Who has found their sweet spot?

[Bob Chill]

I think I have. I haven't ordered new hardware in months and I have 2 premix and 8 DIYs that I can vape all day any day. When I first got in almost a year ago, I had the frantic chasing mentality like almost everyone who first starts. More flavors than I knew what to do with (many sucked so I gave them away) and I was getting boxes in the mail all the time. Now? Notsomuch.

My gear is simple and reliable. I only use my SID, Zmax, and K100 and the occasional stick vv for stealth. I drip with basic Igo's and use protanks and davides when on the go. I switch flavors once a day at most but more often than not I get stuck on the same flavor for 2-3 days.

DIY was a big game changer for juice. I have enough recipes for myself and circle of friends that I find myself no longer exploring new ones even though I know they could be incredible. I just don't have the need. I have a hard time deciding what to load or drip with the 10 juices I have on hand as it is.

vaping has become incredibly predictable and easy. And quite enjoyable. I vape mostly tobaccos though. That may be why I can stick with one flavor so long. Hard to say. I found myself getting burned out quick with sweet desserts and fruits. Not the same with tobaccos. Hangsen in particular. I think there is a parallel to things like bourbon and whiskey (I love both). Each one has it's own character but they are all in the same family. Complex and interesting. Tobaccos are the same for me. Nothing cloying and one dimensional.

I feel pretty lucky to be in a true "comfort zone" with vaping. I have no desire to test anything new because I'm in the if it ain't broke don't fix it mode.

My wife is 100% satisfied with a couple itaste 3.0's and a couple ptank2s and mini-davides. She usually only has 2-3 flavors on hand and can vape a 30ml bottle start to finish. Thank god for that. Happy wife = happy life.

Are there a lot of people in the same boat or am I just an unusually simple person with simple needs?

 

[flowerpots]

I'm glad you made this post because it's inspirational. I started vaping around March 2013, and I am STILL frantically trying to find what will be the comfort zone for me. I don't know what I am doing wrong, but I think you may have nailed it - it's the juices and having what works for you. I am finding that I really do enjoy tobacco flavors much more than any other flavor. Problem is, I'm new to DIY and not sure how to start making a decent tobacco mix. Any suggestions or pointers?

I think it's awesome you found your comfort zone - now I know I can find mine....someday.

 

[MrHankey]

Took me several months, many different coils and eliquids, and now I believe I've found it:

VV - Provari w/Russian 91, 1.3 ohm micro coil, 28 Kanthal, cotton
VVVW - MVP w/Kayfun full size, 1.3 ohm micro coil, 28 Kanthal, cotton
Mech - Panzer w/Magma, .8-1.0 ohm single micro coil, 28 Kanthal, cotton
Eliquids - low nic and 30 keepers out of 229 flavors tried thus far (only a 13% keep rate)

Couldn't have done it w/o all the help from this board. Thanks to all and Howdy Ho!

 

[Bob Chill]

I'm glad you made this post because it's inspirational. I started vaping around March 2013, and I am STILL frantically trying to find what will be the comfort zone for me. I don't know what I am doing wrong, but I think you may have nailed it - it's the juices and having what works for you. I am finding that I really do enjoy tobacco flavors much more than any other flavor. Problem is, I'm new to DIY and not sure how to start making a decent tobacco mix. Any suggestions or pointers?

I think it's awesome you found your comfort zone - now I know I can find mine....someday.

Hangsen tobaccos completely changed the game for me. They are so simple and you don't even have to do anything to them if you don't want to. Try highway (full flavor), Desert Ship (medium and slightly sweet and my fave right now), and TAB (sweet, light, and smooth). I can vape those 3 standalone for months and be happy. 5-7% flavoring tops. I like 7% moistly except 6% for highway but others go 3-4% and are happy. Mix ratio is a variable. I go 50/50 @ 12mg with everything. Higher vg "could" mute flavor and vice versa.

Make sure you have some Ethyl Maltol (cotton candy flavor commonly referred to as EM in the DIY forum) and Acetylpyrazine (adds a nutty flavor that goes perfect with tobaccos).

EM will add sweetness and moistness to the vape. 1-2% tops. AP is a must have but 1-2% tops with that as well. Too much tastes like a Frito. Just enough is a brilliant nutty compliment to any tobacco vape.

I don't like ashy tobaccos. A couple hangsens are ashy like RY1 and Red. I like the fresh leaf flavor (like the smell of a freshly opened pack of cigs) but everyone is different.

My most popular sweet flavor in my circle is a blend of Hangsen TAB and TFA double ry4. It's super easy:

7% Hangsen Tab
4% TFA Double RY4

If you like sweeter vapes then I don't think you can go wrong with this one. It's killer.

