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I usually only use what is in the actual syringe. Mainly because i use different sizes and some I use latex aquarium hose on the end (to get deeper into the bottles). Either way, as long as you do it the same way each time, I don't think it is going to make a lot of difference. That said, I don't bother with scientific beakers or scales either. lol.. I just mix til it tastes right.
Syringe is calibrated so the lines are right when there's NO AIR - in other words, tip full, and no big bubbles...
I may switch to weight one of these days, but I mix pretty large batches (like...I fill a few 120 ml bottles at a time with the same flavor!) - so a big syringe works fine and is plenty accurate. If I'm off a drop out of 120 mls, it's no big deal!
I may switch to weight one of these days, but I mix pretty large batches (like...I fill a few 120 ml bottles at a time with the same flavor!) - so a big syringe works fine and is plenty accurate. If I'm off a drop out of 120 mls, it's no big deal!
Yep - good luck!
Recording your recipe as percentages?
That way, you can recreate it in a larger batch...
I recommend using a calculator too - especially helpful if the math gets tricky.
Like - "I want the same flavor, but at 70 VG/30 PG instead of 50/50. Calculator is good for that kind of thing!!
I use ejuicemeup, which is a PC program - but there are apps and online calculators, too.
I find it easy, and I can "Save As" and store all my recipes or iterations of a recipe as I tweak it...
Recording your recipe as percentages?
That way, you can recreate it in a larger batch...
I recommend using a calculator too - especially helpful if the math gets tricky.
Like - "I want the same flavor, but at 70 VG/30 PG instead of 50/50. Calculator is good for that kind of thing!!
I use ejuicemeup, which is a PC program - but there are apps and online calculators, too.
I find it easy, and I can "Save As" and store all my recipes or iterations of a recipe as I tweak it...
Howdy Jacob
If you are using a different syringe for each component then no problem as the measurement on the body of the syringe does not take into account what is left in the tip and needle, the assumption being that it will be left there after use of the syringe. (you wouldn't want to see the Doc pumping the syringe back and forth in your vein trying to get the last of the medicine out) As GBalkam points out just be consistent.
For about $10 you can buy an electronic scale which makes the whole process so much simpler. For most of the ingredients you can simply squeeze them out from their original containers into your new juice container thus eliminating any cleanup. It is a lot more accurate too though the accuracy only really becomes important if you are mixing small quantities like 5 ml samplers.
If you are using a different syringe for each component then no problem as the measurement on the body of the syringe does not take into account what is left in the tip and needle, the assumption being that it will be left there after use of the syringe. (you wouldn't want to see the Doc pumping the syringe back and forth in your vein trying to get the last of the medicine out) As GBalkam points out just be consistent.
For about $10 you can buy an electronic scale which makes the whole process so much simpler. For most of the ingredients you can simply squeeze them out from their original containers into your new juice container thus eliminating any cleanup. It is a lot more accurate too though the accuracy only really becomes important if you are mixing small quantities like 5 ml samplers.
Been doing DIY for quite a while, tried the scale thing and hated it (a pain to have to calibrate and test everything to ensure you have the right measurements, etc.), went back to my cylinders and syringes. For simple bottles 30/50ml quantities I just do drops and have yet to have any issues in huge fluctuations for my recipes in hundreds of bottles done.
And the cylinders and syringe for when I do larger quantities (100-200ml).
I just find that too many believe that one needs to go full OCD when mixing, but unless you're doing it for commercial sales I believe in just having fun with it.. an extra drop here and there, and you might end up finding a better ratio, plus once in a while a slight difference might be a welcome change, other times, it might "teach" you about the blending of some flavouring over others.
And the cylinders and syringe for when I do larger quantities (100-200ml).
I just find that too many believe that one needs to go full OCD when mixing, but unless you're doing it for commercial sales I believe in just having fun with it.. an extra drop here and there, and you might end up finding a better ratio, plus once in a while a slight difference might be a welcome change, other times, it might "teach" you about the blending of some flavouring over others.
