New to DIY, Advice, please...

[mom2matoskah]

I have been having troubles with a leaking tank mod (Vision Stone 3, not cracked but I think that the juice I have been using is too thin).

I have read that sometimes this will happen using a PG ejuice, as PG is thinner than VG and that VG is best for tanks. I have fallen in love with the combo of 50/50 VG/PG for the throat hit, vapor and flavor retention properties. Seems like the best of both worlds!

I have been using 50% PG Black Cherry from Johnson Creek and 50% VG Valencia from Johnson Creek. I LOVE this flavor but I want to start DYI

I have already had issues with Johnson Creek burning out my atomizers/coils and am not planning to be ordering from them again for this main reason. To be honest, I love their flavors but I hate replacing my equipment that should be lasting MUCH LONGER! Their prices are pretty prohibitive as well...

I had a book-sized post typed out but was auto-logged-out and lost it so I will just say this: I want an awesome tasting juice and already have a few recipes in mind. My main concern is the blend of VG and PG to go for in a Vision Stone 3 tank mod to keep it IN THE TANK and vaping instead of leaking everywhere like it was water. When the JC juice wasn't killing my atomizers, every tank and clearomizer I have used has ended up leaking. If it was one or two, I would say it might be something else, but with this leaking streak we are on, I am thinking it is the juice. Nothing else would make as many different things leak at the same rate, IMO. I don't want to use carts, I find the flavor of a wicked tank to be MUCH better and I am spoiled on them already. Any advice on making a juice thick enough to keep it from leaking would be highly appreciated.

Also, let me note that I am allergic to a base carrier ingredient used in artificial sweeteners. I will be ordering flavors from the Flavor Apprentice Professional line and am hoping they are sweetener-free since sweetener is listed as a separate option to order. If there are any flavors with sweetener already added, please let me know so I can add it to my list of flavors to avoid.

Thanks in advance for any advice! I will happily answer any questions you have so that you can get all the information you need, in case my noobness is showing through and I forgot to add any essential info

 

[Kimerpuff]

I have not used that type of tank, what I would suggest in this case is to mix pg/vg alone at diffrent levels to find what %'s will not leak. Once you know this, you can taylor the juice to your flavor and nic preferences while using the above blend

Sweeteners - there is also Cotton Candy, which is a mild sweetener made from Ethyl Maltol and PG, we also have the EM crystals. It is a mild sweetener but my fav!

 

[mom2matoskah]

Are those the only ones that have sweetener in them? My problem is not that I want sweet juice but just the contrary: I want absolutely no sweetener at all.

 

[Kimerpuff]

It really depends on the flavor, ones that you would know should be sweet are. Such as Caramel ect

What flavors are you interested in?

To change the sweet flavors which are sweetened with EM you can dampen that sweetness with using either Loranns Tart & Sour or Flavor Apprentice Sour. If you use a touch it makes the flavors pop, a little more and cuts the sweetness and even more to bring on tartness.

 

[RenaissancePuffer]

Hi mom2matoskah,

I read that you enjoy the JC Black Cherry juice so I thought I would link an old post on mine from almost 2 years ago.

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...965-replicating-old-favorite.html#post1566100

That was a JC Black Cherry copycat recipe that I had attempted, and it was actually pretty good and close. Obviously not exact, but good enough as a DIY supplement. I don't think the flavors have changed much since then, at least, not TFA Cappucinno and Black Cherry but perhaps they may. I haven't mixed this up in forever, but it was pretty good back then. I will mix some up this morning and give it another try. The only change that I will make to my original post is to cut that PG:VG ratio down, that was a little closer to 60/40.

As for the tanks, if you are using the eGo Vision type tanks, you are right the flavors those produce are amazing, and much like the flavor I get when I drip. I've been using them now for a couple of months and love them.

As far as PG:VG ratios, I always mix my juices at 85% PG, 15% VG. I don't need massive vapor production, and this seems to be similiar to the ratio that e-juice vendors use in their "PG" juices. 100% PG mixtures are too thin IMO and tend to produce little vapor on the exhale, however, they still work (meaning, you still get your nicotine, flavor, and vapor, just very little vapor).

I don't have leaking issues at all with my eGo Vision, or my eGo-C. Both work quite well with 85/15 blends.

