Supplier recommendations.

Status
Not open for further replies.

Forkeh

Super Member
ECF Veteran
Verified Member
Feb 16, 2012
910
660
California
I wanna get into DIY, due to impending doom (and also to see if I can mimic some of my favorite, way too expensive, juices). I think I've got the general idea, but I need some recommendations for reputable nic/flavorings/etc suppliers.

I know where to buy good juice to vape, but I'm completely clueless about where to get DIY supplies.

Please and thank you :thumb:
 

Arriss

Senior Member
Jun 24, 2015
224
154
Central Tx
I wanna get into DIY, due to impending doom (and also to see if I can mimic some of my favorite, way too expensive, juices). I think I've got the general idea, but I need some recommendations for reputable nic/flavorings/etc suppliers.

I know where to buy good juice to vape, but I'm completely clueless about where to get DIY supplies.

Please and thank you :thumb:
Hi, I order nic from Wizard labs, PG/VG from Essential Depot, as for flavoring, when I was a beginner, I used EcigExpress, ordered 1 Dram sample bottles of various flavors.

I've never used diy starter kit, I purchased 1ml, 3ml, 5ml and 10ml syringes 5 each, nitrile gloves. Polypropylene/glass beakers, you can purchase all from Wizard labs or vendor of your choice. Other's will chime in, with more suggestions. Have fun !

Wizard Labs

1 Gallon Veg Glycerin + 1 Gallon Propylene Glycol - FREE US SHIPPING

DIY E-Liquid, Electronic Cigarettes and Wholesale Nicotine & E-Cig Juice | EcigExpress
 

IDJoel

Vaping Master
ECF Veteran
Verified Member
Feb 20, 2015
3,459
11,930
61
Boise, ID
I don't know what you have done in the way of research on "how" to DIY but start by reading this:
Begin Here
Once you have an understanding of safe nicotine handling, for you and all those around you, and decide you are willing to behave accordingly;then you will want to figure out WHAT recipes/flavors you want to try and make (see final paragraph).

Then you are ready to go shopping.
You will need:
1. A recipe calculator of some sort. This will assist you with the arithmetic and give you someplace to keep notes.
(A note on "notes" - Make lots of them. It doesn't matter how; just do it! Some will use note pads or note books, others will use a word processor program like Office or OpenOffice (free-ware), others will put their notes right in the recipe files of their calculator of choice (when available). Notes are important because they remind you of what you did, how you did it, and if it did, or didn't work. Notes are one of the most important tools you will have to get repeatable results.)
As for juice/recipe calculators; you have choices here: (these are far from the only ones available. Just some of the more popular/common ones. If you don't care for any of these; please do your own research.)

You can use an on-line calculator like the one found at e-Liquid Recipes. (a caution here: these will want you to create accounts and or donate/purchase to save your own recipes. Also most have limited functionality)

Or, if you use a windows computer, a lot of ECF community folks like EJuice Me Up. (near the bottom you will find "Free Software." Click on "Download now" and follow instructions.

Personally I use a calculator created by @HotRod19579 found here.
I like this one because it has a very nice inventory management component that EJMU does not. Also HotRod19579 maintains a very active thread here on ECF for assistance and continuing software development/improvement.

Speaking of ECF members offering other calculator choices; another that has been spoken well of (though I have not used it personally) is by @Scubabatdan and is in Microsoft xls spreadsheet format. You can find it here. And here is the link to his discussion thread.

I am afraid I have no links for Apple compatible calculators as I am not an "Apple" person.

2) You will need a means to measure your ingredients. Most DIYers measure by volume or weight. Volume is the cheaper (at least for initial investment) of the two as you can start with a few syringes and a few blunt tipped needles ($5-$10 worth?)(I recommend a minimum of 2-3 each of 1mL, 3mL, and 5mL {10mL, and 25/30mL if you are making larger than 15mL batches} plus 2-3 14 gauge {for VG} and 18 gauge {for PG & flavorings} blunt-tip needles). If you're going to measure by weight you will need a digital scale able to measure to 1/100 of a gram (0.01g) which you can find on Amazon ($25-$40 and up?) (afraid you'll have to research that on your own because I measure by volume). And you will still need something to transfer fluids from their container to yours... like syringes or pipettes.

3) You will need something to measure into. This can be as simple as cleaned recycled bottles of e-juice you have saved, to beakers, and flasks, and all manner of bottles sold all over the web. It just depends on what you want and how much you want to mix at a time.

4) Finally you will need the e-juice components. PG, VG, flavoring, and nicotine solution (NEVER use higher than 100 milligrams per milliliter (100mg/mL)! And, if you are not sure about that, you may want to start even lower.).

5) Oops! One more finally. You will need something someplace to store your mixes and supplies that is protected from heat, light, children, and pets. Again, this can be as simple and inexpensive as a shoe box on a top shelf of a closet to as fancy and expensive as laboratory-grade refrigeration units. The choice is yours.

Now that I got that off my chest I can finally answer your actual question about suppliers; It depends on how you want to shop. If you want the absolute-rock-bottom price on each and every item... you are on your own. Expect to spend tens, if not hundreds, of hours google searching for them. If you want a single supplier that will have all/most of what you need to at least get started... I can tell you who I have used with satisfactory results (they didn't steal my personal info, and didn't gouge me on price) and I still use them, at least in part, for my continued shopping.

