Noob diy question

[martinelias]

As noob as you can get. Lets say hypothetically i want to make a custardy juice and i vape high vg. 100vg if possible. So i want brown su gar, vanilla, maybe milk if thats an option and a pinch of lime. How would youwork all of this into a bottle. Not saying what perentages of each but maybe a ball park estimate. Im asking more for like procedure and what te percent per flavor represent to my bottle lets say a 15ml bottle. Oh and a nic level anywhere from 3mg to 6mg.

 

[KeyserSoze]

I'm no kind of expert but I would start by finding some VG based flavors. I don't know of any but I do know they exist. Most flavors are PG based which won't allow 100VG juice. The brand of flavoring you buy will determine the percentage you will use. I have some FlavourArt flavors that are overpowering at 0.25% and some other brands that you can't taste at all unless it's at 10% or more. VG based nicotine is easy to find but it's a little tricky to work with if you freeze it. It's SUPER thick. I let mine warm up a little before using a 14ga needle and syringe to measure it out. Other, more experienced mixers probably have better ways. There are literally tons of blogs and sticky posts on how to get started with DIY. You'll want to spend hours and hours reading them before you buy anything. Take notes too.

90+% of "custard" recipes that are posted online contain Capella's Vanilla Custard which is PG based. Wish I could be more help with VG based flavors.

Good luck!

 

[martinelias]

It wss a hypothetical scenerio.
really what im trying to ask is when i read the diy threads or browse recipes i see like mango 5% lemon 3% etc. Does that percentage reflect the amount in the bottle? Like if im filling a 15ml bottle and say 10% of something then im using 1.5ml of that flavor in the bottle?

 

[efektt]

It wss a hypothetical scenerio.
really what im trying to ask is when i read the diy threads or browse recipes i see like mango 5% lemon 3% etc. Does that percentage reflect the amount in the bottle? Like if im filling a 15ml bottle and say 10% of something then im using 1.5ml of that flavor in the bottle?

Yes. The percentages are of the total amount.

 

[martinelias]

Oooooii thanks. Its all making sense to me now.

 

[efektt]

No problem. Its all so simple once it clicks. Juice caculator will do all the work for you.

 

[OBDave]

@efektt pretty much nails it - get a free calculator like eJuiceMeUp and then you just plug in how much juice you want to make, how strong you want your nic to be, what nic strength you're starting off with as a base and what percentage of each flavor you want to add and then the calculator does all the work for you.

Here's a screen capture of how a calculator works - I used this to show another new mixer how he might cut his VG-based 24 mg nic down into a big batch of 3.25 mg base at 10/90 so he could then take a little at a time to add PG-based flavors and end up with something like a 20/80 3 mg mix...

 

[martinelias]

Looks cool. So when purchasing nic i see you get it similar to ejuice 6mg 12mg 18mg etc do you recommend getting something with a good amount of nic then just diluting it down?

 

[OBDave]

Looks cool. So when purchasing nic i see you get it similar to ejuice 6mg 12mg 18mg etc do you recommend getting something with a good amount of nic then just diluting it down?

Yep - I started with 36 mg and then 60 mg because I was a little concerned about handling 100 mg - after getting some experience I'll probably go with 100 mg next time, though I've got enough nic to last a long time. You then cut the nic with plain PG and VG, along with your flavorings - much cheaper than buying the base already mixed at the strength you want...

 

[cindycated]

You'd save quite a bit of cash if you get it high (like 60mg or 100mg) and dilute it. I usually get 60mg and dilute large amounts at a time to make my "base." Then all I have to do is measure flavors into the bottle I'm mixing into and top off with my "base." Easy peasy.
Just be careful when handling high nic.

You can use eJuiceMeUp to make your "base" too. Just plug in the numbers (and maybe a hypothetical % for flavorings) and it'll tell you how much nic, VG, etc. to add (just don't add the flavoring). Maybe make enough for a week or two at a time for starters.

You could get it pre-diluted too, but your choice for sources would be limited. For instance, VapersTek from Bull City seems to be really popular around here - you could only get that in 24, 48, 60 & 100mg.

 

[Time]

Looks cool. So when purchasing nic i see you get it similar to ejuice 6mg 12mg 18mg etc do you recommend getting something with a good amount of nic then just diluting it down?

