Researching DIY - Is this correct?

[BenD188]

Alright, I have read a lot of stuff about DIY from stickies and what not. I am aware of the dangers of handling nicotine. I'm not saying I'm going to try to make some e-liquids now, just looking at the correct way to do it (who knows, I may give it a try in the future). I have some questions and if anyone would like to take the time to answer them I would appreciate it!

Alright, I am used to 80/20% PG/VG, so that is what I would most likely be making. Would the best way to make that be using a PG Base with nicotine in it, plus regular PG and VG. Please let me know if this example is correct. (I have been looking at the e-juice calculator in the sticky here)

My Target - 12mg 80PG/20VG mixture. Mango Flavor. 3ml bottle.
Need :
PG with nic of 100MG - .36ml
PG - 1.62ml
VG - 20% - .60
Water - 20% - .12ml
Mango Flavor (say from LorAnn?) - 10% - .30ml
Total : 3ml

Now if this was correct, I would just put them straight into the empty 3ml bottle and give it a shake?

Is it normal to use 20% water in mixes? Would that recipe still make it the considered "80PG/20VG"?

Thanks for any responses. I used Scubabatdans e-juice calculator to figure this.http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/members/13738/scubabatdan.html


NOTE : I am not necessary going to be making my own juice, I would just like to expand my knowledge on how this stuff is made.

 

[lexi60]

Looks right. I use 50-70 % VG and dont use water or PGA.
At 20 % VG I think it'd be way to thin with water.
I would do
.36ML Nic
1.74ML PG
.6ML VG
.3ML Mango.

Put it all in a bottle shake and set in a hot sink full of water (At least I do) for 15-20 minutes.
Vape away.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

I'd agree with lexi60, I wouldn't use water in that mix. Water or vodka/PGA has it's place for thinning high VG mixes (IMO alcohol also affects flavour, not everyone agrees) but a 80/20 ratio of PG to VG is not going to need thinning anyway.

 

[redheadone]

Sounds right to me too. I have been vaping for a little over three moths now and am just now starting DIYing I think its great and it is really saving me money. I am using a diy calculator which will help you too if you ever start the diy thing. If you will look at the diy section in the forum you will find several calculators that will help make your experience helpful and more fun

 

[Zal42]

Yes to all the replies. I would never add pga or water to a mix without having a specific reason for doing so. Use water to thin a juice. (I don't use water to thin, I use pg, but if I were making a 100% vg juice, then water would be my thinner of choice.) I use pga as a flavoring, not a thinner. It gives an alcoholic air to a juice that is really good in some mixes. It also roughens a juice up in a way roughly analogous to throat hit.

 

[al-fredo]

Here is my opinion:
I would not use a 100mg base to mix a small quantity of juice such as 3ml.
Measuring quantities like .36ml, 1.74ml, etc. can get really imprecise and lead to undesirable amounts of nicotine contents.
If the use of 100mg base is selected for economical reasons over les concentrated bases, I suggest that the base be diluted first in larger batches with PG or VG.

 

[lexi60]

Measuring quantities like .36ml, 1.74ml, etc. can get really imprecise and lead to undesirable amounts of nicotine contents.

This is why all my mixes are 25, 30, 35mg/ml.
Much easier to measure.
"KISS" is how I mix.

 

[al-fredo]

I use 60mg base and never mix quantities less that 20ml. If I was purchasing 100mg base I would cut it by the half first.

 

[mwa102464]

Looks right. I use 50-70 % VG and dont use water or PGA.
At 20 % VG I think it'd be way to thin with water.
I would do
.36ML Nic
1.74ML PG
.6ML VG
.3ML Mango.

Put it all in a bottle shake and set in a hot sink full of water (At least I do) for 15-20 minutes.
Vape away.

I use the warm water to help mend my DIY mix together but add my Nic afterward ! I just don't think its good to heat up your Nic juice, just my 2c I could be wrong but its how I do it.

 

[mwa102464]

Here is another ? if you where using 100mg to make say 15ml's of 24mg liquid, you would need less than say using 60mg, this would leave you more room for extra flavoring, do you think the big juice houses mix with higher MG Nic so they get more flavoring in there Mixes ?

 

[lexi60]

I'd think they use high nic to save money.
Flavoring on average 10-20%. Even using 48mg would leave room for 50% flavor @24mg/ml.

 

[Zal42]

Here is another ? if you where using 100mg to make say 15ml's of 24mg liquid, you would need less than say using 60mg, this would leave you more room for extra flavoring, do you think the big juice houses mix with higher MG Nic so they get more flavoring in there Mixes ?

Lexi60 has it right.

I use 100mg, but there's very few (any?) DIY mixes that I couldn't make with 60mg. The only thing I do that really calls for 100mg is when I'm boosting the nic content of preexisting juice. In that case any I add dilutes the flavor so I want to add the smallest possible quantity.

 

[BenD188]

Thanks for the info everyone! If I ever make my own I'd probably want to start with 3 to 5ml at a time. Guess I would be starting with a lower nic count than 100mg (I thought I read for newbies to keep it under 60ml because it's easier).

I think I'm set for now though, I keep ordering new flavors and probably have a little over 100ml total so far. Gotta find my favorite! So in the future guess I'll look out for deals on nic juice!

 

[Zal42]

If I ever make my own I'd probably want to start with 3 to 5ml at a time.

I would actually recommend making small batches of juice without the nicotine at all (if you're planning on using pg nic base, then replace that component with plain pg, if vg-based, then plain vg), until you have it tasting the way you want. Then make a 6ml "proof" batch with nic. Then, if that is right, making larger batches at a time (I usually go with 30ml).

The nicotine is the expensive part, so I don't use it when making something brand new, since the first few attempts will likely get poured down the drain anyway.

 

[Shantia]

I don't think diluting your 100mg nic juice is nessisary, it might come out to .36, if you round down or up to .3 or .4 it isnt going to drastically change the nic strength of your juice. or just aim for somewhere between the .3 line and the .4 line.

 

[BenD188]

Isn't it true if I make it without nicotine the flavor won't be the same and there won't be a throat hit(or as good of one)?

 

[Shantia]

yes, nicotine can change the flavor of the juice but not drastically. You'll still be able to get an idea of whether or not you'll even like the flavor. That way if its unpleasant to you, you dont loose any nic when you dump the juice. I use ejuice me up to calculate all my numbers etc, add all the pg/vg/flavoring up to where i need to add the nicotine and taste it. If i like it i finish it off with the nicotine. Or you can make a 0 nicotine batch first, then remake another batch with enough nic that adding the two together will effectively cut it to your desired nic strength ...IE 3ml 0 nic, 3ml 48mg nic = 6ml of 24mg nic with no flavor loss.