Nicotine Comparisons

[Bob Chill]

When I first started DIY I bought some cushion foam remnants and foam board. I glued them together and cut holes out to hold bottles. No chance at spilling anything. Just top off the Nic/pg/vg bottles as you go. Very clean and safe method:

I've since moved on to mixing much bigger batches and have changed methods but this worked really well for me the first year.

I've simplified making 60- 240mls of a recipe at a time. I bought glass beakers and 16 ounce squeeze bottles that I fill with PG/VG. I like this type:

Squeeze Bottles, Squeezable Bottles in Stock - ULINE

I just squeze the pg/vg into the beaker and pour into the finished bottled using a wide stem stainless spice funnel. The only thing I use syringes for are Nic and flavors. I know there are plenty of great methods out there but I do love the squeeze bottle/beaker combo when making 60mls on up. Graduated cylinders are nice but the beaker is easier to handle and pour imho.

 

[aikanae1]

Thanks! Yeah i do have cats around. I plan on mixing in the basement, no cats there, but they can sneak up on ya. Oh, that makes sense about the storage space.



Yes, i will order pg and vg to mix with. I figured I'd just go with a straight one fruit flavor to get my feet wet at first. I guess i would feel more comfortable with the lower nic at first. I can see where some people would only want to add flavorings though.

Thanks to you both for explaining that! I think I'll try the 60 first, play with it for a week or 2 and then move up if I feel comfortable with it and start stocking up.

Be aware that pg is considered toxic to cats. I don't know how toxic because I don't have cats. But it's something you might want to get more info on.

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[aikanae1]

Very good point. I will have to use a calculator to figure out how much of everything to use. That got me thinking though, if I'm gonna start small, i should go smaller yet and get more comfortable with the process. Then i would hopefully be more comfortable jumping up. I really like your idea of 36mg at first.

100mg is what most people get and it's easy to use for calculations.

Most of my nic is 48mg, partially because I mix 100% vg and worry about hot spots from uneven distribution and feel most suppliers can distribute nic in vg better than I can. I also don't need as much vg on hand and shipping gets expensive for that too.

None of what I do should make much difference to you unless you want to do something similar. Everyone develops their own work flow.

I got started using test tube racks. Thats what I had. NN has some for $3-$4 in their DIY section and a pretty nice beginners kit. I got started with NN as soon as they opened because of their interest in working with 100% vg flavors. Their coupon then was 50%. Over the last year I think I've only seen 2 coupons that could be applied to nic and they were 10%. NN has information sheets you might be interested in.

I've also chosen to go with a variety of manufacturers. Something about not putting all my eggs in one basket sort of thing.

I wanted some of RTS $49/ltr but it was only in pg. [emoji107] Their 500ml was almost the same price. Not fair.


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[Bob Chill]

I wanted some of RTS $49/ltr but it was only in pg. [emoji107] Their 500ml was almost the same price. Not fair.

I logged in to see if my order from yesterday shipped and also checked the 1L stock. VG is back on the dropdown. It wasn't yesterday when I placed my order. The 15% off sale is still good through midnight.

 

[aikanae1]

This is not strictly on topic, but closely coupled.



Kurt - I have complaints at either end of the PG-VG spectrum and all points in-between. Propanediol doesn't suit me either.

Given your chemistry experience, do you see much opportunity for future development of alternative eliquid bases?

I've been watching PDO and from what I've heard it has a plasticy taste unflavored. Real Flavors uses PDO and I've heard good things about them. Grimm just came out with a new line using Real Flavors exclusively. Rumour was that 5 Pawns was incorporating it too, but I can't verify.

I'm not thrilled with the evaporation of dw with vg. If a nic supplier came out with vg thinned with PDO, I'd be first in line. Hmm. Maybe I should ask NN?

I'm on the fence. I do have a known allergy to a related compound so I'm playing with fire even @ 5% pg. Two of my favorite pg free vendors have closed their doors this week and there's not many left.

