Help! Everytging i have made is awful

[martybaker]

Hi,

I have been trying to do diy but my juices have been mediocre to awful. I have made vanilla tobacco, unicorn milk clone and blue honey dragon but I am still hopeful because I have managed to collect a decent amount of concentrates.

I have the following tfa concentrates:
Cappuchino
Menthol
Cheesecake Graham crust
Strawberry
Vanilla bean icecream
Dragonfuit
Koolada
French vanilla
Blueberry extra
Dx bavarian cream
Sweetener
Sweet cream
Black honey

I am looking for something creamy, I had a premium juice a while ago called mango icecream that I loved. Would somebody please suggest something that I can make? The blue honey dragon I make is like vaping sweaty socks yuck!

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[Heabob]

I am looking for something creamy, I had a premium juice a while ago called mango icecream that I loved. Would somebody please suggest something that I can make?

TFA Strawberry is pretty bad IMO, TFA Strawberry Ripe is better.
But INW Shisha Strawberry is best, works at 2% for me.
Mix in 4% TFA/CAP Vanilla Bean Ice Cream + 2% TFA Dairy Milk for the Ice Cream Base.
(You could also try the 4-5%VBIC with 2% DX Bavarian + 1% Sweet Cream but I really like the Dairy Milk myself).

Replace the Shisha Strawberry in this Ice Cream Base with any of the following:
2% INW Mango
2% INW Peach
7-10% Blueberry Extra

Just about any fruit will work here, and even the Capp. might work too.

BTW FA Marshmallow is handy for adding a little body & sweetness, 0.5-1%.
If it still doesn't work you maybe have some bad NIC.
But then just try some without any NIC to see.

 

[AndriaD]

Second, third, fourth, and fifth the suggestion about Inawera Shisha Strawberry -- IMO it's the only strawberry worth buying at all; the others smell fine, but have zero taste.

Also, Vanilla Swirl should be added; it's another TFA, their version of vanilla custard without diketones.

TFA's Sweet Cream has diketones, so I always use Capella's Sweet Cream; diketone-free, and actually tastes like real cream -- I even use it in food.

Guideline I have heard, and usually try to use because it works, is ~50% main flavor, ~50% supporting flavors -- which are creams, vanillas, and sweeteners.

You may be one like me with comatose/SLOWLY-awakening tastebuds, in which case you need a lot more flavor/sweetener than most prefer. My ADV since Dec 2014 is my DIY strawberry & cream:



Andria

(ETA: sweetener to taste.)

 

[martybaker]

Okay thanks, just interested to know how many failures people had before they found their adv?

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[AndriaD]

Okay thanks, just interested to know how many failures people had before they found their adv?

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Can't say for others, but I had several. The reason I mentioned that 50/50 guideline above is that when I set about trying to put that bit of wisdom into play, was when I developed that strawberry & cream recipe, my first real success -- so amazingly successful that I'm still vaping it more than a year and a half later.

Andria

(ETA: the way it's shown, it doesn't really look balanced, as to the 50/50 guideline -- but at the time, I was using 2.5% sweetener, so it actually was very close. As my tastebuds have begun to awaken, I've decreased the flavoring a little, and decreased the sweetener A LOT.)

 

[Heabob]

Okay thanks, just interested to know how many failures people had before they found their adv?

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The majority of my failures were from flavors I hated, probably why I've got 400+ flavors now.

Takes some time to find your sweet spot with flavors & brands.
Start with simple 2-3 flavor recipes, or experiments.

Keep in mind the majority of DIY'ers aren't using the Shisha Strawberry @ 14%.

If you must use Sweetener I'd recommend 1-3 drops,not percent, in 15ml to try out first.
And most, including myself, prefer using a bit of FA Marshmallow, FA Meringue, TFA Brown Sugar, etc.
Or Stevia Extract, but just a drop or 2, unless diluted.

