Wear Gloves!

[Tommykcleveland]

I'm pretty new to vaping and have noticed that the vapor stores online don't ever seem to send any instructions. After searching around I found some videos and posts here to get started. My first venture was to simply fill a basic cartomizer to vape with a pretty simple battery. Well not knowing what the hell I was doing I was getting juice all over my hands with the carts leaking as I was filling them and making a big ol mess. Well the first time I just sat at my desk with some paper towels and started filling them as I thought I was supposed to. I did not know how to fill the cart without the juice running right out of the bottom. So here I am starting to get sweaty and then nauseous wondering what the heck was wrong with me. I looked at my hands all soaked with juice and realized I had a buttload of nicotine soaking into my skin. I washed my hands quickly and laid down because I was getting dizzy. I have gotten a little better filling my carts and tanks, and don't make nearly the mess now. One thing I learned is that whenever I am doing any major filling to wear rubber gloves. A simple top off here and there is fine but when I'm going to be working at it a while its with gloves for sure. I shared this as a tip, but there are probably not many people who are dumb asses like me. Its more a humor story. It is certainly a tip for someone just starting though. I was so sick I was ready to vomit, I was ready to stop vaping right there. Glad I didn't and however geeky or over protective it is, I'm wearing gloves baby!
Tom

 

[mostlyclassics]

Hee hee, Tommykcleveland, I feel your pain!

About a year ago, I transferred two liters of 100 mg./ml. nicquid base (AKA rocket fuel) into 60 ml. bottles for storing in my freezer. I was wearing nitrile gloves, but they were the standard kind. I slopped some of that high-test stuff on my arm. Within about 20 minutes, I had a headache and the whirlies. Now I have a box of nitrile gloves that go most of the way up my arms.

 

[Tommykcleveland]

Lol it does absorb into the skin pretty fast. I am much cleaner now with my filling so there is less mess to begin with.

 

[jasl90]

Where do you get the longer nitrile gloves? I've got the regular ones that go just past the wrist but I'd like a bit more coverage.

 

[mostlyclassics]

Where do you get the longer nitrile gloves? I've got the regular ones that go just past the wrist but I'd like a bit more coverage.

I found mine on amazon . com.

 

[jasl90]

I'll take a look. Thanks.

 

[inquiring mind]

I just watched a video on Youtube (can't remember the title or i would include it hear) that had a great secret for easy filling of a carto. It works so great for me. No more burned out cartos and dry inhales or floodednightmares. Take the plastic cover that comes with all those cartos. Put the drops of e-juice in the plastic cover. Take the plastic white thing off the top of your carto and put the carto in the plastic cover with the juice and the threads pointed into it. The juice will wick up and fill the fiber. Take the carto out after a few minutes, blow it out to get the extra stuff that is in the center hole out and then wipe down the threads and bottom of the carto. You can add a few drops of juice to the top of the fiber and then just recover and use. It is such a great system. It saves a lot of time, too. Any leaking goes right back into the plastic cover and you blow out the rest. If there is any remaining e-juice in the plastic cover, just pour it back into your juice bottle. Hope this helps. No more rubber gloves needed.

 

[Tommykcleveland]

I put the little rubber plug that comes with most cartos in the bottom and then the rubber cap over it. Then fill a syringe, I prefer sharp because it tends not to smash the cotton down. Slowly put the syringe on the inside edge until it hits bottom. If there is a lot of resistance I will pull back and move over so I can get it to the bottom without disturbing the cotton too much. Push a little juice slowly and the do the same on the other side and I like to do 4 points to get it even. When it fills and there is a little extra on top I careful put the needle in the middle with no pressure as to not damage the atty. Then suck out any excess juice. Take out the plug, wipe the carto down real good with paper towel and softly blow through the bottom to make sure the center with the atty is clear. Pop the top back on and its good to go. I have filled other ways but like this one best. there are videos that demonstrate this.

 

[BostonVape]

I mean is it really necessary to wear gloves to fill a cartomizer?? lol...

 

[Deamon L. Scaduz]

I mean is it really necessary to wear gloves to fill a cartomizer?? lol...

Not that I have found. I could see it if you are working with straight nic, but otherwise just be careful.

