Where to Start...... ?

[PapawBrett]

I am thinking of trying DIY. I have looked at a few stickeys (Dated years ago) and browsed a few threads. So far all I've learned is that I need to read more.
I guess I will need syringes, bottles (caps and drippers included), and some sort of labels. Where to get these items at a reasonable price ?
I am reading that some flavors have ingredients that are not safe for vaping. Could someone explain, please, and is there a vender who is offering flavors geared towards vaping ?
The more I read the more questions I will undoubtedly have. But that is enough to start. for now....

 

[Marc411]

I just started myself and the best suggestion I can give you is read everything

These are some of the blogs I hit but there are many more, I had these book marked:

E-Cigarette Forum - dannyv45 - Blogs

E-Cigarette Forum - Bill's Magic Vapor - Blogs

This is a real good thread:

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/diy-e-liquid/336110-flavor-apprentice-flavoring-thread.html

I read for a month or better before I started and I think it helped with my success.

And this really help too:

http://ejuice.breaktru.com/

 

[thomas l]

I think Marc411 covered the links
I buy alot of my stuff at One Stop DIY Shop or Bull City Vapor - Best Prices on DIY e-liquid Supplies . a little searching on here you'll see every has there favorites . good luck and have fun

 

[Ablonz]

To help you out without looking deep into it yet, get individual syringes for each flavor so you don't cross contaminate, individual syringe for each Nic, VG, and PG, less is more with most flavors. Start out with lower percentages of flavoring and increase or adjust to taste. Combine this with reading the above mentioned blogs of and also here E-Cigarette Forum - Hoosier - Blogs , definitely great DIY reads. I get individual wrapped 1 ml oral syringes from Shopko pharmacy, if your asked what your using them for be sure to tell them that it is for mixing flavors for your electronic cig. If you look sketchy about it, I am sure they won't sell them to you. I told the head Pharmacist what I was using them for and that they worked perfectly for what I was doing with them and he said it was cool. Now when I go in there, they just ask how many I need (I have 71 diff flavors)as they do wear out on the reading of ml. marks. For simple fix of that, just put a piece of scotch clear tape over them and the numbers stay visible longer. Number each one so you don't mix them up. They also have nice 10 ml syringes as well that work great for the pg, vg and nic. Bottles,I just normally ask my friends for their empty 30 ml bottles and rinse them out. My other bottles, caps and such I get from www.myfreedomsmokes.com . As far as flavors, I have not given it much thought as I never blinked an eye when I stuck an analog in my mouth and what was in them before I inhaled. I personally use www.wizardlabs.com for my flavoring as they sell them in small amounts and you can test them out before you go and spend money on a larger bottle of flavoring. Lables, I just use a small piece of paper and write the info like 70 vg/ 30 pg @ 6 mg for nic and then the date so I know when I made it for the steeping process and just tape it to the bottle because I always reuse bottles and make a bunch of diff flavors. Also the main thing I would say is to TAKE LOTS OF NOTES!!!! The above calculator works really well as they updated it to be able to have 10 flavors instead of 7 but when you use more than the 10, you can write info in comments section and save. Hope this helps and have fun DIYing!!!!! Any other questions, just ask away.

 

[Zanaspus]

The two threads here that took me from beginner to duffer are:

Pure Vapes has 3ml FlavourArt flavorings

Inawera-a few reviews

I have read each in its entirety more than once.

 

[sketchness]

Measure by weight. You can get a decent scale for around $20 shipped. Much easier than the way I started with syringes and all. Super easy to make test batches with a scale.

Bullcityvapor.com lists flavores that have questionable ingredients with caution banner. Great place to start to get an idea. Wizard labs has small sizes to get started but the glass vials are a pain to me.

 

[PapawBrett]

Thanks for the info. glancing over Wizard Labs last night, I noticed Capella Flavor Drops has a 'V2' designation. These seem to be marked 'Acetoin, and AP Free' and 'Contain no Diacetyl'. Although a 'Google Search' of triacetin was a little depressing. Don't really want to be vaping some used in fuel injection cleaners...
Looks like more reading awaits when I get home from work tonight. Thanks again.

