Starting out my DIY adventure

[Chris Sutton]

Hey everyone!
Well, in the last few weeks, I have completely transformed my vaping experience. From getting a new mod, to changing up my coils, to switching to rayon, I've changed the way I vape. So naturally, it's time to change what I vape. I've been visiting the various sites people suggest and here's what I've found:

- I bought a starter kit. I jumped the gun to soon on this, because about ten minutes post order, I found a better kit. Oh well. I might just buy the other kit next month and just have extra.

- I picked a variety of flavors to try and experiment with.

- I'm going to try to experiment with the base percentages a bit to see what I like. I usually have just bought "Max VG" juices in the past, but this was pre-rayon and the thinner juice would leak out my air holes. I think I can do 50/50 with this rayon successfully.

So here's where I need help. What is everyone's opinion on the "absolutely necessary" flavors to have in stock, ie TFA strawberry is in 90% of recipes out there and so it's good to have. I mean that's just an example, but that's kinda what I'm looking for. I picked 10 flavors (I got the kit from liquid barn, and I wish I looked at nicotine River first).

I've seen the flavor packs on TFA and I thought maybe that's a good place to start? Order a couple of those at a time and just have a hundred jars? Or maybe single bottles from nicriver? I'm kinda lost.

As far as my personal tastes go, I'm open to just about everything. I have been really enjoying coffee and Carmel flavors recently, but I like fruit flavors too. So you can see why I'd want to try and get a smorgasbord of flavors. I really haven't met a favor I truly hated, usually I change up because the flavor is to weak.

So any advice is welcome. I've tried looking through some recipes on the handy recipe book someone pinned to the top. The problem is, I want to try them all at this point. So I'm like a damn squirrel and can't focus at all (like my girlfriend 100% of the time )

My current juice is called Vanilla Bean Cream from the sauce la. Another one from them I've been enjoying is a strawberry sherbet one they call Ace. I might clone them, but I want to try... Everything. Before them, I was calling pretty much everything from Humble juice. In fact, I'm heading across the street to my local vape shop to get a bottle of smash mouth while I wait on my kit. I did see the recipe for the lucky latte and we'll try that.

 

[stols001]

Well, if you want to try "everything" I'm not sure you need recommendations, exactly. I would suggest (this is how I progressed) starting with small, single mixes and then going from there. After I had some single ingredients I liked, I combined them in my tank, to get a sense of what goes with what (for me). Then I was able to identify flavors that I'd like to have more on hand and started getting a little fancier with sweeteners and additives and etc.

However, I tend toward dessert/fruit/alcohol flavors, if I were to get into stuff like tobacco that would be a whole nother story.

I will say, just start SOMEWHERE, and if you keep good notes, you should be able to expand your flavoring considerably.... That is what I have done, although I have several recipes I know I will use over and over again.

I also taste tested a lot of juices in stores, to get a sense of what I disliked... I am never going to like citruses, ever, but I still tried out an orange creamsicle flavor (that I hated, no matter what I did to it) and that was helpful as well.

Anna

 

[Chris Sutton]

Thanks Anna, good advice as always!
Yeah I figured it's like my beer making adventures. Try a bunch of things, mix and match, get something you like write it down. Get something you hate and write it in a Magnum black marker and post it everywhere reminding you to never put x flavor in anything ever again.

I guess to narrow down my inquiry, I noticed liquid barn and TFA had packs of flavors. Does anyone else so this? I could only find single vials on nicotine River and one stop diy. Or maybe someone that does a favor set from various vendors? Otherwise I don't mind picking out single bottles. Also, it seems like everyone has 4ml to 10ml sample bottles. Is this just enough for a couple of small batches?

 

[TJVapes]

It's better to pick out recipes first and then buy your flavors accordingly or you might end up with a lot of flavors that you don't use. Storage can be an issue also, so it's better to have a good lot you'll use rather than taking up space. Read, read, and read some more. You'll start figuring out that a lot of combinations are tried and true and you won't be reinventing the wheel so to speak. Good luck!

 

[stols001]

I don't flavor extensively. I still have most of my initial purchases, of 5 ml or 10 ml to use..... Some vendors will sell "flavor packs," yes.

I guess I'd say freestyle it a bit (if that is your usual method, it is mine, although it sometimes doesn't work out so well) or if you have flavors you like, you can follow specific recipes that have "cloned" flavors, or popular flavors, and do it that way as well. Kinda depends on how you do things. I will say that I have only purchased probably 3 flavors that I haven't used in SOME capacity and know I never will again, but I was iffy on them while purchasing (luckily, some other folks I flavor for now, like 0 nic for my kiddo since he decided to vape that sometimes after quitting nicotine vaping like what I don't, like my orange creamsicle....) I buy flavors that I've already tried in more volume if I know I will use them a lot.