 

[FUMAKILLA]

I just watched a video on Youtube (can't remember the title or i would include it hear) that had a great secret for easy filling of a carto. It works so great for me. No more burned out cartos and dry inhales or floodednightmares. Take the plastic cover that comes with all those cartos. Put the drops of e-juice in the plastic cover. Take the plastic white thing off the top of your carto and put the carto in the plastic cover with the juice and the threads pointed into it. The juice will wick up and fill the fiber. Take the carto out after a few minutes, blow it out to get the extra stuff that is in the center hole out and then wipe down the threads and bottom of the carto. You can add a few drops of juice to the top of the fiber and then just recover and use. It is such a great system. It saves a lot of time, too. Any leaking goes right back into the plastic cover and you blow out the rest. If there is any remaining e-juice in the plastic cover, just pour it back into your juice bottle. Hope this helps. No more rubber gloves needed.

aka "the condom method" - My choice when it comes to filling my carto tanks

 

[The Soot King]

I mean is it really necessary to wear gloves to fill a cartomizer?? lol...

For liquids with lower concentrations of nicotine such as 2.4 or less, you can get away with not wearing gloves. If you are using very high nicotine liquid or dealing with pure nicotine, then it should be mandatory. Nicotine absorbs very rapidly through the skin and higher concentrations can cause health complications particularly in those that suffer from cardiovascular issues.

 

[zapped]

For liquids with lower concentrations of nicotine such as 2.4 or less, you can get away with not wearing gloves. If you are using very high nicotine liquid or dealing with pure nicotine, then it should be mandatory. Nicotine absorbs very rapidly through the skin and higher concentrations can cause health complications particularly in those that suffer from cardiovascular issues.

Complete and utter hogwash! Nicotine DOES NOT absorb rapidly through the skin, why do you think the patch needs constant contact?

For those reading this and freaking out, you should be fine if you spill even 36mg nicotine on yourself.Just wash it off as soon as possible and keep vaping.

Ive spilled 100mg nicotine on my arm and did more damage to myself by freaking out then I would have by calmly walking to the sink and rinsing it off.This is still no replacement for using gloves and proper equipment.

100mg of nicotine in a pg or vg solution is 10 percent nicotine by volume. The other 90 percent of the solution serves to slow direct absorption through the skin.

This is a prime example of why you should look at someone's post count before taking what they say to heart.

 

[mostlyclassics]

I mean is it really necessary to wear gloves to fill a cartomizer?? lol...

Nope. When I slop while filling a carto-tank or a Vivi Nova, I just lick off my fingers.

A concentration of 1.2% to 1.8% is pretty much harmless. It's the high-test rocket fuel that you need protection for.

People do vary greatly in how easily their skin absorbs nicotine. In my case, I'm 64 and thus have fairly thin skin. I also have excellent circulation, with an abundance of capillaries just under my skin in the dermis. When I spilled the 10% solution on my arm, at first I ignored it. But soon, within about 15 minutes, the headache and the whirlies started. As I was working with the juice, etc., under an exhaust hood, I have to assume the symptoms came from physical contact with the rocket juice and not from inhaling fumes.

 

[Tommykcleveland]

I mean is it really necessary to wear gloves to fill a cartomizer?? lol...

I fill cartos here and there without gloves but if I am doing a whole bunch of them I put the gloves on. When I started before I really knew what I was doing I wish I had put gloves on. With time and experience they are less necessary but handling multiple bottles and multiple cartos and filling them with the syringe like I do still has a little mess.

 

[Ryedan]

For liquids with lower concentrations of nicotine such as 2.4 or less, you can get away with not wearing gloves. If you are using very high nicotine liquid or dealing with pure nicotine, then it should be mandatory. Nicotine absorbs very rapidly through the skin and higher concentrations can cause health complications particularly in those that suffer from cardiovascular issues.

I wore gloves when I diluted 10% (100 mg/ml) liquid. I also put the dog in another room so if I had a major spill I would not have to worry about her possibly licking it. I have never had a problem with a bit of juice at any vaping concentration on my skin and I've sometimes just left it there until it was convenient to wash it off. Had I ever spilled a few ml of liquid on me I would have washed it off within a few minutes.

Pure nic is very dangerous to work with and as far as I know is not obtainable by consumers. It takes a lot more than gloves to be safe around it!

 

[Russian Hammer]

I've wondered about this.

 

[Tommykcleveland]

Complete and utter hogwash! Nicotine DOES NOT absorb rapidly through the skin, why do you think the patch needs constant contact?