 

[mom2matoskah]

For flavoring, I am a huge fan of mixing Black Cherry and Valencia... I like that it has a bit of a bite, some fruity hints with good vapor and throat hit. I know I won't be able to completely replicate that particular mixture but I am hoping this will come close to a flavor with a good hit and nice fruity hints:

The Flavor Apprentice Professional Flavors (Flavor: Black Cherry, Size: 6ml) 50% mixture (cause cherry is yummy! LOL)
The Flavor Apprentice Professional Flavors (Flavor: Granny Smith Apple, Size: 6ml) 30% mixture (for bite & fruity note)
The Flavor Apprentice Professional Flavors (Flavor: Vanilla Bean Icecream, Size: 6ml) 15% mixture (for creaminess & vanilla)
The Flavor Apprentice Professional Flavors (Flavor: Tobacco Blend (Alc), Size: 6ml) 5% mixture (for bite)

I see you are in the Twin Cities.... I lived there for a long time!!! I started out near UMN in Minneapolis, then moved closer to downtown (worked on 1st and 7th), then eventually moved to Simms St. in St. Paul, then down to Frogtown before I moved out of town to Anoka. Eventually I moved to Canada for a little while, then down to NC where I met my husband and had our son, now we are in Laurel, MD. Yeah.... it is nice to settle down! LOL I always loved the Twin Cities, though. They definitely hold a special place for me, there's no where else on earth quite like it is there!

 

[mom2matoskah]

My tank is the Vision Stone 3 from GotVapes and so far I have been really really happy with it, the flavor is AMAZING and I am spoiled rotten on vaping with no polyfill!!! It turns out that I really can taste the polyfill... I used a cartomizer after using CE2 XL Clearomizers and my tank for almost a month and I almost gagged! Really wasn't expecting that taste like I was puffing through a polyester shirt or something. My husband can't tell a difference, except the tank gives him a harder throat hit with more vapor, but he still smokes analogs too so his sense of taste hasn't recovered from the dulling from the analogs like mine has

I am delighted with my Vision tank but I get a LOT of condensation in the top, between the top and the drip tip, so it bubbles up into my mouth when I take a good drag and gets into the center air hole, leaking down onto my battery

Is that happening because of the juice or should I be adjusting my technique to avoid that condensation? I try to make sure all the vapor is gone out of it when I am done, but there is always juice in there under my drip tip

 

[mom2matoskah]

I am thinking about buying your Dual LR EGo, is that a standard 510 outer threaded battery? I have seen some reviews on similar kits that the batteries had different threading and wouldn't fit their 510 tanks and carts without an adapter, will I need an adapter on this battery or will my Vision fit on it as-is?

 

[RenaissancePuffer]

Hi mom2matoskah,

I find the eGo Vision tanks that I use, which are different than yours but possibly similar mechanics? will leak through the bottom hole towards the battery if I fill it above the 1.6ml graduation. Also, if I tip the tank upside down it will leak through the mouthpiece. Otherwise, I too get some of the juice in my mouth through use, not often, but often enough, a couple of times a day I would say. I generally take a napkin and twist it up to dry out the drip tip a couple of times a day. I dont think there will be a way to avoid the condensation to be honest, it's the nature of the device.

I ditched carts and cartomizers a long time ago, if it doesn't taste as good as dripping, I wont even try it. I can taste the filler on every juice and it doesn't do good juice justice to add in any unnecessary flavors. The eGo Vision tanks are just as good as dripping, flavor wise, and the only reason I even use one.

Our Dual LR eGo kit takes standard 510 threads, so you can use it with or without the eGo cone with a standard 510 atomizer. I've used a variety of different atty's and batteries from various companies and they all work fine.

As for your device, if it fits on a standard eGo battery, then it will work.

 

[mom2matoskah]

WOW!!!!!

I placed an order on the evening of May 7th and it is already out for delivery halfway across the country, 1.5 days later!! You guys are awesome!!!! I can't thank you enough for your promptness! You've earned a customer for life!

Out for Delivery May 09, 2012, 10:04 am LAUREL, MD 20707
Sorting Complete May 09, 2012, 9:54 am LAUREL, MD 20707
Arrival at Post Office May 09, 2012, 7:32 am LAUREL, MD 20707
Processed through USPS Sort Facility May 09, 2012, 2:59 am CAPITOL HEIGHTS, MD 20790
Depart USPS Sort Facility May 08, 2012 SAINT PAUL, MN 55121
Processed at USPS Origin Sort Facility May 07, 2012, 10:53 pm SAINT PAUL, MN 55121
Electronic Shipping Info Received May 07, 2012
Accepted at USPS Origin Sort Facility May 07, 2012, 9:38 pm EDEN PRAIRIE, MN 55344

 

[RenaissancePuffer]

Kimer and crew do an awesome job getting orders out the door. USPS has been VERY consistant with shipping, generally only taking 2 days, sometimes 3. Glad to hear your package has made its way so quickly!

