Hi, I go by Paesan, but mostly because several of my friends here in Austin call me that. Well that, they mostly call me Boston. But I thought that would be a dumb handle, considering I no longer live in the Boston area and never actually lived in Boston. I'm also only half Sicilian however, despite the "Paesan" moniker Though my mother is actually from Sicily and I grew up primarily around the Italian side of mi famiglia on Massachusetts' North Shore (NE Boston Suburbs) in an area with a large Sicilian population. So I do have a bit of that ..... disposition (or a lot, depending on how much I've been drinking & whether or not we're watching the Sox or the Godfather). But I'm definitely no Jersey Shore type by any stretch. The other half of me is Irish in case you're wondering (Irish from Boston you say? Inconceivable!). So I guess you could call me a McWop...some kind of tasty burger with corned beef, Parmesan & provolone, pancetta, marinara, a swift backhand and a $20 stuffed in your top shirt pocket with a kiss on each cheek...sounds pretty delicious actually.
I've actually been a member since I started vaping back in 2009, but have basically been lurking since (on & off. Mostly on the last few months. Mostly off the first, uh, 5 years...). I work as a Business Analyst for an IT Consulting Company, so I spend a lot of time on the computer at work and honestly don't use my machine much at home. Mostly due to the fact that I'd rather shove a spork deep, deep into my ocular cavity than look at a {MODERATED} computer screen for another single minute when I get home from looking at a {MODERATED} computer screen for 8 to 19 hours a day...but I digress. Tonight is an exception, as I've actually been writing this intro piece by piece for two weeks while I've been making juice. What I'm trying to say is, unfortunately, I don't get to spend all that much time on forums, but I'll do my best to visit frequently enough to add some knowledge I have to the community regarding anything and everything that may help anyone, whether it be regarding vaping or otherwise, and I know I'll get far more knowledge dropped on me in return. I will do my best to be a valuable addition to this amazing community you guys have built here...that, I can promise for sure.
Now, I'm not one for flaming or stepping on toes, so you won't see me calling people out or starting crap at all...it's just not my style. I would much rather do my best to contribute as much as possible while learning as much as possible in return, & would rather be the mediator than the instigator. I believe in being civil and fully believe there's nothing wrong with disagreeing and I honestly believe you can learn something from everyone you meet, regardless of how you feel about them personally (online or IRL). There's quite a few people whom I really, really, REALLY don't like, and with whom I unfortunately have to deal with regularly. That doesn't mean I have any right to attack, ridicule or humiliate them at all and in any way, even if I did have the means AND the justification to do any of those things. I would rather share my knowledge and experience, and maybe, just maybe...educate that person and help them to see another point of view, or to at least help them to learn a little something something. Rather than have them come off frustrated, angry and disillusioned with me or this community in any way, which reflects poorly on us all I believe. I would much prefer they come off thinking "huh, I never thought of it like that." We are all a representative of this community whether we think so or not, and out of respect for the people who put so much of their heart and soul into building this thing for us all to enjoy, connect, grow, learn, reduce harm & to help our community to flourish; we have the obligation to do our best to uphold the highest of standards and to represent this community in only the best of ways. So that's what I intend to do...fully...every time I sign in and reply to a thread...without question.
A little more about me (if you don't care, skip this...it's really not interesting) - as I said, I'm a Business Analyst for an IT Consulting Company here in Austin. If you don't know what it is, let me be the first to say "it sounds a whole lot fancier than it really is." If you're truly interested in finding out about it, I can explain it in detail, just ask. But basically, we determine the needs of the business in order to design a blueprint for an IT solution which we then hand off to developers/engineers/architects who then build the solution to our specifications. That's about the simplest way I can put it.