Yep, get a higher nic content. But, while some do it, I don't recommend diluting it into a lower mg base. There are some drawbacks to doing so. Unless you use the same total flavor percents for every flavor of juice, the nic content will not be accurate. The other, more important for me, drawback is that when we take a nic base and dilute it into another lower mg nic base, it has to be well stirred/shaken. Doing so speeds the oxidation of the nic and ages it, making it peppery.

Instead, I do my best not to molest my nic. I use the calculater and mix each bottle.using my 100mg/ml nic.

 

[OBDave]

@Time has some good points as to why not to do what I do - your nic content won't be precise (it could fluctuate even further if you're using more than 3-6 mg in your base), and there's the oxidation factor of your nic starting to age as soon as it comes out of the freezer, though the offset is that I like not having to open my bottle of nic concentrate very often.

Personally, I'm lazy and okay with my personal-consumption-only juice being slightly off on the nic content since I barely use any anyhow, and I like having 2-3 weeks' supply laid out at once even though I don't do a full 2-3 weeks' worth of mixing at the same time (I'm still new and making small batches as I dial in my recipes). But if you're mixing for someone else, you want your nic content spot-on, or if you're mixing enough of a single recipe to last you for a while anyway, you'll probably be better served mixing each batch on its own from scratch.

 

[cindycated]

I dunno. To me it's pretty negligible, and the convenience far outweighs what little I might lose. Plus, I don't have to handle high nic too often. If I had to go through all that careful measuring every time I wanted to mix up a new flavor, I don't think I'd be DIYing.

 

[Time]

I should clarify, adding flavors to a pre-made base is not a wrong way. It's just not the method I recommend for the reasons I mentioned. I mix once every 4 to 6 weeks. I sit down and make about 15 juices, all different flavors mostly in 10ml bottles but some 15 and 30mls too.The mixes vary from 5% total flavor to 30%. Adding nic to my mix is no different than adding a flavor. It's just one part of the total recipe. And, I don't always vape the same nic content. I also make some with a higher nic content for times when I might be under stress and would want more nic.

Of course the method I use is not the only 'right' way. I prefer the flexibility to adjust each mix and the accuracy of the nic content. And good vendors go out of their way to not add O2 and oxidize their nic when they make their base so I try not to do it too.

 

[martinelias]

So if im using 36mg nic and i wanna make 15ml bottle with end result being 3mg nic i plug in all the stats in the program and itll tell me how much of it i need. Then lets say i use about 15 or 20 percent in different flavors do i fill the rest with a 0 nic base? Another question is if i get vg flavors and vg base for 100vg i dont need to add anything else right? I remember a while back i heard some cartos has some water in em but i dunno how much of that is true.
thanks to all participants of the thread this is a mass learning session for me.

 

[Time]

When using one of the calculators, you input your nic base(36mg), your target nic content for the juice(3mg), the amount you want to make(15ml), the PG/VG ratio you want(100% VG) and the percentage of each flavor. Then it will tell you how many ml of each to put in the bottle.

Few people use VG flavors but there are some out there. I don't know much about them. That said, most people using max vg seem to add a bit of water to thin the juice down for wicking.

 

[martinelias]

I found some some vg flavors out there. If they are good or not is a whole other story. Some juice ive had was 95 and 90vg i think beard co #5 is 90 or 85vg no problem but the real thin juice kinda gives me mud butt. I drip exclusively so wicking is hardly an issue.

 

[Bobx]

Another question is if i get vg flavors and vg base for 100vg i dont need to add anything else right? I remember a while back i heard some cartos has some water in em but i dunno how much of that is true.

Sounds like you don't want anything but VG in your final mix. Keep in mind here that there is very little VG flavor out there. There is some but it is hard to find and even harder to find one in a flavor you like. Most flavors a PG base. So you should try for a target of your end product at lets say a 10/90 PG/VG. This would be a lot easier when first starting out.
If you try to make everything 100% VG and you add just 1% PG flavor lets say, then you will end up with a negative number and warning on the calculator.
Best off to get a calculator and play with it. Then you will get to understand what people try to tell you a lot better.

 

[OBDave]

So if im using 36mg nic and i wanna make 15ml bottle with end result being 3mg nic i plug in all the stats in the program and itll tell me how much of it i need. Then lets say i use about 15 or 20 percent in different flavors do i fill the rest with a 0 nic base? Another question is if i get vg flavors and vg base for 100vg i dont need to add anything else right? I remember a while back i heard some cartos has some water in em but i dunno how much of that is true.
thanks to all participants of the thread this is a mass learning session for me.

