Drop Size

[Bryan123456]

So how big is a drop?

I currently have it is 0.034 ml in my recipes but have seen estimates that vary from 0.05 to 0.02 - which is some disparity.

It's not a problem for my standard mixes - I make chocolate vapes and apple vapes for my son and his g/f on a regular basis. BUT if you're scaling up to bulk mixing - where you move from using drops to ml and 10ths of ml the scope to get things wrong is substantial.

 

[Purplefowler]

i think it is open to variables such as bottle type and size. Really if you are going for accuracy you should probably invest in a load of syringes. At least you will get consistent results that way.

 

[KulrMeStoopid]

Yep syringes are better especially if you are more comfortable with exacts than estimates. I drop smaller amounts, syringe the bigger!

 

[Mark]

I am a complete amateur at mixing and generally don't do my own juices even though I have the gear to do it.
My everlasting impression when I started vaping and looked into the mystery of mixing came from my first (and as it happens only) Vapefest in 2010 where we were advised at the 'Juice bar' ran by DV that it was like making a cup of tea...hmm
Quite by chance a couple of weeks agoI had a spare few hours and eying my vape gear I decided to mix up a small bottle of liquid using an old bottle of Red label tobacco concentrate (boo hiss). Put a rough mix of PG/VG and PG based Nic (54mgs) up to near the top (maybe 3/5th to 2/5ths VERY roughly by eye) and using the concentrate dropper bottle dripped in 16 drops. Left it alone after a little shake and vaped. Tasted fine.
I am pretty acclimatised to various nic strengths and frankly didnt know the exact nic strength I ended up with but it was fine
I am aware this approach will not find favour with the mixologists or indeed anyone who wishes to be precisely aware of the quantities of their ingredients and it is hopeless for those who want/need to achieve consistency but it does for my needs if I want to go there (which is rarely)
The most important factor for those who are sensitive to nic strengths is to very careful you have a broad understanding of the maths. For me it needn't require a degree in chemistry

Happily be shot down in flames!

 

[Bryan123456]

i think it is open to variables such as bottle type and size. Really if you are going for accuracy you should probably invest in a load of syringes. At least you will get consistent results that way.

A fair maiden speaks. Unfortunately I am a bloke and my accuracy levels with a 1 ml syringe (Major grads 1/10th ml. minor grads 1/20th ml fine grads 1/100th ml) is about 1/40th of an ml +/- 2/100 ml. But I can manage to squish a single drop out of a bottle with no problem.

It's also much easier when making up 4-10 ml final quantities to use drops for small quantities of flavour. There are also hygiene issues at this level - when I use a syringe for a flavour I need to wash and wipe it in vodka. You also need to account for the volume in the needle. It can be an expensive and time consuming way to add (e.g.) 0.034 ml of lime to a 5ml mix. Quicker and cheaper to add a drop

 

[Szaxe]

Thing is if you are measuring everything by drops, the size of the drops is immaterial. All you need is for each drop to be the same size.

I mean the ratio should always be the same, just the amount of end product will differ.

 

[Purplefowler]

you are way more presice than me!!! I didnt even understand most of what you said I just rinse the flavour out with hot water and blow out the drips. Im pretty spot on with the nic, but everything else is a case of a little bit of this-a little bit of that! I have a 1ml, a 2ml and a 5 ml syringe and a glass pipette for adding the drops of water to my vg and it works for me, but what ever you are comfortable with will make the best mixes for you!

 

[Bryan123456]

Thing is if you are measuring everything by drops, the size of the drops is immaterial. All you need is for each drop to be the same size.

I mean the ratio should always be the same, just the amount of end product will differ.

Tautologically totally correct Watson . It's only an issue if you want to scale up - at which point the difference between 0.05 and 0.02 as a drop size could be a disaster - I have one recipe where 1 drop of lime goes into a 20ml mix and it's the right amount.

 

[Bryan123456]

you are way more presice than me!!! I didnt even understand most of what you said I just rinse the flavour out with hot water and blow out the drips. Im pretty spot on with the nic, but everything else is a case of a little bit of this-a little bit of that! I have a 1ml, a 2ml and a 5 ml syringe and a glass pipette for adding the drops of water to my vg and it works for me, but what ever you are comfortable with will make the best mixes for you!

I have ended up using a 50 ml syringe and 2 x 1 ml ones and -drops. I got a load of disposable plastic 3ml pippetes - but was very awkward with them. PM me if you'd like them - I'll post them to you/

 

[Szaxe]

I have one recipe where 1 drop of lime goes into a 20ml mix and it's the right amount.

Sorry I don't know what the recipe states, but if it states one drop, it would all depend on the size of the creators drip.