measuring small quantities

[jkajfes]

I'm curious as to what's the best or better way to measure small quantities of liquids? I'm new to DIY so when I'm experimenting with making up batches they are very small. I first tried doing 10ml batches but it seemed the margin for making errors with small amounts was high. Because of this I decided to be a bit bolder and make 30ml batches, worst fear being having to dump it down the drain if I didn't like it for taste.

The question came to mind when I looked at a 50 ml measuring graduate that was sitting on the worktable after pouring most of the contents into a 30 ml bottle. I saw about 1.5 ml in the bottom of the graduate when the session was over.

I mix a 70PG/30VG formula... the VG is very thick and sticky...

I was wondering how others do their mixing part and what type of equipment they are using when making small quantities...
any help or thoughts would be appreciated..

what I have tried is pouring the nic into the measuring graduate first, then adding the PG amount needed, next comes the VG and then finally the flavours. I then try to shake it a bit to get it mixed and then pour it into a 30ml squeeze bottle.

jk

 

[Aheadatime]

Syringes. I have a 20mL, 3mL, and 1mL syringes. The 1mL make small quantities easy. If I have a 5mL sample, for example, and I'm using something at 1%, thats .05mL, which is clear and concise on the 1mL syringe. Check out Wizard Labs for syringes and the blunt tip needles.

 

[RocketPuppy]

I use a scale. It measures to 0.01 grams, ridiculously accurate. I make 3ml testers, and it's very easy to do. When using companies like FlavourArt, syringes didn't work because often times I needed less than .1 of a ml. The scale allows me to do it accurately. I just add drops till I have the amount I want. For larger quantities, I just pour stuff in and then use drops when I get close. No clean up, except for a glass funnel. Plus, the following calculator measures in grams and mls if you set your preferences to it.

http://www...................../create

 

[cocacola31173]

I buy 36 mg nic base but then I cut it down to 3 mg with PG and VG in a separate 250 ml bottle. That way when I go to make a bottle of juice All I do is get a syringe and pull the plunger completly out. I pour in what flavoring I need and push it in the bottle with the plunger. Then I just top off the bottle with my base. Easy as pie!

 

[cbabbman]

I recently went to weighing... it just seems way more accurate.. the scale I use came from Amazon and cost all of $18...

but, if you must, I used 10, 5, 3 & 1ml syringes. I also found .5ml syringes somewhere that have the needle attached... haven't used them as they arrived after I started weighing

 

[jkajfes]

I use a scale. It measures to 0.01 grams, ridiculously accurate. I make 3ml testers, and it's very easy to do. When using companies like FlavourArt, syringes didn't work because often times I needed less than .1 of a ml. The scale allows me to do it accurately. I just add drops till I have the amount I want. For larger quantities, I just pour stuff in and then use drops when I get close. No clean up, except for a glass funnel. Plus, the following calculator measures in grams and mls if you set your preferences to it.

e-Liquid Calculator :: New recipe

I think I'm going to go the weighing route it's unfortunate I've already bought a bunch of graduates, beakers, syringes etc... I don't mix up very large batches and tend to like changing flavours on the fly. From what I've just read in other threads there's much less clean up and if you pay attention to accurately weighing the amounts results should be as predictable.

 

[RocketPuppy]

I think quite a few of us wish we didn't buy the laboratory set up.

 

[RocketPuppy]

This is the one I have. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B006HCAVZO Works great. You might want to get one of these too http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00GYLRFIO

 

[jkajfes]

This is the one I have. Horizon Ds-19 Digital Pocket Scale, Precision Jewelry Scale, 500g By 0.01g:Amazon:Kitchen & Dining Works great. You might want to get one of these too 10 G/gram Nickel-plated Steel Precision Electronic Balance Scale Calibration Weight Weights (Tip):Amazon:Kitchen & Dining

thank you for mentioning the scale you use Rocket... I was going to actually ask which one you were using from seeing your previous post but forgot so I'm thankful you posted an actual link.

I do have experience with scales that can measure very small or light objects. I do competitive target shooting and we use scales in grams for measuring gun powder. I have two that I use to speed up that process and was thinking of using one for ejuice but they're in the loading room and I do my ejuice in the kitchen and I don't like moving the scales off the reloading bench because you can run into recalibration issues.

I've also been involved in some very heated arguments about the load cells in the scale we use for reloading. You have to be very careful on which scale you purchase because the cheaper load cells drift a lot or can and they can be affected by quit a number of things electronics fields from fluorescents, air currents, a furnace kicking on in the winter, moisture humidity simply a lot things can affect what they measure... mine will go down to 1/100 of a grain which is about a kernel of gunpowder. When you're trying to stay inside of 5 inches at 1000 yards you need to be working with something that can give you consistent accuracy.

I highly doubt a scale for under 50 bucks is going to have a very precise load cell on the circuit board but I also doubt that such accuracy that I'm accustomed in reloading is really needed for the purpose of making DIY juice. I think the scale you mentioned would work well, obviously it does just that for you and for the sake of convenience and the price of it I'd like to have one handy in the kitchen.

