New to forums and ecigs ^_^

[elfstone]

Did you do it? Did you do it?

I am sure the Volt is a great choice and I hope you'll like it. What nicotine strength did you pick up?

The reason we all talk about sample size bottles of e-juice is that it's sometimes difficult to find the flavors and nicotine strength you enjoy best. There's no clear relation between the mg/ml of nicotine and individual experience. With your smoking habits, you might enjoy a medium strength - 16 or 18 mg or even 12 mg. It's usually higher in the beginning and then, if you want to, you can lower it. But there is no telling in advance - if you find yourself craving a cigarette all the time, it may be that your liquid is too low in nicotine for you...

I find it useful to have a liquid around with higher nicotine than what I usually vape - I call it my 'rescue juice' and I used to use it when cravings hit bad.

 

[KaitLynnHt]

Did you do it? Did you do it?

I am sure the Volt is a great choice and I hope you'll like it. What nicotine strength did you pick up?

The reason we all talk about sample size bottles of e-juice is that it's sometimes difficult to find the flavors and nicotine strength you enjoy best. There's no clear relation between the mg/ml of nicotine and individual experience. With your smoking habits, you might enjoy a medium strength - 16 or 18 mg or even 12 mg. It's usually higher in the beginning and then, if you want to, you can lower it. But there is no telling in advance - if you find yourself craving a cigarette all the time, it may be that your liquid is too low in nicotine for you...

I find it useful to have a liquid around with higher nicotine than what I usually vape - I call it my 'rescue juice' and I used to use it when cravings hit bad.

Actually not quite yet, I was just gonna ask one last question which I think you just answered. Like I said, I smoke full flavor Menthol 100s. So I wanted to know what a good strength might be. I used to smoke lights, but my brand stopped making them in Menthol, and I've gotten used to that extra kick in the full flavor.

I have 24mg in my cart right now. I like getting more for my money and the great thing about the ecig is that I can limit myself to a couple hits at a time if that's all I want or need. Should I get an 18 and a 24 just in case... Smokeless Image doesn't seem to have anything smaller than a 30ml. Should I maybe stick to a variety of prefilled cartos for my first purchase and save the refill liquid for later?

 

[dlsw]

Did you do it? Did you do it?

I am sure the Volt is a great choice and I hope you'll like it. What nicotine strength did you pick up?

The reason we all talk about sample size bottles of e-juice is that it's sometimes difficult to find the flavors and nicotine strength you enjoy best. There's no clear relation between the mg/ml of nicotine and individual experience. With your smoking habits, you might enjoy a medium strength - 16 or 18 mg or even 12 mg. It's usually higher in the beginning and then, if you want to, you can lower it. But there is no telling in advance - if you find yourself craving a cigarette all the time, it may be that your liquid is too low in nicotine for you...

I find it useful to have a liquid around with higher nicotine than what I usually vape - I call it my 'rescue juice' and I used to use it when cravings hit bad.

Me too! I have some 24 mg of hypermint from bluemistvaping that I use when I really feel the need. (Only needed it twice today!) Isn't it nice to have the tools you need to quit?

 

[dlsw]

Actually not quite yet, I was just gonna ask one last question which I think you just answered. Like I said, I smoke full flavor Menthol 100s. So I wanted to know what a good strength might be. I used to smoke lights, but my brand stopped making them in Menthol, and I've gotten used to that extra kick in the full flavor.

I have 24mg in my cart right now. I like getting more for my money and the great thing about the ecig is that I can limit myself to a couple hits at a time if that's all I want or need. Should I get an 18 and a 24 just in case... Smokeless Image doesn't seem to have anything smaller than a 30ml. Should I maybe stick to variety of prefilled cartos for my first purchase and save the refill liquid for later?

30 ml is a large bottle, lol. I don't know if I would get a bottle larger than 10 since you haven't tried it. I have ordered juices from wordupecig in small amounts and they have free shipping. (Their strawberry banana is divine.) You should get a few different strenghts, probably 12 and 18.

 

[Tokemiester]

. Like I said, I smoke full flavor Menthol 100s. So I wanted to know what a good strength might be. I used to smoke lights, but my brand stopped making them in Menthol, and I've gotten used to that extra kick in the full flavor.

I have 24mg in my cart right now. I like getting more for my money and the great thing about the ecig is that I can limit myself to a couple hits at a time if that's all I want or need. Should I get an 18 and a 24 just in case... Smokeless Image doesn't seem to have anything smaller than a 30ml. Should I maybe stick to variety of prefilled cartos for my first purchase and save the refill liquid for later?

I went from a pack a day Marlboro Menthol 100's to zero with Volt 18mg. You maybe right about 24mg and not vaping heavy,
OTOH you may build your nicotine tolerance up.

