Using syringes

[robteifi]

When using a syringe to measure and dispense liquids, do you normally keep the needle on the syringe to add it to your mix?

The question occurred because I have a "Bryan's needle" for VG, which itself will hold at least 1 ml of liquid which would throw off any calculations.

I think it might also be an issue with an 18 gauge needle if you for example make a small test sample e.g. 5 ml and then try to scale up to say 30ml, you'll end up with less of the flavourings and the juice won't taste the same.

If you remove the needle then you'll have a precise amount each time.

What do more experienced mixers think?

 

[Purplefowler]

If you are using boots vg, here's my favourite tip. Get a screwdriver and make a small hole in the lid, just big enough for the syringe tip to fit through. That way you can just use the syringe and you can tip the bottle upside down to get every last bit of vg out. I tried using Bryan's needle and didn't get on with it at all, I much prefer to use just the syringe, far more accurate for clutzes like me

 

[ZT]

Also .. understand that if you use a needle tip .. there WILL be air between the bottom of the plunger and the liquid.

that is ok .. that gap corresponds to the amount the needletip holds.

another tip is to put the needletip on .. part fill the syringe, then squeeze it out again. then fill it again, this time there should be no or very little airgap this I think is the most accurate way to use it.

dont be tempted to empty the contents of the needle tip in .. that will make it inaccurate... I normally pull the needletip off .. and tip it back into whatever source bottle it came from.

 

[cha82]

Was wondering this exact thing recently - one of those things that is so simple it's complicated if you know what I mean. As ZT said above what is in the needle and the luer tip is not counted on the scale.

 

[robteifi]

Been thinking about getting some proper graduated pipettes and pipette fillers, it's just too haphazard for me using syringes, especially when making test mixes

 

[cha82]

They are still very accurate - as long as you measure the liquid with whatever needle you are using then "inject" the contents of the syringe into your mix. You will still have liquid in the needle and tip after "ejaculating" the syringe so you will have injected exactly what you measured on the scale. The downside is you are left with excess liquid in the needle and tip but as ZT said you can then remove the needle and empty remaining liquid in tip and needle into wherever it came from.

1ml syringes are cheap and excellent and very accurate even when making 5ml test batches.

 

[Vaped Crusader]

I'm very new to it all so know nothing, but what I did when drawing VG is to use that Bryan's thingy, draw out the required amount, remove the syringe from the Bryan's, leaving it in the bottle and slung the VG into the bottle. Then reapply the syringe, draw out the required amount again and repeat, until you've got your first few bottles VG'd up.

IIRC when you disengage the syringe, most of the excess juice flows back out anyway.

 

[cha82]

That sounds like a good method.