protecting syringe markings

[EagleTa2]

yes, total noob here...first WL order placed but not delivered yet...so Im taking the time to research, learn, and obsess too much.

Ive seen a lot of comments on here aboutmoutting tape on your syringes to protect the markings...or covering them with fingernail polish or etc..


I must just be dense or missing something...why submerge the syringe in the liquid in the first place? I thought with DIY one had to excercise caution and work with precision? wouldnt you just dip the business end of the syringe in the liquid and draw up what you need, which would mean no liquid gets on the numbers?

my apologies for such a novice question...I think I can hear some of you veterens falling of your chairs and grabbing for your sides as you read this!

thanks in advance for putting up with (and answeing) this one!

Thanks
Geo

 

[Chimney34]

Hey Eagle! You're going to want to rinse your syringes out too. Especially if you've used them for you nic solution. I've seen some people say they clean those with distilled water by soaking them as well as vodka.

 

[zygote]

yes, total noob here...first WL order placed but not delivered yet...so Im taking the time to research, learn, and obsess too much.

Ive seen a lot of comments on here aboutmoutting tape on your syringes to protect the markings...or covering them with fingernail polish or etc..


I must just be dense or missing something...why submerge the syringe in the liquid in the first place? I thought with DIY one had to excercise caution and work with precision? wouldnt you just dip the business end of the syringe in the liquid and draw up what you need, which would mean no liquid gets on the numbers?

my apologies for such a novice question...I think I can hear some of you veterens falling of your chairs and grabbing for your sides as you read this!

thanks in advance for putting up with (and answeing) this one!

Thanks
Geo

If you need to mark/keep your marking, slice the lines that you want to keep with a knife or razor blade

 

[EagleTa2]

Hey Eagle! You're going to want to rinse your syringes out too. Especially if you've used them for you nic solution. I've seen some people say they clean those with distilled water by soaking them as well as vodka.

I thought about that...was actually planning on dedicated a syringe to my nic base and only using it for nic with a needle on it. Then would store this syringe in a sealed container withing my kit. Bad idea you think?

Thanks
Geo

 

[StereoDreamer]

I must just be dense or missing something...why submerge the syringe in the liquid in the first place? I thought with DIY one had to excercise caution and work with precision? wouldnt you just dip the business end of the syringe in the liquid and draw up what you need, which would mean no liquid gets on the numbers?

Welcome to ECF, and congrats on making the switch to vaping. Your interestin DIY shows that you are one of those rare vapers who is interested in becoming personally responsible in your own vaping experience, and we applaud you for that!

Here's the thing with medical syringes. They are made to be disposable, and the ink they use to print the markings on the outside is specifically formulated to wash off. It is actually water-soluble, so that people can't use them over and over again. This is for health reasons (you don't want your doctor using the same syringe on all kinds of people) and also to combat the use of medical syringes by illegal IV drug users.

Back in the day, they used to make syringes from glass, and the markings were etched into the outsides and would not wear off. To clean them in hospitals or doctors offices, you would boil them or run them through an autoclave.

But disposable medical supplies are BIG BUSINESS, and there's not much money in selling glass syringes that last for decades, so glass syringes are nearly impossible to find these days. And the plastic, disposable ones are engineered to have VERY short lifespan. Hence the easily-washed-off ink markings.

I use clear packing tape on mine, and it holds up just fine. When I notice the syringes are beginning to retain smells from my flavorings (they won't wash out), I toss them. On average, my plastic syringes last about 15-20 batches. After that, the little rubber plunger gasket tips start to degrade and they won't draw the liquids very well.

Good luck with your DIY experiments, and keep vaping!

 

[Chimney34]

It doesn't sound like a bad idea to me but I'm new to DIY too so hopefully if we're wrong an expert will come along & let us know. If you did do that I'd just make sure you're wearing gloves whenever you handle that one.

 

[Hoosier]

Yep and nope.

Yes, I don't have any problem putting just the business end into the fluid.

No, it will still get on the outside... May seem odd, but it happens. I swear PG wicks across surfaces like PBlaster on rusty metal I first noticed this with my EM syringe. (I use a different syringe for each flavoring.) Since EM is used in a number of recipes I set the bottle in a certain place and the syringe I used for it beside it. I had noticed that some of my markings were getting harder to see before I notice this, but this time was a really long mixing session. I ended up going through about 200ml of 100mg/ml nicotine solution and at the end as I was putting things away, I noticed the EM syringe was missing many markings. (I give away bunches of juice and this session had me mixing a bunch of stuff to give to folks in a bad situation in FL, TX, and IN.)

