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Guide to Mixing by Weight

Botboy141

Botboy141

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Fenris4024 said:
just ordered in the scale that @Huckleberried and @AmandaD linked, along with some pyrex beakers (50, 100 and 200ml) and some squeeze bottles for my VG and (rarely used these days) PG... mixing by weight should STUPIDLY simplify things for me, since I'm mixing for myself and a few friends now. If only I can get them all at the same nicotine/mls now....

Thank you for the excellent write up and how to @Botboy141 :)
Click to expand...
Glad to see my old post is still helping out. I've been away from these parts far too long.
 
-=Rob=-

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Get one that has a resolution of 100ths of a gram instead of tenths. You'll regret it later if you don't.


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Botboy141

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juicy76 said:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008DJ2XOG?psc=1
What about this one ? I need your thoughts. Good or bad, all are welcome
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That scale doesn't measure 0.01g, just 0.1g, especially with only a 200g capacity, that scale won't really work for any semi complex non 100ml batch.

You want 0.01g and I tend to lean towards 500g capacity but you can get away with 200g.

Displayed as 0.01 x 500g, etc.
 
juicy76

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See that's why I started be one of tour shadows. Lol thanks man.
I guess the only question left is......
The scale you posted, is that a auto shut off model ?
 
Fenris4024

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juicy76 said:
See that's why I started be one of tour shadows. Lol thanks man.
I guess the only question left is......
The scale you posted, is that a auto shut off model ?
Click to expand...

According to the Amazon answers, yes it does, but they don't state how quickly.
 
Fenris4024

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Well, if something like 3min, then it wouldn't really matter, as you'd be using the tare function after every new addition to overall batch (I think)...
If you go up a bit, the one that AmandaD and Huck linked is a solid scale.
 
-=Rob=-

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I use and highly recommend the AWS LB-501 scale. Check on it at Amazon. Great scale for DIY juice.


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Kay_Fun!

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vengar.mv said:
@Kay_Fun! does this have an auto off feature?

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Click to expand...

Yes it does, but it is long enough (two minutes) that it doesn't shut off while I'm mixing. I make sure I have all my flavors, PG, VG and nic ready before I start, and I've had no problems.
 
KeyserSoze

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I'm looking at mixing by weight now as well. It's a little daunting but, as usual, with all of the great help here at VU I think I can pull it off (after asking a handful of dumb questions). Let the dumb questions begin!

I like the look of the LB-501. @RocketPuppy mentioned good scales for less than $20. I want to be able to mix 5ml samples all the way up to 250ml batches. Would the LB-501 be a safe bet or is there something a little better? Obviously this purchase is coming out of the vape budget which is like negative $1,000 atm so cheap is good (as long as it still works).

Thanks all!
 
AmandaD

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Not an issue since I tare between adding each ingredient! I don't know how long it is as it never affects me.
 
KeyserSoze

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AmandaD said:
Yes!
Click to expand...
It's ordered! I can't weight. Get it?

The only problem I haven't solved yet is all of these glass vials from RTS. Guess I be using syringes for another 6 months while I purge all these flavors and restock from MamaJ's and BCV. I don't want to use that many dropper bottles to convert them all. Will do it for my usual suspects though.
 
-=Rob=-

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Probably be easier to use a pipette for those glass vials instead of syringes, if you have any pipettes. Those glass vials are a pain when mixing by weight. Enjoy your scale when it gets here, best way to mix.


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AmandaD

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KeyserSoze said:
It's ordered! I can't weight. Get it?

The only problem I haven't solved yet is all of these glass vials from RTS. Guess I be using syringes for another 6 months while I purge all these flavors and restock from MamaJ's and BCV. I don't want to use that many dropper bottles to convert them all. Will do it for my usual suspects though.
Click to expand...

LOL :)
 
KeyserSoze

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-=Rob=- said:
Probably be easier to use a pipette for those glass vials instead of syringes, if you have any pipettes. Those glass vials are a pain when mixing by weight. Enjoy your scale when it gets here, best way to mix.


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Click to expand...
Thanks a lot Rob. I mixed two 5ml batches last night and basically verified that my 18ga needle is, in fact, 100 drops per ml.

I don't think I will use the scale for 5ml batches since I mix with a lot of strong flavors and small percentages. Two of my bottles that do have drip tips did not register until there was too much in the mix but I didn't honestly expect the scale to register 0.04g. Luckily those two batches aren't ruined, they are just totally different than I planned on.

I do have some pipettes. Back when I started DIY that's what I used. I didn't want to throw them all away so I labeled each one and reused it for only that flavor. Do you toss them after every mixing session? I've had good luck with just using one syringe for flavors and PG (different syringe for VG). I add my PG last and that cleans the flavor out of the syringe well enough for my usage.

What is it about pipettes that you like better than syringes? There's probably some huge important difference that I'm missing. Thanks a lot for the help.

I do like mixing by weight but for samples I think I'm going to keep counting drops. UNLESS maybe adding some weight to the scale will make it register 0.01 and 0.02? Also, my mixing table has a thin carpet over it and I use an upside down drum head to mix over and catch spills. Maybe the semi-soft surface is making it less sensitive? Sometimes I noticed a 0.01g change when I would pick up or sit down a flavor next to the scale.

