Mixing By Weight: Basics 101

[IDJoel]

What scale are you using now? I think I'm ready to start weighing.

If you have the budget, and the inclination, go for it. You won't be sorry.

I chose to go the "way of weigh" because my eyes were driving me nuts trying to read all the little lines on the syringes. I have never regretted it.

That's what I thought. The 500g model?

I don't know if I have ever read how large of recipes you like to mix. Keep in mind the total weight of the scale is all inconclusive. That means ingredients PLUS container. If you prefer to mix in glass; that will weigh more. Taring the scale (zeroing it out between ingredients) does NOT increase the total capacity (if I put a 300 gram container on the scale, even though I tare (zero out) the scale, I can only add an additional 200 grams of ingredients to it. 300g container + 100g ingredients ->then tare (shows "0") I only have 100g left that I can add.

I learned this one only today in fact. I had a friend that wanted me to mix up a quart (+/-946mL) of her favorite (only) recipe.

I never mix more than 120mL for myself; and for that, 500mg capacity is ample. But when I tried to go and mix hers up... I was left well short. The container alone took a big bite out of it. I ended up having to measure portions out ( flavors first, then pg and nic, and finally vg), pour them into a mixing bowl, try to account for what was still clinging to the beaker, and then add the next portion. It wasn't fun.

I guess the bottom line is buy the equipment that is going to meet your needs.

I bought the SF400 over the LB-501 (both recommended by @Capt.shay in post #2 of this thread)because it had the lager display (better for my eyes), came with the AC (wall outlet) adapter and, when the adapter was used, overrode the auto-shutoff. I am NOT sorry I did. There are a few things I wish were different:

1. I wish it came with a calibration weight(s)
2. I wish it didn't have the "auto-zero" function (or could turn it off) as described here as described by @bussdriver. But this was quickly overcome with my own version of the "nickle" technique.

I did look long and hard at this scale; but didn't think I would have need for that much more capacity. The cost, combined with the TOTAL lack of ANY (pro or con) reviews made me stay within those that were commonly, and favorably, recommended. Now... I wonder. I also consider; most measuring devices (in general) are "most" accurate between 50% and 75% of their total capacity (I have no idea how true this is),

Whatever you choose; don't be afraid to dip your toes into the method of measure by weight. I don't believe you will be disappointed. I wasn't. I will never say weight is better than volume, it was simply easier, and more convenient to me. And that made DIY more pleasant for me. And, anything that improves the likelihood of me staying away from the stinkies, is a strong plus!

Bottom line: as long as you don't see yourself mixing more that 12 ounces (354mL+container; a soda can's worth; even with high/all VG) you should be fine with a 500g scale.

 

[I'mnotZak]

Whatever you choose; don't be afraid to dip your toes into the method of measure by weight. I don't believe you will be disappointed. I wasn't. I will never say weight is better than volume, it was simply easier, and more convenient to me. And that made DIY more pleasant for me. And, anything that improves the likelihood of me staying away from the stinkies, is a strong plus!

Well said @IDJoel and extremely sound advice. I was mixing by volume for about 8 months and just moved to weight one month ago. It was an extremely simple transition due to the tremendous resources available including this thread. I am extremely happy for the same reasons that you mention, convenience and ease of mixing. Totally agree that I will also never say one method is better than the other. User preference. The best method is the method that works for the mixer.

 

[Kenna]

My scale will be here tomorrow!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk

 

[I'mnotZak]

@Kenna, did your scale arrive? If so, did you give it a test drive and how did it go?

 

[Kenna]

@Kenna, did your scale arrive? If so, did you give it a test drive and how did it go?

It's at the PO Box. I'll probaby make a PO run tomorrow. I'll play with it a bit before I try an actual mix. I have about 500ml of juice sitting on my desk so I'm not in a hurry until I star getting low on one of my adv's. I'll check in when I do tho.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk

 

[Capt.shay]

It's at the PO Box. I'll probaby make a PO run tomorrow. I'll play with it a bit before I try an actual mix. I have about 500ml of juice sitting on my desk so I'm not in a hurry until I star getting low on one of my adv's. I'll check in when I do tho.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk

Not trying to pry or any thing but......it has been a while and?

 

[Kenna]

Not trying to pry or any thing but......it has been a while and?

I got! Haven't tried it yet. Have a busy week ahead of me, but am hoping to break it out on Tuesday or Wednesday. It usually takes me a bit to get into new things. But I did take the step of getting it! That's pretty good.