I have used (for "all-inclusive" orders):
Wizard Labs - They carry PG, VG, nic solutions, several different flavoring manufacturers, and glass and handling gear.
Things I like about them: They really do have everything you need to start on their site; They are reasonably quick with turn time (my orders normally arrive in 1- 1 1/2 weeks); Their on-line inventory seems pretty accurate (if they are out of stock on something they will note it both in the individual product page as well as your shopping cart); They offer several TFA flavors that are not even shown on TFA's website (not sure if these are exclusive or not); They offer a pretty complete line of each of the flavoring mfg. they carry; all flavors are offered in 8mL size (most for less that $2) and ship in glass bottles.
Things I don't care for: Free shipping is a little high at $65 minimum; rarely do "sales" (this can be a mixed bag as a lot of vendors that do frequent sales simply have bloated "regular" prices); Nicotine is definitely not the cheapest... but for starting out you can purchase in small quantities and know you are getting a good (if not great) product; they don't offer a digital scale if you want to measure by weight; They don't offer Flavour Arts as one of their flavoring lines (a popular manufacturer).

One Stop DIY Shop - They have a smaller offering than Wizard but have enough that you can get started with a single purchase from them. I have also found them to be cheaper on bottles, syringes, and needles. They do not offer nicotine above 48mg/mL but they do have it (and the 36mg/48mg choices are not bad choices for first time DIYers).
Things I like about them: The have unicorn bottles (a tall, slender, plastic bottle with a very narrow tip, good for carrying in pocket and short term storage) in both 15mL and 30mL sizes at a great price ($0.50/ea. either size); they carry Flavour Arts; fast shipping (all my orders have been at/or less than 5 business days; offer a pretty good range of flavor mfg..
Things I don't care for: smallest flavor size is 15mL to 30mL for most of their lines (that a lot to toss if I don't like it vs. Wizard's 8mL sample size); limited nicotine choices; no digital scales; No Inawera flavoring offering (another popular mfg.).

I have also used Bull City Vapor for some Inawera flavors I couldn't get from Wizard labs. But I am not sure I would list them as all-inclusive; their mixing gear is pretty limited (NO needles other than 18 gauge which are no good for VG) and they no longer offer ANY nicotine. But they have a great flavor selection and many people here on ECF swear by them.

Other vendors that I see mentioned (in a good way) on ECF frequently but have not yet personally used and can't vouch for (and in no particular order):
RTS Vapes
Vapers Tek (no mixing gear)
ecigexpress

I'm sure there are many others but these are ones that I have seen ECF folks talk favorably, and often enough, for me to bookmark them as potential future vendors for me. Hopefully others will chime in and share their own experiences with vendors they like and would recommend (you probably have 5 additional posts in the time it took me to type this out).

A couple of final thoughts. Start out small; with your purchases, and with your batch sizes (I personally suggest starting with 10-15mL batches) until you become comfortable with your technique and your ability to duplicate results (remember to take notes for every step) AND that DIYing is even for you. You will also not be wasting a bunch of product on recipes that sound (and are good to others taste buds) good on paper, and even have good reviews, but for what ever reason just don't float your boat. Once you home in on what works for you; then you can buy larger quantities and mix larger batches and you are off to the races.

With all the FDA noise in the news, and on the boards, resist the urge to buy liters and gallons of mixing supplies until you learn if DIYing is for you (unless you know you have someone to sell it to, or pass it on). We still have a couple of years access if stockpiling is your thing (and I'm guessing at least a couple of months before prices start to rise. No vendor wants to be "that guy" who was the tool that gouged at first opportunity).

If you really want to be economical with your starting inventory; do an ECF search for "Bill's 100DT method." It is a method that uses 1 drop to equal 1%. This will make really small test batches that will let you try it and see if you want to make more. It does require a little patience as you have to be willing to watch and count to 100. ;)

Do lots of research, there are some really great threads on here, and ask lots of questions if you can't find the answers, as there are also a lot of good people on here that are happy to help. (But please be courteous and at least try to see if someone has already answered your question by doing a few key word searches.)

Don't quit after your first attempt. Most first-time DIYers are not thrilled with they're first (or second, or third, or ???) attempt at mixing. Ideally, if you have an idea of the flavors you like to vape, search ECF and Google for recipes for that flavor (even if its a commercial brand/blend; there are quite a few "clone" recipes out there). Try to find several/many recipes (a) your not going to like all of them (if any) and (b) you can also get an idea of what flavorings you will want to order on your first order. One of the biggest plagues to the DIYer is someone posts a recipe that sounds terrific only to find you're one ingredient short. :( So have an idea of what you want to make AND what you need to make it BEFORE you go shopping. It will save you buying flavors that sound really good but you have no idea where to use them.

