Super Easy DIY Method

[LucentShadow]

I'm impatient about many things, so I went to a method pretty much like this months ago for most of my mixes. I've come up with quite a few simple flavoring mixes that I like, and most of them are between 6-10% of the finished e-liquid.

I'd like to suggest an eventual 'next step' for those who want a bit more adventure.

Once you have written down several recipes, presumably by drops of flavoring, add a graduated cylinder to your arsenal, the size of your usual batch size. That's 10ml, for me. You can then measure how much total flavoring you are adding for that recipe, with some accuracy, and figure out what your typical range is.

I buy 36mg/ml to 60mg/ml base liquid, depending upon where I decide to order it. It's usually more economical that way, and still lets me make mixes with flavorings that need to be larger portions of the mix by using the more traditional method with the stronger base. I use a VG base, with VG and distilled water as a cutting liquid, so there are no calculations needed for PG/VG target ratios for me. I just use enough water to make it flow similar to PG.

I mix down half of the original base to a weaker base that's a calculated amount higher than my target nic strength. I average 8% flavoring, leaving me 92% nic base, and I want 18mg/ml nic strength. I make the weaker base at a strength of 18 / 0.92 = 19.57mg/ml. I do this in 120+ ml batches, depending upon the original base strength, so I have a couple of larger bottles for this purpose. They are just relabeled nic base bottles that I have already used up.

So, with that 19.57mg/ml base, here are the finished strengths of the low, mid, and high flavoring mixes:

- 6% flavoring (94% nic base) gets me 19.57 * 0.94 = 18.4mg/ml
- 8% flavoring (92% nic base) gets me 19.57 * 0.92 = 18mg/ml
- 10% flavoring (90% nic base) gets me 19.57 * 0.9 = 17.6mg/ml

The calculations here are very simple, and once you have done them, you just need to remember the base strength. For me, the nic strength remains within +/- 2.2% of target, which is quite fine by me.

As for cutting the strong base down to the weaker base, the calculations are still simple. Say I'm using 60mg/ml base:

19.57 / 60 = 0.326, which means that my mix is 32.6% 60mg/ml base and 67.4% cutting liquid. I measure out the nic base first, using a syringe or graduated cylinder, then the cutting liquid. This order helps to ensure that I get all of the nic into the mix.

I'm quite satisfied with this, as I make most of my batches in mere minutes, keeping my nic strength preference, but I can still experiment with my DIY extracts and such, as well.

Have fun, no matter how you decide to DIY.

 

[FelixOverland]

Lots of stuff.

I just purchased my first DIY supplies, and I planned on doing LucentShadow's method, but I bought 36mg PG base nic, since I already had some VG I used to cut some premade juice that was too strong. I figured on cutting it down to 12mg 50/50 "working" base liquid. (but I might bump that to 18)

I only got a few flavors so I could start easy, but I had to buy TFA cotton candy as a substitute for EM in solution. (I think I remember reading they're the same)

I'm looking forward to experimenting.

 

[Horselady154]

Super Easy DIY Method

A bunch of ppl have followed the directions for this in my Newbies thread and told me they love it as much as I do now so I figured I'd post a new thread and explain it a little better and maybe update some of the links.

So this is the absolute simplest, easiest way to get started w/ DIY juice, it's super cheap (about 20 cents a day to vape as much as you want) and could not be easier. You only need 3 things to do this - nicotine base, flavor and an empty bottle. That's it.

Basically, instead of buying condensed nicotine and diluting it w/ PG or VG , calculating the measurements, etc all you have to do is buy pre-made nic base at the same mg you normally vape and add flavor. For example, I vape 12mg so I buy a 215ml bottle of this - http://www.ecigexpress.com/nicotine...flavored-e-liquid-nicotine-select-size-p-1479

Here's the link for all strengths - http://www.ecigexpress.com/nicotine-bases-1mg-24mg-bases-c-43_49_100
Lots of other sites have this kind of base btw - RTS, Wizard Labs, etc - but I like ecx cuz it's cheap, clear/clean and I can get the flavors and bottles at the same time.

