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Hoping my 2nd attempt at DIY juice is successful

voicenyerhed

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Member For 4 Years
My shipment of liquids arrives tomorrow. I tried this one before unsuccessfully, but I didn't do my due diligence with research. This time I feel like I have (at least to start out, I'm by no means thinking I'm an expert). I ordered from Liquid Barn. I have PG, VG, nic, strawberry, blue raspberry, menthol, sweetener, & sour. My plan is to experiment with making simple 1 flavor juices in small batches to start. Any suggestions, pointers, or advice would be most welcome!

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fq06

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Member For 4 Years
Play with that but also find a mix here in the diy thread that sounds like something you'd like and has a lot of positive comments on it. Follow it exactly and see what you like and don't like about it and try tweak it to your tastes.

I would venture to say that all of us that started like you and tried our on luck for our 1st mix... did not have a good 1st mix :giggle:

Lot's of helpful people here to help you on your journey though!
 

voicenyerhed

Gold Contributor
Member For 4 Years
Play with that but also find a mix here in the diy thread that sounds like something you'd like and has a lot of positive comments on it. Follow it exactly and see what you like and don't like about it and try tweak it to your tastes.

I would venture to say that all of us that started like you and tried our on luck for our 1st mix... did not have a good 1st mix :giggle:

Lot's of helpful people here to help you on your journey though!
From all my reading, my biggest mistake seems to be using all VG & not diluting so it wasn't able to soak into the cotton. This time I will try a 70/30 VG/PG mix so that it won't be so thick. Fingers crossed!

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voicenyerhed

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Member For 4 Years
So you already mixed a batch witb the flavors you have? How was the flavor?
No, no. I was talking about when I tried this a couple years ago. It smelled great and tasted great, but after the first puff my atomizer was burnt. Went through 5 atomizers before giving up. This time I did some homework before trying to even buy the ingredients. I was just too arrogant last time & thought, "how hard can it be?" Turns out, it's harder than I thought! I'm much more humble now, lol.

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fq06

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Member For 4 Years
Oh, got it.
Sounds like you have done your homework and know the mechanics of mixing so give it a go with your frst recipe and the VU diy folks can help you improve it.

Good luck on this attempt!
 

fq06

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Member For 4 Years
Oh yeah... thought of a tip.
Don't watch tv or be distracted by anything when you are mixing or you may find yourself wondering if you put three 1ml syringes of PG in so far or if you were on your second still lol
 

voicenyerhed

Gold Contributor
Member For 4 Years
Oh yeah... thought of a tip.
Don't watch tv or be distracted by anything when you are mixing or you may find yourself wondering if you put three 1ml syringes of PG in so far or if you were on your second still lol
That's totally something I'd do, too!

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HeadInClouds

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My shipment of liquids arrives tomorrow. I tried this one before unsuccessfully, but I didn't do my due diligence with research. This time I feel like I have (at least to start out, I'm by no means thinking I'm an expert). I ordered from Liquid Barn. I have PG, VG, nic, strawberry, blue raspberry, menthol, sweetener, & sour. My plan is to experiment with making simple 1 flavor juices in small batches to start. Any suggestions, pointers, or advice would be most welcome!

Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk

I'd start with just PG + VG (no nic), smallest batch possible. Make sure your chosen ratio wicks okay in your hardware. It should just taste vaguely sweet, no weird or objectionable flavor.

Then PG + VG + nic, smallest possible batch again. Make sure the nic flavor isn't objectionable & understand that will be in the background of everything you mix.

(I'm assuming you like menthol) With the flavors you got, my first flavored batch would be plain menthol, using maybe 2% as a first guess. See how much you need to taste full-flavored to you & make a note of it somewhere. Save your leftovers. Repeat with another flavor & save those leftovers. Then combine leftovers & see how you like it. That's how I started DIY; it helped me avoid the very common problems of bad ingredients & overflavoring.
 

voicenyerhed

Gold Contributor
Member For 4 Years
I'd start with just PG + VG (no nic), smallest batch possible. Make sure your chosen ratio wicks okay in your hardware. It should just taste vaguely sweet, no weird or objectionable flavor.