I'm also a former raver kid (laugh if you want) and despite the fact that I'm now in my early 30's, my love for electronic music has never wavered. So I still spin records and compose electronic music for fun (when I have time, which has become exceedingly rare of late). I was at one point spinning at clubs, but you do not make much money as a local DJ let me tell you & the hours can really start to wear on you (I actually fell asleep at the wheel and totaled my 2005 Jetta 1.8 turbo, which was my baby, because I was working full time and spinning at the clubs a few times a week. So I didn't get to sleep much if at all at the time). My day job is far more lucrative than DJing full time, and fortunately, I actually enjoy it thoroughly. Not that I don't love making music, I do very much. It's just tough to make a really good living spinning records and writing beats. That is, unless you're Avicii, Deadmaus5 or Skrillex (among several others) & getting to that level takes a level of dedication, time, devotion & a flat out extreme case of obsessive compulsive disorder that I simply do not possess, so that's currently not a full time option for me. I basically have to schedule time to use the bathroom every day (seriously. I've seriously blocked out time from my calendar to use the restroom...yeah, it gets that busy). I have several friends both stateside and in Europe (mostly in the UK) who have tunes produced on several labels and who spin parties all over the world and they STILL work a real full time day job. Simply because making $500 3 times a month spinning and maybe $1000 (if you're lucky) for every tune you write every few months, just doesn't pay the bills. ,
Aaaaanywho, I've been vaping since about June of 2009 when I had a serious health scare that made me rethink my whole life. A family member stumbled across the insanely overpriced cigalike kits at a kiosk at the mall & I picked one up. It was at least 6 months after first trying that piece of crap device before I finally got my hands on an original eGo with a 510LR dripping atty and a black delrin drip tip with a vendor who sold "extra thick" (or something like that) juice (heavy VG of course). That's what finally got me off the stinkies. Since then, I've run the gamut of devices: various eGo style (Smok Tech Winders, eGo Twists, SLB VV, iTaste, etc..), VV/VW (iTaste, Vamo, Lava Tube), various attys, clearos (kangers, Vivi, top coil, bottom coil), tanks (protank 1 and 2, full size and mini, Vivi Nova, boge carto 5ml tank setup), and even an original phoenix rebuildable with the pain in the ... 32 gauge wire and silica wicks, finally settling as most long time vapers do (I presume), on a mech mod and RDA. I just picked up my first mechanical about 6 weeks ago, and decided on the least expensive of the authentics (aside from Smok Tech's that is) and went with a SS Vanilla and an iGO-W5. Well, after a few weeks with the iGO, I realized that it ran too hot and seemed to not give a great response time from when I hit the switch to when it fired, so I just upgraded to a TOBH 2.5 about 2 weeks ago, & the difference is massive. It runs much cooler and the coils fire nearly instantaneously from when it hit the switch. Definitely digging this setup, but already have my eyes on a couple of other RDA's and mods...this is starting to look more and more expensive by the day. I also find myself obsessing a bit now, which I honestly don't know how to feel about. It's still better than smoking by a long shot I guess...at least I hope it is... Honestly, I'm kind of regretting the SS Vanilla decision & wishing I went with full on Copper...next time...next time...
I also recently started DIYing juice, as my juice consumption instantly went up 3X when I switched to dripping on a sub ohm setup and a mech mod. Being that I have vaped nothing but boutique juices for a year, making everything else taste like crap, I decided I had to start making my own, as burning through a 30ml every 24 hours at $22 a piece was far too much to spend on vaping. So I grabbed a used hotplate stirrer from eBay, an ultrasonic cleaner, and started collecting data on flavor concentrates trying to determine the best way to go about building a collection of flavors for making juice. So far I picked up 66 flavors and several finishers/buffers like sucralose, ethyl maltol, malic acid, citric acid, lemon juice, stevia in PG (glycerol), tartaric acid, acetylpyrazine, magic mask, & smooth. The finishers and last 12 flavors I ordered just came in the mail yesterday along with a couple of 30ml bottles of the flavors I've been utilizing the most. I only have 1 flavor that really seems to be almost close to perfect after tweaking it for a looong time. But I'm hoping that a couple of the juices I've created will really pop once I get a couple of things worked out, but it still needs a lot of work (I'm still tweaking the amount of heat time I put on it vs. the amount of stir time I put on it). I have two others that aren't bad, they just aren't quite there yet (and it seems like half the time I modify them, they get worse. And I've been keeping track of every change...so I have between 9 and 18 versions of 3 different juices I've been working with since my first order of DIY .... about 5 weeks ago. But I haven't been at it long & I know once I get the ratios exact and find the right finishers/buffers/sweeteners to put in there, I'll have some killer boutique quality juice. I'll post recipes once I get everything down. I have a list of 117 flavors that I would like to buy, which I assigned number values to based on how likely I would be to use them and what their overall rating is (based on several DIY sites, the manufacturers sites, forums, recipe sites, etc...all averaged out), and I'm buying my flavors in batches of 20-26 based on their calculated/assigned values. So I've placed 3 orders for flavors so far & am about to try one new place - One on One Flavors, as they look to have a unique set of flavors. If anyone has any feedback, specifically about their creams (still trying to find the right cream/custard blend that is compleely diketone free) or cereal blends, please let me know. Because their sample kits are a bit pricey for what they are & I'd hate to spend $20+ on 5 flavors I never use.
