Quest to Create the Ultimate DIY RY4

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SpinDr480

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So I am a DIY newb and still looking to create a few ADV that can get me off buying higher priced juices online or in local B&M stores. I have had luck already making a very subtle fruity and creamy juice that uses TPA flavors (10% Orange Cream, 8% Mango, 3% Strawberry and two drops Cotton Candy). It is fantastically smooth and doesn’t require more than a day of steeping on its own. I mark this juice down as beginners luck.

In any event, my ultimate quest is to find a recipe RY4 type juice to serve as my ADV. My idea of a perfect RY4 is a juice that will be flavorful because it’s subtle. The right amount of tobacco, caramel and vanilla bonds together in an RY4 as perfect as the right amount of NA and CL bond in salt. An RY4 that flow together so smoothly you can’t distinguish between the individual elements alone, thus creating something completely different than the original elements.

Originally this quest was not worth my time. I couldn’t bear to mix a batch, and not know if it is good until 4 weeks later after it steeps. I’m impatient, and I end up ruining juices by adding flavor after flavor to try and make it taste better instead of waiting to taste it after it steeps.

Anyway, I thought my dream was dead until I saw the ultrasonic cleaner thread yesterday and went out and bought cheapo Harbor Freight model. I now just have to wait for some more PG, VG and Nicotine to arrive before I begin working with my tobacco bases and flavors. The tobacco base flavors I have are TPA DK Tobacco Base and Seedman’s Commercial Tobacco Flavor.

So because of this little handy speed steeping device, I started drafting a plan to tackle my project. As with all good plans, I am open for suggestions, feedback or criticism in my approach. I would love your feedback or similar plans you have done. What worked? What didn’t? I also would like to know a good idea of starting %. My idea is to start really low, because I know that steeping helps bring out low% flavors better and the UltraSonic Cleaner does that.

Also, as a note, I know some people will likely suggest a certain recipe for an RY4 they like. I appreciate that, because it gives me an idea of what flavors to add to enhance juice later down the road. However, this is a Quest for Finding the Ultimate DIY RY4. As any quest goes, the journey is as important as the destination. I need to go through step A, before going to step B. In the long run, it will make me a better home DIY juice maker.

Rough Draft of Plan A

Phase 1: Tasting the Key Elements

  • Make two separate 16ML batches using around 3% flavor (A 16ML bottle of 3% DK and a 16 ML bottle of just Seedman’s)
  • Once I get those base bottles, steep both in the UltraSonic Cleaner for an hour or two.
  • Once steeped, break each base bottles into smaller 4ML sizes (4x4ML Bottles of Seedmans & 4X4ML Bottles of DK Tobacco Base)
  • Take 2x4 ML of Seedmans mix and 2x4 ML of DK Tobacco Base mix and set aside until after initial taste tests.
  • Take 1x4ML bottle of Seedmans mix & 1x4ML bottle of DK Tobacco Base mix and add about 2% of caramel flavor to each.
  • Take 1x4ML bottle of Seedmans mix & 1x4ML bottle of DK Tobacco Base mix and add about 2% vanilla flavor to each.
  • Steep all four bottles in UltraSonic Cleaner for an hour and drip all four of them documenting taste of each.
  • Combine the Seedman’s Vanilla mix & the Seedman’s Caramel mix together.
  • Combine the DK Tobacco Base Vanilla mix & the DK Tobacco Base Caramel mix together.
  • Steep the two bottles in the UltraSonic Cleaner for an hour drip each for taste.

So for this beginning part, my idea was to take the three most common components of an RY4 and get a sense of what each one tastes like standalone with the tobacco, then at the end combine the vanilla version with the caramel version to taste them together.

Once I’m done with this, I would evaluate to see if I need to make adjustments to the second phase of my plan.

Second Phase: Enhancing the Key Elements
  • Split the 8ML bottle of Seedman’s Vanilla/Caramel mix into 2x4ML bottles
  • Split the DK Tobacco Base Vanilla/Caramel mix into 2x4ML bottles.
  • Add drop of Vape Wizard to 1x4ML Seedman’s Vanilla/Caramel mix and a drop to 1x DK Tobacco Base Vanilla/Caramel
  • Add drop of AP 1x4ML Seedman’s Vanilla/Caramel mix and add a drop to 1x DK Tobacco Base with Vanilla/Caramel
  • Steep all 4 in UltraSonic Cleaner, drip for taste
  • Combine the two Seedman’s versions, combine the two DK Base versions
  • Steep in UltraSonic Cleaner, drip and taste

With the initial testing done, there is one last phase before creating a Plan B.

Phase 3: Reevaluating
.
  • Maybe I need to readjust percentages?
  • Maybe I don't like the vanilla or caramel I am using and need a substitute?
  • Did the enhancers add anything?
  • Maybe I need to add secondary flavors like marshmallow?
  • Maybe I need a different tobacco base?
  • Maybe I should just start over with the four other bases I set aside?
  • Maybe I'm in over my head and should leave the RY4 quest to the professionals.

Anyway, this is my draft game plan going into my first full-fledged flavor experiment into making an RY4. As with all good plans, I am open for different ideas on doing this or changes you think will make it easier.

