Observations Of A Noob

[.458]

I've been vapeing for 6 months and DIY mixing for 3. I hope to give a bit of information to at least one vaper and to learn at least one thing from the replies of the experienced.

My observations:


1. A drop isn't a standard measurement. I have a graduated cylinder and have measured drops-per-milliliter from all of my droppers. Drop size also varies with fluid density or thickness of the liquid. So far I've ranged from 16 drops per ml with an old glass eye dropper and pure VG to 72 drops per ml with pure PG and an extra fine needle-top dropper.


2. I shouldn't have bought a huge bottle of 100mg/ml of nicotine my first order. What if my e-liquid doesn't taste right? Is it my lack of experience or did I get a bad product?


3. Don't expect to whip out something that's better than your favorite commercial e-juice right away. I keep a log of every mixture and my last attempt was number 42. Number 20 is vapeable but not good enough to share it with anyone. The other 41 attempts produced "Septic Sauce". Now I mix without nicotine but with the same PG/VG ratio I'll vape in the final juice. Why flush expensive nicotine?


4. "Super Concentrated" and "Recommended DIY Percentage 2.5%" may be more of a marketing approach than a realistic approach. Most of the VZ SC flavors I've tried need about the same amount of concentrate per milliliter of base that the TFA and FA flavors I've tried require. This is not a bash of VZ flavors. They are good. The VZ Apricot SC is fantastic. It's a rich flavor with a great aroma. I'm going to mix some with vanilla ice cream and eat it.


5. I should have started with a simple fruit or berry flavor instead of trying to duplicate my favorite commercial tobacco flavored juice. 20 of those "septic sauce" mixtures could have been avoided had I not tried to duplicate a complex e-juice for my first mix.


6. Some flavors are enhanced by adding a small amount of vinegar to the juice. That VZ Apricot being one. Other VZ fruit flavors are not enhanced with vinegar.


7. This one is more of an assumption than an observation. If I keep at this long enough I should come up with at least one simple fruit flavor that's worth vapeing!

 

[kachuge]

me? I draw the line at wrapping coils........

good luck though....... when you come up with that million dollar flavor, it'll be worth it

I prefer a mild tobacco flavor myself

g

 

[Elizabeth Baldwin]

I've been vapeing for 6 months and DIY mixing for 3. I hope to give a bit of information to at least one vaper and to learn at least one thing from the replies of the experienced.

My observations:


1. A drop isn't a standard measurement. I have a graduated cylinder and have measured drops-per-milliliter from all of my droppers. Drop size also varies with fluid density or thickness of the liquid. So far I've ranged from 16 drops per ml with an old glass eye dropper and pure VG to 72 drops per ml with pure PG and an extra fine needle-top dropper.


2. I shouldn't have bought a huge bottle of 100mg/ml of nicotine my first order. What if my e-liquid doesn't taste right? Is it my lack of experience or did I get a bad product?


3. Don't expect to whip out something that's better than your favorite commercial e-juice right away. I keep a log of every mixture and my last attempt was number 42. Number 20 is vapeable but not good enough to share it with anyone. The other 41 attempts produced "Septic Sauce". Now I mix without nicotine but with the same PG/VG ratio I'll vape in the final juice. Why flush expensive nicotine?


4. "Super Concentrated" and "Recommended DIY Percentage 2.5%" may be more of a marketing approach than a realistic approach. Most of the VZ SC flavors I've tried need about the same amount of concentrate per milliliter of base that the TFA and FA flavors I've tried require. This is not a bash of VZ flavors. They are good. The VZ Apricot SC is fantastic. It's a rich flavor with a great aroma. I'm going to mix some with vanilla ice cream and eat it.


5. I should have started with a simple fruit or berry flavor instead of trying to duplicate my favorite commercial tobacco flavored juice. 20 of those "septic sauce" mixtures could have been avoided had I not tried to duplicate a complex e-juice for my first mix.


6. Some flavors are enhanced by adding a small amount of vinegar to the juice. That VZ Apricot being one. Other VZ fruit flavors are not enhanced with vinegar.


7. This one is more of an assumption than an observation. If I keep at this long enough I should come up with at least one simple fruit flavor that's worth vapeing!

Oh yeah. A drop can change even due to temperature change in the room. I never go by drops.

Taste is very unique to each individual. An estimated percent by a vendor is simply just that. It works for some, but not others. The most logical thing to do is start with small percents and work up until you reach you desired taste.

I agree, you should start with simple flavors. Once you master those then move on to more complex ones. I started out with fruit and one to two flavor mixes then moved on to desserts and can now mimic nearly anything. I can make SS Mothers milk and its just as good.

I think taking good notes at each step of the process and steeping goes a long way. Taste testing before steeping isn't always a good idea. Allow juices to steep then taste test and adjust, then steep again.

 

[Skagit]

This is funny. If you over flavor... You get sewer sauce. Drops you won't get same twice. It is easier to add than try to take away.

 

[dead not sleeping]

I use drops just for 1-4 ml test batches. I use a 28 ga insulin needle that drops ~250 drops/ml. It does not suck up very well, it does eventually, just takes some patience.

Here's a good DIY starter recipe with a couple of fruit flavors, adjust to taste: (it was my first DIY experiment and is still my all day vape)

5% Raspberry CAP
2% Sweet Strawberry CAP
1% Sour WL

Cost about $2.10 @ 30ml. I started with EM but switched to Sour. EM has an aftertaste that I don't like. Sour is my last resort additive and has proven to be the answer to many of my recipes, but not all.

 

[.458]

dead not sleeping

I have similar flavors from VZ, FA and TFA. I know it's not the same and may come out completely different but by the time you read this I will have tried it. Does it benefit any from steeping?

 

[.458]

kachung

I'm beginning to think that I also should have stopped at wrapping my own coils... And scavenging bunches of free 18650 batteries; that was also a worthy venture.

 

[wllmc]

sounds good. new guys should just prepare to vape a bunch of junk before getting awesome mixes. Its hard because you just want to mix these extravagant liquids but tasting flavors individually first will let you get a better feel for a flavor when you mix it with other stuff . and flavor art is super concentrated. alot of the time 2.5% is already over flavored. I use a lot of them in the area of 1-2 % some of them at 3-4 %, a few at .5% and even have found one I use at .0025%

 

[wllmc]

oh and keep it fun. dont stress over it and lastly and most importantly I'll sample everyones juices free of charge just send em my way lol.

 

[dead not sleeping]

dead not sleeping

I have similar flavors from VZ, FA and TFA. I know it's not the same and may come out completely different but by the time you read this I will have tried it. Does it benefit any from steeping?

Yes. But only 3 days or so. Its still good right off the bat, at least overnight.

 

[realsis]

One thing I've discovered is if it's bad in the beginning it's still bad a week later. Steeping does not cure bad..best to cut the losses if it's bad and start over. If it's good, yes steeping can make it even better, but bad is bad today, tomorrow and a week from now. No use steeping bad. Bad will stay bad. No amount of steeping can cure bad.