My first thought was to put syringes in a cup of water as soon as it was done with its use. This helps a bit. Tape was annoying. I've been using a "high quality" clear nail polish since. It's been working pretty well. I don't know the differences between nail polishes and rely on my sister and wife's stashes and what they say are long lasting, durable, polishes.

And if you haven't used PBlaster for a penetrating oil, I feel sorry for you because it's the best stuff on the consumer market. Makes Liquid Wrench and WD-40 seem like junk. (The fish oil in WD-40 has other great uses though.)

 

[stressmama]

I use clear nail polish to paint over the markings. The markings still look great after approximately 10 batches/cleanings. Good luck with your DIY. I'm really enjoying it!

 

[Iffy]

Been using Scotch tape for over a year with no issues.

 

[bunnomatic]

OR you could just buy some quality luer locking syringes (w/o needle) that are very reasonable in cost. I've been using them for months and the paint stay on them. no messing with tape, polish or whatever . Get the blunt needles from another supplier when you order something. This place only has sharp needles and you would need a prescription (I think) to get the needle.

Syringe Only

 

[Complexed]

The nail polish Is a great idea. Kudos to whoever thought of that.

 

[Chornbro]

I think I have a man-crush on Hoosier. Is this bad?

 

[Iffy]

I think I have a man-crush on Hoosier. Is this bad?

You're aware he wears tights, right?

 

[Red_Bird]

I just draw up a lot of water or distilled water after using them all mixing into each one, rinse the outside of them in warm to hot tap water too.

After using the same sets of syringes for 10-12 batches I just toss them and buy more.

 

[michaelsil1]

You're aware he wears tights, right?

So does Robin Hood

 

[mikepetro]

To be honest, with empty syringes costing less than 25 cents each and even cheaper in bulk (I buy boxes of 100 for around 10 cents per syringe) WHY bother trying to preserve the numbers. When they wear off replace the syringe. I treat my syringes as disposable. I usually use two to make a batch of juice, a 10ml one and 1 ml one, and then throw them in the trash. I never have a problem reading the numbers.

 

[Kemosabe]

To be honest, with empty syringes costing less than 25 cents each and even cheaper in bulk (I buy boxes of 100 for around 10 cents per syringe) WHY bother trying to preserve the numbers. When they wear off replace the syringe. I treat my syringes as disposable. I usually use two to make a batch of juice, a 10ml one and 1 ml one, and then throw them in the trash. I never have a problem reading the numbers.

well, if you get them for that price, i dont see why not. until recently, i didnt know (and lots of others too maybe) that syringes could be had for that cheap. i paid $2-3 for my syringes, not knowing there were better deals out there. and seeign how ive got almost a dozen syringes, it would be kinda costly to replace them at that price.
its the little purchases that get me some times. you dont really notice a $2-3 item in your online shopping cart, you just kinda toss it in and dont look around for better deals. well at least i didnt. i wasnt thinking "oo, $3 thats steep" lol i better search for a $1 syringe. you firgure it would be falling apart for that price. nevermind a $0.10 syringe. but seeign how theyre working great for you, lots of others will probably be buying in bulk now too. i know im considering it.

 

[michaelsil1]

I found a pack of ten just now for $2.20

Exel 3ml with 18g, x1.5 inch needle (Qty. 10) | 3ml Syringes With Needles | Syringes with Needles | Syringes & Needles | Med Lab Supply

 

[mikepetro]

Shop around, the Vet stores are usually the cheapest.
I recommend Luer-Lok rather than the "slip".
You can get Luer-Lok blunt tip "Dispensing Needles" all over, just google them.
Syringes that come with needles will usually be "sharps" and are the kind used for injection into skin, I dont recommend those for juice making.

10 CC Syringes @ 20 cents each
Luer Lock Syringe, 12 mL @ 25 cents each or 16 cents in bulk
3ml for 14 cents each

Shop around, I know there are even better deals out there. I bought a couple of boxes of 100 several months ago but I dont remember where I got them, I do know that I paid $10 for 100 small ones and $12 for 100 larger ones.

At a dime or so each, you just throw them away after a single use....

$2 $3 each is just highway robbery.

 

[Hoosier]

You're aware he wears tights, right?

Tight Tights!

(And I'm pretending to be Little John from Men In Tights in the avatar...)