I plan to document my steps here through the process, but I won’t be able to start until my Wizard Labs order arrives and my experiments are usually limited to the weekend, so this process may take a while. However it's better than my other hobby, which is spending money on vaping sites or at B&M stores.

Cheers and thank you for reading,
 
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SpinDr480

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FACE MEAT

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I'm just speculating, but I get the feeling an hour or two in an ultrasonic cleaner won't give you the same effect as a true long steep. Hence, your tasting impressions won't be representative of what the steeped finished product will be.

*EDITED TO ADD: I wish you luck in your quest. I'll be following this thread closely in hopes of learning a thing or two. I'm also a RY4 junkie.
 
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SpinDr480

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I'm just speculating, but I get the feeling an hour or two in an ultrasonic cleaner won't give you the same effect as a true long steep. Hence, your tasting impressions won't be representative of what the steeped finished product will be.

*EDITED TO ADD: I wish you luck in your quest. I'll be following this thread closely in hopes of learning a thing or two. I'm also a RY4 junkie.

The good thing is that with 4ML samples, the steep time should be less than normal. Plus I'm traveling a lot for work the next three weeks, so my DIY will be limited to the weekends giving me ample steep time between M-F. Thanks, I appreciate the kind words.
 

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The good thing is that with 4ML samples, the steep time should be less than normal. Plus I'm traveling a lot for work the next three weeks, so my DIY will be limited to the weekends giving me ample steep time between M-F. Thanks, I appreciate the kind words.

Good point. I didn't think of that. I'm really looking forward to reading about your progress.
 

SpinDr480

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Best of Luck. Gonna keep an eye on this one also. Being new to DIY myself, I'm really interested in how this turns out. Might have missed this in my speed reading, but might try a control without the ultrasonic and let a 4ml steep with age.

That's a great idea, I didn't even think of that but I will do that as well.
 

SpinDr480

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If I may ask, what is the reason you're using SK and Seedman's as your base tobacco?

You seem to have your act together on this experiment, it looks like a nice project to do, good luck!

They were two tobacco bases that I had heard mentioned in previous post. I already have the DK, and the Seedmans was available in my Wizard Lab order. It had been sold out prior. Mostly, it was just a shot in the dark. Do you have experience with either?
 

SpinDr480

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Update #1: This weekend, I conducted part of Phase 1: Testing the Key Elements with a few minor adjustments to my percentages.

Mixing Batch:
  • Step 1: Mixed 1X16ML base bottle with 55%VG and 45%PG. Nicotine level was around 13.2MG. I then cut the base into 4X4 ML bottles. The reason for these ratios is that I gave myself a 10% window for flavors (which are PG based). This would then bring my ratio closer to 50/50 and my nicotine around 12MG.
  • Step 2: In 2X4ML bottle I added 2ML Seedman's Commercial Tobacco (S-CT) and in the other 2X4MG I added 2ML TPA DK Tobacco Base (TPA-DK).
  • Step 3: I then added 1.5ML TPA Carmel to one bottle of S-CT and one bottle of TPA-DK.
  • Step 4: I then added TPA Vanilla Swirl to the second bottle of SCT and the second bottle of TPA-DK.

Ratio Update:
This now brings each bottle to 4.35ML, with each tobacco base around 4.6% and the caramel or vanilla flavor at 3.5%. This of course, brings my total flavoring around 8% now, bringing me closer to a 50VG/50PG ratio with 12MG.

Steeping:
I ran each bottle through an ultrasonic cleaner throughout the day, for a total of around 3hours. I then removed the lids, and let each bottle steep overnight and ran another 30minute ultrasonic cycle in the morning.

Tasting:
After about 24-hours since first mixing, I sampled the 4 bottles. I dripped the S-CT with Caramel, cleaned atty, dripped the S-CT with Vanilla Swirl, cleaned atty, dripped the TPA-DK with Caramel, cleaned atty, dripped the TPA-DK with Caramel.

Notes from first test:
The results of this initial test were very different between the two tobacco bases. Despite using the same percentages in all 4 samples, the S-CT flavor was nearly nonexistent when mixed with either the caramel or the vanilla swirl. In contrast, the TPA-DK base was strong. I could hardly notice the caramel or the vanilla swirl in each respective sample.

Next Steps:
I have now combined the S-CT/caramel sample with the S-CT/vanilla swirl sample. I have also combined the TPA-DK tobacco/caramel sample with the TPA-DK/vanilla swirl sample.

As an interesting note, when combining my original bottles of 4.35ML I measured the amount of fluid and each S-CT were now closer to 3ML each and the TPA-DK samples were around 3.5ML each. I knew I would lose some from dripping, as well as transfer, but there must be some level of evaporation when leaving caps off bottles overnight or from the ultrasonic cleaner. I also need to track of this, so I can calculate ratio's if I add any more flavors.

In any event, despite the size differences my ratios for the S-CT and the TPA-DK should still be the same:
Each bottle should still have a 4.6% tobacco base, but by mixing them each flavor is now reduced in half 1.75% Vanilla Swirl & 1.75% caramel.

I am currently stepping these two batches, and will report back taste results when finished.
 
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