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[nilesong]

Thank you all so much for your help, advice, and hints/tips! I've got a lot to learn but it's kinda exciting to dive into a new area.

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[ShowerHead]

I seriously doubt that the calculators will no longer exist but in any event I own mine, purchased from android app store: Liquix.

Me too, then, I look at what the Apple app store has. Barren as far as I could determine.
As in all things, whatever preparation you feel is required is fine with me. It won't affect my vape.
Others may wish to consider their options if websites are no longer there, either because the owner no longer wants to run it, or the regulators dictate that they go. No cash outlay, couldn't be easier to pick one, and you're set if it comes to that.

 

[aikanae1]

Nothing's fool proof either. I like my 48mg because 3/6/12/24 mg fit my needs and I can figure it out in my head. I guess 100mg is similar. Once you do it a few times.

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[JeremyR]

NN had a good Black Friday sale the past two years, I started stocking up then. Not sure we'll be that lucky come this fall. I'm tempted by the rts price, but while I'm not a super taster, I do get the peppery off flavor from WL. I worry about undertones in other nics. I think I may pay the piper for another liter of NN just so I know I have what works for me.

Rts is not like WL at all, at least last time I tried them. I have some rts that has been on the shelf over two years. Not fidgerated and it's still good, no off smell.

WL went to the garbage after a year on the shelf.

 

[JeremyR]

I've been using tod mullers calculator for years.. It's simple and works for me and my simple single flavor hangsen mixes.

 

[JeremyR]

I logged in to see if my order from yesterday shipped and also checked the 1L stock. VG is back on the dropdown. It wasn't yesterday when I placed my order. The 15% off sale is still good through midnight.

Your First order 20% is always good and cannot be combined with the 15%...

Funny thing is other than the little bit I have shelved I don't even have any rts right now.. The pink ecx / nic select (vg) seems to have more aroma than rts has, not feeling it would boad as well long term... I personally would choose rts for long term storage, out of the lower budget nics.. . Nude nic is super clean, I liken it to water, definitely will store well.

 

[Kurt]

5Pawns did use PDO for a while. It is where I first heard of PDO.

Here is a company selling PDO/VG base liquids, with and without nic, up to 100 mg. Samples are available.

Shop Now

Evan Serling is the owner, and a good guy. They also sell Real Flavors. I tried their Vapor Base, which is PDO/VG mixture. That is what I was referring to when I said I didn't like the taste of PDO. Was also not fond of how it felt in my lungs. Rather thick and heavy compared to my VG/dw mixtures, almost oily.

One thing about PDO that I disagree with is the "100% natural" claim. PDO is made from corn oil using a genetically modified form of E. Coli. Nature does not make it on its own. In my book involving GMOs is not natural.

 

[Vinnybagodoughnuts]

Does the liter of RTS 100MG Nic come in a glass bottle? It doesn't say so I am assuming its plastic.

 

[markfm]

RTS may have a glass option, however the < $50 100mg I picked up shipped in plastic. I split mine into smaller glass bottles for storage.

 

[JeremyR]

It is plastic, but it seems to be a higher grade plastic. I've had some nic in plastic that leached after a year or so and tainted the nic I believe ... I have not experienced that with the rts bottles.

 

[Saippenu]

I just started DIY with juice a couple of weeks ago. I did MUCH reading here on the forums before making my first attempt, including reading the entire "nicotine comparisons" thread before even buying my nicotine.

I am stocking up before 8/8 so I bought 10 liters of nicotine from two different vendors that were recommended here on the forums. It took me about a week to rebottle everything into the amber Boston round bottles.

The rest of my comments on this will go to show that everyone has personal tastes so no-one can fully recommend what others should do.

