How do you guys and girls do your diy mixing

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ShowMeTwice

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Ahem. "Shaken, not stirred" says Bond, James. ;)
 
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Richard Winter

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    I guess I should have mentioned that I base my PG/VG ratio not on the recipe or flavor but on what feels best for my lungs, so yeah, I use the same mixture for everything. That is to say, the same nic base. The nic level of individual mixes may be off very slightly with different flavor ratios but not enough to trouble me.
    I used to mix everything to the EXACT amounts, as accurate as I could get it. After a while I realised that near enough was good enough. Slight variation were virtually impossible to tell and difference.
     

    Richard Winter

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    I put in my pg first, then nic, then flavoring. I swirl everything around until its well mixed, then I add the vg last. One trick I've found is to mix in those glass lab triangular shaped flasks, makes mixing for me much easier. These work alot better for me than the open glass mixing beakers I had used. After putting your thumb over the opening you just shake it to your hearts content and then pour it straight into the bottle, already shaken up. The 50ml sized is perfect for 30ml batches, the 100ml flasks I use for 60ml bottles. I get them from River Supply lately. They have many on amazon, altho the quality varies and you need to be careful. The River Supply versions are from Karter Scientific and are very good quality. 50ml Borosilicate Flask River has them in various sizes up to 1 litre.
    Sounds a pretty good way to do it @CaveFurby. I went from syringes to measuring beakers which I found easier and quicker but then found mixing by weight on scales all in one bottle a lot quicker and easier.
     

    Richard Winter

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    I have a collection of beakers and syringes that I never use and a set of graduated glass cylinders and only use the 10 ml size for flavoring. My kitchen scale is more than accurate enough for the other ingredients in 1 liter batches. Mixing directly into the storage bottle saves cleanup time. Finally I use an all in one flavoring. Put together mixing is may be 90 minutes a year at most. My cost of ingredients is about 1 cent per ml, probably less than $30 a year. I'm amazed that so few vapers seem to be mixing.
    I agree. The cost of mixing is so much cheaper than buying pre made juices. The cost saving is vast. I also enjoy mixing and do find it's easier on my coils too. A lot of pre mixed juices seem to have a lot of sweetners in them.
     

    Richard Winter

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    I mix unflavored juice by weight using 100ml bottles on an electronic scale. I add the nic first, then PG and VG, then I use a battery powered frother to homogenize the mix in the bottle.

    I seldom mix flavors, but when I do I just pour up a 30ml bottle out of my PG, VG, Nic base stock and add the flavors followed by the use of a frother to ensure that the flavor mix is uniform. I vape unflavored most of the time, but when I want flavor I just add the flavor to a small bottle of premixed nic base.
    I've not used a mixer or for other before, normally find a vigorous shake for a few mins does the trick. Might have to get one to try.
     

    Richard Winter

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    I use a 10ml cylinder for flavorings. I do use 1ml syringes if I'm making small bottles like for new recipes. But the cylinder is accurate enough for 100ml mixes.
    I did it that way for a couple of years until I tried mixing by weight and do it that way ever since. Found it to be much quicker and definitely less mess with no washing up afterwards.
     
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    Richard Winter

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    I started out worrying about accuracy. Not any more. I make 7mg base in large quantities and add flavoring to it. So the final juice is something like 6mg depending how much flavoring I have in that recipe. And the VG/PG ratio is approx 70/30 depending on what the flavoring comes in. The flavorings are kind of approximate too since I measure them in a 10ml graduated cylinder which is accurate to maybe 1/4 ml.

    My theory is that my tasting skills are kind of approximate too, so I wouldn't be able to tell any difference between what I mix and another bottle that was mixed with total accuracy.
    I have to agree, more often or not my mixing is near enough and not exact
     
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    Richard Winter

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    Oh, I've always been in favor of whatever works best for each individual when doing DIY. Doesn't matter to me whether someone mixes by volume or by weight, or...by another method altogether. We can all still end up with DIY that we like.

    I was just questioning how using a pre-mixed base, with flavoring(s) added later as the base is used to make eliquid batches...could meet the longstanding "by weight is more accurate than by volume" claim, that many state. If the people using a pre-mixed base are happy mixing that way...it's all good, IMO. :)
    As you say, whatever works for the individual and however they do it is good. As long as the end result is good for that person then it's fine, as long as the quantities are correct for what they want. How they get there as long as the result is right is fine.
     
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    Richard Winter

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    I make my unflavored base mixing by volume (120 ml bottle with a spout top) Marked lines on it with a sharpie pen (every 10 ml... total 100 ml... leaves room to shake it) I have other marks for the nic that I put in first. I often use unflavored for different purposes so like to keep it handy. For the flavors I use a scale (finally got one and love it) then add the base. Then I...

    Sounds a bit confusing but if it works for you then great.
     

    Richard Winter

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    Once you add flavors it may still need steeping depending on flavors used. Some flavors require a good long steep while others don't. I do have some recipes that get vaped right after mixing (SnV). All depends.

    Pre-mixed nic, vg, and pg base can be vaped right away if you like flavorless. I always have a few 100ml's ready to go. Having base pre mixed makes mixing up flavored recipes quicker.

    Don't recall if anyone previously posted this and you may already know this.... always shake your juices before vaping. There are flavors that can/do settle and/or separate. A good quick shake will bring everything back together. :D
    In all the years I've bern vaping and mixing I've never vaped unflavoured. I do always give my juices a bloody good shake lol
     
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    Letitia

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    In all the years I've bern vaping and mixing I've never vaped unflavoured. I do always give my juices a bloody good shake lol
    I use a frother blade. Shaking was killing my elbows. I don't enjoy mixing so generally mix enough to last several months.
     

    Mordacai

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    A little trick I found is to put your mixes in a heated ultrasonic cleaner @ 40°C for a bit on the highest ultrasonic setting, as I us a 70% VG / 30% PG base and the gentle heat helps reduce the viscosity and the ultrasonic vibration helps with blending everything together a bit.

    But you still need to steep as you increase the number of ingredients, I recon that's to do with not just physics but also basic chemistry. As certain molecules will take time to break down and or form.

    Like I'm learning that spices seem to need at least 2 weeks, otherwise they just taste really weird.
     

    sofarsogood

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    Life is easier with a competent mixing calculator. I've been using this one for every mix from the beginning. I believe I even have the paid version. If you put in the cost of the various ingredients it will tell you what the mix cost. That's where I get my 1 cent per ml.
    https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.xpressive.Liquix2
     
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