Any ideas of how to test liquids without making large batches and wasting them etc, and also what to do with flavours where they need to steep for 1-2 weeks, how do j go testing them? Thanks
I am not an expert by any means and just joined this forum, but from my knowledge from the helpful members of this forum I have acquired some useful tips.
The best way to test liquids in my opinion is buy some lets say 10 ML bottles for test batches. That is what I do. All you really have to do to let them steep from what I have seem is typically leave them in a dark area for the duration of time needed.
I’ve seen some people take notes of how the flavors are changing using a notebook (example) drip some using an RDA and write down some characteristics of the flavor it is producing and throughout the period of “steep time” you will be able to tell how much the flavor has changed! Hopefully I have helped.
I am still a noob in DIY.
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@Olson1917 is right on!
Make 10ml batches of any NEW recipe.
Put it up in a dark cool place and be patient.
Shake it, test on your rda.
Put it away…
shake it, test it,
put it away for another day.
Hey… that could be a song.
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Good basic questions. By using a calculator like the one provided right here at e-L-recipes, make small batches, say 10ml. That’s something that many mixers do. Check your flavoring amounts against suggested percentages by clicking on the individual flavors in your recipe and vary to your taste. As far as the recommended steeping time given by recipe authors, that’s the directions they have deemed applicable to the recipe Steeping times and methods vary from mixer to mixer. There are many good resources here and on say, Reddit ( https://www.reddit.com/r/DIY_eJuice/ ) . Ask more questions, experiment and above all approach it as something fun to do. It can be anything from a creative hobby to an obsession ( only if you let it ). Another thing and I’m sure many folks here will have much to add, but don’t over mix. What I mean is sometimes less is more. As a practice I never mix anything over 20%, most of the things I mix come in around 7 % to 16% total flavorings. I’ve adapted some recipes where the author will mix anywhere from 25 to 27 or even 28% flavor down to 8% by recalculating them, keeping their perspective flavors but at a much lower amount, maybe a half or a third of what they suggest. Good luck in your endeavors and if you stick with it, I think you’ll find it’s very rewarding and very cost effective, maybe not right away but in the long run.
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Thank you for all the help guys, do you think this is something I could run off? Iv had a look on reddit and someone uploaded this link? http://www.v-ecigs.com/tfa-flavor-percentage-recommendations/
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I have used that page before but I find the suggested percentages on this site to be closer to my liking. If you go to your flavor stash page and click on any flavor you are working with it takes you to a page for that flavor and near the top you will find the average and median percentages listed there that people here have used. On most flavors there will be both single flavor and mixing/blending percentages used. I go by the one listed as Median and start there. I also mix every new flavor I get as a single flavor first so I know what it taste like by itself. This helps me later on to know what it will add to a mix.
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Just watch out because some flavorings have really whacked percentages. I saw one yesterday that someone mixed a single flavor at 45% 
So look at recipes the flavors you want to try are used in. Read the comments for the recipe. And make sure and read JoJo’s resources thread for beginners at the top of the E-Liquids》Beginners forum. You will be glad you did. Then read it again 
Any other help needed feel free to ask. Lots of helpful people hang out on here.
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Might want to consider smaller batches. I non sub ohm single coil RDA.
As to steeping time, 4 weeks or more natural steep works for me. I tend to mix often enough so I always have more juice to sample than the time it takes to use the samples up. This way I don’t see sample size or steep times as problems. I remove these concerns from the equation/table.
When I started I was (still am, for the most part) confused too. 
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Cheers for the help guys, and iv been mixing for about 5 months, but iv always used stuff like coke which to me didn’t need a steep… now iv got into the deserts etc which need a steep time it’s a lot harder due to a flavour might taste good, then when it steeps it’s top strong etc
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I have that same problem…after steep to strong. Then I adjust the recipe…make a note about adjustment. If the juice can be vaped its all good. Make enough juice so that waiting on steep is not a problem. Don’t forget to make something you really like also.