I've been using eCig Express for all my concentrates (which has been great) & have been using all the big ones - Cap, TFA, FA, FW, Natures Flavors, with FA being by far my favorite (on and eCig Express's flavors being quite good also). With FA, very little of the flavor is needed in a mix I've found, and if done right, it imparts just the right amount of sweetness, body and depth, without the need for much if any sweetener, and definitely no finishers at all. But that's just my observation. If you have feedback, throw it at my head.
Also this hotplate stirrer seems to shave off at least a week of steeping time IF the heating is done right (not overdone, because the juice will burn) & IF you leave it on the stirrer for long enough (there is a huge difference between the very same juice spinning at 1600rpm for 24 hours compared to 10 or 12 hours). I tried to find a hotplate stirrer with a temp setting at least as low as 55C, and the one I got stated "ambient +5C". But it turned out, that's the "off" temp. The lowest setting on mine is actually 65C (150F), and that will easily burn juice if on there for more than 1+- hours. So you need to be careful. Even if you don't burn it, it will reduce the overall strength of the flavors greatly,where 35% flavor tastes weak. If anyone needs any pointers in buying a hotplate stirrer, I can definitely help you identify one on eBay for less than $200 that will kick the .... out of what I have (pm me if you want, or reply here). By the time I bid on mine, a hotplate stirrer with viscosity detection controls that normally retails for about $1499.99 went up with no reserve (an IKA Ret CV S1 Control-Visc) Ended up going for like $168 for what could've went for $800 easy. But because I already spent my funds on the one I got, I got screwed...patience is indeed a virtue.
Damn, that was a long intro
. Sorry about that
, and thanks to all who took the time to read my extremely long winded introduction to ECF
. I hope to become a strong member of this amazing community and to hopefully give at least some of what I gain back.
Please feel free to break balls and .... all over me for my long drawn out post, or really for any reason at all, as long as it's in good fun. I'm all about some healthy ball breaking & don't take much personally. So all you long time vets who are ...... off you ended up reading this ..., boring as hell post, let me have it. I'd love to hear what you have to say! And maybe I can post my boozy gourmet peaches and cream recipe I've been tweaking for some feedback from yous guys on how to get it just right. I'd LOVE to hear the pro's feedback on this.
Sta Minchia!
I've actually been a member since I started vaping back in 2009, but have basically been lurking since (on & off. Mostly on the last few months. Mostly off the first, uh, 5 years...). I work as a Business Analyst for an IT Consulting Company, so I spend a lot of time on the computer at work and honestly don't use my machine much at home. Mostly due to the fact that I'd rather shove a spork deep, deep into my ocular cavity than look at a {MODERATED} computer screen for another single minute when I get home from looking at a {MODERATED} computer screen for 8 to 19 hours a day...but I digress. Tonight is an exception, as I've actually been writing this intro piece by piece for two weeks while I've been making juice. What I'm trying to say is, unfortunately, I don't get to spend all that much time on forums, but I'll do my best to visit frequently enough to add some knowledge I have to the community regarding anything and everything that may help anyone, whether it be regarding vaping or otherwise, and I know I'll get far more knowledge dropped on me in return. I will do my best to be a valuable addition to this amazing community you guys have built here...that, I can promise for sure.
Now, I'm not one for flaming or stepping on toes, so you won't see me calling people out or starting crap at all...it's just not my style. I would much rather do my best to contribute as much as possible while learning as much as possible in return, & would rather be the mediator than the instigator. I believe in being civil and fully believe there's nothing wrong with disagreeing and I honestly believe you can learn something from everyone you meet, regardless of how you feel about them personally (online or IRL). There's quite a few people whom I really, really, REALLY don't like, and with whom I unfortunately have to deal with regularly. That doesn't mean I have any right to attack, ridicule or humiliate them at all and in any way, even if I did have the means AND the justification to do any of those things. I would rather share my knowledge and experience, and maybe, just maybe...educate that person and help them to see another point of view, or to at least help them to learn a little something something. Rather than have them come off frustrated, angry and disillusioned with me or this community in any way, which reflects poorly on us all I believe. I would much prefer they come off thinking "huh, I never thought of it like that." We are all a representative of this community whether we think so or not, and out of respect for the people who put so much of their heart and soul into building this thing for us all to enjoy, connect, grow, learn, reduce harm & to help our community to flourish; we have the obligation to do our best to uphold the highest of standards and to represent this community in only the best of ways. So that's what I intend to do...fully...every time I sign in and reply to a thread...without question.