But picking a method will probably enable you to not have a TON of flavors you don't like.

Anna

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

Hello,
Yes TFA strawberry is ok. It is better when mixed with TFA strawberry ripe. If that is a primary flavoring in your recipe you can split the difference between the 2....ie. Recipe calls for 8% strawberry, use 4% for each.

I totally get the wanting everything yesterday. But the truth is diy takes time. Time is your best friend when you DIY.

I would also suggest that you purchase a one flavor shot type of flavor to get you started, mainly because it gives you something to vape immediately and it gives you confidence that you can really do this.

A really good one since you mention strawberry is Onestopdiyshop Succulent Strawberry. They have made the recipe for us and all we do is add our nic, pg and vg. I am not saying that TFA isn't good because they are, but they take some steep time.
So do yourself a favor and go and purchase a 1oz(30ml) bottle, and if you find you don't like it, pm me and I will take it off your hands.(exchange some flavors)

 

[Chris Sutton]

@Sugar_and_Spice
Well I mentioned strawberry just because I have noticed it a lot in recipes I've looked up. It's also in a lot of store bought stuff I re-buy like Humble Donkey Khan and that Ace I mentioned. I'll probably start there.

I will pick up the succulent strawberry from one stop and give it a try too!

@stols001
Yeah. I think I'll pick up a couple of flavor packs, the flavor shot, and start there. Then I'll look to clone my previous juices. Then modify my juices. Despite me really hating banana flavor, well, anything, I love that Donkey Khan. Maybe I'll take our some bananas though lol. Also, in one of your posts, you mentioned a vape wizard additive that sounded interesting. Who sells that?

Thanks for the advice y'all. This is probably the best group of people I've crossed on the interwebs.

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

@Sugar_and_Spice
Well I mentioned strawberry just because I have noticed it a lot in recipes I've looked up. It's also in a lot of store bought stuff I re-buy like Humble Donkey Khan and that Ace I mentioned. I'll probably start there.

I will pick up the succulent strawberry from one stop and give it a try too!

@stols001
Yeah. I think I'll pick up a couple of flavor packs, the flavor shot, and start there. Then I'll look to clone my previous juices. Then modify my juices. Despite me really hating banana flavor, well, anything, I love that Donkey Khan. Maybe I'll take our some bananas though lol. Also, in one of your posts, you mentioned a vape wizard additive that sounded interesting. Who sells that?

Thanks for the advice y'all. This is probably the best group of people I've crossed on the interwebs.

Not Anna, but flavour art sells it and bull city has it.

MTS Wizard-FA

 

[Letitia]

You might try a recipe bundle from Bull City Flavors. They give you the recipe and you have the option to buy the entire flavor bundle or pick and choose which flavors you don't already have. Excellent vendor, good shipping times and cost and solid customer service.

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

You might try a recipe bundle from Bull City Flavors. They give you the recipe and you have the option to buy the entire flavor bundle or pick and choose which flavors you don't already have. Excellent vendor, good shipping times and cost and solid customer service.

And Bull city has a standing discount code of VU6. that gets you 6% off. But who knows maybe a sale will come up for MLK day?

 

[Letitia]

And Bull city has a standing discount code of VU6. that gets you 6% off. But who knows maybe a sale will come up for MLK day?

I always forget to post the coupon, never forget to use it tho. Thanks

 

[Chris Sutton]

@Sugar_and_Spice no worries. I just remembered reading a post where Anna was trying to describe the effect of it. I'll snag a bottle of that too

@Letitia I'll check them out too! I have a feeling just knowing how I am, I'll have a box of a bunch of different flavors and just pull up some on a whim or craving I'm having and shake some up. I have a plastic bin that's 2'x3'x.5' hard plastic, stackable with others that I use for beer bottle storage but I think one can be used for said storage possibilities.

 

[dc99]

Since you want the succulent SB (its really good) you can get flavors from OSDIY anyway. No reason to pay shipping more than once. TFA has some awsome flavors and they are one of the cheaper brands. Strawberry, SB ripe, greek yogurt, vanilla swirl, cheesecake graham crust, sweet cream, vanilla bean ice cream, blueberry wild are a few really good ones. There are a lot of good mixers on here you can ask about a flavor before buying. I will go ahead and warn you, I started out like you and Im over 200 now. Its addictive
Liquid Barn has some good flavors that can be used as one shots and they now carry true one shots for 2.99. They have good quality PG,VG and Nic also

 

[TJVapes]

You might try a recipe bundle from Bull City Flavors. They give you the recipe and you have the option to buy the entire flavor bundle or pick and choose which flavors you don't already have. Excellent vendor, good shipping times and cost and solid customer service.

