total DIY liquid noob, need tips

[rez667]

Thanks for all the feedback My juice has gotten less potent. It turns out that the Belgium cream was over powering everything. I started mixing single flavors as well. I don't have a dripper, so I am visiting my local vape shop an picking one up this weekend.

Thanks again.

Rez

 

[williebb123]

when testing my juice i use a standard 510 atty with a drip tip its easy to pour a little vg and blow it out to remove flaves then vape it till no flavor exist b4 testing the next flavor

 

[mediocre toker]

DIY is very easy, but you have to do it in baby steps. First, don't try complex flavor mixes to start off with. Try single flavors. With the flavors you have now, just do individual bottles of each, and tweak the percentages of those first before mixing them together. You need to know what you are working with before you throw it all together, unless you are working from a recipe that has been written by an experienced DIYer. Working with individual flavors will also help you determine whether or not you even like that particular flavor. Just because the flavor is butterscotch does not mean that it will taste the way YOU want it to taste, and butterscotch from one flavoring company will not taste the same as the butterscotch from another. One might be really good, and the other might taste like mud to you.

Steeping will make a huge difference in how a mix tastes, especially when it comes to deeper flavors such as tobacco. It takes time for the flavor to take shape once it is diluted. Fruit flavors typically take the least amount of time to steep. I always steep for 2 weeks before judging a flavor, and I give flavors 2 months before I pass final judgement on whether I like it or not. You can speed steep, but I have never found it to be beneficial, although others have had great success with it. When it comes to DIY, time and patience are your friends, as Arnie H. already stated.

The first mix you should make is a flavorless PG/VG/nic blend. Once you get your VG, mix up your ideal PG/VG ratio with your desired nic content and taste that. You need to know what your base tastes like so you know what you are working with.

Spot on.

IMHO Less is more. You'll find with the e-juice-me-up calculator that the recommended flavour % is set at 20. I find that between 8-13 is about right. Some flavours are just too strong to mix at the higher ratio (coffee,ry4 etc.) whereas some flavours are better at around 13% (fruity,bubblegum etc.). When you mix together flavours the whole mix should come in at between 8-13%. Here's and example of one of mine:
RBC851:
Raspberry 8% (PA)
Blueberry 5% (Mom And Pop)
Cream 1% (hangsen)
So that comes in at 14% but because it is a fruity mix you can get away with a 1% overkill
Incidentally a tiny menthol crystal and 2 drops of koolada per 10ml batch makes for a supreme vape

 

[Jparrack]

Just started making my own as well

 

[ironcobra]

I also just started.

 

[rez667]

So, the juice that i thought was horrific, my co-worker thought was incredible. I think his taster is broken though. So i donated my first batch to him. I made 2 more batches since then, and its amazing how less is more. I had a total of 12% flavor, and it is freakin yummy!! I cannot thank you guys enough. I am picking up my VG and other supplies tomorrow. wahooooo

-Rez

 

[diggyb]

I'm enjoying following your journey - so keep us updated.

I can't wait to start DIY - but I'll have to wait until next month. I'm trying to keep my vape budget at 75% of what my smoking budget was, and I've already blown it this month getting started.

 

[Ladiekali]

Im new at diy too, what i have done is make single flavors first, then once those taste good i start mixing my batches together. I start at 10 ml bottles.
I have made a successful strawberry cake, this way.
And any fruit mixed with waffle!

At first i was mixing 3 ingredients together and tho some are close to being good its hard to adjust if you dont know how the flavors taste on their own.

So now i know that my waffle mixed at 5% tastes good on its own.
And my fruit so far strawberry and peach is good at 10%

So that gives me a good idea of mixing waffle batches.

My smores is not good yet, but i did not start off mixing seperately.
So this week i will mix my graham, tstd marshmallow, and milk chocolate seperate, get them tasting good on their own, then ill know if i need to add sweetners and have a better idea of ratios. I start off at 5% and work up to 10%. If 5% is too much i go to 3%. Or dilute it in half and its 2 1/2 %

I also started mixing in glass bottles and use painters tape to label and mark percentages. And also date.

I reccomend steering clear of flavors with alcohol right now. I learned that quickly. I hate alcohol based cantelope smells like finger nail polish remover, but tfa's cantelope is non alcohol and i love it on its own un mixed!

 

[Ladiekali]

Another thing with single ingredient mixes,

In my clearo ill but in about 1 mil of cake, 4 drops of menthol, about 2 ml of strawberry, a few drops of whipped cream and shake, take a few vapes, might want some more cream so i add some cream, or maybe a few more drops of cake, get it tasting good a voila. Easy to mix for what your tastebuds want right now, some days i might want more berry taste, or maybe more of a cake taste. Easy to adjust. Also when drinking say coffee i like my vape creamier than usual. Etc.

 

[r2d2]

So, the juice that i thought was horrific, my co-worker thought was incredible. I think his taster is broken though. So i donated my first batch to him. I made 2 more batches since then, and its amazing how less is more. I had a total of 12% flavor, and it is freakin yummy!! I cannot thank you guys enough. I am picking up my VG and other supplies tomorrow. wahooooo

-Rez

I just started as well so this is very encouraging. Thank you!