 

[WhiteHighlights]

Lots of good info here. It's not as difficult as it seems once you get started. It was kind of like learning to make coils (that was a big leap for me). Once you get the process down it's pretty easy and fun to customize your juice.

I started out with a bunch of syringes of assorted sizes, 16ga needles for PG flavorings and some 14ga for VG, a set of cylinders thinking I would use 1 for nic, 1 for PG and 1 for VG but often I just mix up test batches in the cylinders. I keep my PG and VG in 120ml bottles with a squeeze tip so measuring into the cylinder is easy and I can do fractions with a syringe if I need to. A small set of kitchen funnels is handy to transfer liquids to the 120ml bottles or when you're bottling up your nic for the freezer. I keep just enough nic out to use for a few months, the rest is in the freezer in amber bottles (I know there are some links here somewhere on places to buy them at a good price but it's way past my bedtime!)

Like others, my labels aren't fancy. I had a stack of file folder labels so I write the date, juice and anything relevant then, keeping the backing on it, I put a piece of tape over the label that's long enough to wrap around the bottle. It comes of easily when I finish the it. Some use a Brother P-Touch to make real labels and they look very nice. I haven't gotten into measuring by weight. It is more accurate, but there's also a reason I'm not a baker!

You can read about diacetyl and diketones. They're typically in buttery or custard type flavors. Some vapers avoid them, others don't worry. I'm in the middle. As I understand it there are more in cigarettes than ejuice so, to me, it's not a new exposure. If I can avoid them, I do, but I also use flavorings with them in moderation if its a key component to the flavor I want. Capella has "V2" and TFA has "DX" flavors that are reformulated versions without diacetyl. To me, not all of the new formulations are successful. I started with smaller sizes of the flavors to test and now have a few to order in bulk as I know they're in my regular arsenal.

A calculator is key. I keep all my notes there for substitutions or changes and tasting. I've started using this one: http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/diy-e-liquid/480587-new-calculator-try.html. You can track your inventory, print labels, build a shopping list, search for recipes with flavors you use and a lot more.

Have fun!

 

[dannyv45]

I am thinking of trying DIY. I have looked at a few stickeys (Dated years ago) and browsed a few threads. So far all I've learned is that I need to read more.
I guess I will need syringes, bottles (caps and drippers included), and some sort of labels. Where to get these items at a reasonable price ?
I am reading that some flavors have ingredients that are not safe for vaping. Could someone explain, please, and is there a vender who is offering flavors geared towards Vaping ?
The more I read the more questions I will undoubtedly have. But that is enough to start. for now....

Here are some recommendations to get you pointed in the right direction.

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.

The above reading will answer 80% of your questions and what questions you may still have the above will give you enough information to know what to ask and how to ask it.

good luck.

 

[KattMamma]

I'm new to DIY too, so no PRO advice, but from the perspective of a newbie (I read tons of threads on this site and still didn't know some of this when I started) :

Get a starter kit - it's easier than trying to figure out what you need and sourcing all the items. I read many posts about saving money, but there was nothing in my kit that I didn't use, and the kit cost was a little cheaper than buying the items individually.

Find a thread on using syringes for measuring, if that's the route you choose, and read it thoroughly. I never gave it a thought, until I actually sat down to do some mixing and realized there was fluid in the needle and I hadn't thought about how to account for that (I now just don't use needles, but there are other methods too)

Know that different flavor brands may have different strengths - or even different flavors from the same brand. I made a nasty batch of vanilla coffee because I was (roughly) following a recipe for TFA or Capella flavors, but I was using Nude Nicotine flavors which are MUCH stronger!!

Pick a few recipes from the Recipes thread that sound good, and order the supplies you need for those. If you're the adventurous type, order a few flavors to play with too. Don't be disappointed if your first few attempts are bad - most are - consider it a learning experience.

Make small batches starting out - and consider leaving out the NIC until you've got the recipe down, then you can add the NIC later.