I recommend obsidian from that selection. I like it, and a couple of people I mix for love it.

And Bull city has a standing discount code of VU6. that gets you 6% off. But who knows maybe a sale will come up for MLK day?

I didn't know that. Thank you!

 

[BrotherBob]

I've seen the flavor packs on TFA and I thought maybe that's a good place to start? Order a couple of those at a time and just have a hundred jars? Or maybe single bottles from nicriver? I'm kinda lost.

Might want to start DIY'g by reading the following:
Getting Started: DIY 101 – Mixing Your Own eLiquid
diy_beginners_guide - DIY_eJuice
http://www.ecigexpress.com/shop/diy-e-liquid/diyordie-concentrates.html
http://www.ejuicemakers.com/help/
How to get started mixing your own DIY e liquids.
diy_beginners_guide - DIY_eJuice
Please read the stickies below:
https://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/forums/diy-e-liquid.38/

 

[Chris Sutton]

Oh yeah, @BrotherBob I read through those mostly. The chemistry is easy for me. I was a chemist in another life I think. I'm just open to suggestions about what flavors most think are the must haves.

On another note, I've been a registered licensed pharmacy technician for over a decade, so I understand the measuring and safety. Aside from that, the math is second nature to me. In fact reading the posts, I was starting to form my own equations and then boom, there they are.

I however, understand that mistakes happen and what not, so I've bookmarked everything so I have a good reference to check and double check everything. I even have a safe area for all this stuff so my little one doesn't get into this stuff: a room with a lockable door (reinforced with a baby gate just in case) and a cabinet in said room that has an area I can put stuff on top of (that I myself even at 6' tall needs a step ladder to get to).

But with all that being said, those pages are great references and that's what I love about these forms. Everyone here is not only extremely helpful, but I get the feeling that everyone watches everyone's back to make sure that this hobby that can potentially be extremely dangerous stays safe so we all can enjoy it. Thanks again to everyone. I know the girlfriend and son appreciate it too!!

 

[dc99]

If I truely had to pick a list of must haves I think it would go something like this.
TFA SB
TFA SB ripe
Cap sweet SB
Cap vanilla custard V1
TFA vanilla bean ice cream
TFA meringue
TFA marshmallow
Cap super sweet
TFA cheescake graham crust
TFA vanilla swirl
These particular flavors I buy in large bottles. I probably missed one or two but these are "my" must haves. Other people probably go different ways. There are lots of others that can help these flavors out but that will come in time when you start bending flavors and trying to bring out a particular part of a juice.

 

[JCinFLA]

I agree that the above recommended flavorings are good ones that are very popular. For me personally, in addition to many in the above list...I order just a few of the ones below in the 30mL size, but most of them in the 4oz. (120mL) size. With the above listed flavorings and mine below, I could happily vape and be very content with the eliquids made from them, for the rest of my life.

TFA DX Bavarian Cream
TFA DX Banana Cream
TFA DX Sweet Cream
TFA DX Marshmallow
TFA Peach
TFA Sweetener
TFA Cotton Candy
CAP Blueberry Jam
OSDIY "One Stop Flavors":
Blueberry
Baked Cinnamon Roll
Pink Lemonade
Blue Raspberry Slush
OSDIY "One Stop Blends":
Lucky Shot
Lotta Latte
Succulent Strawberry

 

[Doctorvapes]

Since you're on a Carmel kick and enjoy fruits might I suggest Carmel and green apple to mix together both are tfa I believe... I quite enjoyed it

 

[go_player]

I like the recommendation of the BCV flavor packs- I think mixing a few highly rated recipes is the best way to start, and you get a discount, so what’s not to like? I would advise picking recipes with few ingredients though.

The thing to be aware of is that tastes vary radically. You might get those flavor packs and love all of them, you might love some and hate some, or you might hate all of them. Any of those cases would be OK, as an experiment in what you like, unless it turned you off from mixing entirely.

For instance, I cannot take TPA Butter at the levels used in some very popular recipes, like the bcv sugar cookie recipe. To me that recipe is like taking the worst part of margarine and amplifying it 10-fold. But most people love it, so...

Just understand that you might love some of the flavors in the packs, you might hate others, and the only way to find out is to try them.