-85% VG, 10% flavor, 5% everclear (vodka, for throat hit). lots of vapor, easy hit. and cost me a total of $7 to get what i needed to make almost a years supply. its no where near the best e-juice. but it works, and is dirt cheap. im not saying this is the best way to do it. but if your poor like me it works ;P
 
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Shaka

Super Member
ECF Veteran
Jun 2, 2010
580
6
Honolulu, HI
...Also - Dawn offers a nice discount on first time orders although I can't recall the specifics now (it's 5% for subsequent orders using "ecfrocks"). You can search for coupon codes on their threads in the suppliers forum. Most vendors offer such discounts, you just have to find the codes... there's a master list someone is maintaining, and vendors post occasional special promos from time to time in their subforums. Research pays!

DIY FlavorShack 10% discount code for new users is: newtoyou.

Here' link to master discount list: Electronic Cigarette Coupon Code Master List - Electronic Cigarette Forum

Hope this helps.
 

Shaka

Super Member
ECF Veteran
Jun 2, 2010
580
6
Honolulu, HI
iv only been making e-juice for 2 days. and im NOT using nicotine. but my simple mix is about 80-85% VG, 10% flavor, 5% everclear (vodka, for throat hit). lots of vapor, easy hit. and cost me a total of $7 to get what i needed to make almost a years supply. its no where near the best e-juice. but it works, and is dirt cheap. im not saying this is the best way to do it. but if your poor like me it works ;P

Nice call Rick...looks like a simple mix for times when you just want a long relaxation vape w/o nic.

Brad, unfortunate for us here in Hawaii, Everclear 190 and 151, or any other pga is illegal, so the best we can do is 100 proof (50% alcohol) vodka. It works, but not as effective as pga.
 

Brad-c

Moved On
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Jul 5, 2010
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hawaii,puna
Thanks for all of your responses...

I do and do not understand this, so here is what i got so far please correct me..

i have about 55 gallons of vg... i would need to thin it out with water? if so how much water?

well if i do a smaller scale like 5 gal. how much do i cut it with water? the vg im going to be using is clean and chemical free... im not sure what niccotine i should use, since i have gone to the calculators and seen that most people uses 36mg of pure nicotine.

If i wanted my finish product to end up with 24mg of nicotine where do i start and how much of pure nicotine do i start off with?????
 

Shaka

Super Member
ECF Veteran
Jun 2, 2010
580
6
Honolulu, HI
Mixing your own liquid is the way to go. It just depends on your personal preference for base and nic. I always use the calculators, scubabatdan's in particular. You never miss!

As you get more advanced in your mixing, Bombenhagel's recommendation is an offline Excel based calculator that you can do anything with (a little too advanced for me tho). Here's link to Scubabatdan's thread:

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...r-added-quantity-calculations.html#post492013
 

Shaka

Super Member
ECF Veteran
Jun 2, 2010
580
6
Honolulu, HI
...i have about 55 gallons of vg... i would need to thin it out with water? if so how much water?

well if i do a smaller scale like 5 gal. how much do i cut it with water? the vg im going to be using is clean and chemical free... im not sure what niccotine i should use, since i have gone to the calculators and seen that most people uses 36mg of pure nicotine.

If i wanted my finish product to end up with 24mg of nicotine where do i start and how much of pure nicotine do i start off with?????

Hey Brad.

55 gallons??!! Just a caution...must be certain that the vg is USP. One member got VERY sick vaping non-USP vg.

The 36mg you're referring to is nicotine JUICE, not "pure" nicotine. Pure nicotine is one of the most potent poisons, a drop on the skin would be fatal for a child as I recall reading. I wouldn't recommend working with anything higher than 60mg nicotine juice, imo anything higher would be too dangerous. Even at that, you must wear gloves and skin protection. Highly recommend you read the DIY Liquids subforum in Tips and Tricks to educate yourself.

So if you're starting w/ 60mg nic juice (available from most juice vendors), the ratio would be 40/60 (nic juice/vg) to get undiluted, unflavored 24mg nic juice.

To use the simple calculator, just put in the nic base (60mg), your target nic level (24mg), amount you want (whatever), water % that you want (not necessary), and the flavor % (0 for unflavored). The proportions in ml, drops, and % are shown below.

btw, even 1 liter of nic juice will last you a really long time...what do you plan to do with 5 gals? Again, make certain your vg is USP.
 

Hoosier

Vaping Master
ECF Veteran
Jan 26, 2010
8,272
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...

I do and do not understand this...

i have about 55 gallons of vg...

If i wanted my finish product to end up with 24mg of nicotine where do i start and how much of pure nicotine do i start off with?????

I do quite a bit of mixing and I have helped quite a few people get started, but everything about this scares me to the point of wanting to stay far away.

10% nicotine is deadly and must be handled with proper equipment and safeguards. Not just deadly to children.

And someone who does not understand the basics of chemistry wants to mix gallons with 100% nicotine?

Seriously?

If you really need to mix gallons, do us all a favor and contract with a proper lab who have the knowledge and equipment to do it safely.

You will live and that would make me feel a bit better.
 

Brad-c

Moved On
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Jul 5, 2010
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hawaii,puna
btw, even 1 liter of nic juice will last you a really long time...what do you plan to do with 5 gals? Again, make certain your vg is USP.

USP? please define? % gals. is just here lying around but i wanted to use it to make some liquids for samples in stores and for family and friends....
i think you are right, my brother said if i make that much and let it sit its going to spoil. so im gonna use little at a time like you said maybe a liter at a time...

you helped a lot, maybe its because youre from the place they call "ALOHA STATE". lol but thanks again if i have any more trouble i be sure to post it to this thread in the future or contact you... much mahalo!
 

Brad-c

Moved On
ECF Veteran
Jul 5, 2010
153
0
hawaii,puna
I do quite a bit of mixing and I have helped quite a few people get started, but everything about this scares me to the point of wanting to stay far away.

10% nicotine is deadly and must be handled with proper equipment and safeguards. Not just deadly to children.

And someone who does not understand the basics of chemistry wants to mix gallons with 100% nicotine?

Seriously?

If you really need to mix gallons, do us all a favor and contract with a proper lab who have the knowledge and equipment to do it safely.

You will live and that would make me feel a bit better.




i know what you mean... i said pure nicotine because my friend said thats what it was.. i know the contents of nicotine and how dangerous it is...ive been to websites where they only sell nicotine juice and it has a base so i know that its not pure... but thanks for your sensitivity...
 

QuickyRicky

Full Member
Jul 3, 2010
48
0
USP = SAFE to vape. if its not usp then it could be more harmful then regular smoking is, if not WAY worse... if u cant figure out if its usp or not better NOT to use it. getting really sick because u didnt want to spend $4 on some USP VG or PG would be very foolish. i myself am a extremely cheap guy. and for $20 i can make a years supply of e-liquid that 100% safe. it not the best, but it works. just a guess but, if u have 55 GALONS of VG i would 'assume' its NOT usp grade, sound like bulk crap. it could be fine but MAKE SURE!!
 
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