DIY or buy ?

[HommerSimpson]

I have been pondering doing the DIY ejuice thing as i cant find any that I really like.. but i ran across a fairly cheap online e juice dealer that is actually in my area.. would $6.99 for 30ml any flavor be a good deal if I like the taste ? instead of spending hundreds for the stuff to mix my own?
Thanks

 

[Huckleberried]

That's a good deal if you like the juice. $100 will get you PLENTY of DIY stuff. Real good start.

 

[John C]

yeah $7 for 30ml is the typical "discount juice" price it seems.

But if you vape several MLs a day, DIY is so much cheaper after the initial costs. If you reuse the same glass bottle...you're talking like, what...60 cents for a 30ml? 75 cents maybe?

 

[HommerSimpson]

Yea thats what I thought.. I will give them a try and see how their stuff taste..I think they are a new start up company.. but hey everyone has to start someplace.. have you or no if anyone ever bought any from.. flavorsofejuice.com ? looks like everything is 6.99 and some on sale for 5.99

 

[HommerSimpson]

yeah $7 for 30ml is the typical "discount juice" price it seems.

But if you vape several MLs a day, DIY is so much cheaper after the initial costs. If you reuse the same glass bottle...you're talking like, what...60 cents for a 30ml? 75 cents maybe?

thanks yea thats what I was thinking it would be a lot cheaper.. but then im lazy.. not sure if i would get into making my own..but might have to try..

 

[Huckleberried]

Yea thats what I thought.. I will give them a try and see how their stuff taste..I think they are a new start up company.. but hey everyone has to start someplace.. have you or no if anyone ever bought any from.. flavorsofejuice.com ? looks like everything is 6.99 and some on sale for 5.99

http://vaping.watch/tmaxx-s-no-frills-ml-s

 

[skeene]

diy is addicting

 

[f1r3b1rd]

That no frills that @Huckleberried linked comes highly recommended, but for DIY I probably spend the equivalent of 30-35$ a month in maintenance cost. That gives me a fairly wide range of juice flavors; and, more toy money. Not to mention the ability to make what like, and not have to worry about juice inventory.

 

[Huckleberried]

30-35$ a month

Really??? I can't tell ya the last time I spent that on DIY. Still, though, you can get a TON of stuff for DIY for that price. So economical, it's crazy.

 

[f1r3b1rd]

Really??? I can't tell ya the last time I spent that on DIY. Still, though, you can get a TON of stuff for DIY for that price. So economical, it's crazy.

That's an averaged guesstimate, last time I bought nic was 4 months ago, the pg and vg is what 20-25 a gallon? That'll last a few months, loll
I do buy a few 120ml of flavoring a month just to keep fresh and a few new flavors.
Last month and the month before I spent zero on juice or supplies.
The owner of my local shop made me promise not to mention how inexpensive it is to make. Hahaha

 

[Huckleberried]

I think PG and VG, lately, have been my biggest expense, and they're pretty cheap. I have a lot of nic right now, but still think I need to get at least one more liter. You know how we are...
Flavors, though I'm pretty ok on those, I always think I need more. There's so many I HAVE to try, right? I'm trying to think of when I've ordered anything recently? VG comes to mind... been a minute, lol. I do have a few flavors that I'm low on. MUST have my Cheesecake Graham and dangerously low on Fresh Cream. I feel jittery man.

 

[skeene]

'a few 120mls' ??? geeze, I buy mine 10 mils at a time

 

[f1r3b1rd]

I think PG and VG, lately, have been my biggest expense, and they're pretty cheap. I have a lot of nic right now, but still think I need to get at least one more liter. You know how we are...
Flavors, though I'm pretty ok on those, I always think I need more. There's so many I HAVE to try, right? I'm trying to think of when I've ordered anything recently? VG comes to mind... been a minute, lol. I do have a few flavors that I'm low on. MUST have my Cheesecake Graham and dangerously low on Fresh Cream. I feel jittery man.

Bahaha!!! I know what you mean. I'm working on weaning myself off of nice, so I have 1 unopened liter and maybe 1/4 left from the other. since I'm dripping more and the flavor is in pg, I rarely use that at all, but, I rip through some vg. flavor wise, if I don't order at least 4, 120ml bottles a month I start feeling like the is something wrong, I need to keep one unopened peanut butter and sugar cookie though, if I run out of those it will be bad

 

[f1r3b1rd]

'a few 120mls' ??? geeze, I buy mine 10 mils at a time

If it's something I'm unsure I like I'll get a 10 or 15. usually thiugh I'll get a 30 ml of flavor art or 120 ml of cappella or tfa

 

[Huckleberried]

Depends on the flavor. If it's something I use frequently, I'll get those in 30ml. The occasional ones I'll get in a 10. Something I rarely use, but like, I'll order in a sample size if I can. I recently went through my flavor box to see if I had some flavors to share. I thought I did a good job of thinning out the herd, but I stil can't get the box closed.