For those reading this and freaking out, you should be fine if you spill even 36mg nicotine on yourself.Just wash it off as soon as possible and keep vaping.

Ive spilled 100mg nicotine on my arm and did more damage to myself by freaking out then I would have by calmly walking to the sink and rinsing it off.This is still no replacement for using gloves and proper equipment.

100mg of nicotine in a pg or vg solution is 10 percent nicotine by volume. The other 90 percent of the solution serves to slow direct absorption through the skin.

This is a prime example of why you should look at someone's post count before taking what they say to heart.

One should be far more careful trusting someone with 3,433 post who gives inaccurate and potentially dangerous information.
First the quote below and the subsequent article shows Peer Reviewed Scientific data from a controlled study. Second look close at the mechanism of a nicotine patch, several membrane levels that allow a very small amount over a specified period of time, that's why they must stay on, not because it takes that long for one layer of nicotine to absorb. You can certainly drink nicotine if you want, some people huff paint so have at it.

"Nicotine base is well absorbed through the skin. That is the reason for the occupational risk of nicotine poisoning (green tobacco sickness) in tobacco harvesters who are exposed to wet tobacco leaves (McBride et al., 1998). That is also the basis for transdermal delivery technology (Benowitz, 1995). Currently in the United States several different nicotine transdermal systems are marketed. All are multilayer patches. The rate of release of nicotine into the skin is controlled by the permeability of the skin, rate of diffusion through a polymer matrix, and/or rate of passage through a membrane in the various patches." Metabolism and Disposition Kinetics of Nicotine
Read the entire article, it is very interesting. This quote is from an international pharmacological journal.

 

[Tommykcleveland]

A little bit of liquid on the skin can be quickly washed off, but if one is filling several cartos or tanks and is not paying attention, (as I was not when I originated this post) one will get sick.
First the quote below and the subsequent article shows Peer Reviewed Scientific data from a controlled study. Second look close at the mechanism of a nicotine patch, several membrane levels that allow a very small amount over a specified period of time, that's why they must stay on, not because it takes that long for one layer of nicotine to absorb. You can certainly drink nicotine if you want, some people huff paint so have at it.

"Nicotine base is well absorbed through the skin. That is the reason for the occupational risk of nicotine poisoning (green tobacco sickness) in tobacco harvesters who are exposed to wet tobacco leaves (McBride et al., 1998). That is also the basis for transdermal delivery technology (Benowitz, 1995). Currently in the United States several different nicotine transdermal systems are marketed. All are multilayer patches. The rate of release of nicotine into the skin is controlled by the permeability of the skin, rate of diffusion through a polymer matrix, and/or rate of passage through a membrane in the various patches." Metabolism and Disposition Kinetics of Nicotine
Read the entire article, it is very interesting. This quote is from an international pharmacological journal.

 

[zapped]

Way to spread misinformation and fear throughout the forums bub. Not only have I been a member here for going on 4 years but Ive also owned my own e-cig business selling and mixing liquids.The only reason we arent in business now is because the FDA illegally seized a shipment valued at 7k and then destroyed it. Ive also attended several major vape meets including the first ever in Fredericksburg Va, Vapercon, Vapebash and a host of smaller local meets. Ive been vaping,reading and contributing to these forums almost since the very beginning.

If you really want to go there I could list names of people that I call friends that are damn near famous in this business as well, so I think I know a thing or two about vaping. The only explanation I have for your symptoms is that you werent a very heavy smoker(if at all) before vaping or that its all in your head.

Your basing your information on a scientific article instead of real life experience and well documented anecdotal evidence from these forums.That articles discusses pure nicotine, even 100mg nicotine is only 10 percent in a solution that SLOWS ABSORPTION through the skin. Neither of those sources mentions vegetable glycerin or pg (which are used as moisturizers by the way) Thats what youre not understanding. Dont take my word for it, ask on the DIY forums just dont blame me when they laugh at you and say you dont know what youre talking about.

Gloves and eye protection should ALWAYS be worn when mixing liquids or handling nicotine but 100mg of nicotine (10% by volume) accidentally dripped on the skin isnt going to kill you instantly like a spy taking cyanide pills like you'd have everyone believe. It probably wont even make you sick if you smoked a pack a day before switching to vaping.

This argument is like a kid whos read all about racing trying to tell genuine race car drivers how to drive.YOU can certainly think you know what youre talking about about if it makes you happy but the rest of us know youre full of .....