Deep breath

[rughead121]

Hi People

I have spent the last day reading everything I can on these forums and I have decided to take the plunge.

I have ordered a starter kit and a couple of FA concentrates from postmodern smoking and a pack of sample concentrates from ukflavours.

I am really nervous now ???

Anyway I have some questions.

I am probably going to be making mostly sweet/fruit juices to start with so my questions are:-
Firstly Do I need a sweetener and if so would Ethyl Maltol be ok or should I get some Stevia leaf extract and mix up?
Secondly I see FA sell something called MTS Vape Wizard. Can someone tell me what this is and do I want it?
And the biggie for last. I was planning to make a couple of mils of different ratio bases and try either unflavoured or with a simple flavour so that I know a:) how sweet the base juice is and b:) the different throat hit for the ratios of PG/VG. Does this sound sensible or just a waste of nic?

[sammy13]

Well done on taking the plunge rughead121.

For a fruit standalone liquid you should not have to add sweetner, but you may prefer it sweeter. So personal choice really.
Ethyl Maltol is fine or there is also TPA sweetner , I use the latter .
It is a handy addition to have in -

MTS Vape wizard is another of those additives that is handy to have in, difficult to describe , it rounds it out - so take a lookie here -
www.chefsvapour.co.uk/MTS_Vape_Wizard/p1901058_11764203.aspx

Your third question, I would just make a ratio similar to what you usually vape, so 70/30, 50/50 etc.

Make small amounts to start with.

Once you have your flavours ask on here what % is the average to add.

You may want to make a couple of small amounts at a different %, or one with a drop of sweetner one without etc.

The flavours pop a drop on your hand and taste it, this will give an idea to the strength and sweetness.

[chykensa]

Start with single flavours rughead121, this will give you an idea of the process. Get some small syringes, as dripping from bottles can be very imprecise.

Mix at the combination of PG and VG that you are used to, and the strength too.

Be prepared to wait a week before trying the juices, some with sweet or dessert flavours will need at least a month of steeping to allow the ingredients to mix on a molecular level. Methods used to try and speed this process up have limited success, and I would recommend just being patient!

Write down everything you do, and save a recipe in case you come up with something that you really like.

Once you get onto combination recipes, with more than one concentrate, it's even more crucial to make a note of recipes and percentages, otherwise you will get into a terrible mess (I know, I've been there!)

Finally, you will discover that it's actually far easier to mix than you think it is at the moment, and it will become quicker and quicker as you gain in skill and confidence!

Enjoy

[chykensa]

I should add that mixing unflavoured bases is an excellent idea, and will give you an idea of taste and performance (bearing in mind that more VG means more steam, and more PG increases a flavour and imparts a sweetness to the vape).

[rughead121]

Oct 24, 2014 19:27:16 GMT chykensa said:

Start with single flavours rughead121, this will give you an idea of the process. Get some small syringes, as dripping from bottles can be very imprecise.

Mix at the combination of PG and VG that you are used to, and the strength too.

Be prepared to wait a week before trying the juices, some with sweet or dessert flavours will need at least a month of steeping to allow the ingredients to mix on a molecular level. Methods used to try and speed this process up have limited success, and I would recommend just being patient!

Write down everything you do, and save a recipe in case you come up with something that you really like.

Once you get onto combination recipes, with more than one concentrate, it's even more crucial to make a note of recipes and percentages, otherwise you will get into a terrible mess (I know, I've been there!)

Finally, you will discover that it's actually far easier to mix than you think it is at the moment, and it will become quicker and quicker as you gain in skill and confidence!

Enjoy

Thanks  sammy13 and chykensa

I know the nic level I want to aim for, 12-16mg as this is the level I get on with best with pre mixed juice but I am really curious to try different PG/VG mixes as I get a really dry throat with some of the cheaper stuff and a friend told me that a higher VG will ease this.

The trouble with playing with the PG/VG mix is it's going to change the taste slightly which is why I asked about making some unflavoured bases so I get an idea what the difference is.

