Looking for advice on DIY juice mixing

[qlcantu]

For awhile I've been considering experimenting with mixing my own juice... In light of the recent FDA announcement I've decided to go forward... I'm pretty sure that in the not too distant future on-line sales of juice and juice-filled carts is going to go away....

I've ordered and received 250ml of 60mg nicotine in a 50/50 mix of VG/PG... I ordered from ecigexpress... ecigexpress has a pretty good calculator for amounts to use in mixing... I can see that my next items to order are VG/PG plain base for cutting and a flavor additive...

My main questions are: Do I need to add alcohol in to the recipe? If so, it seems the primary recommendations are Vodka or Everclear... If it's a good idea, what % of the recipe should be alcohol?

What's the best measuring equipment to use in mixing? the ECE calculator breaks ml measurements down in to number of drops... There must be a better way than counting out "240 drops", etc. ....

Any feedback on best practices, experiences, good web sites for schooling, and general advice would be greatly appreciated...

Thanks, Quintin

 

[Maxine]

Nice to meet you! A lot of Texans here tonight.

I DIY and do not use alcohol or everclear, so no you don't HAVE to use them. I use syringes for measuring. Pipettes are popular. I like THIS for a calculator and here's the DIY Forum.

 

[Hoosier]

General advise:

Go here DIY e-liquid and read the stickys.

No, you do not NEED to add alcohol. If your juice needs thinning, then you can use distilled water.

Measuring, I use 1ml syringes myself for small measurements and larger syringes for larger measurements.

 

[cskent]

Although some people use drops as a unit of measure, it isn't as accurate as using a syringe. Drop size can vary depending on the viscosity of the liquid, temperature, and the hole size (aperture) of the dropper. The basics you should have, at least in my opinion, is 2 x 2ml syringes, and 2 x 10ml syringes. With those basic sizes you can mix small 3ml sample batches or larger 30ml bottles without too much hassle. After you've mixed a couple of bottles you'll be able to decide whether you need additional items.

You should also purchase bottles in a few sizes, or wash and reuse empties you probably already have on hand. If you decide to purchase them, I'd suggest you start with about 5 in each size of 3ml or 5ml, 10ml, and a couple of 30ml.

You don't need to use alcohol or distilled water, but VG especially tends to be quite thick. If you don't have a 14 or 16 gauge needle on your syringe it can be problematic drawing it from the bottle. If you are working with VG I'd suggest you buy Luer lock syringes and a needle in 14 gauge, as well as some in 18 gauge for the thinner liquids. I purchased mine from Madvapes as they have a fairly good selection of needle gauges in different lengths. They also carry PG at reasonable prices.