You’ll be fine 
Once you get the hang of it you’ll be producing like 20th Century Fox 
The second statement leads me to ask this question. Do larger batches require longer mix times and higher RPMs or is it the same across the board?
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I’ve been doing a lot of 10 ml testing lately. When I have a good one I usually don’t make more than 300 mls of it. I only mix for myself. Dan said the small one is good for up to 150 mls. Instead of mixing two 150 mls separately can I make a 300 ml batch, give it a shake, split it up into 150 mls, homogenize each one then pour them back together?
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I need to find what @anon36682625 said about shaking the liquid ( not necessary ) I think …I would say yes though
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Obviously not a video but these should show the setup. I’m having trouble operating the cam and using my hands at the same time without using a tripod and shooting video.
This is my personal stand used for the GC’s and others.The 2 black knobs are used for setting the height and length of the support rod. Once that is set I simply insert the homogenizer tube into the disk.
I can then lift up to place a bottle or flask under it or lift out for cleaning/storage etc. without messing with anything else. Typically I set the height at 1/2 to 3/4 depth of the mix and run. Between mixes I do the same and run in a glass of distilled water to clean.
Hope this answers how it works.
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Generally yes though the larger the homogenizer, the more volume it processes plus your PG/VG ratio plays a part. Once you run it a few times you can tell by the milky look that everything has passed through the work head. Once everything is basically slammed together and all particle sizes reduced to the same size, nothing is accomplished by continuing to run it.
It all takes place quickly.
As to the 300 ml mix I think it better to make 2 150 ml mixes, homogenize, and then pour them together. Shaking in a closed bottle without nic is fine but I think 2 accurately weighed 150 ml mixes that have been homogenized eliminates any possible variance.
Phil Fish developed a method where he would heat, shake and repeat. It reduced time considerably but was a lot of work. He became a beta tester and we had a good laugh when he used his homogenizer the first time and of course abandoned the heat shake repeat forever. 
One of the hardest things about this to wrap your head around is the milky look and tiny bubbles produced by the process. The homogenizer does not inject outside air but the chemicals we use do contain water i.e. H2O. Two parts hydrogen, one part oxygen.
To me using a frother and the like is like pouring your flavor concentrates onto a saucer and directing a fan across it. Flavor loss will occur though probably isn’t much unless you run a mag stirrer that produces a vortex thereby aerating the mix. IMO stirrers need to be run slowly where the vortex does not pull air into the mix.
With the homogenizer the bubbles are air (and others) but are present in the mix and aeration is reduced or completely eliminated. Even a sonicator used to homogenize will produce a milky looking mix from the same cavitation that takes place with high shear devices though there is no mechanical movement. Ultrasonic waves will also degas at lower power.
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Okay, well I don’t add my nic until I’m ready to vape anyway. I usually use 3 mg. Thank you for all of the above. I totally get it now and that’s a nice stand. It reminds me a bit of some musical instrument stands I have in the house, especially the sax stands which have the same knobs to adjust for different saxophone sizes.
So is degassing at lower power a bad thing? What are the benefits of a mechanical homogenizer over ultrasonic cavitation?
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I don’t know if you know this but I am a luthier with many years of experience. Hundreds of hand crafted stringed instruments. I’ve been here since 2016 and was formerly known as Mrpipes and then Guitarded. 
I’ve never used a sonicator but have read some and had a couple of conversations about them. Like all of this equipment, they are typically very expensive or not worth buying. What I’ve been told is that without a very sophisticated pulse control system huge amounts of heat can be developed.
See https://www.hielscher.com/ultrasonic-homogenizers-for-liquid-processing-3.htm which appears to be the leader in North America for these devices. Its been awhile but they had a section with university studies documenting the process for wine-making and other uses. It appears to me that high shear and sonication perform the same end results.
As above the GC and sonicators produce cavitation. With the GC and other high shear devices our mixes can be placed in an ordinary household type ultrasonic cleaner. The milky mix will turn clear in minutes where otherwise it may take overnight to clear. So degassing is a great time saver. I recommend that the mix clear before adding nic.
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You don’t say?
