Measuring by ml or weight? Which is better

[SteveS45]

I use one syringe for all flavors and rinse it in a cup of water between flavors. Depending on the size of the bottle I am making I might use a graduated cylinder with is one more thing to rinse of the PG and I fill the VG to the line in the beaker straight from the bottle. When I first started DIY I had dedicated syringes for flavors but stopped doing that and only certain flavors have their own syringe like a Cinnamon.

 

[OlderNDirt]

And another round of volume vs weight! Simple answer is, it depends on the individual and what they mix in what size batches. Anyway, I'll take a stab at these:

I will never understand how clean up is always mentioned as being a hassle. One beaker and a syringe is no problem for me.

For me, it is only "a hassle" if I must do any rather then none at all. If I set up to do some mixing, I always mix up at least 3 recipes, some with multiple flavors. Maybe I am OCD, but I avoid any chance of cross contamination of flavors requiring more then one syringe if I mixed by volume. But I can see where that is all you have to clean after mixing one recipe.

What happens when mixing by weight if you accidentally add too much?

I figure that depends on how much is "too much" when measuring by hundredths of a gram? I have gone over "too much", but only with my PG or VG. But never so much that I cared about the effect of change in PG/VG ratio or dilution of flavor. Never mixed a batch I couldn't vape and make sure I record any variances. You never know when an oops turns out to be a recipe adjustment, a "happy accident" if you will.

EDIT: I see your last post as I posted. So actually, rather then cleaning multiple syringes, you clean a syringe multiple times.

 

[SteveS45]

When I do a mixing session now I try to do at least 240 MLs for 4 separate recipes but it is still a quick pull of some water and a couple of squirts in the sink to clean a syringe. To each his own but even though I hate doing the dishes rinsing out a couple of syringes and beakers is nothing.

 

[mhertz]

SteveS45, you have a good point about if accidentially going too much, then volume would help, though as stated, it really shouldn't happen in amounts skewing things if doing it correct i.e. propper dispensing bottles and technique.

Your other point I have never understood. It isn't that it's such a hassle, lol, but however that if a step can be avoided with no ill effect, small or big, then many people like that., me included. If I go to the grocery-store, I take the quickest road possible. Sure it's not a hassle to take another turn which only adds 30 secs to the trip, but why would I...

 

[mhertz]

Mine was not, perhaps due to the shipping throwing it off. It gave a 'CAL' error IIRC. I have a 100g cal weight for checking it from time to time.

Sorry, I didn't knew that

 

[SteveS45]

My point was I always hear that clean up is such a big deal and you do not need to sterilize the syringes. Comparatively how long does calibrating the scale take?

 

[mhertz]

I agree it's not a big deal whatsoever The calibration part takes 10 secs maybe each 6 - 12 month at very max. As said, I've never calibrated in 2 years of mixing by weight.

There's nothing wrong with volume of course, but I hope we can agree on the oposite as well

 

[SteveS45]

I agree it's not a big deal whatsoever The calibration part takes 10 secs maybe each 6 - 12 month at very max. As said, I've never calibrated in 2 years of mixing by weight.

There's nothing wrong with volume of course, but I hope we can agree on the oposite as well

Sure I can agree that mixing by weight has it benefits especially with large volumes but I just sort of get annoyed when I hear you must mix by weight because the cleanup is such a hassle or more accurate. I can see it would be easier to add a drop more easily.

 

[Fozzy71]

Sure I can agree that mixing by weight has it benefits especially with large volumes but I just sort of get annoyed when I hear you must mix by weight because the cleanup is such a hassle or more accurate. I can see it would be easier to add a drop more easily.

No one ITT said you 'must' mix by weight that I saw. They just said cleanup was easier if you do mix by weight in their experience.

 

[SteveS45]

No one ITT said you 'must' mix by weight that I saw. They just said cleanup was easier if you do mix by weight in their experience.

I never said it was in this thread.......................

 

[Firestorm]

Sure I can agree that mixing by weight has it benefits especially with large volumes but I just sort of get annoyed when I hear you must mix by weight because the cleanup is such a hassle or more accurate. I can see it would be easier to add a drop more easily.

Fortunately. I don't see any posts in this thread declaring that one must mix by weight. I only see opinions in line with the question posed in the OP. I think it makes sense to try different approaches and stick with the one that works the best for you.

 

[SteveS45]

Yes, I think so. I think measuring by weight is more accurate than measuring by volume. The clean up time is definitely faster and there's nothing to rinse out when you're done.

Fortunately. I don't see any posts in this thread declaring that one must mix by weight. I only see opinions in line with the question posed in the OP. I think it makes sense to try different approaches and stick with the one that works the best for you.

Here you go where a member posted it is more accurate maybe if you have a problem using a syringe.