Once you have your base all you need to do is add condensed flavor - http://www.ecigexpress.com/diy-flavoring-c-16
My favorite company is Flavour Art from Italy btw, they have the best flavors imo - I have yet to get one I didn't like enough to finish the bottle. They tell you it's super condensed stuff which it is but don't go thinking 1 drop will taint an entire 30ml bottle of base. Personally I like to start w/ a little 5ml bottle of base and add 5 drops, take a whiff and add more till it smells good, drip a drop into my 306 and go from there. If I like it I just multiply the # of drops I added to make a bigger bottle. So for ex if 8 drops is perfect into 5ml, a 30ml bottle = 48 drops. Here's a good juice calculator if you wanna get all technical about it, imo it's more fun just to wing it like cooking - essentially just add to taste - http://www.ecigexpress.com/ejuice-calculator.php

You can also buy empty bottles from ecx - http://www.ecigexpress.com/diy-supplies-empty-bottles-c-43_44
My advice is get at least 10 of various sizes, you'll need em...personally I like the 30ml size plastic ones and I have a couple 60ml and a few 30ml blue glass ones for my favs. You can get a syringe from there too btw, I bought one but never use it cuz nic base it very thick and takes forever to fill up a syringe so I tend to mix 30ml size bottles by just dumping the stuff straight into the bottle and adding/measuring flavor by dripping directly from the bottle (FA flavors all have dropper tops).

btw I vape 50/50 but if you like 70/30 for ex obviously you'd just buy 120ml of PG and 120ml of VG and figure out the percentage to ml conversion and then use a syringe to measure

That's it, easiest thing in the world and not only will it save you at least $40 a week over buying from a vendor but it'll be some of the best juice you've had cuz you can tweak it to your taste plus you know when you order something like oba oba you're getting the original Flavour Art flavor and not some cheap knockoff (also, making crazy concoctions is way too much fun and can produce some really good stuff - my fav is hypnotic mist, oba oba and royal tobacco - it's like fruity, vanilla-tinted tobacco w/ exotic undertones...love it).

Also, I'll just add my take on steeping - If a juice you mix is terrible most likely it will improve w/ time but chances are it'll never be really good. Steeping serves to enhance and blend flavors so a freshly mixed juice that's pretty good can become amazing w/ just a couple weeks of steeping but a bad juice will only ever get marginally better, at least that's my experience anyway. If you don't know what steeping is - Steeping E-juice explained

Hope that was all easily understandable, the vendors will hate me for this but I hate them for taking all my $ for the first 2 months so I guess we're even...

Enjoy, get your juice on, happy vaping, etc.

Brilliant. Thanks.

 

[paddymx]

 

[cherrycakes]

Cherrycakes - I would say try like ten drops = 1ml
For a 10 ml batch you wanna shoot for 10% ish or a little more of flavoring or 1ml
Try ten drops for now. Tomorrow go to your local needle exchange and get a 3ml syringe for free - just tell 'em you NEEEED it.

haha my husband's coworker is a diabetic, we're stealing needles from him.
we're horrible people

 

[darkhood]

This is Ghetto Jedi Mixing 101 right here, not for everyone.
If it is for you, you should already know.

Well said. Some ppl might find it limiting, I find it incredibly easy and a perfect work to results ratio (where the effort put in is minimal and the outcome's more than worth it). Personally I don't feel the need to go any further into DIY it's just not important enough for me to put any more of my time into. If I start complicating the process it'll just lose its appeal for me - I'm all about convenience when it comes to vaping.

 

[darkhood]

Hey darkhood, how much flavoring do you normally add per ml?
Like if I'm making 10 ml how many drops should I add ?
Thanks

A good rule w/ FA flavors is start w/ 1 drop per 1ml. So a 10ml bottle I'd put in 10-15 drops, take a whiff and a hit and go from there.

 

[cherrycakes]

thanks!!! Will try it out. when my stuff gets here....

 

[jazon1]

after getting some 100mg on my arm one day and getting pretty sick from it i started to just buy 24mg unflavored and i uses about 20% flavoring in most my juices so puts me around my 18mg i use.

 

[Cookster]

I totally agree that this is a great way for new DIYers to start.

