Tips for people new to diy mixing....

[doobiesnax]

I’m very very new to mixing, still not made a perfect batch but I’m not giving up (though the missus really wishes I would)

Have any of you got any great tips?

A few things I’ve discovered along the way:

It’s REALLY annoying having to keep taking the spouts off the concentrates (I use a 1ml syringe)
— I enlarged the hole of a syringe by heating a Small nail over the gas ring and then shoving it down the syringe spout:- Now I can just place the syringe over the spout of the concentrates spout, tip the bottle upside down, and draw directly from the bottle without taking the spout off.

I mix my nic and pg/vg in a large bottle, so when I want to try a new mix, I just decant the correct amount of vg/pg/nicotine into a bottle and just add the concentrated flavour.

Needle nosed 10ml bottles are great for testing - if it’s not strong enough/you want to add something extra, you can use the fine tip to suck the juice back out of your tank.

 

[nwhornet]

Mix by weight. Saves all that faffing around.
I take it you are allowing for dilution of your nic/pg/vg base mix when you add your flavours.

 

[Mr Ripple]

https://www.darkstarvapour.co.uk/yogurt-flavor-west
12%

Cupcake World Intense Food Flavouring Raspberry 100 ml https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00EDJOJ7Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_taa_7SPSAbCBSMNW7
8%

Good after a good mix and a couple od days rest time.

I know youre a fruit fan and this is simple and really good.

Do you like strawberry?

 

[Mr Ripple]

Flavour Art strawberry Red Touch 9%
Kandi-Heid Strawberry 4%
Capella Sweet Strawberry 4%
Inawera Strawberry 3%

Need to buy some malic acid from a home brew shop and dilute 25g in 100ml of pg by gently warming and shaking till disolved.
Add 1% to the mix.

(Malic acid it derived from fruits and gives off the flavour tang from crisp apples)

Just a simple but true tasting strawberry and ready after a good mix and a few days rest time.

 

[ObiWanVaponi]

I'll be watching this thread with interest, I've just started mixing too. Have to say, that does sound like a lot of work! I've started using the weight method straight off, seems far easier and pretty sure it would be more accurate and easier to replicate recipes in the future. Only tip I have is wait for the scales to catch up, my battered old set take a few seconds to update.

 

[nwhornet]

Plenty of tips & recipes in the Mixology section here https://www.planetofthevapes.co.uk/forums/advanced-pv-mod-making-and-diy-discussion/mixology/

 

[Ment]

Mix by weight, write everything down and label everything and make small batches for testing - never rush in with a big batch just because it looks good.

Put a drop of concentrate on your finger and taste it - chances are, if you like the taste you'll like the vape.

Buy VG and PG in bulk - 5l doesn't cost much more than 1l and they keep forever.

Steeping will improve liquids, but won't significantly change the flavour (apart from some tobaccos), so testing after a week will be sufficient to know whether you like a mix.

Always ask on here for discount codes and the best places to buy before making substantial purchases.

 

[doobiesnax]

Too many to reply to. I’ll do my best to remember what everyone said.

So, scales: I don’t get how this is easier? Takes me about 2seconds to unscrew a top, draw 1ml, and squirt it in a bottle....? And I’d argue that even if syringes were inaccurate (lol, now THAT would be worrying for the medical usage) the difference would be so slight, my old tonge couldn’t tell the difference!

@StawberrryRipple, thanks for the strawberry recipe, yes, I’m very much into my fruits. Got a fantastic black currant from chiefschoice, finally found the sweet spot at 20%. Been playing around adding other flavours with it (blackcurrant and one other flavour) bc and grapefruit is pretty nice, so is bc and cherry, but yes would like a bit more ‘zing’.
-malic acid- I bought some ‘sour’ from chiefsflavours (can’t remember what brand) tried a two drops in 10 ml, couldn’t tell the difference, will try 0.1 ml in 10 ml when I get in tonight (I’m assuming ‘sour’ is malic acid and a bit of citric?)

Steeping: I’ve noticed little success with steeping fruits beyond 12hours. I have a banana Creme that is god awful, very chemical tasting, using that to test steeping on (smells better after two days of sitting, not vaped it since it was mixed)

Tasting: I’m slowly learning to get an idea what something will be like vaped by tasting the mix (never tasted concentrate though ewwww)
If it tastes great, then quite often, it’s not strong enough, it ‘almost’ has to be too strong when tasted....should really try the drop test in water to get a better idea.

I’ve made so many concoctions of flavours, and I recon that’s where I’ve been going wrong. I’ve now just started mixing single flavours in 10mls and then just Vaping them, sounds boring, but I don’t think my palate is very sophisticated hahaha!

Good points about labels and also, not to rush. As I said, I’m not noticing much with steeping beyond 12hours for fruits, but they definitely change in that time.

 

[nwhornet]

@doobiesnax
Scales. If you only mix 10ml at a time then ok but if making bigger amounts, set of digi scales & a measuring beaker/jug. Pour nic/vg/pg/flavour in, whisk with milk frother, decant into bottles, tops on, job done. Just your jug to wash, no faffing about cleaning syringes between flavours/nic. Each to their own but started with drops/syringes etc & it put me off mixing until I bought a set of scales. Mix 250/500ml batches now & done in 10 min including washing up. More time to vape the juice you've created, winner

 

[doobiesnax]

@doobiesnax
Scales. If you only mix 10ml at a time then ok but if making bigger amounts, set of digi scales & a measuring beaker/jug. Pour nic/vg/pg/flavour in, whisk with milk frother, decant into bottles, tops on, job done. Just your jug to wash, no faffing about cleaning syringes between flavours/nic. Each to their own but started with drops/syringes etc & it put me off mixing until I bought a set of scales. Mix 250/500ml batches now & done in 10 min including washing up. More time to vape the juice you've created, winner

Hahah!!! Yeah, that makes sense! As soon as I make a mix I actually like enough......