Sent from my LG-V700 using Tapatalk

 

[MikeADore]

I got! Haven't tried it yet. Have a busy week ahead of me, but am hoping to break it out on Tuesday or Wednesday. It usually takes me a bit to get into new things. But I did take the step of getting it! That's pretty good.

Sent from my LG-V700 using Tapatalk

It's so simple even I can do it easily, Kenna, so I'm betting you love it. No muss and no fuss mixing. I decided to go that way when I first started mixing thanks to some things @Capt.shay wrote about it. Have fun.

 

[OlderNDirt]

Amazon.com: 100 Gram Chrome Scale Calibration Weight (Chrome, 1): Measuring Tools: Kitchen & Dining or 20 nickels

Finally got around to trying nickels. Trying to find 20 nickels that come out exactly 100 grams and having to put them on the scale one at a time or adjust number of nickels to compensate for a container was challenging. Gonna get the weight!

 

[Icarus1]

NOTES

I mix for several family members and a couple of friends so I mix at least 10-15 bottles a week and I find this the simplest and fastest way to make juice. Also, remember that a single drop weighs .03-.04g. If you off by a couple of hundredths, don't sweat it. That is less than one drop and that is the smallest we can dispense. I hope the above post is helpful to some of you. Bellow are a few random thoughts and information from my experience. Of course, YMMV

Scales:
Pictured above is the Amazon.com: American Weigh Scales LB-501 Digital Kitchen Scale: Kitchen & Dining scale and it works fine but I will not buy it again. I will be spending a few more dollars and go back to this scale 500g x 0.01g High Precision Digital Scale SF-400D2 Counting w/ USB Wall Adapter . It is much faster making it easier to be accurate and it has a larger read out and does not auto shut off in battery mode. Cheaper scales are available but you do get what you pay for to some degree. Make sure it goes to .00 and I would recommend at least a 500g capacity.


Weights:

• Weight of PG: 1.038 grams per ml
• Weight of VG: 1.26 grams per ml
• Weight of Pure Nicotine: 1.01 grams per ml
  
  
• Weight of 100mg in PG: 1.035 grams per ml
  
  
• Weight of 60mg in PG: 1.03632 grams per ml
  
  
• Weight of 50mg in PG: 1.0366 grams per ml
  
  
• Weight of 48mg in PG: 1.036656 grams per ml
  
  
• Weight of 36mg in PG: 1.036992 grams per ml
  
  
• Weight of 24mg in PG: 1.037328 grams per ml
  
  
• Weight of 100mg in VG: 1.235 grams per ml
  
  
• Weight of 60mg in VG: 1.245 grams per ml
  
  
• Weight of 50mg in VG: 1.2475 grams per ml
  
  
• Weight of 48mg in VG: 1.248 grams per ml
  
  
• Weight of 36mg in VG: 1.251 grams per ml
  
  
• Weight of 24mg in VG: 1.254 grams per ml

Nicotine:
I have used Nic. from several different vendors and most are quite adequate but they can vary by taste and throat hit. Currently I am using Nic. from Vapers Tech. A great thread on different nicotine's is Nicotine Comparisons. It is long but read back several pages then jump in to the thread. Nicotine, properly frozen, will last several years.

Flavor:
I primarily use flavors from Perfumer's Apprentice, Flavor West and e-aromashop-INAWERA GROUP along with several select flavors from different makers. Each maker has it's strong points and certain stand out flavors. Bull City Vapor - Best Prices on DIY e-liquid Supplies and Wizard Labs are good source for small amounts but you can often save money by buying directly from the manufacturer. In the future (post deemings) we should still be able to buy flavors as they are in food manufacture and it doesn't appear they can ban them (but Wizard and Bull City may not be around)

Bottles:
E-bay and Amazon can fill most of your container needs. Glass Bottle Outlet is also an excellent source.

Labels:
You can create custom labels using Avery address labels.

Read Danny45's blogs
Read BillsMajicVapor's blogs
Check out the TFA thread


Happy mixing!

This is the info I was looking for. Thanks I wish I had looked sooner though, I have the scale on order you would prefer to replace. Cheers!

 

[Capt.shay]

This is the info I was looking for. Thanks I wish I had looked sooner though, I have the scale on order you would prefer to replace. Cheers!

The scale you ordered will work just fine for you. They both have their pluses and minuses.

Welcome to the Way of the Weigh!

 

[DaveP]

Syringes and pipettes or scales and droppers, it's all good. One of the things that made me try mixing by weight is that the gradations wear off every one of my syringes in short order. Wrapping tape around them when new is probably the fix. Pipettes are OK, but trying to ring the top of a bottle with something that long just magnifies the shakiness of fingers. If you use a beaker for a wide mouth, that's just another pour to get it in the bottle and something else to wash.

