Need help with batch making

[BLiZZ]

So as usual, I am new and teaching myself. Nothing is that hard, right? Anyway, on my quest to become the greatest flavor maker in the history of ever (joke) I have stumbled upon a few questions I can't seem to answer. Perhaps a little help from the masses? Please?

1. Is it possible to premix the VG/PG so I just have to then add flavors and nic? If so, what are the methods/limits? Each of my recipes calls for different percentages of flavorings. For info: I maintain 70/30 VG/PG mix with 3% nic in every recipe I make. My nic is 50% base in VG. My flavors are all PG based.

2. I am told that 20 drops is 1 ml. But... not from the needle tips that come on the flavor bottles. So.. a drop from what? (I just use ml to make my recipes but drops would sometimes be easier)

3. When making new recipes I come up with I only make 10ml at a time. Does this effect the flavor? I ask because I made a complex (5 flavors) in a 10ml and it was gross and very... off. Did a known recipe at 100ml and realized the only difference was the absence of strawberry and the addition of watermelon. Should I try my new complex flavors in larger quantities?

4. What advice would you give me, a confessed noob, about my situation? I make 5 recipes that I always have on stock for me and my fiance to use. Once a week I try to make a new flavor. If it sticks, we add it to our on hand list. I don't want to waste my supplies (money is limited and all). I hand mix every batch, 100ml of the 5 standing recipes and 10ml of the trial ones. I use the sit and forget steeping method as I don't have access to any of the known working methods (shake with a sawzall, crock pot warming, etc) So I put them in a drawer and let them set, shaking 3x a day. I order new supplies as I need them and keep enough on hand to get me through the next round of batches until a new order is delivered.

Thanks for your help.

 

[nightshard]

1. You can premix VG and PG and even nic, using an estimate of the amount of flavor you are going to use, in fact bottled mixed bases are available too, just take under consideration that if you go off your estimate you won't have exactly the ratio and str you were aiming for.
Personally i don't find it a big deal if you end up with 69/31 instead of 70/30.

2. 20 drops are said to be 1 ml, but not all drops are alike in size depending on what you use to drip, so this is not a an accurate method.
A small scale would be more accurate.
For large batches you can use syringe/pipette to measure by volume instead.

3. Perhaps when translating from small to large batch you made a mistake in calculating flavor.
Tests should always be done in small quantities, no point wasting a lot of ingredients.

4. Sounds about right.
What do you mean I don't have access? A small scale is cheap and so are syringes or disposable pipettes.

 

[Huckleberried]

I always keep a premixed nic base on hand. I just find it easier to mix a large base for mixing samples, rather than mix several 10ml bottles at a time. I vape a higher nic level than you, but I find the difference in strength only negligible, once I add flavorings to it. You could always mix your base just a bit higher, I suppose.

I've not seen a bottle tip that measured 20 drops per ml, so I suppose it's possible that that might be from those glass eye dropper types that come with some pre-made juice. Most of the bottle tips that were available when I first started mixing were 33 drops per ml (bottle on the right). These days, most bottles come with the skinnier tip. People have gotten different numbers from those. I mix by weight now, I've never counted them.



As far as the consistency in flavor, based on what size you make, I can't see that it should make a difference. As long as you're using the same percentage of flavor in each size, I'd think the flavor should be the same.

 

[Foggz]

drops are not accurate unless you have experience with the bottles and such so ...ditto re the scale. There are many out there for cheap .. just get one that will do .01gram increments ... should be around $10 will make things much easier and a touch more accurate. I got mine on amazon for like 10 bux.

Speaking of accurate.. when mixing smaller 'test' batches .. small errors are much more noticeable (as the ratio has less room for error) than when mixing larger bottles, so accuracy is more important.

additionally.. some recipes will not be as good at 70/30 as say 60/40 for example.. but i also mix like 95% at 70/30 .. just something to consider for future ref.

welcome to VU and DIY.. good luck .. ask questions any time!

 

[BLiZZ]

I've not seen a bottle tip that measured 20 drops per ml, so I suppose it's possible that that might be from those glass eye dropper types that come with some pre-made juice. Most of the bottle tips that were available when I first started mixing were 33 drops per ml (bottle on the right). These days, most bottles come with the skinnier tip. People have gotten different numbers from those. I mix by weight now, I've never counted them.

I figured it meant the glass eye droppers as well. :/

1. You can premix VG and PG and even nic, using an estimate of the amount of flavor you are going to use, in fact bottled mixed bases are available too, just take under consideration that if you go off your estimate you won't have exactly the ratio and str you were aiming for.
Personally i don't find it a big deal if you end up with 69/31 instead of 70/30.

So.. would I just make a large batch without flavors? Like set my calc to 500ml and just not add the flavors? Or is there another method I should use?

4. Sounds about right.
What do you mean I don't have access? A small scale is cheap and so are syringes or disposable pipettes.

Sorry, I do use syringes. I meant since I just moved to England I can't legally work yet (waiting on visa's and such) so I can't go out and buy a lot of equipment. I don't have a sawzall for the speed shaking, or a crock pot for heat steeping, etc. As for mixing, I have all I need, just seeing other methods that may be available.

drops are not accurate unless you have experience with the bottles and such so ...ditto re the scale. There are many out there for cheap .. just get one that will do .01gram increments ... should be around $10 will make things much easier and a touch more accurate. I got mine on amazon for like 10 bux.

Is there a good recipe calc that does by weight? I have a scale... well.. my gf does. I can use that. I think it does grams by tenths. My recipe calc does ml and drops, not weight.

 

[Huckleberried]

So.. would I just make a large batch without flavors? Like set my calc to 500ml and just not add the flavors? Or is there another method I should use?

That's what I do. Basically, you're making a large quantity of unflavored juice, so whatever you use to calculate your juice with. I use either ejuicemeup ejuice.breaktru.com or the one at ELR http://e-liquid-recipes.com/create

 

[nightshard]

No i mean if for example you usually make juice with around 10% flavor then make the calculations for the big batch of premixed base with 10% flavor and then don't add the flavor.
Then when you make a small batch of juice use the base and add your 10% flavor and you'll end up with roughly what you were aiming for.

If you do the calculations without flavor and then add 10% flavor you'll be off by 10%.

 

[Huckleberried]

For a lower nic level, that's probably best, yep. I don't notice, but I make base at 9mg.

 

[BLiZZ]

Thanks for that! Large batches without the flavors would be extremely helpful.