godling

Crashing economies, looming FDA regulations, and paranoid manufacturers force us to look for better ways of getting what we want. Unfortunately, it's nearly impossible to find good information regarding the making of eJuice.

Many of us have at least experimented with making our own eJuice, and many more have found ways of modifying manufactured eJuice to make it more economical, tastier, or more fitting to their needs. How did they do it? Yea, I'd like to know too!

Please share your tips, tricks and secrets regarding your eJuice adventures so more of us my rest easier as we read the next FDA update while waiting for a call about a job interview, fuming because our favorite eJuice is still out of stock.

Rocketman

Glycerin:
Whether starting from scratch (extracting your own Nicotine) or mixing down commercial e-juice to a lower level, always verify any Glycerin used has been derived from a Vegetable source. Glycerin can be made from animal fats, petroleum by products, or plants oils like coconut or palm. All can be purified to USP levels. And, all can be labeled "Glycerin". Many chemists insist they are the same molecule. May be, but severe adverse reactions to "PURE" synthetic glycerin had been reported. In addition, the synthetic and animal fat processes can produce poisonous by-products if the process breaks down and goes out of control. Much less likely with a purely vegetable process.

Propylene Glycol:
Sounds like a bad chemical doesn't it? Not really. There have been reported adverse reaction to Propylene Glycol but it is somewhat rare. It may cause a little throat irritation in some people but if they are severely allergic to PG then they probably already have strange, unexplained medical problems from the PG in almost everything else out there.

VG/PG mix:
Not as sweet as VG, not as harsh as PG.
Could this be the best of both worlds?

In case anyone is interested, I have a formula for making a 50/50 VG/PG, unflavored, zero nic smoke juice for those that don't need nicotine and really don't like any of the available e-juice flavors. I'll email the formula to anyone for $5 deposited to my Paypal account.
(not really, just kidding)

Nicotine: 25gram and 100gram bottles of nicotine liquid are available. Might have to get someone to buy it for you. 100grams 98 to 99% is about $250 + haz shipping. This would allow you too make your own 36ml/ml juice for about 25 cents a ml, or 18mg/ml for about 15 cents a ml (including flavor, VG, and a nice bottle). One 100gram bottle could be used to make a 2-liter Dr. Pepper bottle full of 50mg/ml base liquid. Extracting your own from tobacco may require you to grow your own tobacco because the FDA plans to suck the nicotine out of commercial tobacco. Then there is always the eggplant. Of course we all could shift to happy smoke

Refrigerating enough to last until you can quit (about a two year supply, smoking at a lower nic level) in case the legal supply of juice dries up is an option. Any left overs could be used to barter for ammo, salt, or other valuable necessities.
Can you imagine what a couple of 2 liter bottles of 50mg/ml juice would be worth if the economy totally collapses?

Rocket

godling

Okay, so my first thought is, where do you buy 100g bottles of nicotine?

Then my mind starts wrapping around the numbers ... 100g is 100,000mg right? $250 total would be $0.0025/mg. At $30/gallon, PG would cost $0.0079/ml. Mixing up 50mg strength base would only cost $0.14/ml. 36mg strength would only cost a dime. So, am I miscalculating? Or do you buy the expensive PG? In any case, now I really want to know where you buy 100g bottles!

When mixing your 0mg flavors, have you found anything to replace the throat kick that the nicotine usually provides? Everclear does a decent job, but thins out the juice quite a bit. Mint helps to, but there's no way to use mint without the mint flavor.

If you were to make a salt-flavored eJuice, would you still barter it for salt?