Let us know if you have any questions, you'll have a lot to work with once you get your package

 

[mom2matoskah]

It arrived right on time today, now I am playing around with flavors and trying to learn the flavors and strengths so I can mix up something nice n nummy! The flavors are EXCELLENT on their own and I might go down to 15% flavorings, it is still a little stiff at 20%

 

[RenaissancePuffer]

Yeah, 20% is thrown around a lot, and it does work with some flavors, but others you really gotta take it easy I've found it best to start small (5% range) and work your way up (or down if you're working with really strong stuff like coffees and chocolates). I like to do drop tests (i.e. 1 drop flavoring, 19 drops dilution base) to make a quick and easy 5% flavoring sample to identify flavor preferences.

 

[mom2matoskah]

I am loving your DIY supplies!

First off, the flavors I have gotten thus far aren't overly sweet, which is a bonus to me... I want flavors, not vaporized candy LOL

The flavors are crisp and fresh, I can definitely tell a difference between DIY with good supplies versus premade juices! On my second attempt, I was able to make a flavor that was an awesome all-day vape, with strong flavor from morning til night, which is very important to me since I tend to lose flavors easily (tastes fine in the morning but by mid-afternoon, I can't taste it at all and have to switch out to another flavor).

The flavors are STRONG! A teeny little bit goes a LONG way. I mixed up 6ml of nic, just under 6 ml of PG and used 1 drop tobacco blend, 2 drops pomegranate and 3 drops black cherry, total of 6 drops in 12 ml of juice and the flavor is strong enough to last me ALL DAY LONG, and pleasant enough that I am really enjoying vaping it The PG is giving me an awesome throat hit, though I am ordering some VG to with it for a little more vapor production along with a few other flavors to try out.

The color of my final juice is nearly crystal clear!!! I know that dark juices can cause some atomizer troubles and I know that with this juice, that won't be a problem. Thanks for delivering quality supplies that helps extend the life of my hardware!!!!!

I'm not sure why, probably a combination of all of the things I have already mentioned, but I am using LESS of this juice than I used of other juices I have ordered, and MORE fulfilled by it. For example: I would go through 3 ml or more of Johnson Creek juices in a day, no matter the flavor. (Their juices are all darker than mine are now, thanks to you!!!!) I refill my equipment with 1ml of my juice once a day now. I haven't been dripping or anything else, just to see a comparison between your supplies, my mixing and Johnson Creek's juice. So far, the verdict is that I use less juice now with my DIY supplies from you than I used with premixed Johnson Creek juice, and it tastes better!

With Johnson Creek's juice, I went through a pack of 5 CE2 XL Clearomizers in less than 1.5 weeks! Atomizers were dying like crazy (4 just died after a day or two of use), three of them leaked and only one atomizer didn't die before it leaked so badly it destroyed an automatic battery. Their juices are dark and watery and always seemed to leave me wanting more.... I ordered another pack of clearomizers and am trying my own juice with them to see if I get the same results. So far, I am on the first clearo and third day of juice with no leaks, no gunk on my coils or anything to show that the juice is hurting my equipment AT ALL.

Using Johnson Creek's juices, I had to remove my drip tip and wipe out my clearomizers at least a dozen times a day, condensation was INSANE! If the tank didn't leak, the condensation dripped down the air hole and had to be cleaned off the battery and blown out every time I cleaned off the seals. Even so, I got a lot of bubbling and gurgling like I had juice trapped in the air hole. I think they cut their juice down with distilled water or something, causing a lot of evaporation because not only do your supplies last me a lot LONGER than their juice did, but there is nearly nothing when it comes to condensation compared to what it was like with their juices. I bet I was losing half the juice to condensation and evaporation!

Again, thanks for providing such a wonderful store with the quickest order fulfillment I have ever seen and the best product I could ever hope for!! I ordered some VG and a few more flavors late this morning and already got a notice that they have shipped. You guys have won over a lifetime customer and I will be referring anyone who will listen over to you

--Kristen

 

[RenaissancePuffer]

Hi Kristen,

I am very happy to hear that you are enjoying DIY and your results have been positive. You are now in control of your e-juice. There are so very many flavors out there. The options can be overwhelming. I have a few flavors that are a mix of 6 flavorings, and they taste nothing when blended together as any of them do stand alone. So, it's a completely new flavor!