And, yet, I have a cart going in at least 2 places, LMAO.

 

[skeene]

diy isn't really saving me any money, but it sure does leave me more to spend on mods!

 

[Huckleberried]

If you're still building up your flavor stash, it seems that way. Once it's pretty well established, you can go a long time without needing anything at all.

 

[f1r3b1rd]

You can also apply for bulk pricing with flavor apprentice, 6.50-7$ for most flavors in 120mil bottles(save a ton)
Also shop for deals, in a pinch I'll get a 1liter bottle of usp vg from amazon at 12$ delivered.
All totaled that's 33, 30 ml bottles and change

 

[Huckleberried]

The TFA bulk pricing is pretty good for stuff you use a lot. I could easily get the Cranberry, Brown Sugar and Cheesecake Graham in those.

 

[MC5]

I have been pondering doing the DIY ejuice thing as i cant find any that I really like.. but i ran across a fairly cheap online e juice dealer that is actually in my area.. would $6.99 for 30ml any flavor be a good deal if I like the taste ? instead of spending hundreds for the stuff to mix my own?
Thanks

Yea thats what I thought.. I will give them a try and see how their stuff taste..I think they are a new start up company.. but hey everyone has to start someplace.. have you or no if anyone ever bought any from.. flavorsofejuice.com ? looks like everything is 6.99 and some on sale for 5.99

I'm still trying to figure out what area they are in, as their site has no contact information - no email or phone. They are definitely new, as the domain was created August 14. What's disturbing is that they have reviews of their liquid dated before the domain existed. I would avoid them myself.

As far as savings, DIY is a great way to go, and doesn't cost much to get started. We're using about 15ml a day, and making our liquid at about five cents/ml is a great deal.

 

[Mattp169]

The initial cost of DIY is next to nothing. Its how addicted and how serious you take it. And how economical or paranoid you get.

You can start with a budget of $20-25 for your initial order over at Bullcity. the bottles, just reuse some empty ones.

Get some syringes for measuring childrens medicine at the local pharmacy, usually free of charge.

My biggest expense ever was $125 for Nicotine - Order 1 liter to stick in the freezer was Bull city stopped selling it due to tax regulations. But now I have enough nic to last me about 3 years or more.

You can grab 3ml sample bottles of some of the most popular flavors over at mamajsflavorshop. for only 1.50. Those are enough to make several test batches. I just emptied my black licorice sample after making probably 250 mls worth of stuff with that flavoring

It just depends on what flavor your after and your flavor company of choice

 

[atssec97]

If you're still building up your flavor stash, it seems that way. Once it's pretty well established, you can go a long time without needing anything at all.

Will the day ever come when I don't really need anything? I am still in the building my stash stage! Had to laugh at this one!

 

[AZ_Shooter]

Just a thought. The smartest thing • I have done • was employing the use of a digital scale. It has made a simple process very quick and very accurate.

 

[PuffPuffPass]

Just a thought. The smartest thing • I have done • was employing the use of a digital scale. It has made a simple process very quick and very accurate.

I hoping that's the case with me. I've always measured by volume. But the 7% variable made me rethink that idea. I do occasionally get a rough tasting mix.

Scales arrive tomorrow. I'll mix a few samples, and give them a spin.

 

[Mattp169]

scales are simply the best

I mean think about it.
your either making tiny tiny test batches of new flavors, which trying o measure tenths of a mil on a syringe that has faded marks is a PITA
or
your making 30, 50, 60, 120 mil or bigger batches. so the scale is just easier.
Scale, bottles, funnel. Thats all you need. no syringes, no pipettes, beakers. no replacing syringes with worn off markings etc. no washing syringes and pipettes and beakers.

using the syringe method to try diy out is fine, a little annoying, but if you like it just get a scale as soon as you can, you will not regret it.

I made about 200ml with syringes then got a scale.