I need to make a new table that's standing height with a hard counter top but my amount of free time is a negative number. I just barely have enough time to mix enough juice to keep vaping.

Thanks again for all the help everyone!
 
AmandaD

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Yes, if you add a small weight to the scale before adding small amounts (something like a nickel), it should register .01. I couldn't get my scale to show me it had registered one drop (although it had) until I added a small 10g weight.
 
Botboy141

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Just blow on the scale after you add a drop if you are measuring anything around 0.03g (roughly one drop from a standard LDPE dropper bottle ).

If needing less than 0.03g of something, well good luck measuring that by volume instead...

Guess there's a reason I just make 30-100ml batches =).
 
SteveMc

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Thanks for this info, Botboy141, I fancy giving this a go.
One thing, it's proving very difficult getting a LB-501 in the UK, any decent alternatives?
 
KeyserSoze

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AmandaD said:
Yes, if you add a small weight to the scale before adding small amounts (something like a nickel), it should register .01. I couldn't get my scale to show me it had registered one drop (although it had) until I added a small 10g weight.
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Aha. Nice. Thanks Amanda!
Botboy141 said:
Just blow on the scale after you add a drop if you are measuring anything around 0.03g (roughly one drop from a standard LDPE dropper bottle ).

If needing less than 0.03g of something, well good luck measuring that by volume instead...

Guess there's a reason I just make 30-100ml batches =).
Click to expand...
Some of us don't have mixes so good that we want to vape 30ml of em yet. ;) With my 18ga needle I can mix by volume down to 0.2% of 5ml. It's not super accurate but at that small of an amount (0.01 ml or g) nothing is super accurate. I like the "blow on it" trick! I bet that'll do it. Thanks for the tip!

Has anyone mixed by weight straight out of 120ml flavoring bottles? Surely someone makes resealable dropper tips for them no? Like this but not sure if these would work. Plus I don't need 144 of them. :eek: https://www.sks-bottle.com/340c/fin80.html

Planning ahead to when I run through all these leaky ass glass vials. 30ml of some flavors will be enough but 120s are good deals on the usual suspects.
 
-=Rob=-

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KeyserSoze said:
Thanks a lot Rob. I mixed two 5ml batches last night and basically verified that my 18ga needle is, in fact, 100 drops per ml.

I do have some pipettes. Back when I started DIY that's what I used. I didn't want to throw them all away so I labeled each one and reused it for only that flavor. Do you toss them after every mixing session? I've had good luck with just using one syringe for flavors and PG (different syringe for VG). I add my PG last and that cleans the flavor out of the syringe well enough for my usage.

What is it about pipettes that you like better than syringes? There's probably some huge important difference that I'm missing. Thanks a lot for the help.

Thanks again for all the help everyone!
Click to expand...

I just think using a pipette on those vials would be easier since you can just squeeze the bulb on the pipette instead of messing with the syringe plunger while it's stuck in that skinny glass vial.

I usually just rinse out my pipette and reuse it awhile before tossing it, although I don't even use a pipette very often. I have everything I use in drip bottles... Nic, PG, VG, everything.

Just like Amanda said, if I'm measuring a very small amount, I'll put a nickel on the scale first which puts the weight at around 5 grams to begin with and go from there.

I have a spreadsheet printout I keep with my scales that has all my weights already calculated out for my Nic, PG and VG, so if I need 3.8 ML of 100 Mg Nic, I just look at the 3.8 row on my spreadsheet and it gives me the weight in grams. Just faster for me cause I'm lazy.

I usually mix the same 8-10 mixes when I mix as I pretty much have what I like nailed down, so I rarely mix less than 30 ML of anything and usually only mix every 2-3 weeks. I hate mixing directly into my bottles, so I always mix in 50 or 250 ML beakers then transfer to my bottles after mixing and stirring.

I mix everything I vape as its just better juice. I never buy commercial juice, and I save lots of $$ that way too.

Just how I do it. LOL Hope something is useful. Happy mixing!



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Satchvai

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I highly recommend investing in some glass droppers. Easy to clean up and pretty accurate
 
KeyserSoze

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-=Rob=- said:
I just think using a pipette on those vials would be easier since you can just squeeze the bulb on the pipette instead of messing with the syringe plunger while it's stuck in that skinny glass vial.

I usually just rinse out my pipette and reuse it awhile before tossing it, although I don't even use a pipette very often. I have everything I use in drip bottles... Nic, PG, VG, everything.

Just like Amanda said, if I'm measuring a very small amount, I'll put a nickel on the scale first which puts the weight at around 5 grams to begin with and go from there.

I have a spreadsheet printout I keep with my scales that has all my weights already calculated out for my Nic, PG and VG, so if I need 3.8 ML of 100 Mg Nic, I just look at the 3.8 row on my spreadsheet and it gives me the weight in grams. Just faster for me cause I'm lazy.