I don't think you have to calibrate it every time you use it. At least I don't and I'm not sure what you mean by "test everything" as there is nothing to test other than the juice you just made up. I'll bet I'm a lot faster and more accurate than you can be measuring volume. How can it get any easier than turning on the scale, put the empty bottle on it, hit the TARE button, add the required quantity directly from its container, hit the TARE button and do it again, and so on until you've got everything added. When I'm done mixing, I'm done, except for putting the bottles away and labelling my juice.
Looking at it from the other side I will admit it is almost too quick to be an enjoyable activity and I end up making more juice than I could vape in a lifetime. Lucky I'm picky.
Looking at it from the other side I will admit it is almost too quick to be an enjoyable activity and I end up making more juice than I could vape in a lifetime. Lucky I'm picky.
I don't think you have to calibrate it every time you use it. At least I don't and I'm not sure what you mean by "test everything" as there is nothing to test other than the juice you just made up. I'll bet I'm a lot faster and more accurate than you can be measuring volume. How can it get any easier than turning on the scale, put the empty bottle on it, hit the TARE button, add the required quantity directly from its container, hit the TARE button and do it again, and so on until you've got everything added. When I'm done mixing, I'm done, except for putting the bottles away and labelling my juice.
Looking at it from the other side I will admit it is almost too quick to be an enjoyable activity and I end up making more juice than I could vape in a lifetime. Lucky I'm picky.
Unless you plan to trust figures that are out there, which could be completely off for many reasons, you need to measure every one of your flavours to an exact 1ml level, then weight it, then repeat to ensure accuracy, then enter this in your recipe calculator (or whatever you use). So your puzzlement dictates that you're just playing with whatever info you found and aren't actually going for true accuracy.
Unless you're not even wanting to be accurate (which isn't that the point in the first place?), from batch to batch of flavouring, it's source, if the distributor is mixing it themselves, (concentration, if PG or with VG or VG (or other) based) etc., the weight can change and since we are talking minute numbers here, it would make a difference.
How can it be easier?
Easily: Counting 5-20 drops is less trouble that watching the numbers and have to wait for it to stabilize and hope that there's no draft in the house or a truck driving by, someone walking in the room, etc. that will mess the number up. By the time that you've done one flavour and ensured that the amount is balanced, I'd be on my second or third flavour... then when done, no scale to put away either.
And you're talking about single bottles, if you were to make large quantities you'd probably see that it's a different game then.
Considering that the most time consuming aspect is taking the flavouring out and looking up how much of each one you need... the actual measurement isn't a huge thing.
It really is a question of whatever works for you, but you'd lose that bet.
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I don't think you have to calibrate it every time you use it. At least I don't and I'm not sure what you mean by "test everything" as there is nothing to test other than the juice you just made up. I'll bet I'm a lot faster and more accurate than you can be measuring volume. How can it get any easier than turning on the scale, put the empty bottle on it, hit the TARE button, add the required quantity directly from its container, hit the TARE button and do it again, and so on until you've got everything added. When I'm done mixing, I'm done, except for putting the bottles away and labelling my juice.
Looking at it from the other side I will admit it is almost too quick to be an enjoyable activity and I end up making more juice than I could vape in a lifetime. Lucky I'm picky.
What happens if you add a bit too much of an ingredient?I don't think you have to calibrate it every time you use it. At least I don't and I'm not sure what you mean by "test everything" as there is nothing to test other than the juice you just made up. I'll bet I'm a lot faster and more accurate than you can be measuring volume. How can it get any easier than turning on the scale, put the empty bottle on it, hit the TARE button, add the required quantity directly from its container, hit the TARE button and do it again, and so on until you've got everything added. When I'm done mixing, I'm done, except for putting the bottles away and labelling my juice.
Looking at it from the other side I will admit it is almost too quick to be an enjoyable activity and I end up making more juice than I could vape in a lifetime. Lucky I'm picky.
I'd stick with the syringe..
The tip does not count in the measurement.
Used properly (without air in the cylinder) the tip contents cannot be expelled so they're not counted against the measured markings.
The volume of waste has a name... 'dead space" and for some uses a "low dead space" syringe design is preferred.
I don't think we need be concerned with the lost value of that amount of flavoring though.