You're not going to want to make a base at 3 mg and then add 20% flavor - include the flavor when inputting the recipe, otherwise you'll dilute the juice and end up with less than 3 mg nic.

 

[cindycated]

Yep, definitely play around with one of the calculators first. It'll make it easier to visualize the whole DIY process once you see the numbers.

 

[Time]

The EZ Mix calculator will do VG flavors. I don't have a link for it.

 

[martinelias]

Thanks guys. I spend around 60 bucks a week on juice so im starting to look at some alternatives. I can tolerate some pg butwhen i use too much i get like an acidy sensation in my guts.

 

[cindycated]

Maybe you can minimize PG with super-concentrated flavors, like FA, and maybe also get your nic in VG. Then you wouldn't be limited to just flavors in VG. You might also be sensitive to diketones ("custard notes"), so maybe try to limit those too.

 

[OBDave]

Thanks guys. I spend around 60 bucks a week on juice so im starting to look at some alternatives. I can tolerate some pg butwhen i use too much i get like an acidy sensation in my guts.

Like @cindycated said, if you're using VG-based nic, straight VG to cut it with, and strong flavors like FA and INW, you can probably get flavorful juices with less than 10% flavoring and thus less than 10% PG...most of my mixes that don't rely on any TFA or CAP flavors end up in the 6-8% range...

 

[Bambua]

I make mine as a base, assume 15% flavor. Make my mix and take 15-actual flavor % and add that much VG in. That way I know my NIC level is the same.


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[KeyserSoze]

i think beard co #5 is 90 or 85vg no problem but the real thin juice kinda gives me mud butt.

First of all, quote of the month right there.

Secondly, I have NO trouble making flavorful juices at 90+ VG with FlavourArt concentrates (which are PG based). I have a couple mixes at 94-96 VG that are a little strong on the flavor for me, to be honest. It totally depends on the flavors you are using. On the other side of the spectrum I am currently chasing a strawberry custard vape that lands at 78VG so far (aka 22% flavorings). I can't help it, I just keep adding more flavors (several that are not FlavourArt).

Sounds like you don't want anything but VG in your final mix. Keep in mind here that there is very little VG flavor out there. There is some but it is hard to find and even harder to find one in a flavor you like. Most flavors a PG base. So you should try for a target of your end product at lets say a 10/90 PG/VG. This would be a lot easier when first starting out.
If you try to make everything 100% VG and you add just 1% PG flavor lets say, then you will end up with a negative number and warning on the calculator.
Best off to get a calculator and play with it. Then you will get to understand what people try to tell you a lot better.

Yes. This. Plus every other super helpful post in this thread. VU members are the bees to the F'n GD knees.

I haven't looked up VG flavorings in awhile but even in my small town there are a few B+M stores that have "no PG" menus. They use VG flavors and offer 100VG juice BUUUUT I bet they thin their juice with something. IMO it might as well be a few percent of vape-tested, PG-based flavoring.

 

[KeyserSoze]

Possibly an unpopular thing to bring up but nicotine is, for me, a diarrhetic. It's a separate variable (other than VG/PG ratio) that could be affecting you.

 

[martinelias]

Possibly, i did lower nic from 18mg to 6mg at the same time i started going heavy on vg and dripping. But i did retry dripping a 6mg nic of a thinner juice (50/50) and it slayed me. Maybe its just certain flavors i dunno right now besides beard 5 im also vaping vape kitchen pinnapple whip and its 100vg with no effects. Could also make sensr about the nic since when i smoked cigarettes i pood more times a day hahaha sorry but defecation is a subject ive interest in nothing like a solid digestive system.

 

[OBDave]

Possibly, i did lower nic from 18mg to 6mg at the same time i started going heavy on vg and dripping. But i did retry dripping a 6mg nic of a thinner juice (50/50) and it slayed me. Maybe its just certain flavors i dunno right now besides beard 5 im also vaping vape kitchen pinnapple whip and its 100vg with no effects. Could also make sensr about the nic since when i smoked cigarettes i pood more times a day hahaha sorry but defecation is a subject ive interest in nothing like a solid digestive system.

I live in San Diego. I eat lots of Mexican food, much of it homemade by my Hispanic friends and co-workers (read: punishingly spicy). I still have the innards of an Irishman. There's no mercy for me, other than these pink and white pills the doctor gives my wife...