I do better with a short dropper and a scale. It's just too easy and it all goes into the final bottle as you mix. Add a label and you're done.

I'm not dissing the liquid measure method for those who prefer it, just stating the reasons for my scale method preference. I've tried both.

 

[mhertz]

Well said Dave!

I'm also not trying to push the weigh of the weigh on others, as it's not better, but just more convenient and fast without downsides, but if others are stuck in there ways then it's simply there loss. What gets me though is people insinuating, or stating outright, that the way of the weigh isn't appropriate because of it's non-solid ingredients!?!?

Anyway, the first time I stumbled on a guide by botboy141 or something on reddit, then I was immediately sold. It just makes scense...

 

[Burnie]

Well did my First Mix by Weight tonight.
Was not easy doing just a 10ml test bottle with 5 flavors, but I got it done. Would be a lot easier with a bigger batch, but I was doing a test batch of a new flavor and wanted to see what it was about. In the long run I think I will like it.

 

[ShowerHead]

Well did my First Mix by Weight tonight.

Welcome to the club!
I think you'll like it with larger amounts, but, you did it!

 

[DaveP]

Well did my First Mix by Weight tonight.
Was not easy doing just a 10ml test bottle with 5 flavors, but I got it done. Would be a lot easier with a bigger batch, but I was doing a test batch of a new flavor and wanted to see what it was about. In the long run I think I will like it.

That's why I bought the Boston Rounds 60ml bottles (larger top opening). You can always make smaller batches. Mine get poured into LDPE bottles with narrow tips that fit my Kayfun after steeping in the glass bottles.

This funnel set makes it easy to pour into small bottle tops. Pull one leg of a paper clip away and insert it in the bottle before the funnel and you avoid airlock while pouring.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FKERMW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[DaveP]

I used my LB-501 for several months on the batteries that came with it. The other day I got the (included) AC adapter out of the box and started using it. No more worries about shutdown between pours. I think it's shut down once between ingredient adds and that's not an issue since we zero each time we add an ingredient. I've only used the included calibration weights once and the scale fell within the accurate range reading them.

I'm happy with the performance of the LB-501. When I get through mixing up my six 50ml batches in 60ml bottles the levels are all the same when viewed side by side. I do 50ml in 60ml bottles to leave a little room for daily shaking. The levels come up to the point where the straight sides begin to curve toward the smaller top.

 

[Capt.shay]

Well did my First Mix by Weight tonight.
Was not easy doing just a 10ml test bottle with 5 flavors, but I got it done. Would be a lot easier with a bigger batch, but I was doing a test batch of a new flavor and wanted to see what it was about. In the long run I think I will like it.

Glad you took the leap to see what it is about. Yes, making a 10ml batch is a little difficult. That is why I never do it. To much of a margin of error. But, it would be much easier to make an error with the syringe than with the scale. A 30ml batch cost about 10 cents more and you have a lot more room for slight variations. I never make a batch smaller than 15ml and almost always opt for a 30ml batch.

Welcome to the way of the weigh Burnie. It's good to have you on board. I am certain that as you become more comfortable with the scale and dispensers, you will come to appreciate all the advantages of weight based mixing.

 

[corn flakes]

Glad you took the leap to see what it is about. Yes, making a 10ml batch is a little difficult. That is why I never do it. To much of a margin of error. But, it would be much easier to make an error with the syringe than with the scale. A 30ml batch cost about 10 cents more and you have a lot more room for slight variations. I never make a batch smaller than 15ml and almost always opt for a 30ml batch.

Welcome to the way of the weigh Burnie. It's good to have you on board. I am certain that as you become more comfortable with the scale and dispensers, you will come to appreciate all the advantages of weight based mixing.

10ml testers is all I have made so far, I haven't made anything I like so far but 10ml down the drain is better than 30ml. When I do get the recipes figured out they will be 100ml at a time.

 

[Fozzy71]

10ml testers is all I have made so far, I haven't made anything I like so far but 10ml down the drain is better than 30ml. When I do get the recipes figured out they will be 100ml at a time.

I do all my testers as 20ml in 30ml bottles. If I have one that I am not a big fan of I will mix it with another tester I do like in a bigger bottle and vape on that. I often end up mixing 5 or 6 tester remains into a 120ml bottle and vape it later on down the road. I have only had 1 tester that I disliked so much as to not vape or mix with another tester: OSDIY's Cinnamon Smoothie was a lot more of a red hot cinnamon type flavor than I expected.