Then PG + VG + nic, smallest possible batch again. Make sure the nic flavor isn't objectionable & understand that will be in the background of everything you mix.

(I'm assuming you like menthol) With the flavors you got, my first flavored batch would be plain menthol, using maybe 2% as a first guess. See how much you need to taste full-flavored to you & make a note of it somewhere. Save your leftovers. Repeat with another flavor & save those leftovers. Then combine leftovers & see how you like it. That's how I started DIY; it helped me avoid the very common problems of bad ingredients & overflavoring.
Thank you! No, I don't like menthol but my wife does. Good idea starting out with gradual step up of ingredients. I will definitely use this method.

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voicenyerhed

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Member For 4 Years
As it turns out, I'm still waiting on my nic to arrive. I could start the base, which I might do this weekend, but that was disappointing. All good things to those who wait, though, right?!

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voicenyerhed

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Member For 4 Years
Made a test batch of juice tonight. Vaped a little of it & the flavor is good, but not very strong. I'll let it steep for a couple days & try another taste test. I'm hoping the flavor intensifies a good bit.

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Huckleberried

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Made a test batch of juice tonight. Vaped a little of it & the flavor is good, but not very strong. I'll let it steep for a couple days & try another taste test. I'm hoping the flavor intensifies a good bit.

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Is it a single flavor? Fruit, or bakery type, or other?
 

voicenyerhed

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Member For 4 Years
1st is Strawberry, blue raspberry, with a touch of sour.
2nd blue raspberry, menthol, with a touch of sweetener.

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joeyboy

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1st is Strawberry, blue raspberry, with a touch of sour.
2nd blue raspberry, menthol, with a touch of sweetener.

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If you get used to menthol all the time it will affect flavor strength. You may find things not tasting as good or you have to make higher percentage mixes.
 

voicenyerhed

Gold Contributor
Member For 4 Years
If you get used to menthol all the time it will affect flavor strength. You may find things not tasting as good or you have to make higher percentage mixes.
I will keep that in mind. The menthol is cut my wife. I can't stand it.

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joeyboy

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BTW, diy is a learned talent. Learning what works together, what mutes, etc. I almost gave up. I used recipes here and a lot of advice.

You'll get it.
 

Huckleberried

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Recipes were how I learned about flavors, and how they work together. AKA Head in Clouds :D Seriously, when mixing other's ideas, it taught me about how much works, what doesn't work (for me), what I really do like, etc... I still rarely tinker for my own creative thought, because everyone posts such great stuff. That, and the fact that I'm not all that creative. :wait:
 

Huckleberried

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Uh huh...:rolleyes:

http://vapingunderground.com/threads/golden-oreo-cheesecake.2388/

:D:D

Ron
---
"There are two theories to arguing with a woman. Neither works."- Will Rogers
I'm like a total one hit wonder, LOL

No, I've mixed up stuff that I really liked at that time, that would probably blow out my taste buds today. I should revisit those. I think I even edited them out of existence here. they were so OVERLY flavored. Even Golden Oreo I mix at like 1/3 of how it's written there.
 

voicenyerhed

Gold Contributor
Member For 4 Years
Yes, I will be using recipes as soon as I get a better stock of flavors. I didn't buy many as, 1 I'm broke, 2 I knew what flavors we did like, & 3 I only recently discovered that switching to better mods & tanks equals enjoying flavors that didn't translate well in our crappy rigs we had before.
I ran out of juice the other day so I began vaping a blueberry cheesecake that I absolutely HATED previously. Now, it turns out to be one of my all time favorites! So knew?... Well, probably all of you, but I didn't know about this place until I stayed researching mods & tracks to upgrade to. Lol!