Have fun! Keep trying. And Welcome to the world of DIY :vapor::toast:
 
  • Like
Reactions: JCinFLA

IDJoel

Vaping Master
ECF Veteran
Verified Member
Feb 20, 2015
3,459
11,930
61
Boise, ID
Crud! I just realized I didn't say anything about basic safety equipment. Shame on me!:nah:
At minimum you want a solid, flat, non-absorbent work surface (again, away from kids and pets). Have paper towels and/or clean disposable towels/rags to wipe off hands, bottles, and an accidental spill (I have taken to mixing in a shallow baking sheet after reading someone's post here on ECF. Just make sure to get the wife's permission first! ;) )
Also, for personal protection, have some nitrile gloves (or the like) and eye protection (in case you splash or a bottle top goes flying off while shaking). Long sleeves are not a bad idea. Don't wear loose, baggy, clothes that will knock over your open bottles.
And finally, mix in a well ventilated area (no closets, or cubby holes) and keep the cap firmly on your nic solution when not actively withdrawing material.
Now I feel better. :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: JCinFLA

JCinFLA

Vaping Master
ECF Veteran
Verified Member
Oct 21, 2015
9,279
44,123
+1 on what IDJoel has posted above. Lots of great info. in those posts!

I also love Wizard Labs and order almost exclusively from them for my TFA flavorings which are 99% of what I use. I especially like the sizes Wizard offers, their prices, and their extra care in packing your things in your shipment. Oh, yea, their Customer Service is superb as well.

When I first started DIY and wanted to just get enough supplies to get me going...to see if I even liked doing it, I ordered their 120mL bottles of PG, VG, and Nic Base in VG. I also ordered about 25 flavorings - got alittle carried away with those, but wanted a good variety of primary flavorings, secondary ones (or blenders as I think of them now), and some accents and additives. I also ordered 3 of the 1mL, 3mL, and 5mL syringes, and 3 each of their 14g, 16g, and 18g blunt needle tips. I only ordered all those things though...AFTER I'd found some recipes I wanted to make! That way, I knew I'd have what I needed to make some decent batches of eliquid as soon as my order came in. Too often, newbies to DIY just go through a flavoring list and order some that sound good to them. They don't know they need to order some of the blenders that are necessary, and some Sweetener Flavor Concentrate (in liquid form) and/or Cotton Candy that about 90% of the recipes require.

Once the materials above came in, I made about (6) 50mL bottles of eliquid and loved it! Even after making those bottles...I still had a lot of the Nic Base left, much of the PG, plus most all of my flavorings I'd bought! I knew I definitely wanted to keep doing it. Then, I ordered PG and VG in the gallon size (from Bulk Apothecary for best deal), some larger sized flavorings (from WL), and some Nic in larger quantity at 100mg/mL (from WL).

Bottom line, everyone has a learning curve with DIY. I found it best to start off slowly to learn how to do it, buy smaller quantities of materials first, and then go from there.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: IDJoel

dannyv45

ECF DIY E-Liquid Guru
ECF Veteran
Verified Member
Apr 12, 2013
7,739
8,410
New Jersey
www.e-cigarette-forum.com
Start with good research

My blogs will give insight into all aspects of DYI, from steeping to what supplies to have on hand to a basic walk through mixing your first E-juice.

E-Cigarette Forum - dannyv45 - Blogs

Then read hoosier's blogs. These blogs concentrate on fine tuning your mix and give insight on additives.

E-Cigarette Forum - Hoosier - Blogs

Then read Boletus's blog's. These blogs concentrate on formulation of nicotine bases regarding proper calculations methods for figuring Nicotine concentration as well as safety.

E-Cigarette Forum - Boletus - Blogs

Then read Ginger's book "E-Cigarettes 102: DIY E-Liquid". It is a book which I've contributed to that delivers an in depth easy to follow guide in the art of DYI.

E-Cigarettes 102: DIY E-Liquid


I recommend viewing VPLive Vape Team Episode #82: DIY Safety and bookmark it for future reference. It explains safety in all aspects of DYI.

VPLive Vape Team Episode #82: DIY Safety

then read the stickies at the top of the page.

this will explain a lot of the how's and why's.

And here's a list of supply sources

DIY
RECIPIES
DIY E-Liquid | E-Cigarette Forum
E-Liquid Recipes | E-Cigarette Forum
For recipes only!!!!!!! | E-Cigarette Forum
EcigExpress Archive Cookbook | Your favorite e-liquid recipes
Clone Recipes | Homemade E-juice Recipes
E-liquid recipes | dot1ml
diyRecipeBook
Mega TFA / TPA Recipe Thread : DIY_eJuice
Solid list of DIY clones! : DIY_eJuice
hic : cerealkillaclone
ejuicerecipeforum-the place for DIY e-juice lovers
e-Liquid Calculator
TFA_Vendor's Recipes_06_23_14.pdf - Google Drive
E-Liquid Recipes | E-Juice Recipes
E-Liquid Mixing Recipes | Make My Vape
E-Liquid Recipes | Planet of the Vapes
99Juices
Zoho Creator -DIY e-Juice Recipe Book
UK Vapers - Juice Recipes
Recipe mega thread
Accueil - Le DIY pour les Nuls
FLAVOR CHARTS Page | BAKE IT RIGHT
Flavor Profiles that Pair Together in Recipes - Nouveau RawNouveau Raw
Favorite tobacco flavoring discussion - Tobacco flavoring discussion only | E-Cigarette Forum