Rocketman

a little Hercules 2400 (about a grain) gives you all the throat kick you can handle
and I am not going back over the math, that hurt.
Just checked my Paypal account, no more info on the no-taste, zero nic 50/50 juice +)
R

godling

gunpowder? lol ... are you serious? You gotta admit, that sounds like the kind of thing you'd tell a newbie just to see how gullible they are

Rocketman

Right, forget the 2400, I forgot this is the WEB, anyone can read this, don't try this at home boys and girls.
Your calculations on the mix your own are probably right, too tired to try again. I used my PG/VG/flavor prices for small quantities I use now. I also included 30ml glass stopper bottles, but at quantity they would be cheaper. So somewhere between my result and yours is what a small U.S. supplier is probably paying. I don't know if a private individual could buy and receive the 100grams of NIC. I found 25gram and 100gram bottles at a supply house I have dealt with before but not for nicotine. Hazard shipping would be about an extra $30 I think.

Any juice suppliers (small, new U.S., mix their own types) want to comment on what's going to happen to prices as the High Nic goes from 36 to 24 to 18 to -------

Why are we paying the same price for 6mg/ml juice?

Just think what the anolog smokers are going to feel like when in addition to prices climbing sky high and the NIC per cigarette going down (with the CO2 high pressure flush job on the raw tobacco). Glad I don't smoke anymore.
Rocket

godling

I can totally understand your, uh (obsession) with nicotine content. I felt the same way. Then I mixed down some 36mg stuff to 18mg using VG, and it tasted so weak that the bottle still sits in my fridge.

I'm sure there's cheaper ways of flavoring eJuice, but a dram-size bottle of LorAnn's comes out to $1.38/ml ... not including shipping. Nicotine from your 100g bottle example is 1/4 of a cent per mg. Seems to me that the flavor is where the $ value is.

H3VAPER

It is easy to create your own juice. I buy PG in bulk and tasteless in bulk.. I get 36mg because I cut it 50%.. Then I add the flavor I like or mix new flavors.. It is fun.. I buy most of it at vapor express.. I also have a nother suppyler I use.. But that is for bulk PG.. I use to use VG but after reading and finding out that it can cause cancer,.. PG dosen't..

Rocketman

godling,
You're right, 30 ml of 36mg/ml could easily be made for $4 a bottle 270mg/$. The NIC is $250 +$25 HAZ shipping to a residence. The NIC in the 30ml bottle would be about $3.
My price for Loranns is 2.50 + tax for 2 bottles. But my PG and VG costs more than yours. I put about half a bottle of flavor in 30ml. I'm sure commercial suppliers do it cheaper. Just think, a couple of 2 liter Dr. Pepper bottles of 25mg/ml would be 2 years supply for most. Maybe we'll get a comment confirming or correcting our calculations from one of those new start, U.S, juice suppliers that make their own juice
Just remember: kids, don't try this at home, Nicotine is deadly.
Rocket

H3:
what's your cost??

godling

H3, Buying flavorless and mixing it down, then adding flavors ... that makes sense. But how do you make tobacco flavor? Do you have any favorite recipes to share?

Rocketman, You're right, I didn't think it through. The nicotine is the spendy ingredient. But if you ever plan on weening yourself off nicotine (like I do), then flavor still trumps How noticeable is the flavor loss when you buy 36 and mix it down to 24 or 18?

Rocketman

I usually take a flavored 36 (a flavor I can't find in the cake flavors) and cut it and add flavor 2. The first flavor gets weak but the combination comes through. I have found than a few drops of 'clear' vanilla picks up the flavor a little (a confectioners trick). If it tastes heavy and dull a couple of DROPS of peppermint extract not oil based, brightens it up a little. I did english toffee once, dull, have to spice it up.

My current research is tobacco flavor extraction. Not nicotine just the flavor. Adds a little NIC so you have to be careful. When I get a little more info, I'll post.

If I was really, really brave I have a couple of cubans in the humidor. Real Cohiba flavored e-juice, yeh baby.
Rocket

godling

Thank you Rocketman ... that's exactly the kind of tips and tricks I was hoping people would share!

I've tried adding Mint to other flavors to pick up the throat hit, but the flavor is always there no matter how little I use. Does peppermint flavor the same way?

