What drove you to DIY juice crafting?

[CajunCloud]

Really great replies from all of you. Interesting to hear everyone's take on their DIY journey. Seems like the way to go. Especially now that I drip on occasion and have RTA setups running more power these days. The juice goes faster with them bigger clouds! Even more reason to make it yourself and super cheap.

It is amazing really when you think about how many products we buy the actual product inside the packaging cost less than the packaging itself. When I worked in pharma manufacturing I know many items the product was so cheap, literally mere pennies inside $5 worth of packaging and documentation that ends up being sold for $50. I see the juice makers as the same here they mix base ingredients you can get for dirt cheap in 55 gallon drums and bulk contracts with the flavoring makers their costs are minimal mostly labor. Yet they want the same as a bottle of Crown Royal for one ounce?

CC

 

[Ablonz]

My thing that got me into DIY was trying to make a clone of my favorite premium.... Needless to say, I have not even come close to it but have discovered that all these tests have yielded a pretty good tasting juice that I could vape on for days. I haven't thought about that premium since it would have cost me more to vape than smooking analogs....... is that like vooping?!?!? Any who, cost factor is what got me into doing so along with the fact that I make what I like and that is all that matters. If it needs a tweak here and there, it's done without issue instead of.....ok, maybe the next one I buy will taste better. Just like today, I made a refreshing Strawberry and Cucumber vape that really hits the spot because that is what I was in the mood for.

 

[Rat2chat2]

I am just a frugal you-know-what. Started mixing soon after I started vaping. Tried several juices but never found anything as good or as satisfying as what I made myself. Bought juice one time in 2014 and that was because it was 80% off. Not gonna turn a deal down.

 

[JD1]

Cost was my primary reason for starting but now I'd probably continue even if I hit the lottery lol. I'm pretty darn happy with some of my concoctions.

 

[williebb123]

i love to cook and diy is alot like that , and plus i can wait till i run out before mixing cant do that if you have to order on line lol

 

[Micky Finn]

After 50 plus years of smoking, couldn't get a strong enough flavour hit from stock e-juice.

Mix most of my multiple flavour e-juice at 30% of total ingredients.

Most ready to vape after 3 or 4 days.

 

[relapse]

Well, I was going through almost 90ml a week for starters. Also it got to the point where I had my b&m making custom mixes for me and not buying anything of their menu. They also sold DIY supplies so I figured I'd try my hand at making my own. Haven't looked back.

 

[Kropotkin]

Part of it was really just the geek factor of making my own juice.

Another vote for the geek factor.

After learning to build ten different kinds of coils, it just seemed like the next logical step.

 

[Boletus]

Initially, it was all about cost for me. I bought some premade unflavored because it was cheaper, and found that I liked it. Then I looked around a bit and realized I could make my own unflavored for a trivial cost. I picked up one flavoring with my first DIY order for the heck of it. Then I started to enjoy the mad chemist aspect and playing around a bit with flavors. Now it is about the hunt and having a creative hobby.

 

[zoiDman]

What drove you to DIY juice crafting?

I Couldn't find e-Liquids that were Sweet Enough.

So I bought Sweetener. And Life Was Good.

But then I realized that some of the Retail e-Liquids I had were Kinda Bland.

So I some bought Flavoring. And Life Was Good.

But then I started to think... "If I can add Flavoring. And if I can add Sweetener. Why can't I just Make My Own e-Liquids?"

So I bought Nicotine Base, PG and VG. And then Life got Great.

 

[marc42]

NET tobaccos..

 

[doctordun]

Cost.
Switched to vaping from cigarettes, saved 75% and better health.
Switched to DIY and saved another 90%.

 

[TRoxx]

I had been vaping for several years, and never found the perfect juice.
I wanted a pure VG..Zero Nicotine..
and
I didnt like the imitation" Tobacco flavors"..
and
I also didnt like inhaling McCormicks imitation candy flavorings.
I had to do it myself..

 

[AndriaD]

1) wariness of ingredients -- I want no diketones, and I don't trust ejuice makers who swear up and down their juice doesn't have it -- even if they provide docs, I can't read science-ese;

2) I use WTA, and must make a mix of any juice I vape, for that reason;

3) I like strong flavors, and a lot of sweetness, both of which are in short supply with most commercial ejuice;

4) cost, once I saw for myself how cheaply a 30ml bottle of juice could be made, compared to the buying price; it's ludicrous!

5) I don't like some flavors that seem to be in a lot of pre-mades -- caramel is the #1 example, but there are others -- I don't even want to SMELL raspberry, nevermind taste it.

6) self-sufficiency; if the day arrives when premade juice with nicotine cannot be bought at any price, or only at a price I can't afford, I don't want to be standing there with an empty tank and a dumb, frustrated look on my face -- or worse, a cigarette in my hand.

Andria

 

[Str8vision]

For the past 20 months I've been extracting various tobaccos and mixing flavored NETs, it's all I vape. Using the very best ingredients and supplies available, 500ml of flavored NET costs around $15 ($0.03ml), to make. Thanks to the stockpile of liquid nic I have stored at -10F, the cost of my NETs won't increase for the next decade or so, no matter what the FDA and states do. I firmly believe that within the next ten years retail juice will be taxed between $0.50 and $1 per ml, not a doubt in my mind that this level of taxation is inevitable. While many people will be paying $25 - $45 for a 30ml bottle of retail juice I will still be spending less than one single dollar. This gives me peace of mind and great satisfaction.

 

[Raider87]

Well, after vaping for awhile i realized there was around 4 or 5 flavor profiles i really liked.
A good smooth RY4, a good vanilla/fruit custard, a fruity punch type and a lemon lime or citrus.

I figured i could save a bunch of money if i learned how to make about 5 good recipes for the flavors i liked.
Plus i like to cook and tinker with stuff, so it seemed natural that i would enjoy the process.

I haven't been doing DIY for that long and haven't perfected all the recipes, but it's been fun and my juice has been pretty good.

Would be hard to go back to paying 18 or 20 bucks for 30ml.

 

[kteto]

I have 2 reasons to go for diy

1) the place I stay banned e cig
2) require to travel to our neighborhood country and their prices is crazy expensive.

 

[dannyv45]

What drove me to DYI was cost savings and having control over what I put into my body. It's a creative experience

 

[deandme64]

#1 is cost for sure, and #2 it's fun to experiment with.

 

[1vapeatatime]

I started DIYing because I wanted the Perfect juice. Lots of good stuff out there.....but not perfect.
Still haven't got it but I am enjoying some great home made stuff.
Cost had something to do with it.
I love to tinker with stuff.
Now, mostly for fun.