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The world of DIY e-liquid mixing has exploded in popularity as more vapers seek to customize their vaping experience. Crafting your own e-liquids allows you to experiment with flavours, adjust nicotine levels, and save money in the long run. However, to get started, you’ll need the right supplies and tools. This guide will walk you through everything you need to create your own e-liquids at home, from the essential ingredients to the tools and equipment that will help you achieve the perfect mix.
Before diving into the supplies and tools, let’s briefly explore why so many vapers are turning to DIY e-liquid mixing:
To start mixing your own e-liquids, you’ll need a few basic ingredients. These are the building blocks of any e-liquid recipe:
What It Is: Propylene Glycol is a colourless, odourless liquid that serves as one of the main bases for e-liquid. It’s known for its ability to carry flavours effectively and provide a stronger throat hit.
Why You Need It: PG is essential in e-liquid for those who prefer a stronger throat hit and more intense flavors. It’s also less viscous than VG, making it easier to handle.
How to Use It: PG is typically mixed with VG (Vegetable Glycerin) in varying ratios depending on your desired throat hit, flavour strength, and vapour production. Common ratios include 70/30 VG/PG for more vapour and 50/50 VG/PG for a balanced experience.
What It Is: Vegetable Glycerin is a thicker, sweeter liquid that is also used as a base in e-liquid. It produces more vapor and provides a smoother throat hit compared to PG.
Why You Need It: VG is essential for those who prefer larger vapour clouds and a smoother vaping experience. It’s particularly important in sub-ohm vaping.
How to Use It: VG is usually mixed with PG in various ratios. A higher VG content will result in thicker vapor clouds but may reduce the intensity of the flavour.
What It Is: Nicotine is an optional component of e-liquid, used to satisfy cravings and replicate the experience of smoking. It comes in various strengths, typically measured in milligrams per millilitre (mg/mL).
Why You Need It: If you’re using vaping as a tool to quit smoking, nicotine is a crucial ingredient. It allows you to control the strength of your e-liquid to gradually reduce your nicotine intake over time.
How to Use It: Nicotine should be handled with care as it is a potent substance. When adding nicotine to your mix, ensure you’re wearing gloves and using accurate measurements to avoid over-concentration.
What It Is: Flavor concentrates are the key to creating the vast array of e-liquid flavours available on the market. These highly concentrated liquids come in a variety of profiles, including fruit, dessert, tobacco, menthol, and more.
Why You Need It: Flavor concentrates allow you to customize your e-liquid to your taste preferences. You can mix and match different flavours to create unique blends.
How to Use It: Flavor concentrates should be added in small amounts, typically ranging from 5-20% of your total e-liquid mix, depending on the strength of the concentrate and your personal taste.
What It Is: Sweeteners like sucralose or ethyl maltol, along with other additives like menthol, koolada, or sour, can be used to enhance the flavour profile of your e-liquid.
Why You Need It: These additives help you fine-tune your recipes, adding a touch of sweetness or an extra cooling effect to your e-liquid.
How to Use It: Sweeteners and additives should be used sparingly, as too much can overpower your mix or cause issues like coil gunking.
In addition to the basic ingredients, you’ll need a few tools to mix and store your e-liquids safely and accurately. Here are the essential tools for any DIY e-liquid mixer:
What It Is: A digital scale is an essential tool for measuring your ingredients by weight. This method is more accurate and less messy than measuring by volume.
Why You Need It: Precision is crucial in DIY e-liquid mixing, especially when working with nicotine and flavor concentrates. A digital scale ensures you get the exact measurements needed for a consistent mix.
How to Use It: Place your mixing container on the scale, tare it to zero, and then add each ingredient according to your recipe. Most DIY mixers prefer using a scale that measures 0.01 grams for the best accuracy.
What It Is: Syringes and pipettes are used for measuring and transferring liquids. They come in various sizes and are particularly useful for measuring small quantities of nicotine or flavour concentrates.
Why You Need It: These tools help you accurately measure and transfer liquids, ensuring consistent and precise e-liquid mixes.
How to Use It: Use syringes for measuring larger quantities (like PG and VG) and pipettes for smaller, more precise amounts (like flavour concentrates). Always use separate syringes or pipettes for each ingredient to avoid cross-contamination.
What It Is: Mixing bottles are used to combine and store your e-liquid ingredients. They come in various sizes and materials, with plastic and glass being the most common.