 

[Foggz]

Okay thanks, just interested to know how many failures people had before they found their adv?

hahahaha.. still looking ... been about a year and a half ;p - I am picky tho.. and have come up with several that are good enough for a week or so before have to switch to different 'adv'.. I mostly enjoy the fruits (creams/custards) & labors of the more experienced mixers here ... some really great recipes to tide ya over till you come up with your own.
Have patience .. you may hit your stride quick or may take some time but it gets easier everyday bro!

 

[martybaker]

Does anybody get a slightly metallic taste?

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[AndriaD]

Does anybody get a slightly metallic taste?

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If there's the slightest bit of cinnemaldehyde, it tastes like burnt metal to me. Cinnemaldehyde is commonly used to make "cinnamon redhot" flavor, but I taste it in Capella's Blueberry Cinnamon Crumble, so they're obviously using cinnemaldehyde instead of real cinnamon flavor.

If you taste metal in everything you vape, it's most likely the coil you're tasting. When they need replacing, they taste metallic sometimes.

Andria

 

[martybaker]

I have a three post el diablo hellboy clone and 24 guage kanthal. Can you suggest a sub ohm build and wattage to suit?

The taste was much better on my aspire triton with .4 cartridges by the way.

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[Heabob]

I have a three post el diablo hellboy clone and 24 guage kanthal. Can you suggest a sub ohm build and wattage to suit?

The taste was much better on my aspire triton with .4 cartridges by the way.

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Kinda why I've stuck with the old PT2 clones, above ohm coils, MTL, at 70PG/30VG.
Just seem to get better flavor myself.

But you could try turning down the airflow a bit, and lowering the wattage down too.
Increasing PG ratio will usually bring out more flavor also.

 

[martybaker]

Tried another flavour and still nit the same so its to do with my build, I did a scottish roll wick (seemed the easiest - noob). I wrapped the coil at 2.5mm - 1/16. Can someone please give me a suggestion on the easiest way?

Thanks for the advice so far.

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[Heabob]

Tried another flavour and still nit the same so its to do with my build, I did a scottish roll wick (seemed the easiest - noob). I wrapped the coil at 2.5mm - 1/16. Can someone please give me a suggestion on the easiest way?

Thanks for the advice so far.

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1.5mm, 8 wraps, heated and compressed (contact coil),# 30 AWG Kanthal, (around 1.8ohms).
Or use one of those larger sized paperclips.
KJD cotton, fairly tight pull thru.
8-10 watts, go much higher and it will pop.
Not really a DL setup and the higher VG mixes may not feed fast enough in a tank, but might work for a dripper, lol.
Don't know if you can go with smaller sizes on your deck tho...

 

[Heabob]

Or, smaller coils, lower watts, contact coils, less airflow, & MTL, all contribute to better flavor IMO.
But 70/30VG also makes better flavor for me.
As you can tell I'm not into the Fog Machines.
Especially at work where vaping is by stealth only.
And I catch enough flak from the wife vaping at 70/30VG.

 

[martybaker]

I want big ass clouds


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[Heabob]

I want big ass clouds


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More clouds, less flavor, IMO, lol.

 

[martybaker]

Well I'm a noob but I was fetting descent clouds with a 80 vg 20 pg mango icecream premium that I bought and I just want to replicate that flavour. It is all a bit confusing.

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[AndriaD]

Well I'm a noob but I was fetting descent clouds with a 80 vg 20 pg mango icecream premium that I bought and I just want to replicate that flavour. It is all a bit confusing.

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Replicating the flavor of a bought ejuice is probably the hardest possible way to try and make ejuice -- I had ZERO success until I set about making a juice completely unlike anything I had ever bought -- strawberry & cream -- because I had nothing to which to compare my own efforts. Frankly, my strawberry & cream is better than ANY strawberry flavored ejuice I've tasted -- I had a chance to taste Cuttwood's Unicorn Milk, and all I could think was "where's the strawberry?"