A little more about me (if you don't care, skip this...it's really not interesting) - as I said, I'm a Business Analyst for an IT Consulting Company here in Austin. If you don't know what it is, let me be the first to say "it sounds a whole lot fancier than it really is." If you're truly interested in finding out about it, I can explain it in detail, just ask. But basically, we determine the needs of the business in order to design a blueprint for an IT solution which we then hand off to developers/engineers/architects who then build the solution to our specifications. That's about the simplest way I can put it.
I'm also a former raver kid (laugh if you want) and despite the fact that I'm now in my early 30's, my love for electronic music has never wavered. So I still spin records and compose electronic music for fun (when I have time, which has become exceedingly rare of late). I was at one point spinning at clubs, but you do not make much money as a local DJ let me tell you & the hours can really start to wear on you (I actually fell asleep at the wheel and totaled my 2005 Jetta 1.8 turbo, which was my baby, because I was working full time and spinning at the clubs a few times a week. So I didn't get to sleep much if at all at the time). My day job is far more lucrative than DJing full time, and fortunately, I actually enjoy it thoroughly. Not that I don't love making music, I do very much. It's just tough to make a really good living spinning records and writing beats. That is, unless you're Avicii, Deadmaus5 or Skrillex (among several others) & getting to that level takes a level of dedication, time, devotion & a flat out extreme case of obsessive compulsive disorder that I simply do not possess, so that's currently not a full time option for me. I basically have to schedule time to use the bathroom every day (seriously. I've seriously blocked out time from my calendar to use the restroom...yeah, it gets that busy). I have several friends both stateside and in Europe (mostly in the UK) who have tunes produced on several labels and who spin parties all over the world and they STILL work a real full time day job. Simply because making $500 3 times a month spinning and maybe $1000 (if you're lucky) for every tune you write every few months, just doesn't pay the bills. ,
Aaaaanywho, I've been vaping since about June of 2009 when I had a serious health scare that made me rethink my whole life. A family member stumbled across the insanely overpriced cigalike kits at a kiosk at the mall & I picked one up. It was at least 6 months after first trying that piece of crap device before I finally got my hands on an original eGo with a 510LR dripping atty and a black delrin drip tip with a vendor who sold "extra thick" (or something like that) juice (heavy VG of course). That's what finally got me off the stinkies. Since then, I've run the gamut of devices: various eGo style (Smok Tech Winders, eGo Twists, SLB VV, iTaste, etc..), VV/VW (iTaste, Vamo, Lava Tube), various attys, clearos (kangers, Vivi, top coil, bottom coil), tanks (protank 1 and 2, full size and mini, Vivi Nova, boge carto 5ml tank setup), and even an original phoenix rebuildable with the pain in the ... 32 gauge wire and silica wicks, finally settling as most long time vapers do (I presume), on a mech mod and RDA. I just picked up my first mechanical about 6 weeks ago, and decided on the least expensive of the authentics (aside from Smok Tech's that is) and went with a SS Vanilla and an iGO-W5. Well, after a few weeks with the iGO, I realized that it ran too hot and seemed to not give a great response time from when I hit the switch to when it fired, so I just upgraded to a TOBH 2.5 about 2 weeks ago, & the difference is massive. It runs much cooler and the coils fire nearly instantaneously from when it hit the switch. Definitely digging this setup, but already have my eyes on a couple of other RDA's and mods...this is starting to look more and more expensive by the day. I also find myself obsessing a bit now, which I honestly don't know how to feel about. It's still better than smoking by a long shot I guess...at least I hope it is... Honestly, I'm kind of regretting the SS Vanilla decision & wishing I went with full on Copper...next time...next time...