I bought 8 liters from one vendor and bottled those first. They were in 100% vg and looked very clear in color and only had a very slight odor to them. I thought, this is great, I bought the good stuff ! Then I bottled the 2 liters from the other vendor's nicotine (less recommended vendor) and was disappointed to find that their's was quite pink, I was expecting maybe light brown, but not pink and it had more of a robust scent to it. I was a little bummed by this after all that I have read here.

So I decide to use the pink stuff up first since it didnt appear as fresh as my other 8 liters.

It was difficult waiting for it to steep because I was eager to try my own stuff. I helped it a long a bit with a warm bath and only waited 1 week to try it.

And now I know what is meant by "peppery" taste. There is no mistaking it. But I LOVE that peppery taste so now I wish I had bought all 10 liters from the second vendor LOL.

Just goes to show ......

 

[nostradadus]

their's was quite pink

NicSelect?

 

[B2L]

I just started DIY with juice a couple of weeks ago. I did MUCH reading here on the forums before making my first attempt, including reading the entire "nicotine comparisons" thread before even buying my nicotine.

I am stocking up before 8/8 so I bought 10 liters of nicotine from two different vendors that were recommended here on the forums. It took me about a week to rebottle everything into the amber Boston round bottles.

The rest of my comments on this will go to show that everyone has personal tastes so no-one can fully recommend what others should do.

I bought 8 liters from one vendor and bottled those first. They were in 100% vg and looked very clear in color and only had a very slight odor to them. I thought, this is great, I bought the good stuff ! Then I bottled the 2 liters from the other vendor's nicotine (less recommended vendor) and was disappointed to find that their's was quite pink, I was expecting maybe light brown, but not pink and it had more of a robust scent to it. I was a little bummed by this after all that I have read here.

So I decide to use the pink stuff up first since it didnt appear as fresh as my other 8 liters.

It was difficult waiting for it to steep because I was eager to try my own stuff. I helped it a long a bit with a warm bath and only waited 1 week to try it.

And now I know what is meant by "peppery" taste. There is no mistaking it. But I LOVE that peppery taste so now I wish I had bought all 10 liters from the second vendor LOL.

Just goes to show ......

Wow, you read the whole thread? That's some intensive research, kudos to you

Taste is definately subjective, I like throat hit but no pepper because I find the flavors shine through more. Some prefer, particularly those that vape unflavored, a little more taste and pepper. That's what keeps life interesting.

Congrats on being well prepared for whatever may come!

 

[Saippenu]

Wow, you read the whole thread? That's some intensive research, kudos to you

Taste is definately subjective, I like throat hit but no pepper because I find the flavors shine through more. Some prefer, particularly those that vape unflavored, a little more taste and pepper. That's what keeps life interesting.

Congrats on being well prepared for whatever may come!

Yes I have been very busy here on the forums lately, reading much more than posting.
I am making a menthol recipe found here that I altered a bit, it uses strong menthol flavoring ( not the candy stuff), Koolada, a wonderful tobacco flavor that got good reviews and MTs vape wizard. I was hoping that menthol recipes wouldn't need to steep but it actually makes a big difference in the flavor.

I pretty much just vape the same thing day in and day out.

The pink nicotine with the pepper is from Ecig Express and the clear stuff was from RTS. I haven't tried the RTS yet so for all I know I will taste pepper in it also. I sure hope so ! I have a nose like a bloodhound so I may taste things that way too, not sure since I can't try on other people's taste buds to compare

I can see why people using lighter flavors wouldn't want the pepper but for my recipe it just gives it a nice kick. I may need to find pepper flavoring for my other 8 liters LOL. Then again I am making juice for 2 other people and one of them is a Teaberry user. She may appreciate the non-peppery in her recipes.

 

[Vinnybagodoughnuts]

RTS may have a glass option, however the < $50 100mg I picked up shipped in plastic. I split mine into smaller glass bottles for storage.

It is plastic, but it seems to be a higher grade plastic. I've had some nic in plastic that leached after a year or so and tainted the nic I believe ... I have not experienced that with the rts bottles.

Thank you.