 

[Bob Chill]

Took me several months, many different coils and eliquids, and now I believe I've found it:

VV - Provari w/Russian 91, 1.3 ohm micro coil, 28 Kanthal, cotton
VVVW - MVP w/Kayfun full size, 1.3 ohm micro coil, 28 Kanthal, cotton
Mech - Panzer w/Magma, .8-1.0 ohm single micro coil, 28 Kanthal, cotton
Eliquids - low nic and 30 keepers out of 229 flavors tried thus far (only a 13% keep rate)

Couldn't have done it w/o all the help from this board. Thanks to all and Howdy Ho!

Nice mix of hardware and builds. Reliable and solid. I'm going to buy some kayfun clones to test. I think I would really like them. If you lay the mod on the side with a kayfun will it leak? I can only drip at home in the evenings and mornings so I've been eyeballing the hybrid tanks for on the go. I know many folks think protanks are substandard but I find the flavor and cloud totally acceptable and can use one all day and be satisfied.

 

[Stosh]

Very well summed up, finding the hardware that suits you is a big part, and different for everyone. I love my K100 and have a kick for it if I want VW for a while, and the IGO are a easy way to experiment with them. I rely on my VV grippers for everyday, with some heavily modified Vision Vivi-Nova, simple and reliable.

Flavor-wise, DIY is the way to go, I have 3 ADV flavors and usually vape all 3 in a day. Then maybe another half dozen or so that I will rotate in and out as my change of pace flavor. Simple combining of some of the flavors is also fun, tobacco with espresso or bourbon, or just espresso with bourbon, mixing two juices in a tank without worrying about a recipe.

 

[v1ck]

18650 Copper Nemesis with a Quasar dual coiled with 28 gauge coming out at 0.5ohm and wicked with cotton.

80/20 vg/pg with 8mg nic

v1ck.

 

[jayD]

3/4wrap of 28g @ .6-.8 with #200mesh for gennys, 9/10 wrap 28g microcoil ~1.0 with cotton on non gennys, still working on the juice everyday I make a new DIY flavor, today is tangerine creamsicle 3mg 55pg/45vg, yesterday was mint melon 6mg 50/50

 

[lilpeach]

I think I found my sweet spot too... Only problem is I love getting And when a couple weeks go by without anything new, even though I love my set up and ADV, I have to try a new company, or a new juice, or a new shiny, or a new something... anything! Maybe that's an issue lol

 

[ENAUD]

Wow Bob Chill, my journey sounds a lot like yours! IGO-L's and Protank 2's here. cotton yarn in the PT2's. MVP, Provari, and Lavatube for power, a few mech clones to play with. But the DIY was THE biggest game changer for me. I too enjoy the tobacco flavors, some mixed on the lighter side, and can all day vape a single flavor till its gone. New ones Ill mix down in various stages to see where I like the level. I don't even sit at the taste bar on the rare occasion I venture into the B&M now. Too many times I would taste a juice and like it, then after a while vaping it would be meh, don't know why I liked that flavor... No more frantic shopping trying to find that elusive best vape. I seem to have just settled in to my comfort zone by mixing my own.

 

[Stosh]

I think I found my sweet spot too... Only problem is I love getting And when a couple weeks go by without anything new, even though I love my set up and ADV, I have to try a new company, or a new juice, or a new shiny, or a new something... anything! Maybe that's an issue lol

Sit back and vape a while, starting from now figure what you spend on vape-mail versus what smoking used to cost for the next 6 months. I bit of vape-mail once in a while doesn't make a dent in my savings once I found my sweet spot....

 

[HauntedMyst]

Who has found their sweet spot?

I have but grandma says if I touch it too much I'll burn in hell.

 

[Bob Chill]

I think I found my sweet spot too... Only problem is I love getting And when a couple weeks go by without anything new, even though I love my set up and ADV, I have to try a new company, or a new juice, or a new shiny, or a new something... anything! Maybe that's an issue lol

We've all been there or still are. I knocked off the buying spree once I got a couple of pieces of hardware that ended up sitting in a box. I still have an agaT2 untouched. I haven't felt like messing with the mesh so it sits and collects.

I'm sure I would love a provari or REO but I just don't have a compelling reason to buy one. I'm a bit of a minimalist and my wife patiently accepts it. Well, except for shoes. When my ratty sneakers spring a hole, she forces me to replace them. I'm always sad when I toss the ratty pair. LOL

I think it's awesome that people have an expansive collection of really cool stuff though so I'm not knocking it in any way shape or form. The only goal from this hobby is to not die a drawn out and ugly death from smoking. Whatever it takes to avoid that is a huge win and 2 thumbs up from me. If someone bought a platinum plated with diamond inlay mod I would give them a high five.