I am really quite anal about keeping records so I will definitely be writing everything down. I already have e juice me up all set up and ready

My biggest problem is patience. I don't have any I know that steeping is a wonderful thing but when I have something to try 24 hours is a lifetime


Now then where is that postman with my order? 


PS I meant to ask I have a large supply of 1ml syringes and 3ml pipettes that I 'borrowed' from work. Would I be better using these to measure rather than counting drips?

[sammy13]

Oct 24, 2014 19:56:36 GMT rughead121 said:

Oct 24, 2014 19:27:16 GMT chykensa said:

Start with single flavours rughead121, this will give you an idea of the process. Get some small syringes, as dripping from bottles can be very imprecise.

Mix at the combination of PG and VG that you are used to, and the strength too.

Be prepared to wait a week before trying the juices, some with sweet or dessert flavours will need at least a month of steeping to allow the ingredients to mix on a molecular level. Methods used to try and speed this process up have limited success, and I would recommend just being patient!

Write down everything you do, and save a recipe in case you come up with something that you really like.

Once you get onto combination recipes, with more than one concentrate, it's even more crucial to make a note of recipes and percentages, otherwise you will get into a terrible mess (I know, I've been there!)

Finally, you will discover that it's actually far easier to mix than you think it is at the moment, and it will become quicker and quicker as you gain in skill and confidence!

Enjoy

Thanks  sammy13 and chykensa

I know the nic level I want to aim for, 12-16mg as this is the level I get on with best with pre mixed juice but I am really curious to try different PG/VG mixes as I get a really dry throat with some of the cheaper stuff and a friend told me that a higher VG will ease this.

The trouble with playing with the PG/VG mix is it's going to change the taste slightly which is why I asked about making some unflavoured bases so I get an idea what the difference is.

I am really quite anal about keeping records so I will definitely be writing everything down. I already have e juice me up all set up and ready

My biggest problem is patience. I don't have any I know that steeping is a wonderful thing but when I have something to try 24 hours is a lifetime


Now then where is that postman with my order? 


PS I meant to ask I have a large supply of 1ml syringes and 3ml pipettes that I 'borrowed' from work. Would I be better using these to measure rather than counting drips?

Yes definitely use the syringes, the 1ml ones will fit into the neck of the concentrate bottle.

[chykensa]

Syringes all the way - there is no standardisation of dripper top in the concentrate bottles, so whilst one may give 10 drops per ml, another may give 15 or even 20. Syringes are far more reliable.
You may want to consider getting some larger ones too, for when you start mixing at 30ml of juice at a time. I have 10ml and 20ml syringes which are a Godsend
The trick to avoiding that patience thing is to mix like a demon for the next month, and then try to mix at least 3 or 4 flavours every week from then on. That way you always have juices maturing and ready to be tried, with the steeping ones sitting quietly in a cupboard or drawer somewhere.
I try to mix at least 60 or 80ml each week (there are 2 of us vaping BTW!), and if I have to miss the odd week then it doesn't matter so much. I still have a ridiculous amount of juice to vape through though!!

[Postmodern Smoking]

Oct 24, 2014 16:09:28 GMT rughead121 said:

Hi People

I have spent the last day reading everything I can on these forums and I have decided to take the plunge.

I have ordered a starter kit and a couple of FA concentrates from postmodern smoking and a pack of sample concentrates from ukflavours.

I am really nervous now ???

Anyway I have some questions.

.....

Hi rughead121,


Thanks for the order... no need to be really nervous! As you can see from the posts above there are plenty of friendly mixers on AAEC who will try their best to help you on your exciting journey into mixing.
You'll soon find your mixing legs!

Welcome too to the forum  .