Why You Need It: Having the right mixing bottles ensures that your e-liquid is stored safely and securely. Bottles with dropper caps make it easy to transfer your e-liquid into your vape tank.
How to Use It: Choose bottle sizes based on your batch size—10ml, 30ml, and 100ml bottles are common. Label each bottle with the recipe name, date, and nicotine strength for easy identification.
What It Is: Gloves, goggles, and other safety gear are essential for protecting yourself when handling nicotine and other chemicals.
Why You Need It: Nicotine is a potent substance that can be harmful if it comes into contact with your skin. Safety gear prevents accidental exposure.
How to Use It: Always wear gloves when handling nicotine and mixing your e-liquid. If you’re working with larger quantities, consider wearing safety goggles to protect your eyes.
What It Is: Funnels and measuring cups make it easier to transfer large quantities of liquids, such as PG and VG, without making a mess.
Why You Need It: These tools help you pour liquids accurately and avoid spillage, which is especially important when working with sticky substances like VG.
How to Use It: Use funnels when transferring PG or VG into your mixing bottle and measuring cups to pre-measure your base liquids before mixing.
What It Is: A magnetic stirrer is a device that uses a rotating magnet to stir your e-liquid automatically, ensuring a thorough and even mix.
Why You Need It: For those who frequently mix large batches of e-liquid, a magnetic stirrer can save time and effort, ensuring your ingredients are evenly distributed.
How to Use It: Place your mixing bottle on the stirrer, drop in the magnetic stir bar, and let the device do the work. This tool is especially useful when mixing high VG e-liquids, which can be difficult to stir manually.
Now that you have all the necessary supplies and tools, it’s time to mix your first batch of DIY e-liquid. Follow these steps for a successful first mix:
Start by selecting a simple recipe. As a beginner, it’s best, to begin with a single-flavour recipe or a well-known blend like strawberry custard or menthol tobacco.
Using your digital scale or syringes, measure out the necessary amounts of PG, VG, nicotine, and flavour concentrates according to your recipe. Accuracy is key, so take your time to get the measurements right.
Pour each ingredient into your mixing bottle, starting with the nicotine (if using), followed by the flavour concentrates, and finally the PG and VG.
Once all ingredients are in the bottle, cap it tightly and shake vigorously for several minutes. If you’re using a magnetic stirrer, this is where it comes in handy.
Steeping is the process of allowing your e-liquid to rest so that the flavours can blend and develop. Place your bottle in a cool, dark place and let it sit for the recommended time. Some e-liquids require a few days, while others may need several weeks.
After steeping, test your e-liquid in a vape device. If the flavour is too weak or too strong, you can adjust by adding more flavour concentrate or base liquids. Keep in mind that making adjustments may require additional steeping time.
Label your bottle with the recipe name, date, and nicotine strength. Store your e-liquid in a cool, dark place to ensure its longevity.
As you become more experienced with DIY e-liquid mixing, you may want to explore advanced supplies and tools to refine your craft:
Building a comprehensive collection of flavour concentrates allows for more experimentation and the ability to create complex, multi-layered flavour profiles.
Ultrasonic cleaners can speed up the steeping process by using ultrasonic waves to agitate the e-liquid, helping the flavours blend more quickly.
A refractometer is an advanced tool used to measure the concentration of your e-liquid, ensuring consistency in your mixes, especially when replicating a recipe.
Books and guides on flavour pairing can inspire new recipes and help you understand how different flavours interact with each other.
For those looking to create high-nicotine e-liquids without the harsh throat hit, nicotine salts are an excellent option. They require slightly different handling and mixing ratios compared to traditional nicotine.
DIY e-liquid mixing is a rewarding hobby that offers endless possibilities for customization and creativity. With the right supplies and tools, you can craft e-liquids tailored to your personal preferences, all while saving money and exploring new flavour horizons.
Whether you’re a beginner starting with basic single-flavour recipes or an advanced mixer experimenting with complex blends, the key to success in DIY e-liquid mixing is patience and precision. By following this guide, you’ll have a solid foundation to start creating your own e-liquids at home, enjoying the satisfaction that comes with vaping a blend you’ve crafted yourself.
Remember, the world of DIY e-liquid mixing is vast, and there’s always more to learn. Don’t be afraid to experiment, and most importantly, have fun with the process. Happy mixing!
