E-cig: an alternative to smoking or a hobby?

[TheTinMan]

[Plunderdrum]

@Godcomplexdude

finally but most important u have many “much viewed n followed” mixers that consist an elite which makes recipes only for themselves or others on their level. Those ppl use 12-16 flavors (cause they care bout the notes) from many different companies, which dependin on which part of the world u reside might be really difficult to get, n they look like hobistas to me which makes me feel that the reason we all started vapin n got in here is long forgotten.

Since this is the most important part of your question/comment, I’ll focus on it.

I have not come across any popular mixers that share recipes only for themselves or others on their skill level.

In this community, if someone shares a recipe it is either to get some help with it or to benefit any curious mixer that might see it.

Some of our most “elite” mixers will share and have pride in a 3 or 4 flavor recipe.

There is no guarantee that you will be able to buy those flavors in Nigeria, Peru or Greece, simply because every mixer pulls flavors from their available resources with one intention: To make the best tasting recipe they can with what’s available.

Finding flavor resources takes research, money and effort if you are in a flavor desert. The EU is not one.

If it is a financial difficulty, find the cheapest available vape-able flavors and go with it. Vaping isn’t a lifestyle affordable by people in true poverty. Mixing e-liquid the same. Vaping and mixing must be done within one’s budget, large or small. If a small budget mixer sees a recipe with lots if expensive flavors, they can still get ideas from the recipe and learn from the mixer how some flavors will pair with others.

@Godcomplexdude

How they will be helped in order to start makin their mixes? How will they feel assured that their effort, time n money (which r limited to many ppl n automatically excludes them from the process) won’t go into the can?

We are mostly all here to help every mixer at any level with any mixing questions. There is a good beginner section, a search function, flavor review threads, simple mixing threads, etc…all for anyone to read. And nobody is demanding any money in exchange.

If you have any specific questions about mixing. Ask anything! Someone will have an answer. Welcome to the forum.

[Godcomplexdude]

Thanks for the welcoming.
I considered vaping an alternative of smoking, i didn’t consider it as a lifestyle and that was the base of my debate…so thank you for clarifying that, now it makes more sense (i’m being honest, not trying to provoke and i have to make it clear cause somehow i irritated people without wanting to). Cheers

[eStorm]

@Plunderdrum

If a small budget mixer sees a recipe with lots if expensive flavors, they can still get ideas from the recipe and learn from the mixer how some flavors will pair with others.

I agree with this statement alot. On other platforms you could find cliques of people using flavorah, I still was using tfa/cap/fw and felt left out. Nothing I could contribute nor could I mix anything of these shares recipes.

But after a while I learned one thing, and that’s called creativity and substitute. Last is more important so, because while I have a handful of flv flavors now (20? I think) I still can’t mix some recipes as posted. But I can now mix it with subs.

If course the recipe will be different but if I end up liking it, do I care? Not really.

If someone asks is there a sub for x flavor, I probably be able to suggest something. This does help you much more in the long run then actually copying every flavor and percentage.

You won’t learn anything from that. If something tastes weird, well most likely the person wouldn’t know why etc.

Point is, no matter what and how much you’re using, get to know your flavors. No brand, elitist or YouTube persona is going to help you with that.

You’re the only person that knows if you like something or not, if it’s worth for you personally to purchase said flavor. Who cares what other people are mixing with, if you wanted a custard, you’ll be able to accomplish that with any brand - expensive or cheap lol

[worm1]

courtesy of @Pro_Vapes

let’s snag this more relevant of the title:

@Godcomplexdude

I considered vaping an alternative of smoking, i didn’t consider it as a lifestyle and that was the base of my debate…

and start over

[Laberythm]

Welcome to ELR forum @Godcomplexdude

@Godcomplexdude

Is vaping a way out or merely a hobby?

For some of as is a hobby that helps as to way out.

