Would this be a good starter set up?

[Gratch]

Hello folks!
I have been looking into DIY to save money, being broke any little helps. I have found this good starter kit.
Nicotine Free Eliquid Mixing Kit
and i will be getting my nic from here
Nicotine 72mg, United Kingdom, Free Postage
As far as i can work out this will be the most cost effective way of starting diy. Flavour arts also do a kit with nic but i think the 2 choices i have linked should be the best way, if i go ahead with the initial outlay. What do you think of the choices?

 

[tazzle]

The mixing kit from FlavourArt looks like a good deal! It would be a good idea to get a couple of recipes lined up that use flavourart flavors so that you can start off on the right foot having all you need to make a couple of nice juices (rather than just choosing random flavours that sound good, which is a mistake many of make in the beginning).

Head in Clouds (HIC) is sort of a mixing genius, and he uses mostly FlavourArt flavours in his recipes, so if you search for stuff by him, you're likely to find something good you'll like.

Also, if you tell us what kind of flavour profile you're interested in, we might be able to suggest something.

 

[JCinFLA]

@Gratch - IMO, starter kits usually aren't the best deal overall. They usually include some things you'll never use, and some things that aren't usually recommended.

Since you're going to be using Nicotine base from the other place...IMO you won't need to use the Flash Hit Enhancer at all. Also, I don't know anyone who uses an apron to DIY, and most don't use gloves either. So those are some things you probably wouldn't need/use, yet you're paying for them.

As far as things I wouldn't recommend: You do not want to use PET bottles for eliquids. PET bottles are not one of the types that will definitely NOT leech plastic chemicals into their contents. Also, they're for 1-time use only (like bottled water, sodas, etc.). So you shouldn't use them each more than once. Your kit has (10) 10mL bottles like that in it.

It also says the syringes comes with "plastic" needles. I've never heard of plastic needles being used for DIY. You want the metal blunt needle tips in 14ga. Some flavorings play heck with plastics, so needles from plastic??? I wouldn't use them at all!

 

[Gratch]

Thanks for the info tazzle (great name) I have been considering my flavours for a few weeks now and i think i have come up with a good choice that will allow me to make a few different flavours in different styles. Here is what i am considering so far.
Bilberry,blackberry.cookie,Lime Tahilty,Custard Pi,Raspberry,Pineapple,Meringue,Strawberry and Cream fresh. I will look at HICs posts and see what he does, thanks again

 

[Gratch]

Thanks JCinFLa
Yeah there will be things i wont use but it seems like a good kit and will allow me to make a fair few different flavours, will deffo look into getting some metal needles. I just thought that for the price it was a good deal. I am broke so getting a little thing here n something else there to make my own kit will imo be more expensive.

 

[tazzle]

I agree that most kits aren't bargains, but I had a look at Chefs Flavours where I buy most of my flavours, and the price for 10 FlavourArt concentrates and two bottles of vg & pg of the same size was the same cost as the FA starter kit, so basically, the extras with the kit are freebies.

Very many FlavourArt recipes in this reddit post. (scroll down to see more; they're posted in batches).

 

[JCinFLA]

OK, just thought I'd add what I knew about those things as a "heads up". It's your money, and you'll be vaping the eliquids you'll put in those PET bottles, not me!

Which were you planning on getting in your kit...the VG or the AVG, along with the plain PG?

 

[Gratch]

Thanks JCinFLA good info.What happens with PET bottles after one use? I would like to get some glass ones in the future if i do go into DIY. I plan on getting PG and VG. I tootle so i like my liquids 65% plus of pg as i find vg makes me cough and is heavy on my chest.

 

[JCinFLA]

Have tried to post the following 3 times, but due to local storms...internet has been on & off, and ECF wasn't accepting the post and showing it...when I did have it. Anyway:

Thanks JCinFLA good info.What happens with PET bottles after one use? I would like to get some glass ones in the future if i do go into DIY.

Well, PET bottles are manufactured as one-time-use bottles, which means they're not made of the materials, nor to the specs, of those that won't leech. So, PET bottles have been found to start doing that with more than 1 use. I can post a link to a website or 2 that have info. that goes into it more thoroughly though, if you'd like me to.

The types of plastic bottles you want to use that won't leech are...PP, LDPE, and HDPE. It's the HDPE ones that are the larger ones in that kit. So those are fine for repeated use without leeching into the contents. You don't really need to use glass, but some people like to anyway. Everyone I know does use all plastic bottles for their eliquids, because it's a lot easier dispensing them into a tank from a plastic bottle (with a tiny dropper tip on it), than from a glass, non-squeezeable bottle. It's totally a personal choice though.

You will definitely want to use glass bottles though to store your Nic base. If you buy a larger bottle of nic base than you'll use in several months...break it up into smaller bottles (preferrably glass with polycone lined caps). Put all but 1 of them into the freezer, and just leave one out as your working bottle.