I started playing stringed instruments at age 7 with the violin then switched to guitar at age 12. I had the coincidental fortune of living down the street from a Luthier named Mark Herbert. He was known as the guy who worked on Pat Metheny’s guitars but Mark was oblivious to that and always charged the minimal prices for us locals. He’s a good guy. Mrpipes? Are you a terrific singer or a pipe smoker?
Not quite sure what you mean. A long time ago I tried quick steeping in my UC according to some youtube tutorials. I remember placing a capped 30 ml bottle in my [not very expensive unit] and I don’t think it was successful. I also don’t remember any milkyness. So, are you saying that if you want to use sonication to steep you’ll be spending $1000+ for a good result? Can eliquid be placed directly in the UC bath tank without bottling it? Just wondering.
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Actually mrpipes was my best friend, a boxer dog named after another friend named Lee McBee. (RIP) Lee was IMO one of the finest blues singers that ever graced the stage and a really fine human being. Check out Mike Morgan and the Crawl or Lee on YouTube. When pipes passed away I changed to Guitarded. Too painful to be reminded every time I logged in. Guitarded is appropriate. 
An ordinary ultrasonic cleaner is no where near powerful enough to homogenize though they work to degas. @Sprkslfly has used one for a long time with some success though Rob now uses a GC. Best to place a mix in a sealed bottle or flask (glass) directly on the bottom of the tank with water up to the liquid level and the bubbles will disappear. Search the homogenizer threads at VC and there are time lapse pics and at least one video. I don’t want to pilfer their stuff but they probably wouldn’t mind. I developed the GC with people at VC behind the scenes but don’t participate there much at all. Use glass because plastic bottles will deaden the ultrasonic waves.
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Yes. Likely much more than that.
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@anon36682625 RE: all of the above. Thank you for taking the time to explain and answering questions. I’ve learned even more than I expected. Very interesting and educational. I appreciate that.
I googled Lee McBee and also went to youtube. He’s got a great voice, you’re right! I wonder if Cheryl Arena knew him? She’s from around here but moved to Texas for a while to hone her chops. I met her through Willie Laws who lives here now with his wife but is from Texas.
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Awesome to have all the informnation you need, right? It’s like hanging around that uncle that knows how to do stuff when you juat don’t know what to do.
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That would be nice wouldn’t it?
Glad to hear u r doing ok with ur knee! Sorry for the mishap though
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Exactly. I had a lot of uncles but not in any industry that I was interested in…restaurant business, liquor sales and horse racing
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I dunno, horse racing sounds like it would be interesting. Unless it’s betting, then I’m out. I can’t gamble worth a shit and don’t really want to learn 
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Omg…I am so glad you just wrote that …i was wondering why sometimes it didnt work as well and others times it degassed easily
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Neither could my uncle. That’s why he lost everything including his family 
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Here is a decent video? Well, maybe not decent but informative…
It starts at the mixing part so you can see what “milky” is…
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@ Dan_The_Man. On the upside Dan, who would save the world if we didn’t have the eccentric Aquarian? (from a cert. Astrologer)
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To elaborate a bit further, I used my USC to great success (after refining my procedures, and learning what adjustments needed to be made for certain flavors [creams/custards for example], and certain types of flavors [extracts for instance]).
Guitarded mentioned one of the key points though: most of the cheaper consumer grade ultrasonics simply lack the power needed to do an adequate job.
The USC I own/use is a commercial grade unit by OroGem (now GemOro). It’s kind of the “perfect storm” unit; in that it has the necessary power, but doesn’t get too hot.
It was in the $250-300 ballpark a couple of decades (20+ yrs) ago IIRC.
While I can achieve very similar results (comparing the OroGem to the GC), the difference in time needed to achieve those results (where most folks are concerned) is that it still took up to 4-5 hours on a single bottle to get the desired result.
With the GC, it only takes a minute or so.
So yes, if you have neither a commercial grade USC, or a GC, and were considering which one you would best served by to achieve “instant results” (compared to storing in cool dark…for weeks on end) I highly recommend going with the GC.
Great bit of advice that a lot of people need to know! 
Using glass is vital (doubly so in an USC).
Though I’ve been saying this for years, glass keeps flavors fresher longer. Months to years longer.
Besides which, as you mentioned, and Fiddy learned the hard way… USC waves are slowed (depending on the USC used) by plastics (and to varying degrees, depending on the type, and/or thickness of the plastic).
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