 

[elfstone]

I agree. I'd get several smaller bottles, rather than the big one. And if you're dead set on menthol, then I'd at least get the 18 and 24.

Here's the thing with vaping. You can't equate it to smoking cigarettes. First, it doesn't end, like a cigarette. Second, nicotine is absorbed slower than from the cigarette and hits differently (there's a long discussion about this). Most people need longer vaping sessions than the time it takes to smoke an analog. But if the nicotine is too high in the juice, you might not be able to vape sufficiently because of the harshness ("throat hit"), or you won't be able to enjoy it as much because you can't vape too long. If the nicotine is too low, you may actually crave the throat hit itself and it may not give you the right fix.

I don't really agree about building up tolerance - you are more likely to get symptoms like dizziness, headache, nausea if you are taking too much nicotine and you will need to stop. Your body is usually very apt at telling you when you had too much

 

[KaitLynnHt]

I think, I'll get a few variety packs of prefilled at different strenths to start. I'm not sure how long each prefilled carto will last, but they should last long enough for me to make a decision and put in an order for a bottle of something I know I will like. Thanks ^_^

Edit: Menthol is a must... I may get other flavors as a maybe, but like I said, sometimes I think I'm more addicted to the menthol than I am the nicotine.

And the other website was very confusing. Too many options, which may be great for later, but for now, starting out its a bit confusing.

 

[Ladypixel]

My two cents' worth: if the place you're ordering your other stuff from doesn't offer anything smaller than 30ml, find a place that does. Pick up a 24mg and a 16-18mg, possibly two different flavors so they're easily identifiable, and swap back and forth. This provides two things: 1) it gives you an option tastewise, which actually helps a little bit with keeping your taste buds "fresh" as many people experience a lessening of flavor if they vape the same flavor for a prolonged period of time (I get this myself, and so I switch it up a lot), and 2) it gives you the stronger nicotine for those times when you just really feel like you should have a smoke. Stronger nicotine does tend to come with a stronger throat hit, too, and you may not want that all the time.

And besides all that, variety is the spice of life (and, for many of us, the spice of vaping).

 

[elfstone]

Oh, and there's plenty of different mentholated flavors out there. In fact, I just bought from RAWR Vapor - a vendor that puts menthol in everything by default, unless you tell them not to

 

[KaitLynnHt]

okay, if I try some of the stuff at wordupecig, what does Propalyne Glycol or Vegitable glycerin mean (or 50/50). That's really what is confusing me on that site.

I definitely want to be open and try what I can to make this work, but I'm finding all the new terms and options a bit overwhelming still.

 

[KaitLynnHt]

Oh, and there's plenty of different mentholated flavors out there. In fact, I just bought from RAWR Vapor - a vendor that puts menthol in everything by default, unless you tell them not to

Oh now that sounds promising ^_^

 

[elfstone]

Ha-ha, I just now saw you were from Ohio. But still a long way away.

PG and VG are the stuff you vape. PG is thinner, produces less vapor and allows for more throat hit from the nicotine. VG is thick, produces a lot of vapor, adds a little sweetness to the taste and mutes the throat hit. Most people find a mix of the two to be best for them. I guess 70 PG / 30 VG is a good way to start. 100% VG is usually harder to manage because is thicker, but makes literally clouds of vapor. Also, very few people may be allergic to PG and they must vape VG-only.

 

[Ladypixel]

There are two liquids which form the base for all juices: propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin.

Propylene glycol is commonly used in the medical industry for tent-style inhalation of medicines (for people who're having lung issues, for example), as well as in hospitals to help keep the air clean. It's also found in toothpaste, in food, in shampoo, and many other common household items (I discovered that my Visine had PG in it the other day and laughed).

Vegetable glycerin is, well, glycerin. It's used in soap, in shampoo, in toothpaste, etc, etc, just as the PG is.

PG tends to be thinner and is commonly what's used for flavoring agents as well as unflavored as a liquid base. VG tends to be thicker and produces a lot more vapor. Most commonly is a blend of the two at varying levels, depending on taste/on the juice manufacturer/on request.

Some people do experience a sensitivity to PG, but I would not stress out about it to begin with, because it's actually fairly rare. Over time, you'll figure out what percentage of PG to VG is right for you, and that takes tinkering and tweaking (I think, for me, it's about 40% PG/60% VG, but that's still a very rough guess, and may yet change.) Everyone experiences a bit of dehydration when they start vaping, though -- and that is because both products tend to be slight drying agents. Drink a lot of water when you begin. It helps.

50/50 literally means half PG, half VG, and is one of the most common base mixtures out there.

