I got 30+ test-batches (TB) in my drawer: I don’t even open the drawer until the 4th week. I’m using 3 drippers, if it’s too young I just “dryburns” the coils (with cotton in, like stated in a posting earlier). Then I put on a new juice, cranking up the power and full tilt on the airings for maybe five puffs. Then I put on more juice, turn the power/airing down to test-mode and do my testing. Obviously this is to be sure the former juice are out of the cotton. IF I feel the TB is good shit, I put it in a RBA tank. Because that’s where I’m usually are vaping. If it’s still good: Larger batches, usually from 100 ml and up to 450 if I think it will be an ADV. Usually I use different TB on the drippers, but if it’s something tricky with one TB I use it on one of the others. Just in case I can spot something from a different build, difference in resistance, the build of the drippers (they are widely different).
I’m brandnew to mixing. I use a 30 W Eleaf istick with disposable atomizers. I get tired of buying them but I know nothing about the rebuilding kind. I’m also new to this site. Any advice would be welcomed.
Read research repeat.
Just like with mixing ejuice it’s the same as building coils. I wish I never waiting so long to do it.
Welcome! I’m new to mixing too and I’m not familiar with your device but can you get a few refillable tanks for it? It’s slower to test with tanks but I’d imagine it wouldn’t be as slow or complicated as learning to build coils at the same time you’re learning to mix liquids. It might be confusing to figure out both at the same time. If something is horrid you won’t know if it’s your build or your mix.
Very true. I don’t think I could learn both @ the same time Lol…Too overwhelming. There really so many terns that I don’t even know what they mean. Coils, rda , sa ect… I feel like a idiot. Lol…
Don’t worry, I feel that way too in many ways. The folks here will make you feel right at home.
Don’t be afraid to ask. We don’t bite. 
Well, not usually…lol. There’s an abbreviation list http://e-liquid-recipes.com/vaping-abbreviations but it’s not got quite everything. RDA = rebuildable dripping atomizer (aka dripper). RDTA/RTA = Rebuildable (dripping I think? see, still don’t know it all lol) tank atomizer (usually just called a tank). RBA = Rebuildable atomizer (can be used in reference to tanks or drippers, often when talking about a rebuildable base for a tank that typically uses prebuilt coils). ADV = all day vape. SA = stand alone. SF = Single flavor.
And, if you think you’ll look silly asking in public you can always PM me (or someone else) and I’ll be happy to help if I can. 
Thank you for the terms & the support. You guys r great!
lately I’ve been mixing 15 ml in a 30 ml bottle. The airspace is great for shaking the juice when I first mix it. I mix run for 30 minutes in the ultrasonic cleaner. Taste make notes on the mix, the strength of flavor, and anything else that seems to strike me when I vape it. I date the bottle put it away for a week. Taste and make notes again. Then taste at 2 weeks make notes compare all my notes to see what seems to be the same, stronger flavors weaker flavors the throat hit. At this point I can attempt repairs if needed (remember the 30 ml bottle only half full) then back to the process again or steep longer if it needs it. Frequently at the 2 week point I’ll slip a tank full at my wife and let her vape most of it before asking an opinion. More often than not at the 2 week point we’ll vape it and I decide whether to adjust the recipe or not if I do it starts all over again or I mix a larger bottle and see how it goes. Some vapes seem to hit the spot but then after having several tanks of them the newness kinda wears off and it’s just not something we’d vape that much of. Back to the drawing board.
There may not be a shortcut, but there is a simple, fast, and easy way.
I use a 510 Atomizer or a Kidney Puncher Long Barrel, no fuss, no mess.
Drip a few drops in and test…no wick, burn it off, test next flavor. [the non-cartridge model]
http://desertvapes.com/510-atomizers/
http://www.kidneypuncher.com/kp-long-barrel-atomizers/?sort=featured
Thank you! That’s exactly what I was looking for - simple, fast and easy (sounds more like the description of a lot of men’s fantasy woman though, doesn’t it? lol ; )
Is my assumption that they are disposable correct? If so, how long do they typically last?
