New to DIY....kit ordered!

[Benson112]

Hi All,

Ive just ordered a bunch of DIY kit as i embark on my first attempt at some basic DIY juice making, Im quite sure nobody cares but im excited so had to tell someone!

Ive been researching relentlessly for the past week, reading reading reading, and I think i have the basics covered. My goal is to produce some basic mostly single flavoured juices for a start, playing with different ratios of VG/PG (leaning towards VG as I would like to see if its PG causing my minor breathing issues). So I have ordered VG 54mg nic base (from LT) , PG, VG, syringes, measuring beakers, bottles, gloves all from FlavourArt.

Once ive mastered the basics, I will maybe attempt more complex flavours but all with FlavourArt concentrates as I really like their approach to the dreaded D words (I dont need to mention them? Right? Well have no mass debating here )

Ordered myself a nice little istick and nautilus Mini to test them all on. So let the experimenting commence!

Ill no doubt be lurking around these forums alot more asking for help

 

[mattiem]

Welcome to the fun side (for me anyway) of vaping I too, started with single flavors and then discovered the DIY side of this giant forum. I was amazed at how easy it was to make really good tasting flavors with all the help so generously shared on these threads.

 

[cocacola31173]

You will love it. I don't try for complex flavors. What I do is make single flavors and just mix them up together in different combonations in little bottles.

You will however find it hard later to buy premixed juice after seeing how much cheaper and easier it is to do your own. I couldn't imagine paying 10 for a 30 ml bottle of juice like I used to.

 

[dannyv45]

Hi All,

Ive just ordered a bunch of DIY kit as i embark on my first attempt at some basic DIY juice making, Im quite sure nobody cares but im excited so had to tell someone!

Welcome to the dark side. We all care and are here to help so if you have questions or stumble were here for you..

Here's a little help to get you started.

Read my blogs before getting started

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/blogs/dannyv45/

then read hoosier's blogs.

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/blogs/hoosier/

Then read Boletus's blog's

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/blogs/boletus/

Then read Ginger's book "E-Cigarettes 102: DIY E-Liquid". It is a book which I've contributed to that delivers an in depth easy to follow guide in the art of DYI.

http://www.amazon.com/E-Cigarettes-...8&qid=1416844605&sr=8-5&keywords=diy+e-liquid

then read the stickies at the top of the page.

this will explain a lot of the how's and why's.

 

[Justabrewer]

You wI'll love it and don't worry about complex flavors, just get your %'s right, have fun!

 

[HDMontana]

Keep good notes for percentage of ingredients. Once you get a good mix, you will want too duplicate it.

HD

 

[DFYLR]

I just pulled the trigger on a kit from Onestopdiyshop and a whole mess of TFA flavors. I'm looking forward to digging in and experimenting and learning. If it weren't for the mountain of recipes and advice already available on here, I might be a little hesitant.

 

[jdeedler]

Awesome and have fun!

 

[Benson112]

Welcome to the fun side (for me anyway) of vaping I too, started with single flavors and then discovered the DIY side of this giant forum. I was amazed at how easy it was to make really good tasting flavors with all the help so generously shared on these threads.

Totally agree, if it hadnt been for this forum and peoples willingness to share info, i wouldnt even know DIY was possible! I cant wait for my bits to arrive. Im already £75 in the hole with nothing to show for it....YET!

You will love it. I don't try for complex flavors. What I do is make single flavors and just mix them up together in different combonations in little bottles.

You will however find it hard later to buy premixed juice after seeing how much cheaper and easier it is to do your own. I couldn't imagine paying 10 for a 30 ml bottle of juice like I used to.

Funny you should say that as ive been calculating just how much I will save by doing this. And so far I make it out to be:

Including all re-usable equip (which clearly I wont need to replace for the next batch) and even taking into account a 50% cast off value for bad batches, testing etc. I can roughly make a 10ml bottle of juice for £1.87 as opposed to the £5-£8 I had been paying. Take into account that after much learning and reduction in the purchase of startup equipment, if i can get my cast offs down to more like 10%, I will be paying more like 68 pence per 10ml bottle!

So by my long winded (and rather finger in the wind at this point) calculations, By my second batch I could be saving around £40 per month. Surely thats just extra money to spend on mods right?

