One more Newbie

[Fuzzy Thunderbear]

I figured I better pop in here and see if I can get more info than I have been able to find on the e-pipe forum. I'm an oldt phart who has smoked for about 48 years (Ciggybutts, cigars, tobacco pipes) and wifey just joined up here too (cigarettes only) and we're both going the vapor route. She just got her e-cig device today, so we both sucked it. My pipe will be here in a couple weeks. I sucked her Kanger and quickly discovered I have been using the e-cig style all the while I'd been doing cigarettes (I smoke them the same way as cigars)... we used to call it French Inhaling... draw smoke into your mouth, but instead of going down to the lungs, open mouth slightly and breath it out of your mouth into your nose. When it gets back to your mouth, blow it out, either through the mouth or back out the nose. I guess I never really got much smoke in my lungs because when I tried the e-cig with a nicotine number of 18, I went light-headed. I had heard with e-cigs, you absorb it through the mucus membranes, not the lungs, but not so with cigarettes. I guess in all those years, I never had a nicotine buzz. If this is right, I think I need some juice with the lowest nicotine number. What do you guys think?
Fuzzy

 

[Wolfenstark]

Hello and Welcome Fuzzy.
Well the nic levels usually go depending on the store - 24mg - 18 - 12 - 6 -3 - 0.
The better the device and your coils at vaporizing the more the nic will hit you and the less that may be required.

 

[Caro123]

what equipment are you using

 

[VCross]

I sucked her Kanger

He he he

But, seriously, it's most likely that you got a really high level nicotine juice and a good vape setup. 18mg is usually for a little more than half a pack a day smokers. I'd suggest bumping down to about half of that.

 

[NealBJr]

I figured I better pop in here and see if I can get more info than I have been able to find on the e-pipe forum. I'm an oldt phart who has smoked for about 48 years (Ciggybutts, cigars, tobacco pipes) and wifey just joined up here too (cigarettes only) and we're both going the vapor route. She just got her e-cig device today, so we both sucked it. My pipe will be here in a couple weeks. I sucked her Kanger and quickly discovered I have been using the e-cig style all the while I'd been doing cigarettes (I smoke them the same way as cigars)... we used to call it French Inhaling... draw smoke into your mouth, but instead of going down to the lungs, open mouth slightly and breath it out of your mouth into your nose. When it gets back to your mouth, blow it out, either through the mouth or back out the nose. I guess I never really got much smoke in my lungs because when I tried the e-cig with a nicotine number of 18, I went light-headed. I had heard with e-cigs, you absorb it through the mucus membranes, not the lungs, but not so with cigarettes. I guess in all those years, I never had a nicotine buzz. If this is right, I think I need some juice with the lowest nicotine number. What do you guys think?
Fuzzy

Only as a suggestion, but if I were you, I would probably go for more VG based jucies. PG tends to dry my mouth out more, so I'm sure it would make your nostrils quite dry.

And locally, there's a company that sells Epipes. I've been in their shop, and they seem like some decent people. I'm just not a pipe person. http://epipemods.com/ . I figured I'd let you know that there are some decent looking epipes out there. I'm sure there's more, but that one comes to mind.

 

[WonderDude32]

Congratulations on making the switch to both of you. A couple rules of thumb: More vapor means more nicotine will be inhaled just like the difference between cigars and cigarettes. I'm a cigar smoker myself and still enjoy one every couple of months. My last inventory says I still have around $500 worth of cigars. The better you like the juice, the more you will want to vape and this can cause a nicotine overdose. Not an overdose like a drug user but one that will make you sick to your stomach. You may also vape more than you ever smoked because an e-cig doesn't go out. I used to try and wait at least an hour between cigarettes but now my mod is handy all the time. Welcome to the Forum and Vape on.

 

[Lannie]

That's my other half up there. I'm the Better Half. He's the Other Half. You know how that works...

We've been fiddling around with the Kanger Evod starter kit we got yesterday, but I think we've got it figured out now. Yes, more VG, less nicotine. I didn't know where to start, so I chose a 50/50 blend and 18 mg nicotine based on (apparently) some older information. I've cut it in half now, and 9 mg seems just right for me, but still a little strong for hubby, so his e-liquid will probably have to be even lower. If he ever gets that pipe.