 

[PuffPuffPass]

scales are simply the best

I'm thinking smaller samples are going to save a lot of headache. Trying to mix a 10ml sample by volume? The struggle is real

 

[Mattp169]

lets see


I use the Specific gravity of PG for most flavors. I think my peach and mango have their real SG in there. But just round and that is super easy to do by weight for a 10ml sample

 

[Deeks]

Mixing by weight is the best decision I've made in regards to DIY. Makes life so much easier and way less mess to have to clean up when you're done. Very accurate too so things stay consistant. I mix for handful of people that all want different stuff and I couldn't imagine the mess of syringes I would have after an all night mixathon.

 

[PuffPuffPass]

Mixing by weight is the best decision I've made in regards to DIY. Makes life so much easier and way less mess to have to clean up when you're done. Very accurate too so things stay consistant. I mix for handful of people that all want different stuff and I couldn't imagine the mess of syringes I would have after an all night mixathon.

I don't really have a mess to clean up. But I am looking for more consistency.

I only mix a few Flavors. I'm not hardcore like some of you guys lol

Lord at the stash I'm seeing here

 

[Mattp169]

oh im not hard core at all
i have my peach mango base
to that ive built it up to what i posted
i have an apple pear base
which i may try with the same additions to my peach/mango base above
i have HIc's 3 milky musketeers that i just buy from mamajs instead of mixing myself
and im messing around trying to work out a good black licorice flavor
and when ever @wllmc gets black tea in at mamaj's I am going to try a peach/mango long island iced tea flavor I have bouncing around in my head

 

[Deeks]

I like to pretend I'm a chef and I do love cooking so this DIY thing really fell right in line for me. I was tired of paying for "premium" ejuice and having to wait for it by mail, soooo I took the leap and I'm glad I did. I thought it would be more complicated but really its not rocket science. I've saved quite a bit of money actually too so that's nice.

 

[Willbo]

DIY once you get used to it, as long as you are buying decent brand concentrates and nicotine, isn't that difficult to make decent recipes, Im only 3 months in and very happy with some of my concoctions and am no mixologist at all. The thing I most enjoy is simply the experimentation. I got bored of vendor juices as there wasn't much imagination for me, all the same flavours be it custards, fruits etc etc and now its all yoghurts and donuts. The thing for me is you CANT get the mouth feel and texture from a vape you can from the real thing, which isn't a negative as it means you can mix flavours together you couldn't eat or drink in real life. SO I just don't know why every vendor seems to be making strawberry custard or strawberry donut or blueberry yoghurt etc etc etc there are very good and bad vendors juices but they are all the same thing. I would say DIY IS for you Hommer as long as you have the sense to realise a lot of your own recipe ideas will suck at first and as long as you put the time, effort and research into what you want to make, the fact you are on here posting shows that to be the case. I would recommend looking up a few recipes that are similar to what you want to make on here, try and find ones that are using similar flavours, that way you don't have to buy so many concentrates. Once you have mixed a few you will have an idea of what flavour concentrates work for you and which don't and if you want to delve deeper into DIY

 

[wllmc]

DIY! DIY ! DIY! DIY!

 

[cavtruper]

You can also apply for bulk pricing with flavor apprentice, 6.50-7$ for most flavors in 120mil bottles(save a ton)
Also shop for deals, in a pinch I'll get a 1liter bottle of usp vg from amazon at 12$ delivered.
All totaled that's 33, 30 ml bottles and change

This is crazy. Peeps are making 1000% + for these juices!? My mind is made!

 

[PuffPuffPass]

This is crazy. Peeps are making 1000% + for these juices!? My mind is made!

That's what turned me to DIY. The insane profit margin. I'm all for someone making a profit, and I realize competition is fierce. But 50 cents to produce a 30ml bottle being sold at .75+ for a single ML.

My fav juice, was $16 a bottle. I was using 3 bottles a week, and wasn't saving any money over smoking. Like I thought I would be able to.

 

[f1r3b1rd]

This is crazy. Peeps are making 1000% + for these juices!? My mind is made!

Yup!!!
I made the switch early on for that exact reason; and, if I can do it anyone can.
Im all for them making a profit, they should, its capitalism.
The cool thing is once you get your juices nailed down you wont even miss the stuff you buy.

 

[AZ_Shooter]

ever notice that youtube's most prolific "reviewers" are e-liquid vendors too? Yeah baby, 200 Watt w/ sub SUB ohm builds just a drinkin' away $ mates. Juice, JUICE JJJUICE ...ridiculous really. Yes, vaping can be a viable alternative to tobacco use monetarily, but you have to put in the effort. FWIW...

