Mixing juice with a lab shaker. VIDEO

[jpasint]

Got a new tool/toy/weapon for mixing and expediting the e-juice DIY steeping process.

This video is the HF G30's version of slow motion so this is at half speed of the actual.

The juice sloshes around pretty well in the bottle and there are a million little air bubbles after it shakes, exactly like when you shake a mix vigorously by hand.
Two seconds in the ultrasonic cleaner removes ALL of the air bubbles.

I'm hoping 30 minutes in the ultrasonic cleaner at 150 degrees and then 30 minutes in the shaker, repeat once more (maybe not needed) and the juice should be prime.

The juice in this video was already made so I just used it for this demo. I'll be mixing some up in the next few days for a real life test.

 

[Boletus]

One of the more interesting puzzles pertaining to e-juice to me is the mechanics and thermodynamics of the steeping process. What are the relative importance of diffusion, dispersion, and adsorption, just for starters? From a fluid mechanics and chemistry perspective, it is a pretty complex process.

Flavor is a pretty subjective thing, but when 90% or more vapers say a certain flavor needs to steep at least 2 weeks (for example) to taste right, there is a process occurring that is observable and repeatable and can (eventually) be understood. So this is another tool for studying the transport phenomenon we call steeping. Please keep good notes and share your results.

 

[Soignee]

You have a link on this mixer? I love to window shop...

 

[Exchaner]

Here is a similar item that combines stirring with heat.

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/diy-e-liquid/606123-stirrer-hot-plate-steeping.html

 

[Goompa]

Great idea!

With the adjustable jig on top, it looks like you could place several small bottles on it. Are there speed and timer controls on this shaker? Also can you "tune" the oscillations, I guess I mean "long stroke" or "short stroke"?

It is great that there are so many innovators and experimenters on this forum that continue to share different techniques and experiences so that all of us may learn and advance the body of knowledge around our thing. Keep up the good work!

 

[jpasint]

Great idea!

With the adjustable jig on top, it looks like you could place several small bottles on it. Are there speed and timer controls on this shaker? Also can you "tune" the oscillations, I guess I mean "long stroke" or "short stroke"?

It is great that there are so many innovators and experimenters on this forum that continue to share different techniques and experiences so that all of us may learn and advance the body of knowledge around our thing. Keep up the good work!

This unit has a speed (50-450 RPM) and timer control. The "stroke" is mechanically set at 10mm and is not adjustable.
The timer goes from 1 to 99 minutes I think or it can be set to stay on for 7 days straight.

There are way more expensive shakers than this one that do all kinds of fancy tricks.
If you are interested I have seen used older shakers on eBay for around $200 on the low side.

I think that shaking the bottles with this for 60-90 minutes will prove to be the grand finale for my juice mixes.
The ultrasonic cleaner alone did a great job at expediting the process but I noticed big improvements in the juice a few days later. This is natural and totally acceptable but I hope the shaker will reduce that 2 days to 2 minutes . Wishful thinking I'm sure.
I'll report back.

 

[jpasint]

Well, I've had the shaker for a few weeks now and have tested a handful of my mixes.
Although definitely not scientific in any way, I can say without any doubt that the combination of the UC and the physical shaking of the mix, does get the juice to a 95% plus (or better) ready/complete state.
I've used these specific mixes enough to know their taste and steep times.

The mixes I tested are my normal ADV juices which are custards and cinnamon danish type desserts.
I have made these mixes for months and have used the UC for steeping them each time in the past.
In the past, these mixes always perfected after an additional three to four days of steeping just sitting with an occasional shake. The improvement in taste in that time was very noticeable.

Now, with the shaker in the arsenal, I taste no change at all in the mixes, even days after they were initially made. To me, the fact that the juice did not change after the initial UC and shaker process, is proof that the shaker contributes substantially to the steeping process itself.
For these test mixes, I went 30 minutes in the UC at 150 deg, then 30 minutes in the shaker, back to the UC at 150 deg for 30 minutes and then finally 2 hours in the shaker. Likely could have gone just an hour instead of two in the last step to reduce the overall time though, maybe not.

This will enable me to test new mix variations and recipes right away instead of having to wait days for the last bit of steeping to occur.
Some recipes might not benefit at all from the shaker, but my dessert recipes sure do.

Patience, what patience? Lol.

 

[FearTX]

Not to derail your lab shaker thread but here are a few more small bottle shakers. The hobby paint shaker can be had for under 50$ and the nail polish shaker can be found for around 70$

 

[FearTX]

nail polish shaker

 

[00gt1]

Really neat idea. I always steep with heat and an UC, but this seems to streamline the process even more!!

 

[Mrdaputer]

Here is the shaker for about 41 bucks

http://www.amazon.com/Horizon-Hobby-ROB411-Shaker-Powered/dp/B0006O7M9W/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1414855531&sr=8-2&keywords=polish+shaker