 

[Firestorm]

Here you go where a member posted it is more accurate maybe if you have a problem using a syringe.

I try to be careful when posting on ECF to make sure that I word things properly because there always seems to be someone who wants to misconstrue my words and start a fight. That's why I included the word "think" to make sure that I conveyed it as my opinion and not as fact. Please troll someone else.

 

[dobroeutro]

Personally, I could care less what method someone uses. I've mixed by volume & by weight and prefer weight for batches of 120ml & less. Although, I don't mix batches larger than that anymore, if I did, I would use volume. A little cleanup is not a big deal to me. YMMV...

 

[SteveS45]

Not trolling but you quoted my comment so I was being kind by showing you who posted that mixing by weight is more accurate. By you quoting my comment you were the one who was .................

 

[jambi]

Nicely priced scale HERE.

Nice scale. It looks really small, ideal for portable mixing. Auto shut off could be a hassle though. Does it have AC power, or is it strictly battery? Can it be set to override auto shutoff?

I use this one https://www.amazon.com/American-Wei...&ie=UTF8&qid=1490109380&sr=1-1&keywords=lb501

It won't shut off as long as it's on AC power. If it's running on batteries it'll cut off at 60 seconds. It's been a very reliable scale. I just wish it was higher capacity. If they made one in 1000 gram capacity that weighed down to .00 I'd buy it.

 

[Fozzy71]

I try to be careful when posting on ECF to make sure that I word things properly because there always seems to be someone who wants to misconstrue my words and start a fight. That's why I included the word "think" to make sure that I conveyed it as my opinion and not as fact. Please troll someone else.

Not trolling but you quoted my comment so I was being kind by showing you who posted that mixing by weight is more accurate. By you quoting my comment you were the one who was .................

Yes, I think so. I think measuring by weight is more accurate than measuring by volume. The clean up time is definitely faster and there's nothing to rinse out when you're done.

think
THiNGk/
verb

1. 1.
   have a particular opinion, belief, or idea about someone or something.

I find it funny how those who mix by volume seem to take the most offense at replies by those that disagree with their choice when these threads come up. If it works for you great but most that have tried mixing by weight seem to prefer it and continue doing it. I have done both and will never do by volume mixing again.

 

[zoiDman]

Personally, I could care less what method someone uses. I've mixed by volume & by weight and prefer weight for batches of 120ml & less. Although, I don't mix batches larger than that anymore, if I did, I would use volume. A little cleanup is not a big deal to me. YMMV...

I heard that.

How someone else Measures/Mixes their e-Liquids doesn't make Mine taste any Better. Or any worse.

It kinda Depends on what I'm Measuring.

For measuring 100mg/ml Nicotine Base to make "Pre-Mix", a Line on a 250ml Bottle is Enough.

For measuring VG and PG to add to my 250ml Pre-Mix Bottle, a Graduated Cylinder is Fine.

For Measuring Flavoring to be added with the Pre-Mix, a Scale (to me) is Hard to Beat.

 

[DaveP]

I've done weight and volume and it's just easier for me with a scale, but that's just my preference. I use a dropper for nic, flavor from the squeeze bottles it comes in, and a couple of condiment bottles for PG and VG.

I weigh the nic base into all bottles one at a time and close up the big nic bottle for safety. Then, I put each bottle on the scale and add flavor, PG, and VG. I cap the bottle, label it, shake it and set it aside, and go to the next one.

The weight method just fits my style really well. I can see the same simplicity in the way that volume mixers explain their process. What matters is that you understand your methodology and are able to use that process to measure accurately.

If your joy comes from using a beaker and graduated flasks and syringes with markings on the glassware to denote fill points for the ingredients, then go for it! If you like the idea of dropping liquids in a bottle on a scale and watching the display read mg as it approaches the target, then that's for you!

One of the reasons I like weight is for nic accuracy. I mix 50ml into a 60ml Boston Rounds glass bottle. At 3% nic, that's 1.5mg in my bottle size. To be accurate mixing by volume I'd have to use a narrow glass vessel that would accurately measure approximately 1.5ml up to a line accurately as I squirted it in. With the bottles I use the nic is just a small layer in the bottom of the bottle. It's easy to drip it into the bottom of the bottle on the scale and stop at 1.5mg.

 

[JCinFLA]

At 3% nic, that's 1.5mg in my bottle size. To be accurate mixing by volume I'd have to use a narrow glass vessel that would accurately measure approximately 1.5ml up to a line accurately as I squirted it in.

By volume, using a 1mL syringe - fill it to the 1mL mark and shoot it in the mix bottle + fill it to the clearly marked .5mL mark and shoot it also into the bottle = 1.5mL of nic as well.

By volume, using a 3mL syringe - fill it up to the clearly marked 1.5mL mark and shoot it into the mix bottle = 1.5mL of nic as well.