If they just have the coils, then about 2-4 weeks.
If they have the screen on top of the coils, about 2 months.
That’s generally with a bit of use daily, and it of course depends on your juice.
These are old school, and were some of the first atty’s in use.
If your like me i vape only at a .2 ohm cci maus i use a dripper 3mm macro clapton coil running a pair at .3 to test flavors easier to swap cotton at 3 mm
I hate re-wicking. I drip in TC mode so it is easy to run my rayon completely dry if I want to but most of the time I don’t bother. I get very little taste, if any, of my previous drips, if I soak the dripper good. And any residual testing flavors often spark new recipe ideas so I don’t mind a little tester cross contamination.
I give some to my buddy and say " here try this let me know if it sux" 
With those 6 links … I have reading for houers :-))) Thank you 
Sorry to revive this from the dead, but I did search & this was the closest thing I could come up with.
Relatively new vapor & new to diy juicing.
So from what I read is most test new flavors with rda units. Although I do have a couple, I mostly MTL & restricted lung Vape with Nautilus Trition and Atlantis tanks, I also use some sub ohm tanks.
I have tried tasting some simple mixes I made with an rda, but it really is not my thing so far.
So what I did today was set up a couple tanks with new coils tested a tank or 2 through the coils than broke them down & soaked the coils in some kettle one for a bit let them dry out in the sun & repeated the process for the next tasting session. I used both mtl & sub tanks.
It seams easy peasy what do you think?
Also is there any difference in mixing for rta’s mtl sub ohm’s??
Thanks guys,
Vape on!!
The only difference in mixing for different rigs is if you use a rig that can’t handle thick juice and another that can. For example most of my rigs are m2l and I mix 70/30 VG/PG for them. I also have one pen style aio that I like and I mix 50/50 for it. RTAs and RTDs are getting closer all the time in design. The differences in performance are diminishing. I use a Goon with a single coil for testing for expediency. Easy to pop the top and rewick one coil. No fancy wicking needed to get flavor without leaking like on most RTAs. It will leak because I will over drip but I own rags. Most important vaping accessory, micro fiber rags. I test in 15ml batches and will test that mix over a few days. If it makes the cut it will go into production, larger batches. When I find a mix is sitting and not being vaped the recipe goes into the archives. Pretty simple.
I would like to revive this thread, as I consider it important.
Reading replies, it seems that most people use RDAs, one way or another.
I have three - Le Zephyr, Magister, Anima.
Of course, the most “troublesome” part is the fact that they use cotton (or rayon) which has to be “cleaned” between “tests”. Otherwise one flavor/eliq affects other. Easpically if you fill barell.
What do you think about using very little amount of cotton - just enough to pass through the coil (without going DEEP into RDA’s barrel)? Drop few drops. Taste. Then throw cotton and put fresh one? Its still some work…
Also - in the past (cca 2010-2013) people used “Bridgeless” atomizers (510 pin wasn’t as common/there were many. 306 for instance.)
Such attys didn’t even have cotton or rayon (or had extremely small amount) and had capacity of only 3-5 drops of eliq.
Best part waa - cleaning them (preparing for next eliq test) as it was EXTREMELY easy - it would only require strong puff of air (from your mouth to the bottom of such atty) and all remaining liq would go to napkin. All clear, ready to go for new test. Without rebuilding. Without new cotton/rayon.
Are there any models that are still being produced and sold? Does anyone still use that - bridgeless instead of RDA - approach?
Models were: Cisco hh 357 (long barrel or standard), Aero bridgleless, etc
They looked similar to the attached pic. (sorry for watermark, that was best pic I googled)
If you prefer video demonstration here’s one - https://youtu.be/czWxQZEBHx0
I have been trying to convince myself to pick up a Vandy Vape Mesh RDA or other Mesh RDA.
These should be good for testing mixes without using a wick right???
(just need a tiny push to pull the trigger)