I prided myself in doing research before committing to something but I seriously dropped the ball here. As mentioned I ran out and bought a pile of glass measuring equipment which I now don't need or will rarely use. I'd going to try and blame it on the fact that the impulse was a bit of a carry over from running around and buying a bunch of different e-cig devices over the last 3 weeks... I was so ecstatic that they actually got me off smoking tobacco cigs that I lost sight of the big picture.

I would highly recommend that anyone wanting to do a DIY juice read a few forum threads on measuring ingredients using a traditional method and what a lot of people are moving to these days... weighing the ingredients...

What I want is the simplicity I had went I smoked, I went into a store bought a package of cigarettes and smoked them. Vaping is turning out to be a little more complicated in that I suppose I could just walk in and buy the juice and refill the e-cig but I've gotten a bit greedy in that even though I'm saving a large sum of money not buying tobacco cigs I can see incredible savings by DIY juices... no kidding eh!
jk

 

[Heabob]

Weighing takes more time IMO.
Don't make things more complicated than needed, it's already complicated enough, not really tho.
Just use 1/2 ml or 1 ml syringes.
Some just use drops for tiny amounts, good enough, not rocket science here.
I felt the same way at first, frustrated, leaky tanks, flooding, bad juice, etc.
Had to work out all the kinks with delivery equipment, then DIY stuff.
Wanted to go back to Analogs as it was "easy".
Stick with it, but keep it simple at first.

 

[RocketPuppy]

I actually find weighing easier than syringes, and I started with syringes and was very hesitant to get the scale.

I put a bottle on the scale, tare it out, add a flavor, tare, more flavors...tare, add pg/vg, tare, add nic, take the funnel out and close the bottle. The only thing I ever have to clean is the funnel. I find syringes hard to read, and when you're using minute %s, like FA, it becomes even harder with syringes.

However, I used them for months and won't ever harp on anyone's choice.

 

[RocketPuppy]

Oh smoking...so easy! I actually bought a pack two days ago to see if I still loved it like my children (animal children). Oh gosh. I took two drags and yuck! Can't tell you how thrilled I was.

 

[junior28186]

i bought a scale too didnt messed with yet, but ive heard flavor concentrate have different weight/g anyone noticed that?

 

[RocketPuppy]

Flavor concentrates are the same. Vg/pg/nic is different. This calculator accounts for that if you set your preferences to weight:
http://www...................../create

 

[Pescondo]

Just curious, RocketPuppy, how do you add flavors that come in an open-top bottle? Some flavorings come in a drip top bottle, but some don't. Also how do you deal with overruns when you zero out for tare in your bottle? My hands aren't super steady and I have a tendency to lose some control when I use a syringe.

 

[RocketPuppy]

Just curious, RocketPuppy, how do you add flavors that come in an open-top bottle? Some flavorings come in a drip top bottle, but some don't. Also how do you deal with overruns when you zero out for tare in your bottle? My hands aren't super steady and I have a tendency to lose some control when I use a syringe.

Good question. I have too much trouble with syringes sticking and the such, so I use dropper tops. WL sells 5/$2 for 2 dram bottles, or I transfer them to old pre-made bottles. When I buy large quantities, I store smaller quantities in these: http://packagingoptionsdirect.com/05oz-clear-glass-boston-round-bottle with droppers. I use a little glass funnel for overruns.

 

[Pescondo]

Thanks for the response, RocketPuppy.....I thought it must have been dripper bottle and re-label. The over-run I was asking about was in reference to accidentally adding too much flavoring with no way to remove it from my main bottle.

 

[Heabob]

Oh smoking...so easy! I actually bought a pack two days ago to see if I still loved it like my children (animal children). Oh gosh. I took two drags and yuck! Can't tell you how thrilled I was.

I don't dare buy any, to scared I might go back, lol.
We love our "fur kids" too, as you can see in my avatar.

Their conversation whilst looking out the window for Dad's Vapemail.

Bella:"Look here comes the mail truck".
Mini:"Oh no, Ma's goin' to get the mail".
Bella:"Yikes, we better go hide under the bed".
Mini:"See Ya".

 

[RocketPuppy]

Thanks for the response, RocketPuppy.....I thought it must have been dripper bottle and re-label. The over-run I was asking about was in reference to accidentally adding too much flavoring with no way to remove it from my main bottle.

Ohhh gotcha. Well...a few things. First off, I always add my flavors first. If I add a few extra grams of pg/vg/nic, it's not significant enough to affect it. I rather add it at the end because of the flavors aren't what I want, I haven't wasted much. With large quantities, even a extra drop of flavor won't change it in any major way. If an extra drop goes in, I'll either change the quantity, test it as is, or dump it. Typically, I'll just change the recipe and add extra of the other flavors and raise the pg/vg/nic as well.

 

[RocketPuppy]

I don't dare buy any, to scared I might go back, lol.
We love our "fur kids" too, as you can see in my avatar.

Their conversation whilst looking out the window for Dad's Vapemail.

Bella:"Look here comes the mail truck".
Mini:"Oh no, Ma's goin' to get the mail".
Bella:"Yikes, we better go hide under the bed".
Mini:"See Ya".

Your pups are beautiful. Mimi and Bella? Great names, though neither looks like a Mini. =)