Andria

 

[trlrtrash13]

Well I'm a noob but I was fetting descent clouds with a 80 vg 20 pg mango icecream premium that I bought and I just want to replicate that flavour. It is all a bit confusing.

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Flavor really has nothing to do with mouth to lung vs cloud chasing. Back when I started vaping everything was mouth to lung, and some devices had very little flavor. The problem is trying to replicate an exact experience with a home recipe. If you're particular about an exact flavor, than you will probably have to buy that one. If you're not particular but just want something that tastes alright, DIY can be okay.

 

[martybaker]

No I am not trying to replicate anything, just looking for something that hits the spot. I haven't tried any of the mainstream juices because they are pricey and I got in to vaping for the diy and money saving aspect.

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[AndriaD]

No I am not trying to replicate anything, just looking for something that hits the spot. I haven't tried any of the mainstream juices because they are pricey and I got in to vaping for the diy and money saving aspect.

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Hmm... I thought you said, in the quote just below, that you had bought a "mango ice cream premium" which you wanted to replicate? that's what this quote says...

Well I'm a noob but I was fetting descent clouds with a 80 vg 20 pg mango icecream premium that I bought and I just want to replicate that flavour. It is all a bit confusing.

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[trlrtrash13]

Well I'm a noob but I was fetting descent clouds with a 80 vg 20 pg mango icecream premium that I bought and I just want to replicate that flavour. It is all a bit confusing.

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No I am not trying to replicate anything, just looking for something that hits the spot. I haven't tried any of the mainstream juices because they are pricey and I got in to vaping for the diy and money saving aspect.

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Hence the confusion.

 

[martybaker]

Ha ha yeah I guess, well thats the only one I want to copy or get close to but for now I just want to pick recipes I like the look of rather than try what it is thay are cloning.

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[AndriaD]

Ha ha yeah I guess, well thats the only one I want to copy or get close to but for now I just want to pick recipes I like the look of rather than try what it is thay are cloning.

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Sometimes when you try to clone a bought ejuice, you might not even get close to the flavor of the thing you're trying to clone, but the juice you end up with is pretty good in its own right -- that happened with my effort to try and clone Pipe Sauce's Long Bottom Leaf. The smoky coffee/cream/chocolate/vanilla ejuice I ended up with wasn't really much like Long Bottom Leaf... but it's not bad at all! I call it Smocha.

Andria

 

[Heabob]

Ha ha yeah I guess, well thats the only one I want to copy or get close to but for now I just want to pick recipes I like the look of rather than try what it is thay are cloning.

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Most of the recipes found here are using way less flavoring & sweetener compared to Vendor Juices.
And it may be why some are so hard to clone, in addition to trying to match all the flavors & brands used.

Have you tried this one yet?
Might not be an exact copy but it's still pretty good IMO.
(Gotta start somewhere, and you're gonna be buying more flavors anyway ).

2% INW Mango (or 4-5% CAP Sweet Mango)
4% CAP Vanilla Bean Ice Cream (or TFA VBIC)
2% TFA Dairy Milk
(can also add 1-3 drops of CAP Super Sweet if needed)

DIY takes some time & patience, besides the learning curve with flavors, equipment, etc.

 

[Heabob]

BTW many of the single flavor stand alones are quite good.

For example:
FW Cinnamon Roll 3-5% (coil gunker tho)
FW Butter Pecan (7-10%)
CAP Sweet Tangerine (4-5%)
CAP Orange Creamsicle (5-7%)
FA Fiji Apple (2-3%) (shake & vape)
FA Lemon Sicily (2-3%) (shake & vape)
FA White Peach (2-3%)
INW Peach 2%
INW Mango 2% or CAP Sweet Mango (4-5%)
INW Shisha Strawberry (2-3%)

Many others also will work as stand alones.
It will give you something to vape whilst experimenting with more complicated recipes.