 

[KaitLynnHt]

Okay, so Volt Starter kit with blanks (and an extra pack) and I'm going to go with a variety of flavors and strengths at Rawr since I can mentholate just about everything there and they're less expensive than the other place. ^_^

Thanks so much guys... I think I'm gonna go get a cig (hopefully one of my last, I have a pack and a half left, hopefully they last until my stuff arrives) then I'll come back and place my orders. Hopefully I haven't been too much trouble.

Propylene glycol is commonly used in the medical industry for tent-style inhalation of medicines (for people who're having lung issues, for example), as well as in hospitals to help keep the air clean. It's also found in toothpaste, in food, in shampoo, and many other common household items (I discovered that my Visine had PG in it the other day and laughed).

I thought that sounded vaguely familiar. I bet it's in my inhaler. Yes, I have asthma, but only slight. Smoking has never bothered it, I only use my inhaler during the summer when its very hot out.

 

[Tokemiester]

"I can mentholate just about everything there "

Menthol 'an waffle?...nah....but yeah, it goes well with alot.

 

[Ladypixel]

It's a very common inhaler ingredient -- in fact, it was in my kid's inhaler. And vegetable glycerin was in her rescue inhaler, because yes, she experienced a throat hit from her PG one -- although as I didn't vape at that point, her occasional complaints about her primary inhaler being 'really dry' made almost no sense to me, but made sense to her doctor!

For the record, I've actually described my eGo-T as my 'nicotine inhaler' with great success to people. People "get" inhalers in a way that they don't get the concept of ecigs.

 

[KaitLynnHt]

I don't think I'm brave enough to try fruity flavors. Never was a big fan of them, maybe I'll eventually get around to it. At 10ml each, I'm starting with a 24mg and 18mg Tobacco with 4% and 7% menthol (trying to experiment with different levels of nicotine and menthol), and then for fun 18mg Double Chocolate and 18mg Peppermint with 2% menthol. I went with a 50/50.

I'm going to bed now. Since its the weekend and my orders probably won't actually post 'til Monday, I'll actually place my order Sunday night to give me a little time for last minute changes. So if anyone has any further suggestions or advice, just let me know. I don't know much about menthol levels (since I just blindly smoke what the cigarette companies supply me with) so unless anyone knows more exactly how much menthol is 4%, 7%, etc... I'll have to play with it. ^_^

Anyone know what the shipping time frames are for Smokeless Image or RAWR Vapor?

Nite nite

~kat -_- {zzz)

 

[bushmasterar15]

Welcome to the ECF.

 

[LucentShadow]

Hi, KaitLynnHt! Welcome to the ECF.

The Volt looks like a nice kit, and the prices are reasonable there. Plus, kr808d1 style is popular enough to have some of the interesting options for trying later, like the KR808D1 Ultimate CE2 Clearomizer XL. While not everyone likes those, I love them. They hold plenty of liquid, are pretty easy to fill, and can be made to last a long time, like an atomizer. They require some research and a bit of fiddling to get the best results, so are probably better to try later on, though.

I'd suggest considering getting the cartos that come with the kit prefilled with an 18mg/ml juice, as something that you can get started with right away, and also a pack of blanks. You can always top off the prefilled ones with a similar flavor from your juice order, or be adventurous and top off with a different one. I kind of like the slow transitioning of flavors sometimes.

Definitely look up some vids on youtube for filling cartos. I prefer drip-filling, but there are several methods out there. There is a learning curve at first, but it's easy once you figure it out. It's very important to be as sure as possible that the filling is saturated all of the way down. Depending on the cartos, juice, and other factors, average cartos can be topped off for days or longer before they need to be retired.

As for liquid, there are tons of choices. You can get it cheaper than at that site, but probably not at that level of customization. I'm not a menthol user, but if I were, I'd consider getting some DIY menthol at some point, like from here:

Menthol Crystals .25oz - MyFreedomSmokes.com

One of the reviews there even describes a good way to make liquid concentrate out of them. With these, you could always add menthol to your tastes immediately, instead of waiting until your next order to try a different level.

Most vendors ship the same or next day around here, but often don't on weekends. Two business days is the longest processing I've had so far.

Good luck!

 

[KaitLynnHt]

RAWR actually has menthol crystals. I thought about getting those but I thought that was something I should get more experience for. I'd much rather customize it myself at the start if that's something that is possible. ???

And you're right about prefilled for the first. I'm going to go that route, because thinking about it, the tobacco juice I'm getting would be similar to the prefilled I was looking at originally, so it wouldn't be so much of a "mix" refilling with those ^_^ Just wanted to get more bang for my buck with the cartos.