That being said, the problems occur for those of use who vape below 12mg. PG/VG is necessary then. I vape 2mg, so the nicotine is the smallest amount I use in a mix, thereby saving even MORE $$, as the PG/VG is way cheaper than the nic.

Plus, I find the mixing and tinkering a ton of fun

Just my

 

[darkhood]

thanks!!! Will try it out. when my stuff gets here....

If you ordered from ecx be prepared to wait at least a week even if it's priority - their post office sucks and packages sit there for 3 days before moving. I ordered this past Mon and it didn't leave the state till Thurs, expected delivery tomorrow. Happens every time. WA to PA has never been less than a week for me. But ya, np

 

[r77r7r]

If it hasn't been mentioned- I only use needle tip for filling tanks/cartos. Take it off and syringe works great for VG.

I order the premixed also and suck it out with a 30ml syringe quickly and easily.

 

[darkhood]

I'm renaming this thread to Ghetto Jedi Mixing 101.

 

[darkhood]

Also they moved this to the DIY liquid section I see...off into the ether it goes lol.

 

[darkhood]

Just a quick thanks to everyone who's left positive feedback on this so far and pm'd me - really, it's no a problem at all - I'm happy to see ppl passing this link along now too but apparently ya'll is buying up all my fav flavors on ecx cuz everything's outta stock now...idk if it's a coincidence or what but jeez you guys are fiends...hypnotic mist hasn't been sold out since I started doin this 4 months ago...lol all good, thank god I have a stockpile.

 

[patkin]

This is very good info for a noob DIYer. It is a bit more costly than buying higher strength and cutting though and, of course, if you screw up the flavor, your nic is lost. I always wait to see if I got it right before adding my precious nic. I made too many early on that I had to add knock your socks off menthol to use at all adding a bit of menthol to better ones.

 

[aikanae1]

I suspect that most people interested in DIY juice want to save money which is also a big reason to not smoke. I'm amazed at how much nic base I can get for about the same price as a few weeks of a vendor's signature line e-juice. What I may give up in an exotic flavor is worth it to find a simple DIY all-day vape, not to mention having stock for a long time that I can mix as needed. I can adjust to 2mg +/- nic.

I think I'll test by dripping first and may mix up a 50/50 PG/VG 0% nic for that, before I make a full batch. I don't know what my favs are yet.

But things like 1 drop to 1ml is a HUGE help to me now. There's is a learning curve to this and the only way I'll understand it is by doing. If I ever get into complex DIY juices, I'll have better understanding for the ecalculators. Yet I still can't imagine mixing ejuice next to my computer, no mobile apps (to my knowledge). I've looked at them.

On the Wizard Labs website, they say mixes for bases are available, but it's not on their menu (anyone with experience on this?). Their website cautions all kinds of haz-mat gear, even for 12mg-18mg range. I was thinking this would be similar to filling a tank with pre-mixed juice, of course using extra caution while stirring or pouring.

What kind of safety gear do you use for with nic at 12mg? (dust mask, gloves, apron, glasses, etc.)

I hope others will continue adding their 'first batch' experiences; success or failures, tips, so we can all learn from them. That's what prevents good threads for disappearing.

 

[aikanae1]

Duplicate.

 

[darkhood]

This isn't an exact science, in fact this method is the complete opposite. I don't use masks, gloves or any safety gear of any kind. I spill stuff all over my coffee table, my hands, my cat...as primer said this is ghetto jedi mixing - not for everyone, if you have a meticulous nature you're probably better off reading one of the sticky threads about proper DIY mixing and you'll save even more $ than doing it this way (which is still very cheap tho you're right). Basically this is jambalaya DIY - throw everything into a pot and see what sticks, who cares if half of it ends up on the floor.

btw they say all that stuff to cover their ___ - spilling 12mg nic base on your arm is the same as spilling 12mg vendor juice.

I just stumbled upon this puzzling recipe: hypnotic mist + liquid amber + oba oba + shade tobacco + black cherry + oakwood + vanilla tahiti = an exact replication of bubblicious regular bubble gum flavor...no idea how that's even possible but it's true.

 

[aikanae1]

I spill stuff all over my coffee table, my hands, my cat...

Whew. That's good to know. I just needed a gauge. I knew I didn't want to mess with 100mg nic and this is more my style.