I've updated my recommended reading for people new to DYI. Please have a look.

[dannyv45]

My blogs will give insight into all aspects of DYI, from steeping to what supplies to have on hand to a basic walk through mixing your first E-juice.

E-Cigarette Forum - dannyv45 - Blogs

Then read hoosier's blogs. These blogs concentrate on fine tuning your mix and give insight on additives.

E-Cigarette Forum - Hoosier - Blogs

Then read Boletus's blog's. These blogs concentrate on formulation of nicotine baces regarding proper calculations methods for figuring Nicotine concentration as well as safety.

E-Cigarette Forum - Boletus - Blogs

Then read Ginger's book "E-Cigarettes 102: DIY e-liquid". It is a book which I've contributed to that delivers an in depth easy to follow guide in the art of DYI.

E-Cigarettes 102: DIY E-Liquid

I recommend viewing VPLive Vape Team Episode #82: DIY Safety and bookmark it for future reference. It explains safety in all aspects of DYI.

VPLive Vape Team Episode #82: DIY Safety

then read the stickies at the top of the page.

this will explain a lot of the how's and why's.

 

[ENAUD]

Top notch post Danny! You have helped me immensely on my DIY journey, your posts and blogs have helped me solve some problems along the way, and gave me inspiration to find what works best for my tastes. Thank You!

 

[bghill]

Due to your excellent blogs I have not had to ask any other questions along my DIY journey. Everything is well organized, easy and enjoyable to read. This elevates it to a whole new level!! Thanks you so much for all the hard work and time that you have put into this.

 

[dannyv45]

Thank you all for those kind words. I aim to make DYI fun and easy to do while keeping complexity to a minimum.

 

[Boletus]

Thanks for including my work; I consider it an honor.

 

[Monotremata]

Thanks to your blog Danny I managed to piece together exactly what I needed instead of getting a "kit" and actually made out better. Paid $4 less than the kit, and ended up with more nic and flavors!! Win!! Guess its time to start reading Hoosiers next!!

 

[dannyv45]

Thanks to your blog Danny I managed to piece together exactly what I needed instead of getting a "kit" and actually made out better. Paid $4 less than the kit, and ended up with more nic and flavors!! Win!! Guess its time to start reading Hoosiers next!!

That's the whole idea of the "supplies for the new juicer" blog. Get better quality and more supplies for less...... Good going now get mix'in

 

[Monotremata]

Batches 5 and 6 just finished and steeping!

 

[dannyv45]

Batches 5 and 6 just finished and steeping!

Nice avatar. I have that same exact tele. Love that color. Mine has the light nitro neck.

 

[Susan~S]

Great reference material dannyv45. I've grabbed your first post and added it to my database to give to "new members" looking to get into DIY.

 

[Monotremata]

Nice avatar. I have that same exact tele. Love that color. Mine has the light nitro neck.

I've debated refinishing mine in foam green before but I just can't do it hehe!! Mines an Olympic White Classic 60s model. Best guitar I've ever owned!!

 

[dannyv45]

I've debated refinishing mine in foam green before but I just can't do it hehe!! Mines an Olympic White Classic 60s model. Best guitar I've ever owned!!

Mines foam green and I love it. Gives it that 80's vibe. Also got a gibson 57' LP gold top reissue as well as 6 other classics.

Sorry all for going off topic so "Now back to our show"

 

[Susan~S]

Bump for all you new DIYers out there!

 

[bwh79]

I've read all of this (except the book, which costs money I'm not yet ready to fork over) over the last couple of days. There's some pretty good info in there, but one thing I've not seen covered (here, or anywhere for that matter) is, how do you clean up after? Specifically, I'm curious about washing the reusable parts (syringes, needles, leftover plastic bottles from pre-made juice, etc.) Do you just use water, maybe with some dish soap? Warm water from the tap, or should I be using distilled? I've heard things along the lines of "there's all sorts of nasty stuff in tap water that you don't want to be vaping, so you should use distilled water or vodka/PGA" but that was in reference to cleaning and re-using disposable atomizer heads. Does that hold true for cleaning DIY supplies, or is it a non-issue here? If I do use alcohol, is it okay to use isopropyl/rubbing alcohol or should I be using something that's safe to drink like the aforementioned vodka/PGA?