 

[rez667]

the best advice i can give you is to ask questions. and good luck

 

[BiglerLA]

I just started DIY as well. I seem to have been very lucky with my mixes. Although my first mix of Cantaloupe I thought was ruined. Smelled just like fingernail polish remover. I put it aside and hoped for the best. Went on to make dozens more mixes and they all turned out good. Either that or I will vape just about anything. LOL Went back to the Cantaloupe after 2 weeks and it was awesome. I now know not to buy alcohol base flavors. I also bought a dripper to taste said juices so as not to ruin and coils in case the juice was bad. Its a learning experience but I am having a blast.

 

[~Sue~Feb2012]

I use 100% VG nicotine and have found that most of my DIY tastes best after a few weeks (even months in some cases). Some of my best flavors are super concentrated alcohol based flavors from vapingzone. A few drops in a 5 ml bottle is all that's needed. I have found that many PG based flavors are nasty (to me) and too much PG causes sinus and throat irritation problems. TPA's RY4 Double is pg based but in my 100% VG nic the flavor is good after a few months at using 3 to 5%.
Good luck! Don't throw anything out (at least not for a year lol) Some of the liquids that seem awful now might be terrific later on

 

[mediocre toker]

I use 100% VG nicotine and have found that most of my DIY tastes best after a few weeks (even months in some cases). Some of my best flavors are super concentrated alcohol based flavors from vapingzone. A few drops in a 5 ml bottle is all that's needed. I have found that many PG based flavors are nasty (to me) and too much PG causes sinus and throat irritation problems. TPA's RY4 Double is pg based but in my 100% VG nic the flavor is good after a few months at using 3 to 5%.
Good luck! Don't throw anything out (at least not for a year lol) Some of the liquids that seem awful now might be terrific later on

VG takes more time to steep because its a lot more viscose. To speed things along 5 secs. in the microwave thins the VG sufficiently so that it infuses the flavors together easily. Leave to cool before trying to vape though

 

[diggyb]

I want to see pictures of your labs!

does anyone use a lab mixer? ..like one of those vibrating plates?

 

[rez667]

I want to see pictures of your labs!

does anyone use a lab mixer? ..like one of those vibrating plates?

My lab is my kitchen counter right now.. So, except for my awesome micro roasted coffee beans.. It's not very exciting

 

[BiglerLA]

I do my DIY on an old computer desk. I bought a display stand and use it for my flavorings. Works great. I have a shelf full of store bought liquid that is just sitting there steeping. All the stuff we are vaping is DIY now. I converted my kids to vaping and I make all their juices as well.

 

[mediocre toker]

I do my DIY on an old computer desk. I bought a display stand and use it for my flavorings. Works great. I have a shelf full of store bought liquid that is just sitting there steeping. All the stuff we are vaping is DIY now. I converted my kids to vaping and I make all their juices as well.

All my vape is DIY too with one exception. The phenomenal Krankberry from FuZion. My daughter actually got me into vaping from the beginning but the apprentice has become the master over the past months of DIYing. I can't believe she still guesses her nic/flavour/base mixes and just gun-ho throws them all together. She does only use the one flavour though. She never goes for anything new. It's always menthol/nic and base

 

[williebb123]

for all the newcomers wanting to start DIY take it slow i started 1yr ago one way to save money on start up is save your old juice bottles rinse them out then soak them over nite with thoes denture tablets ( efferdent etc ) you will find even the most stinky juices will disappear and you know and i know its easy to have 30+ bottles lying around , buy your vg/pg in bulk $54.49 1 gl each http://www.essentialdepot.com/servlet/the-Propylene-Glycol/Categories
same with nic but find whats in your budget i tend to get all pg base nic and my calculator takes that into account
now for the biggie flavors ....its just like the sea of juice vendors you will find over time you cannot buy all your flavs at one store im sorry
but if you are into fruit flavs i have found the most bang for my buck is vaping zones super concentrate flavors most use 2-3% so on a 30ml bottle of super con. ($16) i can make 300-450 ml's but starting out start with the 10ml bottles at $5.99 they run coupon codes for 10-20% quite often i also like alot of capellas but you may be using 10-15% so less bottles of juice will be made also hangsens is pretty good they seem to be slightly stronger than capellas or tpa but when getting your feet wet if you can swing it 15-30 small flavors will give you a small window of " i like blueberry from vendor A more than vendor B"

 

[steponmytoes]

Everybody's taste is different but I find that I always have to put about 20% flavoring on average to make my liquids taste good (regardless of brand unless they are chemical flavorings like from perfumers apprentice). Most useful equipment so far are small beakers and blunt tip syringes (most equipment can be found on amazon at really good prices).

Here are some links:

Beakers:
3 Pack Glass Borosilicate Graduated Beakers SEOH 50ml 100ml and 250ml: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

Syringes:
3 ml Syringes with Blunt Tip Fill Needles, 10 pack: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

Hope it helps!