Need help with first time buying? Special considerations due to being in AR.

[puppywee]

Hi there, I have been vaping for many years and have decided that I'd like to try DIY flavors. I have to admit, I'm really, really lost trying to sort through what I need to get - basically on the nicotine front.


I would like to buy pre-mixed pg/vg nic. So right now the juice I enjoy is typically 85% PG and 15% vG, but I would be fine with a 50-50 mix, too.


I typically buy between 6-8mg nic juices. I just want something I can: draw out 30ml (example) of unflavored base add flavoring to and go? Does this exist? I understand adding flavoring will dilute further, so maybe instead I would get something like 10mg nic?


I'll also note that I am in Arkanasas. I think I found what I was looking for on ecigexpress..but they won't ship to Arkansas. I'm not sure how many others won't ship here.

 

[KentA]

I think you will want to add a concentrated nicotine solution with PG, VG, & flavor. For example, I use a 100mg/ml nicotine strength which is 10% nicotine & 90% PG solution. To get the final proportions right, depend on a e-juice calculator like "eJuice Me Up".

If ecigexpress won't ship to Arkansas, you can try My Freedom Smokes, Nicotine River, Heartland Vapes, E-Liq.Com, RTS, or Wizard Labs.

Good luck. The results are well worth the effort of beginning DIY.

 

[JCinFLA]

OK, yes, it possible to buy premade PG, VG, and Nic Base mixed, so you only have to add flavorings to it and go. The fact that you're fine with a 50/50 ratio, or some other common ones nic sellers will make for you (ie. 70/30, 30/70, etc.), is a plus. One drawback to that is since you vape maybe at most 10mg nic eliquids...you're going to be paying the Nic Base seller more than you need to, to achieve the same things you want in the end. (By that I mean that it's a better "bang for your buck" to order a higher mg of Nic Base than your target mg. Then add more of your own plain PG and/or VG to it, to end up with the end ratio you want.)

As far as adding a single thing (flavoring) to that Nic Base + PG + VG...yes - One Stop DIY Shop has their own proprietary flavorings called One Stop Flavors and
One Stop Blends. They have about 8-9 of one of those and more of the other, but...many people use them, and they're IMO and that of quite a few others...wonderful!

One normally just adds between about 8-10% of 1 of them...to your own Nic Base, plain PG, and plain VG...according to the amount that an eliquid calculator tells you to add. However, if you DO get the Nic Base in a 50/50 ratio of PG & VG...and you're fine with ending up with close to a 50/50 ratio, you'd just add 8-10% of 1 of the flavorings to that. For example, if you wanted a 50mL bottle of finished eliquid, you'd add 5mL of a flavoring (10%)...to 45mL of your Nic Base in the 50/50 ratio of PG/VG, and as you say..."go"!

Edit: Most Nic Base sellers sell it in 0mg, 3mg, 6mg, 12mg, 18mg, 24mg, etc. So you can't really buy 8-10mg Nic Base. If you use 1 of the flavorings at 8-10% at the most...buying 12 mg Nic Base you end up with a higher Nic mg than your preferred 6-8%, but getting 6mg nic Base will give you lower than you want in the end.

 

[puppywee]

Thanks guys! I'm sorry, you probably get so many questions like this...

So I think freedom smokes will ship here. Let me see if I have this right..

UnFlavored Nicotine E-Liquid Base < this unflavored nic, at 24mg with 75% PG / 25% VG

To make a 30ml bottle I would do:

10ml of the unflavored nic
6.5 ml of pg
13.5ml of vg

to come out to a 70% VG 30% PG 8mg nic base that I then flavor? Thats according this calculator:
http://..................../create

This seems a ton more cost effective than buying juice as I am now - or would i still be really overcharging myself here?

edit:
Okay, I cant do links yet. That nic base is from myfreedomsmokes, and the calc link is just a generic ejuice recipe calculator.

 

[JCinFLA]

The easiest ratio to buy your Nic Base in is either 100% VG or 100% PG. You're going to end up adding some plain PG and plain VG to your way above anyway. Since you want a 70VG/30PG final ratio...I'd buy your Nic Base in 100% VG. That way, even if you decide later that you want more flavoring (which is usually PG based) than just 10% of the total amount you're making, you won't have a problem still ending up with your desired final 70VG/30PG ratio.

 

[JCinFLA]

To make a 30ml bottle I would do:

10ml of the unflavored nic
6.5 ml of pg
13.5ml of vg

to come out to a 70% VG 30% PG 8mg nic base that I then flavor?

Nope! You input the 10% flavoring you want in your eliquid into the calculator as well...then let it spit out how much of each ingredient you will mix to make your eliquid. That 10% is only if you're using one of those One Stop Flavors or Blends I mentioned above though. Flavoring % will vary if using TFA, CAP, INA, and/or other single flavorings...that are meant to be mixed together in an eliquid. Following a recipe is the easiest way to know what % is recommended for each flavoring to make it taste right.

 

[JCinFLA]

24mg with 75% PG / 25% VG

Also, I wouldn't buy my Nic Base like above...when you want to end up with a 70VG/30PG final ratio. I'd still use 100% VG as the Nic Base.

 

[puppywee]

Nope! You input the 10% flavoring you want in your eliquid into the calculator as well...then let it spit out how much of each ingredient you will mix to make your eliquid.

Okay! Yeah, I haven't even looked at flavors yet. I think I get the gist now, thank goodness for the calculators or else i'd just be hopeless

Okay, so I will go with a 100% vg base. Thanks. I'll also probably bump it up to 48mg of nic since this seems to be the most expensive part of DIY, so I can use less - I think that's the highest level I feel comfortable having in the house. So 100% VG 48mg nic base - does that sound good?