MANUFACTURERS
The Flavor Apprentice Flavoring Thread | E-Cigarette Forum
The Hangsen Thread | E-Cigarette Forum
Inawera- a few reviews | E-Cigarette Forum
Flavor West DIY flavor review | E-Cigarette Forum
LIST of Capella Flavor Percentages | E-Cigarette Forum
Pure Vapes has 3ml FlavourArt flavorings | E-Cigarette Forum
Inawera Flavor Review - 45 Flavors From InaweraShop - Add Yours Too! | E-Cigarette Forum

DIY SUPPLIERS
Bull City Vapor - Best Prices on DIY e-liquid Supplies (Capella, Flavour Art, Flavor West, Hangsen, Inawera, Flavor Apprentice)
Wizard Labs (Capella, LorAnn, Seedman, Flavor Apprentice, )
DIY E-Liquid, Electronic Cigarettes and Wholesale Nicotine & E-Cig Juice | EcigExpress (Flavour Art, Flavor West, LorAnn, Flavors Express, Natures Flavors,
Signature (TFA), Jungle Flavors, Hangsen, Tasty Puff, Inawera, Capella)
DIY E-Cig Supplies & E-Cigarette Liquid | Make Your Own E-Liquid | RTS Vapes (LorAnn, Capella, Hangsen, Flavour Art, Flavor Apprentice, FLavor Jungle,
Flavor West, Inawera, RTS blends)
Electronic Cigarettes | E-Liquids - MyFreedomSmokes (LorAnn, Flavour Art, Flavor Apprentice, MFS house blends)
http://www.diyflavorshack.com/ (House blends/brands)
Perfumers Apprentice - The Flavor Apprentice - World of Flavors (TPA/TFA)
Capella Flavor Drops - Over 75+ Water Soluble Concentrated Flavorings (Capella)
Flavor West (Flavor West)
DIY E-liquid Supplies - Home (Capella, Flavor West, LorAnn, Flavor Apprentice,House Blends)
Wholesale Nicotine, Bulk e-Liquid, PG, VG and Supplies Heartlandvapes Wholesale (Capellas, Flavor West, LorAnn, Flavor Apprentice, House Blends)
E-liquid Mart (Capellas, Flavour Art)
DIY E Liquid Flavoring - E Cig eGo, E juice, Mods, Cartomizers, Liquid Nicotine, DIY Flavorings (Vaping Zone VG flavor, Hangsen)
All Vaping Flavors (Flavorah)
[Concentrated Flavorings] - Nude Nicotine
Flavor Extracts - DIY e-Liquid Supplies (Madvapes)
DIY Flavors (Ellas, Flavor West, NF Organic, Flavor Apprentice, Capellas)
Product Categories Tasty Puff Flavor Drops | Tastypuff (Tasty Puff)
Vapers Tek (Molin Berry, Inwaera, German Flavors)

PG/VG
Essential Depot: Sodium Hydroxide, Lye, Potassium Hydroxide, Argan Oil, Shea Butter, Essential Oil, Fragrance Oil, Vegetable Oils, Food Grade
DudaDiesel - Biodiesel, Chemical & Solar Supplies, Alternative Energy Store
Glycerin | Bulk Apothecary

E JUICE CALCULATOR
eJuice Me Up - Best eJuice Calculator
DIY E-Liquid Calculator Ten Flavors Plus PG/VG Adjusting

GLASS & PLASTIC BOTTLES
Glass Bottle Outlet
Glass Bottles, Jars, Closures & More | Packaging Options Direct
Bulk Glass & Plastic Containers, Bottles, Jars & Drums | Bottle Solutions | Bottle Solutions
wholesalevials
U.S. Plastic Corporation | Plastic Tanks | Plastic Buckets | Plastic Bottles | Labware | Plastic Tubing | PVC Pipe | U.S. Plastic Corp.
ebay and amazon for bottles, bulk syringes, pg/vg,
 

BrotherBob

ECF Guru
ECF Veteran
Dec 24, 2014
13,824
12,316
Sunnyvale,CA,USA
(and also to see if I can mimic some of my favorite, way too expensive, juices)
I have found that mimicking a juice might be done, provided that you the mixer, have a through knowledge of DIY'g . Some folks never can come close to satisfying their quest. Suggest you concentrate on mixes with flavors that you like and then try to mimic past purchased e-liquid. My guess is, you will come to like your own mixes far better than any mimic attempts. In addition,I'm guessing you will find you hands full with mixing/learning and will not have time to devote to mimicking (dozens of complexity variables) purchased juice.
 
  • Like
Reactions: IDJoel

dannyv45

ECF DIY E-Liquid Guru
ECF Veteran
Verified Member
Apr 12, 2013
7,739
8,410
New Jersey
www.e-cigarette-forum.com
Many a person has failed cloning there favorite juice and that usually leads to fustration. My advice is either be creative and come up with your own new juice creation or adopt the attitude that close enough is close enough. I've seen more people walk away from DIY completely because they could not EXACTLY clone that juice.
 

