Ok guys, I will first thank you all for your either kind or even critical responses. Later I will respond one by one to clear up some questions.
The fil rouge of this subject I don’t want to loose is what at least 2 of you admitted straight and fair: cloning never had a success. Now, let’s forget for a moment about which is better, DIY or commercial juices, let’s focus on the fact so many people mixing themselves, probably majority of us tried to clone smth at least several times, many of those published and even claimed to be a true clone but… once you try it you find right away is is nothing like the original.
That’s my first and top point: I need to accept obviously there’s no way smbdy could clone 100% a commercial juice? That seems unacceptable just by mathematical probability: if 100 diy-ers are striving to clone a juice there should be at least 1% of probability smbdy would nail it. Right?
But, as we discuss it here - it doesn’t happen. That’s my first strong point nobody can deny. Now, why is that so? Yeah, I cannot think of anything else but there are flavorings not accessible to the public. Or possibly to some extent some extra VG/PG.
For example, I found Elda’s VG/PG is best for my mixes. A Croatian company nobody knows. But they are huge exporters worldwide primarily supplying vape businesses and not so keen to supply in retail.
I suppose a similar thing could be going on with flavors. If I was the owner of Naked or Nasty or whatever big vape brand would I not demand from the flavor producers to keep certain flavorings just for me, not selling them to the public? Sure I’d pay millions for that just to keep my juices secret and unclonable because that makes my profit.
Once again, on this 1st point I obviously will need to accept things as they are: forget cloning. Rather invest into my own developping recepies.
The second thought of mine which - yeah, causes me a real frustration - is that whatever I mix myself following all the suggestions from more experienced people, never was better or even equal to majority of commercial juices I’ve tried.
Bottom line which I still stay with: yes, surely one can make a hobby by diy-ing and that’s fantastic. But, being just a guy who wants vaping in a practical way not loosing limited free time of mine I am coming to the coclusion which is frustrating: if you want to vape your favourite juices you will need to keep spending $$$ on them.
And, that’s what came as a surprise after 3 years of vaping. Because many of us started vaping to quit smoking at a first place but also found vaping less expensive, right? Well, in my country a pack of stinkies is 4€ now. Vape flavors I am ordering online are becoming more and more expensive but still mixing it yourself - even using more expensive ones like FLV or Hangsen - is much cheaper than smoking. But, once you end up buying commercial juices there’s practically no saving anymore.
It is not a decisive thing, don’t misunderstand. However expecting to save by mixing diy doesn’t work so far. Let’s be honest: if commercial juices were retail-priced at their production cost - who would by diy-iibg at all? Apart from few enthousiasts and hobbists? That’s my point finally: the majority of vapers (means not everyone but the majority) are striving with diy recepies just for the sake of their wallet (I know I’ll be critisised for that but it is fact) and vaping therefore less pleasing juices than they would’ve been vaping - if commercial juices were cheap.
Comparing that to food: I enjoy going restaurants eating nicely prepared food, wine etc but… at the end of the day I can always make my food much better and healthier at home. The time I spend in that makes sense - because ut is better food.
While in vaping my diy-ing doesn’t make sense if I exclude the pleasure of making a hobby out of it. But, excuse me, there are so many more pleasurable things to do in life than - mixing vape juices, right?
Which leads me to a conclusion: if I want to really enjoy vaping I need to go commercial juices and forget diy-ing. Do you think Leonardo di Caprio or Ben Affleck who quit smoking by vaping are mixing juices themselves?
And, that’s the bottom line nobody can deny: mixing diy doesn’t pay. If you had the money for the stinkies - go ahead and just buy your best favourite juices out there and enjoy them. Why so much hipe about mixing? To save money? That’s it?
The only real trigger?
Would I be cooking at home if I found the restaurant food better and I had the money to pay for it? Well, yes from time to time just for the sake of friendship - like bbq in the garden. But, wouldn’t it be stupid to cook myself if restaurants were better and I had the money to afford them?
That’s my paradigma and frustration which I need to overcome. As it seems now - by quitting the DIY.