 

[Stosh]

We've all been there or still are. I knocked off the buying spree once I got a couple of pieces of hardware that ended up sitting in a box. I still have an agaT2 untouched. I haven't felt like messing with the mesh so it sits and collects. ....

LOL - I'm vaping one as I type, I wrapped a coil and dropped a piece of ecowool through it, works great - no mesh shorting issues....

Time to dig it out of your box, dust it off....

 

[MrHankey]

Nice mix of hardware and builds. Reliable and solid. I'm going to buy some kayfun clones to test. I think I would really like them. If you lay the mod on the side with a kayfun will it leak? I can only drip at home in the evenings and mornings so I've been eyeballing the hybrid tanks for on the go. I know many folks think protanks are substandard but I find the flavor and cloud totally acceptable and can use one all day and be satisfied.

As long as I don't overfill the Russian and the Kayfun they do not leak - even laying on their sides.

I've gone thru all sizes of Protanks, Nautilus, and a Taifun chasing the best flavor (I'm not a cloud chaser). After the Russian/Kayfun you'll throw rocks at all the rest. The flavor on the Magma is great (a tad better than the R/K), and holds about 40 drops. Leaks a little if over filled and carries the usual dripper issues i.e., can be messy, needs more attention than a tank, and not the best device for on the go.

Been eye-balling the Reo. Looks like it may be the best of both worlds. Good luck!

 

[lilpeach]

The only goal from this hobby is to not die a drawn out and ugly death from smoking. Whatever it takes to avoid that is a huge win and 2 thumbs up from me. If someone bought a platinum plated with diamond inlay mod I would give them a high five.

So so true!

 

[AquaJoe]

Thankfully I found my sweet spot in vaping too. I keep it simple, with an ego twist with an evod. I rebuild my coils with 2.5 ohm ready wires and 2mm silica. I've tried different size kanthal at different ohms, but 2.5 ohms seems to give me the best flavor.

I have a provari and a protank 2 that I use at home, but I mainly use the twist with an evod when I'm out. It's easier and lighter to carry.

As for juice, we'll I got lucky. My adv is one of the first juices I tried, surprise grape from mt baker. For $35 I can get a huge 8oz bottle that lasts me months. I tried about 50 different juices, and I always came back to the surprise grape. I do have 2 other flavors I like, so once in a while I'll switch off the grape for a day for a change.

I'm glad I found my sweet spot, it makes vaping so much easier. I do miss the vape mail though. LOL

 

[tj99959]

Ya I found my sweet spot a long time ago, but then of course I just had to find out how many different ways I could do the same thing.

This morning I have five different setups sitting in front of me, and they all vape the same.

 

[Hijack]

Make sure you have some Ethyl Maltol (cotton candy flavor commonly referred to as EM in the DIY forum) and Acetylpyrazine (adds a nutty flavor that goes perfect with tobaccos).

EM will add sweetness and moistness to the vape. 1-2% tops. AP is a must have but 1-2% tops with that as well. Too much tastes like a Frito. Just enough is a brilliant nutty compliment to any tobacco vape.


My most popular sweet flavor in my circle is a blend of Hangsen TAB and TFA double ry4. It's super easy:

7% Hangsen Tab
4% TFA Double RY4

If you like sweeter vapes then I don't think you can go wrong with this one. It's killer.

Thanks for the tip's Ive only been vaping for 3 and a half months now and not got into making my own juices yet, but I do like to blend some of the ones I get that are made locally to me. They taste pretty good and have lots of flavours, so im just finding what I like atm.

I generaly like tobacco flavours like Virginia or RY4 with something like 15% vanilla bourbon 15% cherry, or change out the vanilla B for caramel. ill try the candy floss now that you have mentioned it and see what I think.
Not sure what 'Acetylpyrazine' is could you describe it so I can try something that it is in to see what its like?
I only use my VTR that I got recently with the iclear 30s, which I'm enjoying right now, but I can see myself trying other mods and tanks like a dripper to see what they are like.
So don't think I've found a sweet spot but I'm enjoying what I am using.

 

[Rossum]

I'm going to buy some kayfun clones to test. I think I would really like them. If you lay the mod on the side with a kayfun will it leak?

The only leak I've ever had from my two R91s or the KFL+v2 that I run all the time are from the fill-hole of the newer R91 and that fixed itself as the tapered screw and the corresponding seating surface in the base mated to each other with use. Other than that, they've always been dry as a bone on the outside.

I know many folks think protanks are substandard but I find the flavor and cloud totally acceptable and can use one all day and be satisfied.

Yeah, I used to think that too. I was pretty enamored with the Aerotank when it first came out. Then I put the juice I used to run in the Aerotank in an R91 and my Aerotanks (and other Kanger products) have been gathering dust ever since.