Howdy a few questions.

[mrphilip]

There is a small cooler on amazon which runs on ac/dc/& usb power! Grab either one of those cool emergency road kit packages which include enough power to jump your engine and offer usb charging too or the more inexpensive ANKER POWERPACK with maybe 20000 mAh which should run this cooler for more than a day without recharging it. Total expense for the 6pack size cooler and power source, under $80.

I would suggest you make this your solution for keeping your diy supplies at a comfortable temperature and also, out of sunlight.
Cooluli Mini Fridge Electric Cooler and Warmer (4 Liter / 6 Can): AC/DC Portable Thermoelectric System w/ Exclusive On the Go USB Power Bank Option (White)

500 ML of 12mg nic in VG, 50/50 0r PG, is 9.99 at Nic River and that size should fit in this... or order 250ml of 12 mg nic in VG for 5.49 and that is smaller than a can of soda (355ml = 12oz). Figure all that premixed vg needs is about 25-50 ml of flavorings = near 6 60ml bottles of ejuiceAND YOU STILL HAVE ROOM FOR 5 BUDWISERS.

 

[IDJoel]

How quickly will eliquid degrade in say 104 deg heat of summer inside a container out of the direct sunlight in a van. ?

I can speak a little about this. I have a friend I mix e-liquid for. I mix 120ml, in two 60mL bottles, once a month. He insists on keeping a bottle in his car (a Mustang convertible w/black roof) when he goes to work; and leaves the bottle in his center console with the car locked up.

in the two weeks it takes him to get through a bottle; the liquid goes from being nearly clear, to a deep brownish red. It also loses much of its aromatic characteristics and becomes rather harsh. I don't have the means to test what happens to the nicotine potency.

So, with this as anecdotal evidence, I would do whatever you can to protect your liquid from heat. Even low-tech methods; like an empty cooler, burying your stash in unused clothing, blankets, and/or sleeping bags can all help. How much though; I can't really say.

Is it just the nic that will degrade quickly or flavor's as well ? would the raw pg/vg go bad ?

The nicotine (especially nicotine concentrate; when dealing with DIY) is indeed the most sensitive to heat, light(UVs), and air(oxygen). The more you can control these; the better the shelf life is going to be.

Flavoring can also be affected by these by heat and air. Taste can come from smell as much as flavor. These aromatic elements are often easily evaporated at lower (room) temperatures. The more exposure to heat and air, the faster these aromatic notes dissipate, and the flavor changes.

Not all flavors have the same dependence on these aromatic notes. Light bright floral notes (like fruits and florals) are often more sensitive, than dark heavy rich notes (like tobaccos and creams), though there are always exceptions and much is based on personal preferences and perceptions.

PG and VG are probably the most stable of the e-liquid components.

I am asking because I am toying with the idea of diy juice. If I can solve the degradation problem then I think It would be a good idea.

I imagine DIY is certainly doable in your situation; and you have been given good options already. I might add the following thoughts.

Start with small purchases until you understand how your materials are going to behave. DIY, like many purchases, rewards the buyer by giving additional discounts for bulk purchases. But, savings go right out the window, when much of it has to be thrown out due to spoilage.

Along the same lines; explore vaping styles/methods that use less e-liquid. Lower consumption equals less product required. Blowing huge clouds, and using high-power mega-coil devices, may be fun... but it can be counterproductive to e-liquid conservation.

Instead, it might be worthwhile exploring devices that use single-coil, high(er) ohm, builds; that can still deliver satisfying flavor and nicotine at lower power. A big part of this could well be using higher concentrations of nicotine so the need/desire to vape is less frequent.

Congratulations on being two weeks tobacco-free. I wish you success on finding a workable solution!

 

[JCinFLA]

I was just at Dollar Tree this afternoon. I took a look in the aisle where the plasticware is, for a container that might work in your ice chest/cooler. They have a translucent, plastic, rectangular container with snap-on blue lid, that's spprox. 6-7" long x 4" wide x 7-8" tall. It looked like it could easily hold several 50mL bottles of eliquid, as well as a 120mL bottle of nic base, and 10-12 flavorings in 10-15mL bottles or probably 6-8 in the 30mL size.

 

[Steve W Pedersen]

Thank you everyone so much for your thoughtful and helpful advice I really do appreciate it.
I'm not sure if I should start a new thread for my next question or if it's okay to just kind of digress in a New Direction basically I'd like some advice on the minimum necessary equipment to DIY liquid I know I need a scale and I'm not sure what else, a flask of some kind probably and some empty bottles is that it?

 

[IDJoel]

I'm not sure if I should start a new thread for my next question or if it's okay to just kind of digress in a New Direction

This is your thread (you started it); so you can take it in whatever direction you want!

Just as an FYI: if you veer widely from your title, it does create a greater potential for missing some of your ideal target audience. Whether that is important; only you can decide. (And also why a good to-the-point title is more effective than vauge generic one)

basically I'd like some advice on the minimum necessary equipment to DIY liquid I know I need a scale and I'm not sure what else, a flask of some kind probably and some empty bottles is that it?

Depends on what your definition of "minimum is. Minimum space required? Minimum cost? Minimum ISO approved lab? Okay; I'm pretty sure you didn't mean the last.

For minimum cost and space (in my opinion); I might suggest:
--Syringes with blunt-tipped needles (for measuring)
--PG
--VG
--Nicotine Concentrate
--Flavor Concentrate(s)
--Empty bottles (rinsed out, re-purposed, commercial e-liquid bottles are fine)
--Water, and paper towels (for clean-up)
--clean flat surface on which to work; safely away from children and animals

If you have that; you can mix.