IDJoel

Vaping Master
ECF Veteran
Verified Member
Feb 20, 2015
3,459
11,930
61
Boise, ID
I also ordered about 25 flavorings - got alittle carried away with those
You got off light! :D I had found paddymx's recipe files, as well as Bill's EJuiceMeUp recipe compilation when I was putting together my first shopping list. I had to quit a 80 flavors because I was at the top of my budget. :shock: Unfortunately, I never was able to break the habit, my last order put me over 300 flavors. :eek::censored::-x:lol:

Seriously though; good advice my friend! :thumbs:
 

Forkeh

Super Member
ECF Veteran
Verified Member
Feb 16, 2012
910
660
California
Start with good research

My blogs will give insight into all aspects of DYI, from steeping to what supplies to have on hand to a basic walk through mixing your first E-juice.

E-Cigarette Forum - dannyv45 - Blogs

Then read hoosier's blogs. These blogs concentrate on fine tuning your mix and give insight on additives.

E-Cigarette Forum - Hoosier - Blogs

Then read Boletus's blog's. These blogs concentrate on formulation of nicotine bases regarding proper calculations methods for figuring Nicotine concentration as well as safety.

E-Cigarette Forum - Boletus - Blogs

Then read Ginger's book "E-Cigarettes 102: DIY E-Liquid". It is a book which I've contributed to that delivers an in depth easy to follow guide in the art of DYI.

E-Cigarettes 102: DIY E-Liquid


I recommend viewing VPLive Vape Team Episode #82: DIY Safety and bookmark it for future reference. It explains safety in all aspects of DYI.

VPLive Vape Team Episode #82: DIY Safety

then read the stickies at the top of the page.

this will explain a lot of the how's and why's.

And here's a list of supply sources

DIY
RECIPIES
DIY E-Liquid | E-Cigarette Forum
E-Liquid Recipes | E-Cigarette Forum
For recipes only!!!!!!! | E-Cigarette Forum
EcigExpress Archive Cookbook | Your favorite e-liquid recipes
Clone Recipes | Homemade E-juice Recipes
E-liquid recipes | dot1ml
diyRecipeBook
Mega TFA / TPA Recipe Thread : DIY_eJuice
Solid list of DIY clones! : DIY_eJuice
hic : cerealkillaclone
ejuicerecipeforum-the place for DIY e-juice lovers
e-Liquid Calculator
TFA_Vendor's Recipes_06_23_14.pdf - Google Drive
E-Liquid Recipes | E-Juice Recipes
E-Liquid Mixing Recipes | Make My Vape
E-Liquid Recipes | Planet of the Vapes
99Juices
Zoho Creator -DIY e-Juice Recipe Book
UK Vapers - Juice Recipes
Recipe mega thread
Accueil - Le DIY pour les Nuls
FLAVOR CHARTS Page | BAKE IT RIGHT
Flavor Profiles that Pair Together in Recipes - Nouveau RawNouveau Raw
Favorite tobacco flavoring discussion - Tobacco flavoring discussion only | E-Cigarette Forum

MANUFACTURERS
The Flavor Apprentice Flavoring Thread | E-Cigarette Forum
The Hangsen Thread | E-Cigarette Forum
Inawera- a few reviews | E-Cigarette Forum
Flavor West DIY flavor review | E-Cigarette Forum
LIST of Capella Flavor Percentages | E-Cigarette Forum
Pure Vapes has 3ml FlavourArt flavorings | E-Cigarette Forum
Inawera Flavor Review - 45 Flavors From InaweraShop - Add Yours Too! | E-Cigarette Forum

DIY SUPPLIERS
Bull City Vapor - Best Prices on DIY e-liquid Supplies (Capella, Flavour Art, Flavor West, Hangsen, Inawera, Flavor Apprentice)
Wizard Labs (Capella, LorAnn, Seedman, Flavor Apprentice, )
DIY E-Liquid, Electronic Cigarettes and Wholesale Nicotine & E-Cig Juice | EcigExpress (Flavour Art, Flavor West, LorAnn, Flavors Express, Natures Flavors,
Signature (TFA), Jungle Flavors, Hangsen, Tasty Puff, Inawera, Capella)
DIY E-Cig Supplies & E-Cigarette Liquid | Make Your Own E-Liquid | RTS Vapes (LorAnn, Capella, Hangsen, Flavour Art, Flavor Apprentice, FLavor Jungle,
Flavor West, Inawera, RTS blends)
Electronic Cigarettes | E-Liquids - MyFreedomSmokes (LorAnn, Flavour Art, Flavor Apprentice, MFS house blends)
http://www.diyflavorshack.com/ (House blends/brands)
Perfumers Apprentice - The Flavor Apprentice - World of Flavors (TPA/TFA)
Capella Flavor Drops - Over 75+ Water Soluble Concentrated Flavorings (Capella)
Flavor West (Flavor West)
DIY E-liquid Supplies - Home (Capella, Flavor West, LorAnn, Flavor Apprentice,House Blends)
Wholesale Nicotine, Bulk e-Liquid, PG, VG and Supplies Heartlandvapes Wholesale (Capellas, Flavor West, LorAnn, Flavor Apprentice, House Blends)
E-liquid Mart (Capellas, Flavour Art)
DIY E Liquid Flavoring - E Cig eGo, E juice, Mods, Cartomizers, Liquid Nicotine, DIY Flavorings (Vaping Zone VG flavor, Hangsen)
All Vaping Flavors (Flavorah)
[Concentrated Flavorings] - Nude Nicotine
Flavor Extracts - DIY e-Liquid Supplies (Madvapes)
DIY Flavors (Ellas, Flavor West, NF Organic, Flavor Apprentice, Capellas)
Product Categories Tasty Puff Flavor Drops | Tastypuff (Tasty Puff)
Vapers Tek (Molin Berry, Inwaera, German Flavors)