Dave

[rughead121]

Thanks sammy13 chykensa and Postmodern Smoking

While it is tempting to mix like mad I must resist temptation

I want to understand the base and how differences affect the vape and taste. I hope this will let me get a better handle on the black art of flavours. Besides its going to take me a week to read through all these delish sounding recipes you have all posted on here. I even briefly considered the fabled 'bottled bogies'

Otherwise I have this nasty feeling that I am going to be a lot poorer icon_shoppingm

[chykensa]

To be honest, you'll pick up a lot of the differences better by getting stuck in and mixing some flavours, and you'll soon be able to adjust recipes to your own preferences as you go.
If you start with some Fruits and Menthols/Mints, you'll be able to vape those almost immediately. It's the sweets and custards that need the really long steeping times, and if you do one each time you'll always have a ready stock.
There are always the 'one-shot' concentrates from Pink Spot, T-Juice and others which are good to go in a few days, and will give you a great tasting juice.

[Q]

Oct 24, 2014 22:51:08 GMT rughead121 said:

Thanks sammy13 chykensa and Postmodern Smoking

While it is tempting to mix like mad I must resist temptation

I want to understand the base and how differences affect the vape and taste. I hope this will let me get a better handle on the black art of flavours. Besides its going to take me a week to read through all these delish sounding recipes you have all posted on here. I even briefly considered the fabled 'bottled bogies'

Otherwise I have this nasty feeling that I am going to be a lot poorer icon_shoppingm

OK rughead121 you've got me intrigued now... I have searched and searched but I cant find a recipe for bottled bogies, where is it & what is it

[spacey]

Oct 24, 2014 16:09:28 GMT rughead121 said:

I am really nervous now ???

Anyway I have some questions.

I am probably going to be making mostly sweet/fruit juices to start with so my questions are:-
Firstly Do I need a sweetener and if so would Ethyl Maltol be ok or should I get some Stevia leaf extract and mix up?
Secondly I see FA sell something called MTS Vape Wizard. Can someone tell me what this is and do I want it?
And the biggie for last. I was planning to make a couple of mils of different ratio bases and try either unflavoured or with a simple flavour so that I know a:) how sweet the base juice is and b:) the different throat hit for the ratios of PG/VG. Does this sound sensible or just a waste of nic?

rughead121 - I'm pretty new to mixing (started end of August), and it's amazing how quickly you get used to the whole process. I do reccomend making 5ml samples of mixes and keeping notes of every little thing you do that could alter/affect it. I'm still at the mixing samples stage. Have had some disasters but am seeing progress and building a list of recipes I want to make full size bottles of. Luckily I'm quite patient as custard/desserts are my thing so steeping is vital!!

Re the sweetner question - I personally don't like the taste of sucrolose which is what TPA Sweetner is. I bought some ready mixed Stevia and use that at the same % as you would Sweetner. I also like the taste of Ethyl Maltol so use that a fair bit. Have realised that to much EM can destroy other flavours though so am now not so trigger happy with it!!

Good luck and have fun

[bonnieboy]

Oct 25, 2014 0:44:29 GMT Q said:

Oct 24, 2014 22:51:08 GMT rughead121 said:

Thanks sammy13 chykensa and Postmodern Smoking

While it is tempting to mix like mad I must resist temptation

I want to understand the base and how differences affect the vape and taste. I hope this will let me get a better handle on the black art of flavours. Besides its going to take me a week to read through all these delish sounding recipes you have all posted on here. I even briefly considered the fabled 'bottled bogies'

Otherwise I have this nasty feeling that I am going to be a lot poorer icon_shoppingm

OK rughead121 you've got me intrigued now... I have searched and searched but I cant find a recipe for bottled bogies, where is it & what is it

I think I made that a couple of times

[rughead121]

Oct 25, 2014 8:33:38 GMT bonnieboy said:

Oct 25, 2014 0:44:29 GMT Q said:

OK rughead121 you've got me intrigued now... I have searched and searched but I cant find a recipe for bottled bogies, where is it & what is it

I think I made that a couple of times

Q LOL It was in 'on my mixing menu today' and it was an attempt to infuse basil leaves to make basil ice cream juice. It did create an interesting shade of green...

Needless to say I don't think it was that successful.

link

[rughead121]

Ooh ooh ooh

Vape mail has come (well some of it)

Respect to Postmodern Smoking and thanks for the free sample


Good job I have a week off