What about the actual procedure? I have an empty plastic bottle leftover from some retail liquid, that I've rinsed in warm (actually, very hot) tap water and left to dry, but it still smells like the juice that was in it before. Should I just rinse it some more, use some soap, boil it, get a little test-tube brush and scrub out the inside? For syringes: draw in some (whatever is used for cleaning) through the needle, shake it up and squirt out, and repeat a few times? Or something more thorough than that? I've heard someone say in a video "make sure to dispose of your needles properly," but they didn't elaborate on that at all. How should one dispose of used needles, and how do I know when it's time for a new one? Are they even reusable, or are they a one-time-use kind of thing?

Answers to any of these questions, or any other tips you can give, are greatly appreciated. I should be receiving my free sample from Nude Nicotine in a couple days here and getting ready to make my first venture into DIY territory, but I do want to make sure I do it right the first time.

 

[PushyPhoenix]

Thanks for all the info Danny! Thanks to all these contributions I, too, have had to ask very few questions and those I've had are answered quickly and intelligently.

I second bwh79 on the question of cleaning supplies. With the exception of needles I've been using dish soap and tap water with LOTS of rinsing, and after drip-drying, using cut-up strips of shop towel and tweezers to dry them out. (Shop towels are made of paper but have a much tighter weave - they don't leave behind little bits of paper.)
For needles I've found dental floss designed for braces, with a thicker spongy section in the middle. I fill a syringe with rubbing alcohol and attach each needle to squirt some through, let them sit on a shop towel at an angle for a day or so, then use the thicker part of the dental floss to dry them out.

Haven't had any issues (that I know of); any doubt left behind in my mind I quell by reminding myself of all the toxic chemicals I'm no longer inhaling from cigarettes.

Still, any insight would be helpful!

 

[dannyv45]

Use the same practice you use when you wash your dishes. It's all water soluble. I infact just use warm water. No special practices or cautions needed. If you like and it makes you feel safe you can wear latex gloves while washing out your tools.

 

[bwh79]

Cool, thanks! What about getting the juice smell out of my old bottle? Is that likely to affect the flavor of whatever mix I use it for next? Still, it's probably better than dish soap flavor, even if it does carry over

 

[dannyv45]

Cool, thanks! What about getting the juice smell out of my old bottle? Is that likely to affect the flavor of whatever mix I use it for next? Still, it's probably better than dish soap flavor, even if it does carry over

The smell does not effect the taste of a new juice so it's not a concern. I reuse thorghly cleaned smelly bottles all the time.

 

[Fenario]

Bump for all DIYers. Good stuff here.

 

[dannyv45]

I've heard someone say in a video "make sure to dispose of your needles properly," but they didn't elaborate on that at all. How should one dispose of used needles, and how do I know when it's time for a new one? Are they even reusable, or are they a one-time-use kind of thing?

I'm not sure what they mean by dispose of properly. First off you should be using blunt tip needles and it's not like your injecting e-juice directly into your body. Your using them as a measuring tool. So if your going to need to dispose it just put it in the trash. If your using a sharp tip needle such as a medical syringe used to inject medication snip off the sharp edge so no one sticks them self and put it in the trash. Blunt tip or sharp tip syringes are reusable as many times as you like. I've been DYI'ing for several years and only discard them when they no longer plunge easily. I've never had to discard a needle (Luer lock type). All you need to do is clean them and completely dry them. Or to prolong a syringes life draw up some VG and plunge it back out and then store it. The VG will help lubricate the syringe and keep it working smoothly. You can repeat the VG trick just before you use it if the syringe is a bit sticky and hard to accurately plunge. You can also pull the plunger out dip it in VG and put it back in. It will lubricate the plunger allowing it to glide very smoothly.