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Huckleberried

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Yes, I will be using recipes as soon as I get a better stock of flavors. I didn't buy many as, 1 I'm broke, 2 I knew what flavors we did like, & 3 I only recently discovered that switching to better mods & tanks equals enjoying flavors that didn't translate well in our crappy rigs we had before.
I ran out of juice the other day so I began vaping a blueberry cheesecake that I absolutely HATED previously. Now, it turns out to be one of my all time favorites! So knew?... Well, probably all of you, but I didn't know about this place until I stayed researching mods & tracks to upgrade to. Lol!

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Woohoo! A brand new curve in your journey. It's just amazing how much difference even the slightest little change can make. I know when I went from the crappy ce4 tank to a glass tank, I was completely amazed by the flavor, then more changes and amazement after that, still, and today, still. You don't get that with smoking. If anything, you just get worse.
 

The Cromwell

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No, no. I was talking about when I tried this a couple years ago. It smelled great and tasted great, but after the first puff my atomizer was burnt. Went through 5 atomizers before giving up. This time I did some homework before trying to even buy the ingredients. I was just too arrogant last time & thought, "how hard can it be?" Turns out, it's harder than I thought! I'm much more humble now, lol.

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For tanks and such best results from DIY are using 40/60 PG/VG or less VG.
For drippers use pure VG if you want.
Higher PG means more flavor though.
 

joeyboy

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Member For 5 Years
No. Being a nurse, I'm more comfortable using syringes to measure the same way I'd do medications. I'm pretty precise with my measurements.

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I'm a lab tech and I've done syringes, graduated cylinders, drops and a scale. If all those the scale is easiest, cleanest and quickest. I still use cylinders for nic base but only because I have a large one and my scale only goes to 200 grams.

Once you go scale you never go back. :rolleyes:
 

voicenyerhed

Gold Contributor
Member For 4 Years
I'm a lab tech and I've done syringes, graduated cylinders, drops and a scale. If all those the scale is easiest, cleanest and quickest. I still use cylinders for nic base but only because I have a large one and my scale only goes to 200 grams.

Once you go scale you never go back. :rolleyes:
I might get there once I start making larger batches.

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voicenyerhed

Gold Contributor
Member For 4 Years
Taste tested my juices again tonight. My nice without menthol came out OK, not great but not bad. Needs a little more strawberry, I think. My wife's with the menthol came out very bland. Gonna keep letting them steep a little longer, but will change up the recipes for sure this weekend & try again.

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muth

Gold Contributor
Member For 5 Years
I'd start with just PG + VG (no nic), smallest batch possible. Make sure your chosen ratio wicks okay in your hardware. It should just taste vaguely sweet, no weird or objectionable flavor.

Then PG + VG + nic, smallest possible batch again. Make sure the nic flavor isn't objectionable & understand that will be in the background of everything you mix.

(I'm assuming you like menthol) With the flavors you got, my first flavored batch would be plain menthol, using maybe 2% as a first guess. See how much you need to taste full-flavored to you & make a note of it somewhere. Save your leftovers. Repeat with another flavor & save those leftovers. Then combine leftovers & see how you like it. That's how I started DIY; it helped me avoid the very common problems of bad ingredients & overflavoring.
I never thought of that but it falls right into my habit of mixing different recipes. This will also give me the experience I need in testing single flavors. Thank you:)

I wanted to ask you what your thoughts are on fast steeping using an USC? Some mixers just don't believe in it and feel that a natural steep is best. "No wine before it's time" so to speak.
 

HeadInClouds

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I never thought of that but it falls right into my habit of mixing different recipes. This will also give me the experience I need in testing single flavors. Thank you:)

I wanted to ask you what your thoughts are on fast steeping using an USC? Some mixers just don't believe in it and feel that a natural steep is best. "No wine before it's time" so to speak.