~Lannie

 

[Fuzzy Thunderbear]

Let's see if I can reply to all these in one post...

Equipment: Wifey bought a Kanger EVOD and it seems to work great (but what would I know at this point?). After having it for only 24 hours, she is already a firm convert... which leaves five unsmoked cartons of her cigarettes (Golden Harvest Light, filtered cigars = 100mm cigarettes but 1/4 the price) still on the shelf. I tried her new toy for a few hits (? tokes? sucks? not entirely up with the new lingo yet). She got several 15ml bottles of flavored juice (Mt.Baker stuff), all at 50/50 PG/VG at 18mg nicotine. Supposedly, that would be a medium level - IF you inhaled the same way as if you were smoking a cigarette (or so I've been led to believe). I have ordered a 618 e-pipe (Ebay, cheap, so it will ship directly from China) and it isn't likely to get here for a couple more weeks. Other than an occasional suck on her e-cig to understand what she is talking about, I will stick to my cigarettes until my e-pipe arrives. (I chose the pipe version because the batteries are huge, as is the cartomizer, so it will go longer between refills/recharging)

Somewhere on this forum, she read that inhaling cigarettes transfer the nicotine into the blood stream mostly through the lungs (fairly common knowledge), but that e-cigs, whether or not you inhale, transfer the nicotine mostly via the mucus membranes in the mouth and nose, so you will get your "hit" whether you inhale to the lungs or not. I do not know if that is true, but it seems to work that way because I have discovered, by playing with her new toy, that I apparently have never completely inhaled 48 years worth of cigarettes (1-1.5 packs per day). A full-flavor cigarette should have at least that much nicotine and I have never had a buzz like this vapor thing gave me. As I said in the opening post, I smoke cigarettes the same way as cigars and pipes: suck it in, taste it, smell it, but almost none of it goes in my lungs. If that is truly the case for me, then a full-flavored cigarette (what is that? 24mg? 32mg equivalent?), which does not transfer its full hit of nicotine through the nose, and if almost none actually makes it to the lungs, is probably vapor equivalent to... what? ... 6mg? 3mg? or almost none? This might also imply that my "smoking habit" is really no more than an oral fixation... a need to suck on something (yeah, I was weaned from the teat way too young). One might even get away with saying that I never really smoked but have been vaping cigarettes all these years.

Does that imply I should go with minimal nicotine, 25/75 PG/VG, and heavy on the flavor (chocolate, strawberry cheesecake, etc.) to curb the impulse to snack?

Thanks for your support,
Fuzzy

 

[speedy_r6]

If you order more juice, I would suggest getting either 6mg or 12mg liquid, and then another bottle of 0mg liquid of the same flavor. This will allow you to try the nicotine juice first, and if that is too strong, you can dilute it with the 0mg juice until it feels good. Personally, I would recommend the 6mg route. If the 6 is just right and you ordered a bottle of 0mg with it, just save the 0mg bottle and order 12mg next time, mix the two together, and have 2 bottles of 6mg. If the 6mg is too strong, dilute it down with the 0mg, and you won't be losing flavor. The other thing to think about is that if the nicotine level is too weak, that isn't really a huge problem. You can always just use a little more juice to get the same amount of nicotine(and as cheap as juice is when compared to conventional methods, you will still be saving unless you are literally going through a 30ml bottle a day from MBV).

The other thing that will be a factor is how efficient your device is. If it is making more vapor and going through more juice per hit, you are going to be getting a lot more nicotine at a time. If it doesn't use much liquid, you are getting less nicotine per hit.

On top of all that information, if you ever decide you want to try going the e-cig route over the e-pipe, there are several devices out there which have MASSIVE batteries, and can last for days on a charge(I typically get 2-3 days out of my eleaf istick 50w). If you are interested in hearing a number of those makes, just ask and myself and others on here will certainly help you out.

As a closing, welcome to the vape side.

 

[Fuzzy Thunderbear]

speedy_r6 says: if you ever decide you want to try going the e-cig route over the e-pipe, there are several devices out there which have MASSIVE batteries, and can last for days on a charge(I typically get 2-3 days out of my eleaf istick 50w). If you are interested in hearing a number of those makes, just ask and myself and others on here will certainly help you out.