I also recently started DIYing juice, as my juice consumption instantly went up 3X when I switched to dripping on a sub ohm setup and a mech mod. Being that I have vaped nothing but boutique juices for a year, making everything else taste like crap, I decided I had to start making my own, as burning through a 30ml every 24 hours at $22 a piece was far too much to spend on vaping. So I grabbed a used hotplate stirrer from eBay, an ultrasonic cleaner, and started collecting data on flavor concentrates trying to determine the best way to go about building a collection of flavors for making juice. So far I picked up 66 flavors and several finishers/buffers like sucralose, ethyl maltol, malic acid, citric acid, lemon juice, stevia in PG (glycerol), tartaric acid, acetylpyrazine, magic mask, & smooth. The finishers and last 12 flavors I ordered just came in the mail yesterday along with a couple of 30ml bottles of the flavors I've been utilizing the most. I only have 1 flavor that really seems to be almost close to perfect after tweaking it for a looong time. But I'm hoping that a couple of the juices I've created will really pop once I get a couple of things worked out, but it still needs a lot of work (I'm still tweaking the amount of heat time I put on it vs. the amount of stir time I put on it). I have two others that aren't bad, they just aren't quite there yet (and it seems like half the time I modify them, they get worse. And I've been keeping track of every change...so I have between 9 and 18 versions of 3 different juices I've been working with since my first order of DIY .... about 5 weeks ago. But I haven't been at it long & I know once I get the ratios exact and find the right finishers/buffers/sweeteners to put in there, I'll have some killer boutique quality juice. I'll post recipes once I get everything down. I have a list of 117 flavors that I would like to buy, which I assigned number values to based on how likely I would be to use them and what their overall rating is (based on several DIY sites, the manufacturers sites, forums, recipe sites, etc...all averaged out), and I'm buying my flavors in batches of 20-26 based on their calculated/assigned values. So I've placed 3 orders for flavors so far & am about to try one new place - One on One Flavors, as they look to have a unique set of flavors. If anyone has any feedback, specifically about their creams (still trying to find the right cream/custard blend that is compleely diketone free) or cereal blends, please let me know. Because their sample kits are a bit pricey for what they are & I'd hate to spend $20+ on 5 flavors I never use.
I've been using eCig Express for all my concentrates (which has been great) & have been using all the big ones - Cap, TFA, FA, FW, Natures Flavors, with FA being by far my favorite (on and eCig Express's flavors being quite good also). With FA, very little of the flavor is needed in a mix I've found, and if done right, it imparts just the right amount of sweetness, body and depth, without the need for much if any sweetener, and definitely no finishers at all. But that's just my observation. If you have feedback, throw it at my head.
Also this hotplate stirrer seems to shave off at least a week of steeping time IF the heating is done right (not overdone, because the juice will burn) & IF you leave it on the stirrer for long enough (there is a huge difference between the very same juice spinning at 1600rpm for 24 hours compared to 10 or 12 hours). I tried to find a hotplate stirrer with a temp setting at least as low as 55C, and the one I got stated "ambient +5C". But it turned out, that's the "off" temp. The lowest setting on mine is actually 65C (150F), and that will easily burn juice if on there for more than 1+- hours. So you need to be careful. Even if you don't burn it, it will reduce the overall strength of the flavors greatly,where 35% flavor tastes weak. If anyone needs any pointers in buying a hotplate stirrer, I can definitely help you identify one on eBay for less than $200 that will kick the .... out of what I have (pm me if you want, or reply here). By the time I bid on mine, a hotplate stirrer with viscosity detection controls that normally retails for about $1499.99 went up with no reserve (an IKA Ret CV S1 Control-Visc) Ended up going for like $168 for what could've went for $800 easy. But because I already spent my funds on the one I got, I got screwed...patience is indeed a virtue.
Damn, that was a long intro
. Sorry about that, and thanks to all who took the time to read my extremely long winded introduction to ECF. I hope to become a strong member of this amazing community and to hopefully give at least some of what I gain back. Please feel free to break balls and .... all over me for my long drawn out post, or really for any reason at all, as long as it's in good fun. I'm all about some healthy ball breaking & don't take much personally. So all you long time vets who are ...... off you ended up reading this ..., boring as hell post, let me have it. I'd love to hear what you have to say! And maybe I can post my boozy gourmet peaches and cream recipe I've been tweaking for some feedback from yous guys on how to get it just right. I'd LOVE to hear the pro's feedback on this.
Sta Minchia!
Last edited by a moderator:
:....just messing with ya Paesan. Welcome to the forum