PG/VG
Essential Depot: Sodium Hydroxide, Lye, Potassium Hydroxide, Argan Oil, Shea Butter, Essential Oil, Fragrance Oil, Vegetable Oils, Food Grade
DudaDiesel - Biodiesel, Chemical & Solar Supplies, Alternative Energy Store
Glycerin | Bulk Apothecary

E JUICE CALCULATOR
eJuice Me Up - Best eJuice Calculator
DIY E-Liquid Calculator Ten Flavors Plus PG/VG Adjusting

GLASS & PLASTIC BOTTLES
Glass Bottle Outlet
Glass Bottles, Jars, Closures & More | Packaging Options Direct
Bulk Glass & Plastic Containers, Bottles, Jars & Drums | Bottle Solutions | Bottle Solutions
wholesalevials
U.S. Plastic Corporation | Plastic Tanks | Plastic Buckets | Plastic Bottles | Labware | Plastic Tubing | PVC Pipe | U.S. Plastic Corp.
ebay and amazon for bottles, bulk syringes, pg/vg,

Thank you! That's a fantastic bunch of resources. I really appreciate the time you took to post that for me. I'll definitely make my way through that.

And don't worry guys, I'm not gonna give up on DIY just because I can't mimic a flavor. It's really not that big of a deal. I just figured I might as well give it a shot while I'm at it. I'm probably gonna start out with some simple juices. Basic fruit flavors, with maybe a bit of sourer or sweetener. I'm really not that hard of a person to pleases. I tend to like more basic things.
 
  • Like
Reactions: IDJoel

IDJoel

Vaping Master
ECF Veteran
Verified Member
Feb 20, 2015
3,459
11,930
61
Boise, ID
My guess is, you will come to like your own mixes far better than any mimic attempts. In addition,I'm guessing you will find you hands full with mixing/learning and will not have time to devote to mimicking (dozens of complexity variables) purchased juice.
A BIG +1 on that Brother Bob! :D
adopt the attitude that close enough is close enough
What a great motto Danny. I want that on my tombstone! :lol: (Not to mention what that could have done for me with my two ex's!) :lol::lol::lol::lol:
And don't worry guys, I'm not gonna give up on DIY just because I can't mimic a flavor. It's really not that big of a deal. I just figured I might as well give it a shot while I'm at it. I'm probably gonna start out with some simple juices. Basic fruit flavors, with maybe a bit of sourer or sweetener. I'm really not that hard of a person to pleases. I tend to like more basic things.
Cool Beans Forkeh! Sounds like you have the right attitude!! :thumbs:
I wish you the best of luck in your new DIY adventure! Keep us posted on how it progresses. :toast:
 

Forkeh

Super Member
ECF Veteran
Verified Member
Feb 16, 2012
910
660
California
I did make an order today though. From Wizard Labs. 120 ml of pg, vg, and nic base (the smallest amounts offered). A handful of sample sized flavorings, and some sour and sweet additives. Some syringes, glassware for mixing too. I think that'll be enough to get me started, and they make the nic base to order, so I'll have like a week to get some good research in (already started :)).

I got a 60mg/ml base. I had my reservations about getting such a high concentration to start out with, but then I realized I've handled dangerous chemicals every day at work for the past 6 years >_>. Seems to me the basics of safe handling are the same. Don't touch the stuff. Wear gloves and protective clothing when working with the stuff, in case you accidentally touch the stuff. Don't knock the stuff over. Put down a protective tray in case you knock the stuff over. Don't cross contaminate so the stuff doesn't get into other stuff unless you want it in other stuff. If you DO touch the stuff, wash it off right away and seek medical help if you feel unwell. Am I missing anything?
 

IDJoel

Vaping Master
ECF Veteran
Verified Member
Feb 20, 2015
3,459
11,930
61
Boise, ID
I did make an order today though. From Wizard Labs. 120 ml of pg, vg, and nic base (the smallest amounts offered). A handful of sample sized flavorings, and some sour and sweet additives. Some syringes, glassware for mixing too. I think that'll be enough to get me started, and they make the nic base to order, so I'll have like a week to get some good research in (already started :)).
Sweet! :thumbs: Now you're in trouble! ;)
I got a 60mg/ml base. I had my reservations about getting such a high concentration to start out with, but then I realized I've handled dangerous chemicals every day at work for the past 6 years >_>. Seems to me the basics of safe handling are the same. Don't touch the stuff. Wear gloves and protective clothing when working with the stuff, in case you accidentally touch the stuff. Don't knock the stuff over. Put down a protective tray in case you knock the stuff over. Don't cross contaminate so the stuff doesn't get into other stuff unless you want it in other stuff. If you DO touch the stuff, wash it off right away and seek medical help if you feel unwell. Am I missing anything?
:lol::lol:<giggling hysterically>:lol::lol: Stuff.... <more giggling>! All I can think about is George Carlin's whole routine on his supply-chain of "Stuff."
No, honestly, I think you have a good handle on it. Truthfully, at 60mg/mL it is relatively tame stuff (to human adults in good health). But I am never one to poo-poo good safety practices. If you have worked around hazardous materials I'm sure you are well aware that one of the biggest hazards is complacency. You get so used to being around the stuff and you get careless.
Be smart. Be careful. You'll be fine.
Go find a e-juice/recipe calculator while you are waiting for your "Stuff" to arrive. <more giggling> :D
:toast:
 

