The Final Count Down -- Are You Ready?

[somdcomputerguy]

you can just slop some vg, pg n nic in a pint jar n you have unflavored juice.

I still have most of a liter left of pre-mixed PG/VG/nic. It cost me less than 50 bucks, and some flavoring (125 ml) cost me less than 15. So, about 65 bucks for at least 2 years of e-liquid. Enough incentive for me to learn mixing. After that liter of pre-mix, I have a liter of 100 mg/ml that'll leave me with 4 liters after I mix it up with some PG and VG.

 

[Bronze]

It’s not quite that easy, but not much harder.

It’s as easy as using a free calculator, investing in small quantities of ingredients, a few bottles (or save your old ones) and some measuring gear, and trying stand alone flavors.

100mg PurNic™ E-Liquid Nicotine*


Vegetable Glycerin

Propylene Glycol

Capella Blueberry Cinnamon Crumble

That’s all you need to start, under $30 including tax and shipping.

Of all the many people I’ve seen in the DIY, I can only think of a couple who really struggled and probably gave up.

It’s okay if you just don’t want to mix and you’re willing to accept whatever limitations that imposes on your vaping in the future.

It’s okay to say you don’t know how, and you’re confused.

But it’s not that hard. It’s as hard as you make it, and some of us go gourmet with a dozen flavors in micro ml amounts, seeking floral notes, etc.

But we all know 1,2, 3 flavor recipes.

All my mix equipment was in an empty tissue box for the first year. So it does not have to take over a whole room in your house.

And as for ‘being content with it’ I prefer my juice to commercial. I’m not just content. I won’t vape it if I don’t love it. And I have quite a few that I love so much I rotate between at least three of them a day.

Everything you said is all true. But liking it is the hard part for myself and many others I know.

 

[Bronze]

Bulk Apothecary.

 

[DeloresRose]

Everything you said is all true. But liking it is the hard part for myself and many others I know.

Maybe many you know, but very few I’m aware of.
I’m curious now.
I think I’ll ask in the DIY. Let’s see what percentage of mixers like their juice.

 

[Jebbn]

line 1: 100mg nicotine
line 2: 36mg WTA
top with VG

that is my ADV

View attachment 832685

Ha! I have to do this.

 

[Jebbn]

I've been tempted to do that on my mixing bottle too, at least for the VG, but then I would be resigning myself to no further reductions in nic level.

Everything is fluid, man. You can make new markings in a different colour.

 

[Bronze]

Maybe many you know, but very few I’m aware of.
I’m curious now.
I think I’ll ask in the DIY. Let’s see what percentage of mixers like their juice.

Yes, most everyone likes the juice they are vaping. But getting there was an arduous process. And yes, many I know went thru that process. I saw it every day.

 

[hittman]

I started mixing out of necessity. I was strictly using silver leaf menthol from puresmoker and they went out of business. I got on a good mixing thread and asked for some help and after much trial and error, I came up with an acceptable replacement. Being on that thread got me interested in other flavors and then I got on Fran’s mixing thread and it turned from necessity to a hobby. For me it’s a fun hobby. Not every mix is a winner but I have fun experimenting and it’s a fairly inexpensive hobby. Mixing doesn’t have to be any more complicated than you want it to be. There are some flavors that are really good by themselves. Also I’ve found two flavor mixes that I’ve really liked. It’s only as complicated as you want to make it. I’m not sure if there is but maybe a list of one and two flavor recipes would be good to have for new mixers. Also, there are one shots where you just add vg, pg, and nic. The flavor mixing is done for you.

 

[DeloresRose]

Yes, most everyone likes the juice they are vaping. But getting there was an arduous process. And yes, many I know went thru that process. I saw it every day.

I do see people in the new members struggle. They don’t understand the mg/ml of nic, the calculators, where to get ingredients.

I got lucky and knew a commercial mixer who talked me through it. That’s why I think our DIY helps shorten the learning curve. If one doesn’t have to struggle with the basics, all they have to work on is the flavors. Which is the tricky part, in hindsight, but as a newbie it’s all very confusing.

When I started I was baffled by how to plug the nic into the calculator lol. Now I’m trying to pin down what’s a high note, fluffy vanilla with a moderate mouth feel? And saying things like that out loud probably puts newbies off. But you don’t have to go all wine snob to make really good juice. My SIL vapes 10% FW hazelnut, and my husband loved 10% TFA toasted almond. And I still vape both too.

 

[Bronze]

I'm not sure we are all debating the same issue. Let me just say this last thing and I'll be done. If I met a smoker who was contemplating vaping and I told him all he had to do was slop some PG/VG, nic, and a drop or two of flavoring in a pint jar I would not be honest with him. That may work for some but I would bet a large sum it would be a small minority.