Whether you choose to mix by weight (using a scale), or by volume (using syringes), is entirely a matter of personal preference. I have done both. I started with syringes; as they were cheaper, and I wasn't sure if I was going to enjoy mixing. Later, when I knew DIY was for me, I tried using a scale.

The down side of scales (possibly) in your situation; is they tack on another $15-$25, to the start-up cost, and they need a flat, level, solid surface, free of vibration, and excesive air movement (just gently blowing on mine will cause the reading to fluctuate). They also require more space to store; and are more susceptible to physical abuse.

If those are not foreseeable issues for you, and you think you would rather mix with a scale, then do so. Using a scale has made my own DIY experience more enjoyable.

 

[JCinFLA]

For minimum cost and space (in my opinion); I might suggest:
--Syringes with blunt-tipped needles (for measuring)
--PG
--VG
--Nicotine Concentrate
--Flavor Concentrate(s)
--Empty bottles (rinsed out, re-purposed, commercial e-liquid bottles are fine)
--Water, and paper towels (for clean-up)
--clean flat surface on which to work; safely away from children and animals

If you have that; you can mix.

I 100% agree with you. By volume is how I've been DIY my eliquids since I first started it. I love mixing that way and the eliquids I make.

Those who measure by weight share the same thoughts about that method and their eliquids, too, I'm sure.

It's yet another aspect of vaping that's so great, IMO. Choosing different mixing methods for DIY eliquids, for whatever reasons, is perfectly fine! Everyone can still have great results.

 

[smacuser]

@Steve W Pedersen
The video below is how I DIY. As simple as I could find. I bought the exact same scale, which was around $9.

Then, I went to another site like E-Liquid-Recipes to find recipes, calculate, and keep all my notes.

The YouTube channel DIYorDie has some really good recipe ideas.

 

[mrphilip]

Before you buy your flavorings, narrow down the list of what you really need to ingredients you know you want for specific recipes. I know I enjoy the clone of Illuminati which calls for Blood Orange, Sweet Strawberry, Golden Pineapple and Cotton Candy. I know I like Boysenberry Preserves as a Single Flavor Vape. I love Milk and Honey flavors. You don't need 120 different Cappella or Flavorah bottles to make some simple recipes. Look for flavors you might use in a few recipes and build from there.

For supplies, I too have done it with syringes and drops, as well as by weight. I prefer to go by weight and found a used scale for $20 from Amazon Warehouse. I prefer 30 ml bottles more than 60 ml bottles as I like small batches as testers. Even if I am making 60 ml at one time, 30 is for tasting as it steeps and 30 ml given a solid 45 day oxidation. I reuse all my bottles from the big brands as well as new ones i buy empty. REMEMBER TO LABEL YOUR ELIQUIDS. NAME, DATE MADE, NIC MG. AND KEEP A LOG ON THE WEB OF THESE THINGS TOO.

The one tool that I really like is my $12 Badger Airbrush Mixer. It fits inside a 30ml bottleneck and stirs everything really well... far better than you could ever shake a recipe. I open my bottles 1x each day (or 2, 3, 7- periodically) and stir things up. The difference in my end-product is noticeable.

I also reuse small jam jars for things like a custard 'stone'... it allows me to make a decent batch of the custard which needs time, and when it's ready I can then just add blueberry to some of it and strawberry or orange to the rest.

 

[Steve W Pedersen]

Orderd some 120ml , 60ml 30ml black CG unicorn bottles, and a scale.
Who sells nic salt base liquid? Idealy pure nic so I can make either pg or vg base liquids.

 

[dc99]

Orderd some 120ml , 60ml 30ml black CG unicorn bottles, and a scale.
Who sells nic salt base liquid? Idealy pure nic so I can make either pg or vg base liquids.

250mg Smooth Nicotine Salts*
As strong as it gets

 

[Steve W Pedersen]

awsome thank you.

 

[IDJoel]

pure nic

Just a friendly refresher before the mods come swooping in or somebody gets scolded...
From Forum Rules
"35. Nicotine strength
a. The maximum nicotine strength of refills (any liquid that is a finished product for retail sale for vaping whether bottled or sold with or within hardware) allowed to be offered for sale on ECF by Suppliers is 45mg/ml or 4.5%.
b. No liquid of strength higher than this can be specifically mentioned or offered on ECF by Suppliers. Trade deals are exempt, within private supplier boards only, as higher strengths are needed for trade bulk mixing. Note that there are shipping restrictions in some countries for toxic materials, which can be obtained by application to your local Postal Service and private shippers, and you are cautioned not to contravene these restrictions.
c. Suppliers can sell whatever strength they wish with the exception of pure nicotine (900mg/ml / 90% and above). Sites that sell pure nicotine will be blocked by ECF [3]. We define 'pure nicotine' as 90% / 900mg/ml or higher. Wholesale supplies are exempt from this ruling. We expect that Suppliers will ensure that wholesale customers are well aware of (a) the high risks, and (b) the equipment and precautions needed.
d. There is a limit on public discussion of 200mg (20%) maximum for mixing discussion, recipes and tutorials, and also in the Classifieds. Members may not discuss the use of refills (any liquids) stronger than 200mg.
e. The use of 'Pure Nicotine' cannot be discussed (in detail) on public forums on ECF (trade forums are exempt) due to the hazard [3] - see Notes below. That is to say, it can be mentioned in passing but not discussed at length especially as regards mixing.

 

[Letitia]

I'd stick with 100mg nic salts pg based, keeps the math so simple. I'm lazy about notes and keep all my recipes online. I get mine from Liquid Nicotine Wholesale. They have good shipping costs.

 

[Letitia]

Hey @smacuser

 

[smacuser]

Hey @Letitia !