The rest of your questions had been answered many times again and again.
Start here : Search results for 'Rating system' - E-Liquid Recipes Forum

[Plunderdrum]

@Godcomplexdude

I considered vaping an alternative of smoking, i didn’t consider it as a lifestyle

This might be a difficulty of terminology. When I smoked cigarettes for 30 years, 1-2 packs per day, it was a part of my lifestyle. Whether to smoke or vape or abstain from both is a lifestyle choice. It was expensive! It is an addiction, it was killing me slowly, but still a lifestyle. Switching to vaping was a lifestyle choice. To be able to sleep through the night and not cough and wheeze and still have my precious nicotine fix, hand to mouth ritual, etc, by vaping was a smarter lifestyle choice.

As for the hobby vs. smoking cessation part:
It is both. Or, can be both. Or whichever you make it, it is.

When you mix your own e-liquid, the desire to be creative can be strong and irresistible. Especially if you are creative by nature. I play and create music, love to create recipes and perform improvisation in the kitchen and on stage. So, the creative hobby aspect took me from day 1 of DIY.

BUT, it can be very, very simple, very copy and paste recipes, and only vape a couple of mixes that you can live with and recreate easily. There is no rule to how you approach this. You are the god of your own destiny.

But it’s a lifestyle in my view. I hope that clears us up! If anything was fuzzy

[marsh8]

In my case it began as an alternative to smoking…It became a hobby.

And then it became this…

It is as deep or shallow as you wish and thats the beauty of vaping and this community at large.

[Plunderdrum]

I’m definitely spending less annually than I was as a smoker! I was averaging $7.50 a pack, one or two a day! But, each of us require a different level of expense for this as a hobby. Part of the beauty of the Y in diY!

[Godcomplexdude]

It does…thanks

[marsh8]

@Plunderdrum

I was averaging $7.50 a pack

I was paying $35 a packet a day when I quit, $7.50 was the price here in the1990’s. so my vaping spending still has a bit to catch up.

@Plunderdrum

Part of the beauty of the Y in diY!

Couldn’t agree more!

[Laberythm]

@Plunderdrum

I’m definitely spending less annually than I was as a smoker

That’s so true. It’s been many months in a year where I don’t spend not even a € in vaping cause I am unemployed. I have my nic, flavours that I have collect over the time and I can stand for a couple of months or three with out buying a new flavour.

[Plunderdrum]

@marsh8

paying $35 a packet a day

Woah! Unfathomable. Living so close to the Carolinas and Virginia definitely had its advantages!

[tartarusspawn]

After reading your post I can’t help but feel like your trolling , insulting elr or suffering from a god complex.

ELR is a community for people who enjoy vaping or people who are interested in learning about getting into vaping and the DIY world…

@Godcomplexdude

Long story short, i really believe this forum was made in honest to help new vapers but it’s really difficult nowdays to make sense of it at all. U have ppl post recipes that make no sense (3% super sweet in a recipe for example) u have ppl ratin recipes 2’ after its upload,others comment on a copy paste base (fantastic,thnx for sharin,awesome…) in their every comment n finally but most important u have many “much viewed n followed” mixers that consist an elite which makes recipes only for themselves or others on their level. Those ppl use 12-16 flavors (cause they care bout the notes) from many different companies, which dependin on which part of the world u reside might be really difficult to get, n they look like hobistas to me which makes me feel that the reason we all started vapin n got in here is long forgotten.
I gotta ask n finish, (hopin that my post didn’t take that much) how does this logic benefit new vapers?

I

New people to vaping or interested in starting ,who have asked for help in forums or discord have always gotten help. And have at times been pointed at material they should read to make their DIY journey much more enjoyable.

@Godcomplexdude

How can they go through elr n find 2-3 solid recipes (from year 2018 n not 6 years ago) that’ll hold them away from smokin again? How they will be helped in order to start makin their mixes? How will they feel assured that their effort, time n money (which r limited to many ppl n automatically excludes them from the process) won’t go into the can?