 

[mikepetro]

If one is motivated enough, one can accomplish most anything.........

The nico-demon is a strong motivator.

 

[Rossum]

Everything is fluid, man. You can make new markings in a different colour.

For a couple of years, I was reducing by 0.5 mg/ml every time I made a batch, which wasn't often, given that the batches were 700-800 ml. That meant actual measurements we necessary every time, and any marks I made based on those measurements would never have been re-used. Now for the last couple of years, I've been stuck at 13 mg/ml. I haven't really felt like going lower, and I think if I had handy marks, they would be a further disincentive.

 

[mikepetro]

I have no motivation, nor desire, to reduce my nic. I am quite happy where I am at, and have been for 7 years.

 

[DavidOck]

Yeah, the whole FuDA assault is bad for those who've not made the switch.

But the flip side is that those of us who have are will now be faced with the inability to get what they want and/or need to stay off cigs.

The only really critical part of mixing is getting the nic % right. Calculators for that abound. For those who do like unflavored (personally not in that camp), that's it.

Not every flavor mix I make is great. Most are good enough - in the small "test" batch of 10 mls that I make - that I can happily vape through them. Yes, there have been a couple or so over the years that didn't make it through the first tank, but that's been a very tiny number. And along the way there havew been several that are always mixed. Since my DIY costs are about two cents per ml, well, even those few that get dumped aren't a big loss.

 

[Bronze]

I have no motivation, nor desire, to reduce my nic. I am quite happy where I am at, and have been for 7 years.

And you have a high nic content. I know another guy the same way. He's tried going lower but it isn't working for him.

 

[Doffy]

So...

If ALL flavours were banned, unflavoured was the only option...
Show of virtual hands who would go back to smoking?

That is the point, as I read it.

 

[rosesense]

I'm not sure we are all debating the same issue. Let me just say this last thing and I'll be done. If I met a smoker who was contemplating vaping and I told him all he had to do was slop some PG/VG, nic, and a drop or two of flavoring in a pint jar I would not be honest with him. That may work for some but I would bet a large sum it would be a small minority.

I understand what you mean. My example is I bought over 500 bottles of commercial eliquid and most were piffed or poured down the drain. I am very picky. So decided it would be cheaper to make my own. I still only really like maybe 1 out of 10 or 15 that I make enough for ADV but it beats buying it premade and being disappointed. So I don't tell newbies it is a simple thing for everyone cause it isn't always. It is rewarding, though.

I also struggle with some calculations. Changing ml to percentages bugs me. Why don't all calculators let you input any of the 3 instead of just percentages?

Good luck with your journey.

 

[DancingHeretik]

I won’t say I love unflavored, but it’s quite acceptable. Better than bad juice, and far, far better than none.

Quite true.

Also, there are one shots where you just add vg, pg, and nic. The flavor mixing is done for you

I'm still experimenting. I'm a very, very slow experimenter! My regular mixes are one flavor/shot mixes, Tiramisu and Root Beer Float.

I'm not sure we are all debating the same issue. Let me just say this last thing and I'll be done. If I met a smoker who was contemplating vaping and I told him all he had to do was slop some PG/VG, nic, and a drop or two of flavoring in a pint jar I would not be honest with him. That may work for some but I would bet a large sum it would be a small minority.

The reason I DIY is that I HATE most flavored juices. Unflavored is ok, but not great and not all the time.

My unflavored is just my base mix that I add flavoring to when I mix. So, it's always available for me by the half liter any time I want it.

I find most juice way too flavored. If it's in the right general area of something I like, I can just add a little bit of it to unflavored and be ok. But, even my favorites I get tired of.

I've had quite a journey. But, nowadays with all the improvements in gear, the hardest part is flavoring.

 

[dedi]

So...

If ALL flavours were banned, unflavoured was the only option...
Show of virtual hands who would go back to smoking?

That is the point, as I read it.

As I said unflavored is my favorite and choice....wd NEVER go back to smoking

 

[DavidOck]

I have no motivation, nor desire, to reduce my nic. I am quite happy where I am at, and have been for 7 years.

And you have a high nic content. I know another guy the same way. He's tried going lower but it isn't working for him.

For me - and I'm at 18 mg/ml - when I go to a lower % I find I'm vaping constantly. Staying at 18 I vape about as often as I used to smoke, and, for me, that's what it's all about.

So...

If ALL flavours were banned, unflavoured was the only option...
Show of virtual hands who would go back to smoking?

That is the point, as I read it.

I'd bite the bullet and go unflavored. But. Does anyone think they're going to remove all the flavors that the food industry uses?