I usually mix the same 8-10 mixes when I mix as I pretty much have what I like nailed down, so I rarely mix less than 30 ML of anything and usually only mix every 2-3 weeks. I hate mixing directly into my bottles, so I always mix in 50 or 250 ML beakers then transfer to my bottles after mixing and stirring.

I mix everything I vape as its just better juice. I never buy commercial juice, and I save lots of $$ that way too.

Just how I do it. LOL Hope something is useful. Happy mixing!



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Click to expand...
You're the best. Thanks a lot for sharing your methods. It's all useful to me. I have learned a lot and still have a gooood looooong way to go. I'm getting by with the syringe for now and will definitely be transferring over to dripper bottles as I empty out these vials that I used to love so much. Do you use large dripper bottles (120ml) for your VG, PG and nic? Just tonight I moved over to a 12oz wide mouth mason jar for my VG/nic base. I took the 14ga needle off the syringe and it fills nice and fast now. A soft 120ml bottle with a resealable dripper tip would be even better though. Maybe not as fast but at least I wouldn't have to mess with the syringe.

I like the spreadsheet idea. I'm a spreadsheet nerd/guru. I tend to experiment with mixes at 80vg which is pretty easy to replicate (5g of VG per 5ml of juice). Once I finalize a recipe (happened once in 8 months) I'll switch it over to max VG with the help of a calculator.

Mixing once every 2-3 weeks sounds awesome. I've been mixing 3-6 times per week for over 8 months! I'll get there one day. :)
 
KeyserSoze

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AmandaD said:
Just as an fyi, for my base (I usually make a couple of bottles), VG and PG I use Wilton squeeze
bottles in different sizes: http://www.joann.com/wilton-squeeze-bottle-regular/4760278.html#q=bottle&start=21
Click to expand...
Good find and in stock right down the road from me. Do they have little caps?
Kay_Fun! said:
I recommend pipettes- $11.00 for 500 on Amazon. Use once and toss. Easy peasy.
Click to expand...
I don't like throwing away plastic if I can help it. That's just me though.
 
AmandaD

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KeyserSoze said:
Good find and in stock right down the road from me. Do they have little caps?

I don't like throwing away plastic if I can help it. That's just me though.
Click to expand...

Yes, little red caps!

When I use a flavor that's not in a squeeze bottle I just use the glass droppers from old juice :)
 
Squonk

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By the way, it was this thread that pushed me over the edge to DIY when I was lurking here. I wouldn't be mixing now if I had to use syringes, it would be too much hassle for me. I went cheap and bought a 100g/.01 scale. Now I fully understand the reason for a 500g scale. THANKS BOTBOY141
 
Squonk

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Sometimes when you order from Fasttech , things may or may not ship sooner. I couldn't find anything like them anywhere else here in the states. I actually stumbled across them while looking for other drip bottles on FT. Now(including these) I have 45 plastic bottles on the way. Ecigexpress just started stocking 20ml plastic droppers for $.39 per. I think I'll order those when I start running low again. I like plastic for giveaways and glass for experimenting.
 
AmandaD

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Squonk said:
I got those but I don't trust the top on one of them. I found and ordered these on FT. Maybe I'll get them sometime this year.;) https://www.fasttech.com/products/2081400
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Look good but too small for my use! I have the Wilton (or Wilton type) ones in several different sizes. For pg/vg I use the big ones (at least 240 mls or so)! Come to think of it I got those big ones online - hold on I'll find the link!

Here are the yorker spouts: you can also find the bottles on this site: http://packagingoptionsdirect.com/38-400-continuous-thread-unlined-plastic-spout-closure
 
Squonk

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AmandaD said:
Look good but too small for my use! I have the Wilton (or Wilton type) ones in several different sizes. For pg/vg I use the big ones (at least 240 mls or so)! Come to think of it I got those big ones online - hold on I'll find the link!

Here are the yorker spouts: you can also find the bottles on this site: http://packagingoptionsdirect.com/38-400-continuous-thread-unlined-plastic-spout-closure
Click to expand...
Thanks. I'll be happy just to get away from using 30ml glass dropper bottles. I'm using one like you showed for VG. I actually picked up my large bottles like you have from Micheals in the candy making isle, but was reluctant to get more due to the unreliable tops. As long as the opening is large enough to pour PG/VG through I don't mind refilling more often. I'll keep the link you posted just in case the Fasttech bottles don't work out.
 
AmandaD

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Squonk said:
Thanks. I'll be happy just to get away from using 30ml glass dropper bottles. I'm using one like you showed for VG. I actually picked up my large bottles like you have from Micheals in the candy making isle, but was reluctant to get more due to the unreliable tops. As long as the opening is large enough to pour PG/VG through I don't mind refilling more often. I'll keep the link you posted just in case the Fasttech bottles don't work out.
Click to expand...

As long as the tops are on it doesn't matter to me - I always store them right side up on a shelf!
 
Squonk

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The ones I got, all but one the top just pops right off as soon as I tighten down just a tad. They're pretty much useless. It a shame because I only paid $1 for a pack of two after coupon and Micheals is just down the road from me.
 
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