 

[rob33]

This guy on youtube has a good channel to get you started

 

[Gratch]

Thanks for the info on bottles and the vid

 

[Mazinny]

Thanks for the info tazzle (great name) I have been considering my flavours for a few weeks now and i think i have come up with a good choice that will allow me to make a few different flavours in different styles. Here is what i am considering so far.
Bilberry,blackberry.cookie,Lime Tahilty,Custard Pi,Raspberry,Pineapple,Meringue,Strawberry and Cream fresh. I will look at HICs posts and see what he does, thanks again

Just a warning, FA pineapple is one of their most disliked flavors. Blackberry doesn't get much love either. Personally i don't dislike pineapple but most people do. FYI here's their best selling flavors on Nicotine River :

Fuji Apple, Fresh Cream, Meringue, Cookie, Strawberry, Lemon Sicily, Kiwi, Marshmallow, Forest Fruit, Vienna Cream

It's very similar on Bull City as well, and i'm not surprised. Those are some of my favorites too. Torrone, Almond, White Peach, and Tiramisu are a few more that i really like

 

[Gratch]

Hi Mazinny thanks for the info, do people not like FA's Pineapple because it doesnt taste pineapply enough or is it just bad? As for the best sellers some are great, will avoid apple though as all fake apple flavours taste bad to me and i find lemon too overpowering to vape. Thanks tho ,deffo something to think on I never thought choosing 10 flavours would be so time consuming. heh

 

[BrotherBob]

Hello folks!
I have been looking into DIY to save money, being broke any little helps. I have found this good starter kit.
Nicotine Free Eliquid Mixing Kit
and i will be getting my nic from here
Nicotine 72mg, United Kingdom, Free Postage
As far as i can work out this will be the most cost effective way of starting diy. Flavour arts also do a kit with nic but i think the 2 choices i have linked should be the best way, if i go ahead with the initial outlay. What do you think of the choices?

All above looks ok just as long as you can afford to toss out the unneeded items.
If you want to save money, it's easy ---read, read and more read then buy.
Logical Increments of DIY gear (alpha) • r/DIY_eJuice
diy_beginners_guide - DIY_eJuice

 

[Gratch]

Hi BrotherBob thanks for the links and info So much to learn before going DIY, I think i will go with that starter pack though, it seems the most cost effective to me. I am not really into getting a new hobby or expanding my range of flavours etc i need to keep it as simple and cheap as possible but still get value for money and to keep mid term costs down.

 

[Mazinny]

Hi BrotherBob thanks for the links and info So much to learn before going DIY, I think i will go with that starter pack though, it seems the most cost effective to me. I am not really into getting a new hobby or expanding my range of flavours etc i need to keep it as simple and cheap as possible but still get value for money and to keep mid term costs down.

Good luck ! Here's a couple more resources. HIC's " notes on " are a must for DIY'ers using mostly FA flavors :

HIC's Notes on FlavourArt Flavors

"Shaner" is another well respected mixer using mostly FA :

http://..................../?filter=18973

 

[Gratch]

Many thanks Mazinny good links so much to read heh. About the FA Pineapple and Blackberry flavours are they bad or just weak? Or too perfumy? Going to order soon then the work starts. OOPs all the info i need is in HIC's PDF heh ty

 

[Mazinny]

Many thanks Mazinny good links so much to read heh. About the FA Pineapple and Blackberry flavours are they bad or just weak? Or too perfumy? Going to order soon then the work starts.

sorry i forgot to answer this one. They are definitely not weak, FA in general is very concentrated, Blackberry especially ! Some ( most ? ) just don't taste pineapple, and find blackberry too musky. Here's HIC's notes :

Pineapple - Strong, realistic flavor of fresh pineapple juice, not as sweet as canned juice or the core
in the center of the fruit, and definitely not a candy flavor. This is a love/hate flavor!
Some unfortunate vapers taste and smell it as onions or rubber; if you do, try the
sweeter TFA Pineapple instead. Try FA Pineapple with equal amounts of FA Papaya for
extra tropical sweetness - the pair make a great base for all kinds of tropical fruit blends.
2% standalone is strong.

Blackberry -
<1% !! Warning, very strong! FlavourArt has said this is one of their strongest flavors.
It’s a deep, full, complex, blackberry flavor. It is not especially sweet. The background
flavor is musky, like wild blackberries, and earthy. If it tastes like soap or perfume to you,
you are using too much. Consider making a 10% dilution to use as your flavoring - this
makes it easier to use very small amounts or fine-tune your percentage. Fresh Cream is
excellent to lighten the flavor; include additional sweeter flavors for the best flavor. Fans
of berry tobacco might enjoy a tiny (0.1%) touch of Blackberry in the background for the
dark berry flavor. If you have an aversion to floral flavors but want dark berries, consider
using FA Forest Mix or Bilberry instead. Blackberry mellows some with a long steep

 

[Gratch]

Brilliant thanks Maz! I will keep the pineapple as i really like the pineapple juice i have at the moment and it might be good, i did swap out my blackberry for blackcurrent. Thanks for the info yet again