JC e-liquids seemed to be too thin in my experience, but that was many years ago. I always had to add in some VG to them to make them vapable, otherwise it was like vaping steam. After doing that, I was pleased enough with them. I would hang onto those JC e-liquids so that when you get your VG, you can try what I did and see if it improves them.

Oh, and for that flavor that you created, I am curious to see if you find the flavor to change over time. I've always noticed that the Tobacco Blend seems to get better with age, generally when the juice hits the 2 week mark it is fully mature, with the most notable changes occuring within the first week.

Congrats and enjoy!

 

[mom2matoskah]

I am totally enjoying mixing my own, and playing around with flavors! I will be keeping an eye on the blends as they age and will let you know how it goes, if they stay around that long!

My hubby has some Island flavor from JC that he really likes, and Solstice... Island is pretty much a Pina Colada and Solstice is a fruity blend with mint that he enjoys, but I think it is very close to cough syrup. LOL! I think I will try to mix up a clone with some Koolada for him one of these days soon

I am hesitant to use the JC juices at the moment, they are soooo rough on my atomizers and until I have more money to replace them, I don't want to risk burning up my last two New batteries and a good tank system are next on my list (eGo-C Mega and a Phiniac tank or two, with some steel drip tips so it is gonna cost a pretty penny).

With all the time that DIY has saved me (good juice = less cleaning off batteries and misc equipment from leaking juice = more free time!!! yay!), my flower gardens have been getting some loving and we even have some fresh spinach sprouting in the containers behind the house, along with sunflowers, royal carpet allysum and lavender!! Amazing what a little saved time can do for ya, eh?

 

[mom2matoskah]

Well, I have been using your juices exclusively in a CE2 for 5 days now, the coil looks almost as good as it did on day 1 with no cleaning and no breaks, only refills!! Yay!!!!

Right now, I am using a mixture that is 24mg nic, 85% PG/15% VG with a nice blend of tobacco blend, vanilla swirl, irish cream and strawberry! I call it Irish Strawberry Kick! LOL!!! It is super smooth with good TH and good vapor, waiting on my new Silver Bullet so I can see how it will taste on a better battery!

 

[Kimerpuff]

Oh that sounds yummy!

 

[mom2matoskah]

Good news! I have been using ONLY my DIY juice, made with your supplies and nothing else. I have been filling the same stainless steel CE2XLr5 since May 11th and only today had to switch to a new CE2. The switch wasn't because of loss of performance or gunked up coils, but rather the bottom of the tank sprang a leak after my son knocked if off of the table, I guess the stress was a bit too much for the tube and it leaked on the bottom just ever so slightly but enough for me to change to a new CE2. I made a point NOT to clean the CE2 because I wanted to see if the juice would be clean burning or if it would gunk up my coils like the JC smoke juice did. So far, the tube gave before the coils gunked up, I could even still see the metal coiling around the wick, and the wick was blackened from use but wasn't dirty or soiled looking, just looked kind of like a Zippo wick does after a few uses. Considering I went through 5 CE2s in a week and a half using JC smoke juice and one CE2 lasted me 16 days with out a single hint that it was giving out, just a leak in the tube, I have to say that I am super happy with how your supplies have enabled me to make an e-liquid that seems to pamper my equipment! I have even figured out a recipe that I fell IN LOVE with! I call it my Berry Irish Kick

1 part Tobacco Blend
1 part Pomegranate
3 parts Vanilla Swirl
3 parts Black Cherry
5 parts Irish Cream
5 parts Strawberry

All are TFA flavors. I mix and add at 15% strength, in an 85/15 PG/VG blend at 18mg nic strength. Delicious from the first morning vape til that last evening vape

 

[RenaissancePuffer]

That is good news indeed! My last eGo Vision that I've been using seems to be holding up a lot better than my previous, but I've been using a totally different flavor. Not sure if that has anything to do with it or not! But, I am going to experiment and see. These atty's are always different in some respect, be it draw, vapor production, lifespan, I have a hard time narrowing down hardware failure to juice, though you seem to have come to a conslusion with yours. So very glad to hear your DIY mixtures are working for you.

That e-juice sounds good! I've never mixed up a tobacco with fruit flavoring, I will give that a shot today. Does it get better with age, or can you vape it straight away? Have you begun to mix that in 30ml+ bottles yet? I have several creations that I have really settled in on as my all-day/any-day vapes, the others are just novelty.