Welcome to the dark side. We all care and are here to help so if you have questions or stumble were here for you..

Here's a little help to get you started.

Read my blogs before getting started

E-Cigarette Forum - dannyv45 - Blogs

then read hoosier's blogs.

E-Cigarette Forum - Hoosier - Blogs

Then read Boletus's blog's

E-Cigarette Forum - Boletus - Blogs

then read the stickies at the top of the page.

this will explain a lot of the how's and why's.

Thanks Danny, I have already seen your blogs and you helped me get my head around things initially, I re-read them all last night and now i have new plans for steeping Invaluable information there, which I will no doubt refer back to time and time again, so thank you again!

Keep good notes for percentage of ingredients. Once you get a good mix, you will want too duplicate it.

HD

I have the most inquisitive and extremely intelligent 10 year old daughter who will be most interedted in my new chemisty set. So...from a safe distance...I have no doubt she will be my note taker. So, i can be Walt....she can be my Jesse lol.

(dont worry...she will be no where near harmful substances, and is far too sensible to touch them anyway)

Awesome and have fun!

Oh i fully intend to, geting flash backs of my intregue in chemistry at school, shame i never really kept that up. I guess girls and beer always win in the end

 

[JD1]

Welcome and the best of luck to you. You starting with a good attitude and doing your homework, so I predict you'll be cranking out some great mixes in no time.

 

[Benson112]

So....I got home from work today to 2 parcels!! My iStick and Nautilus Mini was in one And i love it!

Then in the other was: Nic, PG, VG, Flavours, syringes, empty bottles....everything i need to have my first attempt....except my glass mixing beakers NOOOOOOO



So now, dilemma! Do I try my first mix using the things that I have at the moment? Maybe use a 30ml bottle to mix into? hmmm or be sensible and wait for the right kit.

Flavours I opted for:

Custard Pi
Strawberry
Blueberry
Candyfloss
And this nice little festive edition of Vanilla Custard



I have to say, for the UK guys reading...cloud 9 and Flavour Art UK have given me a fantastic service! I ordered these early afternoon yesterday and they arrived today. Cant fault them at all!

 

[Benson112]

Couldn't resist...had to give it a go. Flavourart Vanilla Custard 1% 30/70 PG/VG mix. Tried it off the bat and although kind of weak, its very vapable! So...into the pot to steep for a couple of days then try again I enjoyed that! Think this is going to be my new little obsession for a while lol.

So, now onto the inevitable questions

1. Testing - Is there a prefered way to test? I have my new Nautilus mini, kanger genitank mega, kanger aerotank mini and some Clear i6. I used the genitank as i havent used it for a while, and of course on my new iStick. I have a spinner and iTaste i could use. Does it even matter? Personal preference?
2. When measuring using the syringes, how do you cope with the annoying air bubble that always makes it into the syringe?
3. I quickly became very aware that using the same syringe to take multiple samples is not ideal. Is it wise to use a different syringe for each product? or clean inbetween? I hadnt seen anybody mention this previously.

Anyhow, off to vape the rest of my 1mm tester while the other 4mm steeps. Have to say, its tasting pretty good already! fruits of your own labour always taste sweeter

 

[dannyv45]

1. For testing I drip into a cheap 510 atty. There are also many inexpensive drippers you can purchase. For my final testing I use my ADV device.

2. Pull the plunger up a slight bit then draw up your flavor. That little air pocket between the fluid and plunger will allow you to better see the hash marks on the syringe. Some say that the air will push out the flavor that should remain in the needle but I'm not that critical on accuracy and I use very short 1" 24g needles which make what's left in the needle insignificant.

3. I keep a bottle of water near by and flush the syringe between each flavor.

 

[DFYLR]

I'm gonna call my first try a success. Made a little 5ml bottle of 3mg, trying to emulate a mexican liqueur called xtabentun. Right after mixing it's vapable- not fantastic, but worth steeping to see how it tastes after it ages a little.

 

[cocacola31173]

I usually make up 5 to 6 bottles up at a time. I bought me a bunch of the 3 ml syringes since that is the amount of flavoring I use. That way I just have to clean them when Im done and not worry about flavors gettting mixed up.

And remember to put clear nail polish over the numbers on your syringes cause they wear off fairly easily.