Forkeh

Super Member
ECF Veteran
Verified Member
Feb 16, 2012
910
660
California
Sweet! :thumbs: Now you're in trouble! ;)

:lol::lol:<giggling hysterically>:lol::lol: Stuff.... <more giggling>! All I can think about is George Carlin's whole routine on his supply-chain of "Stuff."
No, honestly, I think you have a good handle on it. Truthfully, at 60mg/mL it is relatively tame stuff (to human adults in good health). But I am never one to poo-poo good safety practices. If you have worked around hazardous materials I'm sure you are well aware that one of the biggest hazards is complacency. You get so used to being around the stuff and you get careless.
Be smart. Be careful. You'll be fine.
Go find a e-juice/recipe calculator while you are waiting for your "Stuff" to arrive. <more giggling> :D
:toast:

Oh yeah, complacency is definitely a big danger. Tell you what though, nothing like a nice chemical burn to nip that in the bud :thumb: or having to streak through your place of business, because you spilled an extremely corrosive chemical down the front of your clothes. I'm older and wiser now >_>.
 
  • Like
Reactions: IDJoel

gcvt

Super Member
ECF Veteran
Verified Member
Nov 11, 2012
405
427
Las Vegas
I did make an order today though. From Wizard Labs. 120 ml of pg, vg, and nic base (the smallest amounts offered). A handful of sample sized flavorings, and some sour and sweet additives. Some syringes, glassware for mixing too. I think that'll be enough to get me started, and they make the nic base to order, so I'll have like a week to get some good research in (already started :)).

I got a 60mg/ml base. I had my reservations about getting such a high concentration to start out with, but then I realized I've handled dangerous chemicals every day at work for the past 6 years >_>. Seems to me the basics of safe handling are the same. Don't touch the stuff. Wear gloves and protective clothing when working with the stuff, in case you accidentally touch the stuff. Don't knock the stuff over. Put down a protective tray in case you knock the stuff over. Don't cross contaminate so the stuff doesn't get into other stuff unless you want it in other stuff. If you DO touch the stuff, wash it off right away and seek medical help if you feel unwell. Am I missing anything?

Congrats! You won't be disappointed with Wizard; that is for sure. That's my 'go-to' for nic.
 
  • Like
Reactions: IDJoel

Forkeh

Super Member
ECF Veteran
Verified Member
Feb 16, 2012
910
660
California
Got my stuff today (that was fast!) and made my first batch! Made a base pg and vg, little more pg than vg because my nicotine and flavorings are all vg. If my math is right it works out to 50/50 (if not I'm not worried about it). But 20 ml total of vg and pg, and 3 ml of my 60 mg/ml nicotine base. So my base was around 8 mg/ml. To accommodate for flavoring that was a little over my target. Based on the throat hit I'm getting, my end nicotine ratio is probably a little over my goal of 6 mg/ml, but that's okay. I'll work it out.

I split my base into two bottles to make two flavors. The first I made was a dragonfruit flavor. 1ml of the flavoring, plus 1/4 ml of both sweetner and souring flavor. I gotta say. I wasn't expecting such good results my first time mixing, but this juice is as good as any dragonfruit juice I ever bought. Maybe even better, because I was able to take back the sweetness a tad and add a little sour. 10/10 would make again.

The second flavor I made was a mango coconut. I used 1mg of mango flavoring in this one, 1/2 a ml of coconut, and 1/4 ml of sweetner. Overall this one is pretty good and I like where the sweetness is at; I didn't add any sour because I tasted the mango concentrate and it was already pretty sour. The only issue that the mango overpowers the coconut almost 100%. 6/10. Tastes good and I'll vape the rest of it, but it needs work. Either less mango, or more coconut. Or maybe it just needs to steep. I'll give it a while before I make a final decision on this one.

Overall good results, I think this is most definitely doable.
 

IDJoel

Vaping Master
ECF Veteran
Verified Member
Feb 20, 2015
3,459
11,930
61
Boise, ID
Got my stuff today (that was fast!) and made my first batch! Made a base pg and vg, little more pg than vg because my nicotine and flavorings are all vg. If my math is right it works out to 50/50 (if not I'm not worried about it). But 20 ml total of vg and pg, and 3 ml of my 60 mg/ml nicotine base. So my base was around 8 mg/ml. To accommodate for flavoring that was a little over my target. Based on the throat hit I'm getting, my end nicotine ratio is probably a little over my goal of 6 mg/ml, but that's okay. I'll work it out.