 

[PuffPuffPass]

Yup!!!
I made the switch early on for that exact reason; and, if I can do it anyone can.
Im all for them making a profit, they should, its capitalism.
The cool thing is once you get your juices nailed down you wont even miss the stuff you buy.

True.
I actually started, by diluting my juices with VG. The flavor took a hit, but I got used to it. And I saved a chunk of change also.

I still dilute the Flavors even though I DIY. And keep a couple of small bottles of 0nic at full flavor to drip into my tank. When I need a boost. It may seem odd, but it works for me.

 

[PuffPuffPass]

ever notice that youtube's most prolific "reviewers" are e-liquid vendors too? Yeah baby, 200 Watt w/ sub SUB ohm builds just a drinkin' away $ mates. Juice, JUICE JJJUICE ...ridiculous really. Yes, vaping can be a viable alternative to tobacco use monetarily, but you have to put in the effort. FWIW...

Hahaha My fav review. One guy who swears NJoy is a really great juice. He's making huge clouds. But I'm betting he wasn't vaping the lighter fluid that NJoy sells.

 

[Huckleberried]

I actually started, by diluting my juices with VG. The flavor took a hit, but I got used to it. And I saved a chunk of change also.

Something like this, YES!! When I started DIY I had all these ideas that I was going to create these wondrous mixes that everyone would adore and shout from the rooftops, "Huck! Huck! Huck!" Boy was I wrong, LMAO. I was used to over-flavored, over-sweetened stuff that vendors were creating and I was buying more and more trying to find what I actually liked! Then I met HIC and wllmc. Nuff said, right?

Here's what I learned. You can use less flavoring and still taste it AND enjoy it, actually LOVE it. Your taste buds heal and adapt and you discover real, full flavor at lower %, and honestly, far better than any vendor juice I've tried. I also learned that I don't have to be that guru mixer. They, and many others, have done a fantastic job of that and share that knowledge with the rest of us. I'm very grateful for that.

I do have a couple mixes of my own that I do really enjoy, but they taught me how to do that. For the most part, though, my ADV vapes come directly out of DIY Recipes sub-forum, HIC's Mixes storefront and Mama J's. These days, there's more and more reason to DIY.

 

[cavtruper]

I got me some research to do and have enough store bought juice to keep me going until I get mixin. To the DIY section I go!

Sent from my C811 4G using Tapatalk

 

[f1r3b1rd]

Dont be afraid to just come up with stuff yourself either, my favorite adv is super simple and its taking the total amount of flavor and using 3/4 of it as sugar cookie(capella) and 1/4 of it as peanut butter (tfa)
Takes all, of a minute to make and its better than a house a juice.

 

[SailCat]

"Huck! Huck! Huck!"

 

[Huckleberried]

LMAO!!

 

[newjin]

Diy has taken over my life .. well not really but I'm the kind of guy who really gets into anything I enjoy and right now it's making my vary own e juice . Like many of you it was the cost of the juice that got me spent way too much on the branded stuff . dropped 2 bills and have a great start to my diy adventure. Not going to lie every batch I've made so far is on point premium e juice if not better hahhah listen to me eh . This fourm is the mecca for vaping info and I've learned so much from everyone so thank you all for your comments and posts . I'll practice the less is more in terms of flavorings you talked about huck . HIC and Wllmc everything you guys post is gold .

 

[FL_David]

Once you get past the small learning curve of DIY, you may be wondering why you didn't start sooner. I started DIY about 6 weeks after I started vaping when I found out how cheap it is in the long run. Then I got hooked on mixing flavors which is far more exciting to me then wondering if that fancy labeled bottle of e-liquid is any good.
I continue to learn about new flavors and ways of mixing from others here. I may give the mix by weight a try

 

[SailCat]

Yeah, I got into mixing early myself, failed miserably and gave it up forever. Or so I thought. Six months or so ago, I stumbled onto the Purvapes thread on the darkside, joined the exodus and ended up here.

Now I have nearly 100 flavorings, an appropriate scale (thanks Huck, et al) and all equipment necessary to make my own liquids! Unfortunately, I have no place to mix so a spare bedroom is being converted into a "lab." THink "clean room" then forget it. It's more of an "unclean room" that's a step up from bricks and boards. MAybe two steps. Pics to follow if that damn project ever gets completed.

 

[PuffPuffPass]

...... I may give the mix by weight a try

Like me, you're long overdue. I made the move to mix by weight this week. And could literally kick myself for not doing it sooner. It's just too simple now. And a hell of a lot more organized. I managed to get the most recommended scale (LB-501) for only $38 with shipping. Well worth the investment.