Hmmm... hitting "quote" didn't work...

Anyway, yes. I am a data junkie, so whether you post it here or PM me, I am always open to more information. I don't know about sucking the antenna off a walkie talkie (yes, I have seen those), but I'd consider lots of shapes and sizes (well, except hookahs and bongs and that druggie looking stuff). Yeah, like nicotine isn't a drug, but I think you know what I mean.

Tanks,
Rich

 

[speedy_r6]

There is the MVP 3.0, which i believe goes to 30 watts. The Eleaf istick 20, 30, and 50. The 20 and 30 are both very small, and the 50 is slightly larger. Here are a couple pictures. The istick 20 and 30 are both smaller than the one i have.

This picture is an innokin MVP 2.0 on the left and an Innokin iTaste VV V3 on the right(and an ink pen in the middle for size). The MVP 2.0 and the VV V3 are both the same. They can go to 11 watts max. The big one can go for about 2 days on a charge for me. The little one is lucky if it makes it through a day. The MVP 3.0 would be the same size as the MVP in the picture

Here is a picture of my Eleaf istick 50w. It can go up to 50 watts, and lasts for a couple days on a charge.

It is actually smaller than the mvp, as you can see in the this picture. It is smaller, last longer, and has more power options.

Like i said, the istick 20w and 30w are both smaller than the 50w I have, but that just gives you an idea of some of them. I wouldn't consider any of them walkie talkie size, but they are larger than the pen device you mentioned.

 

[TripleD]

Lowest nicotine number is usually 6mg. Then it is 0mg. Some stores though have 3mg If you want these number, you can just choose around here.

 

[Fuzzy Thunderbear]

Speedy_r6: It's good to have pictures with descriptions. Thanks. The "Walkie Talkie" I saw was shaped like your MVP 2.0, but I think was ever so slightly larger. If it had a belt clip, it would be very easy to carry around and only other vapers would know it wasn't a 2-way FM radio. The radios we use here on the ranchette (hobby farm) are about 2.5"x4.5", not including the stubby antenna, but quite a bit thicker. Judging by the Pilot G2 pen you included for scale, that would make your MVP 2.0 about 2"x4". Is that a reasonable guess?

TripleD: OK, lowest nicotine number (for average supplier) is 6mg. But say I bought two 15ml bottles of (oh, pick a flavor)... Unicorn Poop, one with 6mg and one with 0mg, then poured them together. Would that not make a 30ml bottle of 3mg?

There seem to be a thousand flavors out there and various mixtures of VG/PG and some with extra ingredients. At the risk of sounding like a chemist, wouldn't it be more economical to buy a couple gallons of VG and PG, some test tubes, pipettes, etc., and play mix-master myself? I understand that most people wouldn't want to do that (it's easier to buy a dozen tiny bottles of premix). Is there anyone here mixing their own?

Wifey is already talking about bulk wires to make heating coils and some stuffing for wicks. Anyone doing that? I imagine it would be easier for the bigger units (her EVOD would require it be done with tweezers).

Hogs & Quiches y'all,
Fuzzy

P.S. Maybe I should be careful here... who knows... I might invent an E-cig that looks exactly like a single cell MiniMag flashlight in a small belt holster.

 

[speedy_r6]

Speedy_r6: It's good to have pictures with descriptions. Thanks. The "Walkie Talkie" I saw was shaped like your MVP 2.0, but I think was ever so slightly larger. If it had a belt clip, it would be very easy to carry around and only other vapers would know it wasn't a 2-way FM radio. The radios we use here on the ranchette (hobby farm) are about 2.5"x4.5", not including the stubby antenna, but quite a bit thicker. Judging by the Pilot G2 pen you included for scale, that would make your MVP 2.0 about 2"x4". Is that a reasonable guess?

TripleD: OK, lowest nicotine number (for average supplier) is 6mg. But say I bought two 15ml bottles of (oh, pick a flavor)... Unicorn Poop, one with 6mg and one with 0mg, then poured them together. Would that not make a 30ml bottle of 3mg?

There seem to be a thousand flavors out there and various mixtures of VG/PG and some with extra ingredients. At the risk of sounding like a chemist, wouldn't it be more economical to buy a couple gallons of VG and PG, some test tubes, pipettes, etc., and play mix-master myself? I understand that most people wouldn't want to do that (it's easier to buy a dozen tiny bottles of premix). Is there anyone here mixing their own?