Simple if they ask for help. They will recieve it and most people will ask them the same question . What do you like… Me personally I might suggest looking at liquid barns starter kit. (Which is were I started) or nicotine rivers starter kit. And if their budget allows suggest getting a scale . But before ordering I would suggest looking at recipes that have things they like in it. Research is KEY to anything you do in life

@Godcomplexdude

How will they feel assured that their effort, time n money (which r limited to many ppl n automatically excludes them from the process) won’t go into the can?

Considering taste is different for everyone there can be no assurance that every recipe they make will knock their socks off. But sngle flavor testing does cut down on the # of failed attempts.

@Godcomplexdude

The reason i never posted any recipe was never being afraid to be judged, to the contrary m ok with takin the responsibility with my friends n fam that’ll taste them but not ok to put ppl in a condition where they’ll have to spend 20€ on flavors just to make my recipe, which subjectively to me might be awesome but s*"*y to everyone else.

That’s your choice. I’m happy making juice for friends and take pleasure in the fact that they enjoy it. But it give me even more pleasure when I post a recipe and one person makes it and says thank you this is awesome .

@Godcomplexdude

Is vaping a way out or merely a hobby?

I’m going to say it’s a life style… It began as a way out. Then it became a hobby . Then it became a money pit. Now it’s just part of my life… it’s something I enjoy doing . And once I get a TV for the living room the den will become my vape cave. (Something like a man cave but better because it’s for vaping)

[BoDarc]

This thread has triggered my Reading disorder, but I have to say ELR has grown exponentially over the years (congrats to @Lars and THANKS!) Sometimes it is too much, and I just checked I have 36 DAYS of readtime with close to 3,000 posts. I started 3 years ago and it was a little easier, but the whole DIY Vaping thing has exploded over those years. Just the flavors Vendors is overwhelming, and new hardware shows up like rain …agreed it’s hard to get a foothold if you are a new Vape Convert looking for a DIY entrypoint. It was easier …so was AOL 1.0

Now it’s a hobby and a business and THE way to save money as an alternative to smoking. After the OP …now it’s a way to save on the Alphabet kthxbai

@Godcomplexdude Welcome aboard. …aboard the Good Ship Rabbithole. Go lightly, as even fluffy huggy bunnies have big sharp teeth. LoLOLz

[benjy337]

Anyone who calls themselves Godcomplexdude is very likely a troll.
The simple answer is: Both, it’s an alternative to smoking and a hobby for many of us.

[Freddie3]

@benjy337

The simple answer is: Both, it’s an alternative to smoking and a hobby for many of us.

That says it pretty well sums it up. Along with saving money. If I don’t have time for DIY or having any juice. I can fall back on simple 1-2 flavor combos, or buy some Juul pods, if desperate being out and about and not home. A lot of people might go for One-Shots to mix up, adding their own Nic as a simpler route… But, Id rather have fun being creative mixing as a hobby for myself.

@BoDarc

Go lightly, as even fluffy huggy bunnies have big sharp teeth. LoLOLz

LMAO. Bro Im watching Python now. Gotta find that one.

[Iv3shf]

Bring the Holy Hand Grenade !!!

“And the Lord spake, saying, ‘First shalt thou take out the Holy Pin. Then, shalt thou count to three, no more, no less. Three shall be the number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting shall be three. Four shalt thou not count, nor either count thou two, excepting that thou then proceed to three. Five is right out! Once the number three, being the third number, be reached, then lobbest thou thy Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch towards thou foe, who being naughty in my sight, shall snuff it.’”

@Freddie3 this OT is your fault!! never mention Monty Python and bunnies and/or shrubberies when I’m around (or even when I’m not around… lots of Python’s fans around here)

Right? One… two… five!
Three Sir (Freddie3)

[Godcomplexdude]

Thank you for your reply, which shows that you took the time to actually read my post, as well as for the warn welcoming. Happy to be here even if i have to prove myself on the way.
Cheers.

[Laberythm]

@BoDarc

congrats to @Lars and THANKS!

You mean @daath ?