I split my base into two bottles to make two flavors. The first I made was a dragonfruit flavor. 1ml of the flavoring, plus 1/4 ml of both sweetner and souring flavor. I gotta say. I wasn't expecting such good results my first time mixing, but this juice is as good as any dragonfruit juice I ever bought. Maybe even better, because I was able to take back the sweetness a tad and add a little sour. 10/10 would make again.

The second flavor I made was a mango coconut. I used 1mg of mango flavoring in this one, 1/2 a ml of coconut, and 1/4 ml of sweetner. Overall this one is pretty good and I like where the sweetness is at; I didn't add any sour because I tasted the mango concentrate and it was already pretty sour. The only issue that the mango overpowers the coconut almost 100%. 6/10. Tastes good and I'll vape the rest of it, but it needs work. Either less mango, or more coconut. Or maybe it just needs to steep. I'll give it a while before I make a final decision on this one.

Overall good results, I think this is most definitely doable.
Glad to hear such positive results first time "out of the barn!" :thumb:

Which brand (mfg.) of Mango did you use that was so strong? Everything I have tried so far is really weak! Even at 10-15%. I would love to find a good one.

I do have a couple of suggestions/requests: (this is FYI and NOT scolding you in any way :))
PLEASE use a juice/recipe calculator.
1. It is a smart safety precaution. (I really cringe when I read statements like " If my math is right it..." There is absolutely no reason not to be sure when there are so many, good, free choices readily available.) It is possible to miss a decimal point and not just make something that tastes nasty, but can also make you sick (or worse). Click here to check out a simple on-line one that doesn't even require download.
2. The calculator will give you accurate percentages to be able to communicate effectively with others.

This leads to my second request:

When you are sharing a recipe, or seeking advise about a recipe, the majority of the community prefers measurements be in the form of percentages. That way, whether we (your readers) measure in milliliters (volume), or grams (weight), or drops (kinda, sorta, volume) we can convert it to our preferred method of measuring. We can quickly eyeball the ratios and see if anything is glaring. We can easily scale it up or down to whatever size batch we want.
Using your Dragon fruit recipe as an example; a good way to post it might be:
"I made 13 mL of (Name; you created it you aught to name it! ;)) at 50PG/50VG 6mg/mL nic
I used:
10% 60 mg/mL VG nic
50% PG
28% VG
8% Dragon Fruit (brand)
2% Sweetener (brand)
2% Sour (brand)"
(These are only representative numbers as I don't know what actual volumes you used).

You said " ...because my nicotine and flavorings are all vg.". If that is true, looking at what I have listed calls for far less VG than PG to get to the 50/50, or you actually finished with a ratio closer to 45PG/65VG (if you started with say .5mL less VG than PG; that first paragraph was pretty confusing).

Which leads me right into my final request:

When sharing recipes, or seeking help, PLEASE be as accurate/precise as you can.

I could not find 'dragon fruit," "sweetener," or "sour" in a VG base on Wizard Labs website. So, I am guessing, that you either simply had a typo of "VG" intending "PG" or you made an honest mistake and believed you were buying VG based flavors.
But, if either is true and your flavors are actually PG based, then your recipe would look like this:

I made (Name) at 50PG/50VG 6mg/mL nic
I used:
10% 60 mg/mL VG nic
38% PG
40% VG
8% Dragon Fruit (brand)
2% Sweetener (brand)
2% Sour (brand)

See how the PG and VG percentages changed from the first way I listed it?
Remember that the PG or VG in your nic and flavors count toward the total PG and VG percentages.

Example from PG based flavoring recipe above:
10% nic VG + 40% plain VG = 50% Total VG
12% Flavor PG + 38% plain PG= 50% Total PG

Or, if you DID have VG based flavorings and the first recipe was correct, it would be:
10% nic VG + 28% plain VG + 12% Flavor VG = 50% Total VG
50% plain PG= 50% Total PG
Either way you end up with 100%.

Continuing my thoughts on accuracy: Try to use the exact name and flavor manufacturer at least once in the post. Wizard Labs, as an example, carries 7 different manufacturers of flavors.

Did you actually use TFA's (The Flavorer's Apprentice) "Sweetener" which is a specific product or did you use a sweetener in general (which could be:Sweetener, EM, Cotton Candy, Sucralose, Marshmallow, Honey, ...), and which manufacturer made it? TFA's Cotton Candy may be quite different than LorAnn's Cotton Candy (different in taste, strength, or both). Remember my earlier question about your Mango?

Once you have defined what you are writing about; then feel free to shorten, or abbreviate, to your heart's content. An example might be: once I have identified TFA's Vanilla Bean Ice Cream as the ingredient I am talking about, the next time I refer to it in the same post, I simply call it VBIC and anyone reading it understands.

Don't be afraid to re-read your message before you hit "Reply to thread." I'm sure the last thing you want is your readers wondering "what the hell are you talking about" or making one of your recipes and thinking "this tastes like dirt" because he mixed it the way you wrote it out instead of the actual way you made it (taking good notes throughout the mixing process will help both you and others recreate it!).

I'll get off my soapbox now. :blush:

As I said before, I am not grumping at you or trying to embarrass you, just sharing what someone else has shared with me to help me communicate more clearly with the rest of the community here. I hope you find it as helpful. :toast:
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Users who are viewing this thread