I'm on the far end of the spectrum with steeping. I try everything new I mix right away, and save some to sit (just capped & room temp, no devices or rituals). I take notes to see whether/how it changes over time. Turns out I usually prefer to mix & vape right away - notable exceptions are most tobaccos, and some creamy mixes, especially creamy mixes with more-than-usual amounts of flavoring.

I know that heat/light/oxygen are the fastest way to oxidize nic & ruin raw flavorings, so I don't use a paint shaker, ultrasonic cleaner, crock pot, blender, or ceiling fan on any of my mixes. Lol. I vape max VG most of the time, so I set my finished mix (closed cap) in a cup of hot tap water until it's warm & runny - shake it by hand, then try some. I always give every bottle a shake when I pick it up; it's just a habit now. This is all what I personally find most convenient & works best for me.
 

muth

Gold Contributor
Member For 5 Years
I'm on the far end of the spectrum with steeping. I try everything new I mix right away, and save some to sit (just capped & room temp, no devices or rituals). I take notes to see whether/how it changes over time. Turns out I usually prefer to mix & vape right away - notable exceptions are most tobaccos, and some creamy mixes, especially creamy mixes with more-than-usual amounts of flavoring.

I know that heat/light/oxygen are the fastest way to oxidize nic & ruin raw flavorings, so I don't use a paint shaker, ultrasonic cleaner, crock pot, blender, or ceiling fan on any of my mixes. Lol. I vape max VG most of the time, so I set my finished mix (closed cap) in a cup of hot tap water until it's warm & runny - shake it by hand, then try some. I always give every bottle a shake when I pick it up; it's just a habit now. This is all what I personally find most convenient & works best for me.
You've made me a happy camper! I do like creamy vapes and tobacco and have noticed a difference over time but, dayum, I want to know there's something I can enjoy right away. Thank you for reaffirming this:)
 

voicenyerhed

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Member For 4 Years
Added more flavor to both juices. They came out OK, but I think I'm not happy with the concentrates. Gonna have to hunt for some different ones.

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voicenyerhed

Gold Contributor
Member For 4 Years
Yep, after further testing, it's definitely the concentrates. No more Liquid Barn for me. Ordered a bunch of FA flavors. I'll start over once they arrive.

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voicenyerhed

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Member For 4 Years
No way! Not even discouraged. I'm hoping the FA flavors are better since I see a lot of people using them. While I'm not giving up, I've gone quite a bit over the budget I was given for all this for a while.

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Huckleberried

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No way! Not even discouraged. I'm hoping the FA flavors are better since I see a lot of people using them. While I'm not giving up, I've gone quite a bit over the budget I was given for all this for a while.

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That's normal. Just a side effect of DIY. If you like fruits and got some FA fruits, I think you'll be fantastically surprised! Me, I like bakery stuff, mostly, and those don't disappoint, either. Nope.
 

voicenyerhed

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Member For 4 Years
That's normal. Just a side effect of DIY. If you like fruits and got some FA fruits, I think you'll be fantastically surprised! Me, I like bakery stuff, mostly, and those don't disappoint, either. Nope.
I got A Bunch of fruits, lemonade, & fresh creme. Super excited to get mixing! It's gonna be a long wait no matter how fast it gets here!

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Huckleberried

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I got A Bunch of fruits, lemonade, & fresh creme. Super excited to get mixing! It's gonna be a long wait no matter how fast it gets here!

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Fresh Cream is a really useful one. It doesn't really do much as far as adding a ton of flavor, but it will certainly make a noticeable difference in how your vape feels. Like, fuller?
 

The Cromwell

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No way! Not even discouraged. I'm hoping the FA flavors are better since I see a lot of people using them. While I'm not giving up, I've gone quite a bit over the budget I was given for all this for a while.

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I like FA and CAP flavorings the best overall.
 

voicenyerhed

Gold Contributor
Member For 4 Years
Well, I keep trying till I think I've done alright, then realize the next day I didn't & it sucks, & then trying again. There has been progress, but still have a ways to go. At least the batch I made last night is vapable.

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