Now I just need to pick my flavoring...
If anyone wants to throw out some suggestions to me on that front:

I vaped Virgin Vapor Strawberry Shortcake for about 3 years, nothing BUT that, until it was discontinued. I really miss it but I have not been able to find a replacement. It seems like all cream based juice I try, I get a very very bad taste from - it reminds me of burnt bread, coffee etc. I can't really explain the flavor other than it's a burnt taste and I got it from cream vapes, cookie, cake, etc. It also smells burnt to me.

I once bought a bottle of "sweet cream" ejuice to try adding to plain strawberry and it was rancid tasting. I asked about this somewhere else and it was suggested to me I may be really sensitive to the butyric acid taste which is in a lot of cream based flavorings. I'm not sure what flavoring I should buy then to avoid this. I know it seems to exist due to the VV vape I used, but I wonder if they didn't use something else completely to achieve the cream flavor?

Otherwise, I'll want strawberry flavors and maybe a good sweet champange to start out with.

 

[Marc411]

This may help

Company Abbv Link
Capella - CAP Capella Flavor Drops
Ecigexpress (Hangsen) ECX http://www.ecigexpress.com/diy-e-liquid.html
Flavor West - FW Flavor West
FlavourArt - FA Flavour art express
Hangsen - HS Hangsen
Inawera - INW Bull City Vapor - Inawera
LorAnns - LA LorAnns Flavor
Natures flavors - NF Natures flavors
The Flavor Apprentice - TFA Flavor Apprentice
Vaping zone - VZ Vaping zone
RTS Vapes RTS Vapes - All Flavors Makers
Flavorah F Flavorah
Bull City Vapor BCV Bull City
One stop diy shop OSD One Stop DIY
One On One Flavors OnO One On One Flavors
Flavor Concentrates Flavor Concentrates - Highly Concentrated Natural Flavoring
GNC Pure-Liquid-Clear-Stevia
Molin Berry Flavor MOL Molin Berry Flavors - Vapers Tek
Essential Depot PG/VGglyCUBE: Essential Depot
Wizard Labs Wizard lab Flavor link

 

[JCinFLA]

I'll also probably bump it up to 48mg of nic since this seems to be the most expensive part of DIY,

Good idea to bump it up to the 48mg, but...actually, the flavorings are the most expensive part of your eliquids for most people who DIY. The Nic Base usually comes out to less than the flavorings.

For example, a litre of my 100mg Nic Base usually runs about $50. There are 1000mLs in a liter, so each mL only costs me $.05! I make my eliquids at a 6mg finished nic. When I make a 50mL bottle of eliquid, I use just 3mL of my 100mg Nic Base in it...to end up with a final 6mg nic in that 50mL I'm making. So, the nic in it cost just $.15 !

 

[zoiDman]

Thanks guys! I'm sorry, you probably get so many questions like this...

...

Actually... We Do. But I don't think a Few More Questions is going to Hurt Anyone. So Ask Away.

 

[BrotherBob]

Hi there, I have been vaping for many years and have decided that I'd like to try DIY flavors. I have to admit, I'm really, really lost trying to sort through what I need to get - basically on the nicotine front.

Welcome and glad you joined. Below is sort of an overkill but eventually it will pay to know. As to repetitive questions, if you try to ask questions with topics that are tricky or unclear, this is ok. I get a little short/peeved, if the questions/answer is already in my sends and has not been read.
Might like to read:
diy_beginners_guide - DIY_eJuice
dannyv45's blog | E-Cigarette Forum
Hoosier's blog | E-Cigarette Forum
http://www.thevaperstable.com/diy/
How hard is it to get in to DIY liqiud?
What you need to know as as far as supplies and safety for the first time juicer. | E-Cigarette Forum
Tips for Beginners – DIY OR DIE

Could ask DIY questions here or PM me:
DIY E-Liquid

 

[Marc411]

and some recipe links

DIY E-Liquid | E-Cigarette Forum
E-Liquid Recipes | E-Cigarette Forum
For recipes only!!!!!!! | E-Cigarette Forum
EcigExpress Archive Cookbook | Your favorite e-liquid recipes
Clone Recipes | Homemade E-juice Recipes
E-liquid recipes | dot1ml
diyRecipeBook
Mega TFA / TPA Recipe Thread : DIY_eJuice (TFA/TPA)
Solid list of DIY clones! : DIY_eJuice
hic : cerealkillaclone (FA)
ejuicerecipeforum-the place for DIY e-juice lovers
e-Liquid Calculator
TFA_Vendor's Recipes_06_23_14.pdf - Google Drive
E-Liquid Recipes | E-Juice Recipes
E-Liquid Mixing Recipes | Make My Vape
E-Liquid Recipes | Planet of the Vapes
99Juices
Zoho Creator -DIY e-Juice Recipe Book
UK Vapers - Juice Recipes
Recipe mega thread
Accueil - Le DIY pour les Nuls
FLAVOR CHARTS Page | BAKE IT RIGHT
Flavor Profiles that Pair Together in Recipes - Nouveau RawNouveau Raw
Favorite tobacco flavoring discussion - Tobacco flavoring discussion only | E-Cigarette Forum
Botboy141 Guide to Mixing By Weight • /r/DIY_eJuice
E-Liquid Recipes | DIY E-Juice | e cig Liquids
Le DIY pour les Nuls - Recettes DIY - Trucs et Astuces.