Wifey is already talking about bulk wires to make heating coils and some stuffing for wicks. Anyone doing that? I imagine it would be easier for the bigger units (her EVOD would require it be done with tweezers).

Hogs & Quiches y'all,
Fuzzy

P.S. Maybe I should be careful here... who knows... I might invent an E-cig that looks exactly like a single cell MiniMag flashlight in a small belt holster.

Gonna try answering in order.

The MVP is 4.21″L x 1.61″W x 0.86″, so you were pretty close.

Yes, the 6mg and the 0mg would give you 3mg combined.

Several of us mix our own flavors. There are several vendors out there that sell flavorings(in fact, Mt Baker Vapor that you mentioned earlier offers several flavorings, and that is where I had been getting my flavorings and nic juice from). I buy VG off amazon with gift cards i get from bing. I can get a quart of VG for 12 bucks(which is really just costing me a little bit of time, no really effort). I enjoy mixing my own, as I get to tweak everything to my liking.

It is possible to rebuild the evod coils, but it is a major pain. Most people that are rebuilding are using atomizers specifically made for it. However, for most of these, it is beneficial(and necessary in many cases) to have a much more powerful battery. As for wicks, everyone has something different they like. I prefer organic japanese cotton.

EDIT: in fact, here is a picture of the coil i am running right now

As you can see, that deck is clearly made for building your own coils. There is an endless choice on rebuildables, and then more endless choices on how you want to build them.

 

[Fuzzy Thunderbear]

I guess we'll avoid rebuilds on the EVOD (tweezers and a magnifying glass don't sound like fun to save a couple bucks). I'll have to wait until the e-pipe arrives to assess whether or not I want to try that one (although it is significantly larger than Wifey's e-cig).

Wifey is also currently making a wish list of all the mix-it-yourself items from MBV, so I expect we'll be playing chemist real soon on that stuff.

Thanks for the help/suggestions.

Hogs,
Fuzzy

 

[jseah]

Another source of DIY supplies is Nude Nicotine. If you go to their website, you can order a free sample of their nicotine base. They only charge $2 for shipping. The free sample is 15 ml (or 10 ml, I don't remember) and you can request it anywhere from 3 mg up to 100 mg. Of course the best bargain would be the 100 mg, and then all you need to do is to mix it in with VG and PG and you can get quite a bit of 6 mg juice (diluting the 100 mg down to 6 mg). I have the sample, but I haven't used it yet. I have heard people say that Nude Nicotine has one of the best nicotine bases out there.

I have tried some nicotine in juice that tended to be real peppery and I'm not fond of those at all. It gives too much of the throat hit and is very harsh.

 

[speedy_r6]

I guess we'll avoid rebuilds on the EVOD (tweezers and a magnifying glass don't sound like fun to save a couple bucks). I'll have to wait until the e-pipe arrives to assess whether or not I want to try that one (although it is significantly larger than Wifey's e-cig).

Wifey is also currently making a wish list of all the mix-it-yourself items from MBV, so I expect we'll be playing chemist real soon on that stuff.

Thanks for the help/suggestions.

Hogs,
Fuzzy

If you find some flavors you really like from MBV, take a look at ordering them from Flavor West. That is the supplier that MBV uses for their flavorings. I am planning on buying an 8oz bottle of strawberry from them in the near future. 8oz bottle is something like 240mL, and it costs ~9 bucks plus shipping. MBV is about 2.75 after discounts(plus shipping) for a 15mL bottle. I figure if I order a few flavors that I enjoy from FW, I will be able to make juice for a LONG time and save a significant amount of money. You should look into it. I still use MBV to buy small amounts of the flavoring first to see if I like them or not.

 

[Fuzzy Thunderbear]

Thanks guys! I am now accumulating bookmarks of a huge list of vendors liked by ECF members and it will take me ages to sort through all of them. But being a data junkie, just keep on filling me in on whatever works for you. Er, maybe I should get off the newbie thread now and sort through the huge e-liquids flavor sub-forum.
Sigh,
Fuzzy

 

[jseah]

You might also want to check out the DIY subforum as well. Seems like you're ready to start there.