So why is mixing by weight better than mixing by volume?

[zoiDman]

I haven't really read much about rubbing alcohol before Covid, I started to read about it when I decided to make my own hand sanitiser. I came across many companies here in UK using "rubbing alcohol" as a synonym for isopropyl alcohol during my initial searches, like this company:
Isopropanol (C3H8O, IPA) | Fisher Scientific

Here is another word to research... "Denatured" Alcohol.

What Is Denatured Alcohol?.

 

[PeterKay]

Yeah... Not sure about what they do in the UK.

But in the USA, they put Lots of Nasty Stuff in it Isn't Safe to drink. Else you would need to be "Of Age" to buy it. And it would have to have a Big Fat Liquor Tax Stamp on it.

Seems the official term here in UK is simply "denatured alcohol", nowhere on that site the term "rubbing alcohol" is even used.
Production, distribution and use of denatured alcohol (Excise Notice 473)

 

[zoiDman]

Seems the official term here in UK is simply "denatured alcohol", nowhere on that site the term "rubbing alcohol" is even used.
Production, distribution and use of denatured alcohol (Excise Notice 473)

The Long and the Short of it is for Atomizer Cleaning (or doing DIY Diluting) Vodka is a Safe Choice.

And when you're done, you can put a Glug or Two into a Glass of OJ. If you are into that.

 

[PeterKay]

Here is another word to research... "Denatured" Alcohol.

What Is Denatured Alcohol?.

I also have a bottle of "methylated spirit" in the house, seems to be similar to the stuff you posted earlier. Been using it as a degreaser prior to painting metals and wood, stinks terrible, violet/purple clear in color

 

[PeterKay]

The Long and the Short of it is for Atomizer Cleaning (or doing DIY Diluting) Vodka is a Safe Choice.

And when you're done, you can put a Glug or Two into a Glass of OJ. If you're are into that.

Not much of a vodka person, I'm more into scotch and bourbon.
I'm pretty sure that pure isopropanol is also safe since I rinse it really well with water. And it's cheaper than vodka down here

 

[zoiDman]

Not much of a vodka person, I'm more into scotch and bourbon.
I'm pretty sure that pure isopropanol is also safe since I rinse it really well with water. And it's cheaper than vodka down here

When I drank, I Didn't drink a lot of Vodka. Rum was my Poison of choice. But I Always drank Screwdrivers when I was in an Airport. Or on a Plane.

No Exceptions.

LOL

 

[UncLeJunkLe]

Well I guess they aren't required to list everything because my bottle of 91% Isopropyl alcohol states:

Active ingredients: Isopropyl alcohol (91% conc.)
Inactive ingredients: purified water

 

[PeterKay]

Well I guess they aren't required to list everything because my bottle of 91% Isopropyl alcohol states:

Active ingredients: Isopropyl alcohol (91% conc.)
Inactive ingredients: purified water

Might be simply because yours is not what's called in US rubbing alcohol. From the brief research and my understanding, manufacturers are only required to add the coloring and all those nasty chemicals if ethyl alcohol is in the solution.

 

[PeterKay]

Similar law applies in EU and here in UK, but isopropyl alcohol is sold anywhere from 91%- 99.9% without any nasty additives

 

[UncLeJunkLe]

Might be simply because yours is not what's called in US rubbing alcohol. From the brief research and my understanding, manufacturers are only required to add the coloring and all those nasty chemicals if ethyl alcohol is in the solution.

Maybe.

In the USA, at least where I'm from, the terms "rubbing alcohol" and "isopropyl alcohol" are used interchangeably.

I haven't seen "rubbing alcohol" on a label for ages. "Rubbing" is, however, mentioned as a use case on the label sometimes (depends on the brand).

For instance (see second bullet point),

Maybe it's only Ethyl alcohol that has other chemicals in it?

 

[zoiDman]

As if this can be More Confusing. And a Hodge Podge of Generic and Chemical terms.

Isopropyl alcohol - Wikipedia

They Don't need to Add Anything to Isopropanol to make it Taste Bad. Or to make you Sick if you Drink It. Or to Exclude you from a Liquor Tax.

Because it Does. And it Will. And it Isn't Taxable.

LOL

 

[DaveP]

I've been mixing liquid for close to a year now and have been mixing by volume, with various graduated cylinders, and recently, syringes for the small measurements.

Full disclosure: I'm a water/wastewater engineer and calculate feed rates, dilutions, volumes, and weights all day long, using metric and English units. I can figure out how many liters/hour of a chemical of a given concentration must be added to treat a stream of millions of gallons/day of water to achieve the required final concentration. Calculations with water based systems are convenient because one liter of water has a mass of one kg. Certain shortcuts can be employed due to this fact. Not so fast with English units.

We buy nicotine liquid that is measured in mg/ml (mass/volume) of solution, not mg/kg (commonly called % by weight) of solution. The final product is also expressed in mg/ml (mass/volume) not mg/kg of solution. As long as the total mg of nicotine is properly measured and calculated, and the total volume of product is properly measured and calculated, the results are perfectly accurate (at least in the spreadsheet).

The only aspect where % by weight would be useful would be in calculating VG/PG ratio. Since the specific gravity of VG and PG are pretty close, the results of a volumetric calculation seem close enough. Who really cares whether the VG/PG ratio is 75/25 or 75.3/24.7? Measuring by weight, and making the conversions just seems like so much mental masturb@tion.

I haven't read much about the process of mixing by weight, so perhaps mixing by weight is EASIER than mixing by volume, maybe less messy, and maybe its easier to make accurate measurements by weight than by volume. Graduated cylinders CAN be hard to read if the lighting is wrong, they have to be level, and you have to look at it on a horizontal plane, etc. And then you have to clean and dry them. If that's what this is all about, then, fine, we don't have an argument.

I suppose that mixing by weight also has a certain mystique about it, and I wouldn't doubt that this can result in hype.

Comments?

IMO, what counts is that you get the mix right as the recipe states. I've always mixed using a scale and I find it easy, but lots of people like mixing by volume.

I add the PG and VG first, then the flavors followed by the nic base, taring the scale to zero after each addition. Order isn't critical as long as you get each one fairly accurate. A good shake at the end of a mix is crucial. I shake until I see tiny bubbles that fill the bottle. As those bubbles rise, they help to homogenize the mix.

If you think about it, both produce identical results. Whether you are looking at lines marked on a bottle or the display on the scale, it all comes out right. Past that, it's whatever method you enjoy more.

 

[CMD-Ky]

I would use vodka but I fear my tears watching vodka go to waste would add unwanted salt to the mixture.

I don't doubt it works. But, my recollection is that rubbing alcohol is not exactly friendly to us except in rubbing. It has toxic chemicals added so we don't drink it. Don't drink it!
So, I'd be concerned about any residuals remaining after the alcohol has evaporated.
I think vodka works very well and is harmless.

 

[newyork13]

I get that.
On the other hand, I buy the cheapest rot gut vodka for this, which I wouldn't imbibe. Course I'm not a vodka drinker, and my whiskey would not be suitable for the task. Whew!