Ummm... who's being OCD now ?
And you've got it backwards.
Actual drop size will vary (slightly) with temp fluctuations, but mass will remain the same.
As for getting the true mass of each flavor... virtually all DIY just uses a flat 1gr/ml which is about 8% low. As long as one does that consistently, the worst case is needing to adjust fractionally with a tad more flavor.
Don't get me wrong... if I have to use even a single pipette for my flavors (to date, only my FAs are in dropper bottles) then I haven't really saved any effort as I still have to rinse those out.
It can be a bit faster on the scale though, as... like I said, we really don't get into the 1 ML = 1.078 Gr nonsense.
Come to think of it... if I had to go precision syringe (vs. plastic pipette) for each TFA/Capp etc. flavor... I'd go nuts using the scale method.
All that said... I'm a simple creature. I'll bang out all-FA recipes just using drops into the final bottle then topping off with premade PG/VG/Nic base. I do that about every other day.
I have a scale and it's pretty useful. But it's not the "be all, end all" that some think.
But even cheap scales "settle" in two seconds... your procedural description doesn't ring true.
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eta: LOL... my scale is almost getting more use in the kitchen (never had one before).
I buy a few pounds of ground beef then make patties and freeze them.
I've been using the scale recently to measure them out... much better.
I buy a few pounds of ground beef then make patties and freeze them.
I've been using the scale recently to measure them out... much better.
Welcome and glad you joined. Syringe user here also. Weight is the way to go if you are in a hurry and just want to throw money at scales and pipettes etc. But as pointed out, syringes have their advantages.
Dang.. I'm going to end up sounding mean here, but it's all in good fun...Ummm... who's being OCD now ?
And you've got it backwards.
Actual drop size will vary (slightly) with temp fluctuations, but mass will remain the same.
As for getting the true mass of each flavor... virtually all DIY just uses a flat 1gr/ml which is about 8% low. As long as one does that consistently, the worst case is needing to adjust fractionally with a tad more flavor.
Don't get me wrong... if I have to use even a single pipette for my flavors (to date, only my FAs are in dropper bottles) then I haven't really saved any effort as I still have to rinse those out.
It can be a bit faster on the scale though, as... like I said, we really don't get into the 1 ML = 1.078 Gr nonsense.
Come to think of it... if I had to go precision syringe (vs. plastic pipette) for each TFA/Capp etc. flavor... I'd go nuts using the scale method.
All that said... I'm a simple creature. I'll bang out all-FA recipes just using drops into the final bottle then topping off with premade PG/VG/Nic base. I do that about every other day.
I have a scale and it's pretty useful. But it's not the "be all, end all" that some think.
But even cheap scales "settle" in two seconds... your procedural description doesn't ring true.
1) mass? nah, it's weight, huge difference that is taught in school (usually).
2) I could apply your drop size logic to weight by sea level, position of the moon, barometric pressure, room temperature and expansion, and distance to magnetic pole.
3) heck yeah we're going full OCD mode now!!!
4) I don't like pipette at all, never bothered with the ones I got with an order that they were included as a part of the "kit".
5) using a syringe, have a cup of hot water, and pump it twice to clean it out between flavouring, then pump a few times to dry it instantly.
6) I have all my flavours in 30ml bottles that I can do the drops easily without need for any tools (syringe included), so absolutely no cleanup with that approach.
7) two seconds for the scale to settle, plus the resetting phase, I'm capping that flavour already and opening the next one, so multiply that for each flavour used in a mixing session of a dozen bottles, and I'll be done several minutes before you'd be.
8) if your base is pre-mixed with the nic already, it's going to be very "off" in terms of measurement as no recipe I do or seen will have the same flavour percentage. So a 5% flavour recipe, against a 10% one, and your nic levels will not be correct. You'd have to make all your recipes to be exactly the same total flavouring percentage for that to work...Just saying.
So anyways, lots of people swear by the scale method and as I've said, good for anyone that likes to do it that way, I tried it, and found that I didn't prefer it whatsoever and returned to my tried and true method that I find easier, that's all.
Next debate.. homogeneous mixing methods... betcha that you're just shaking them bottles...
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