I'll have to see if I can find it again, but I came across a few websites where you can order tobacco flavor. It would be safer than wondering how much nicotine came through while doing an experiment on your own.

Do you have any favorite mixes yet? I imagine you've down-mixed some Marlbo eJuice ... does a touch of vanilla fix it all up, or is there other flavors that go better?

Cencil

Any thoughts on Peanut Butter & Jelly(Grape Jelly?) or Peanut butter & Banana!!!!!!

godling

Lorann's has Peanut Butter Flavor, and they have Grape Flavor ... and Banana Cream Flavor too.

Thinking I'll have to try it, but wondering if it would make the munchies go away, or just make me hungry.

damunster

Eliquid Flavoring
They have tobacco flavoring. Just flavoring, I haven't ordered any but plan on it. I am not using nic.

Rocketman

Get it, test it, post a review, PLEASE.
Rocket

firhill

If anyone plans on buying lorann's and have a favourite 3 or 4 flavours, here's the best deal around right now...



4 X 1oz bottles for under $10...shipped free, if you spend $25 or more.

nebraskapuffer

Any idea where the red bull flavoring comes from? I searched Loranns and came up with nothing. Is it possible that just a few drops of the drink is what is used?

Rocketman

Watch out for the ones called "oils", not all are.
R

firhill

No idea...I wish I knew.

esmokelady

Are you guys saying I can buy a big bottle of tasteless nicotine juice and add Loranns flavorings to taste? Can it be that easy? No. Please explain. If true I want to try this. I used to make perfume so I may have a knack for this.
Thanks!

godling

LorAnns is just one of many flavoring companies out there, but yea, it's pretty much that simple. You'll need to use water-based flavors only though, as oil based flavors can ruin your atomizer. Sugar is another that can wreck your atomizer, but most (all?) of the concentrated flavors don't add sugar anyways. Finally, it's unknown what artificial colors will do to our lungs, so experiment at your own risk.

Each flavor has it's own concentration when it comes to vaping, so trial and error is the only way to find the flavor you're going for. To get you started though, add 1 drop of LorAnn's Apple to 3ml unflavored nic juice. It gives a hint of real apple (not the candy stuff). I find it boring, but my brother loves it. I've tried adding more apple, but didn't notice any improvement to the flavor. Adding 3 drops to 3ml tastes the same as 1 drop to me, but my brother thinks it's too much apple.

If you come up with any good recipes, please share.

nebraskapuffer

If anyone is interested a few weeks ago I put two full e-cigar cartridges in my freezer just to see what happens. I used the cigar because they are huge. I'm using one right now and I can't tell any difference at all. Next I'll freeze some nic-juice and check it out in about a month or so. Before I get a 55gal drum of the stuff I want to make sure it can be stored for long periods of time.

Rocketman

Nice test Nebraska. Whenever I mix, cut, store e-liquid, I disinfect all bottles, utensils, etc with 91% IPA (isopropyl alcohol). I think the chemistry in e-juice is safe to zero degrees F. It's the biology of playing with this stuff I think we need to be careful about. All this 'food grade' stuff just might be able to grow 'bugs'. Some of the ingredients are antibacterial, but no need to take a chance. Open time with the NIC juice may also cause a small loss in concentration due to outgassing. Keep open time of containers and cartridges and head space (of air) to a minimum. Refrigeration will reduce the low vapor pressure even more and reduce NIC loss. .
Contact your local 7-11 to see about renting cooler space for a few 55 gal drums.

Rocket,
just remember they are watching us.

nebraskapuffer

Ya know Rocket, since all this stuff is organic the disinfecting makes sense and that never occured to me. What you say about head space makes sense too because nic-loss is a major thing to prevent. Fireworks here were postponed until tonight (the 5th) because of rain and I had my cigar with me with the thawed out cartridge and it was just fine and still going. I haven't put any juice in the freezer....probably tomorrow then I'll report back in a month or so. Thanks for what you shared Rocket.