Percentage query with pod device

E-liquids Beginners
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Hi everyone I am hoping for a little advice with a basic recipe I’d like to make with a couple recent flavour purchases. I bought ssa ice cream vanilla, shortbread cookie ssa and also cream fresh FA.
I am using an Oxva Xlim pro Pod device 0.8ohm coil at 14watts is my normal perfect set up. 50/50 ratio.

I have had a problem initially making basic 2 or 3 flavour recipes up by using percentage notes and recipes on here without knowing the difference in flavour between a pod kit and the more powerful rda rta etc set ups. Majority of what I made went down the drain apart from a strawberry ice which was a total flavour of around 29% and was just right. Well… version 4 was!!

I would just like to make a vanilla ice cream Biscuit using any of those 3 flavours. Would the shortbread cookie with the ice cream vanilla just those 2 flavours be a nice combination? Can I please have some advice on percentage use. I have learnt from experience that when it says mix between 1 and 3% i get no flavours even after a month steep i almost quit this diy after throwing so much away as just couldn’t crack any bakery recipes. I am starting from scratch now with this one.
Thanks so much and sorry to ramble. I wont post any previous attempts because i didn’t have a clue what I was doing! I also add tfa sweetener as am coming from liking sweet commercial juices!
Sorry for asking something which is no doubt very simple!! Ps I have Inawera biscuit but keep tasting coconut so I bought shortbread cookie as fancy that type of flavour. And I dont know if it matters percentage wise but am mixing only desired nic strength of 4mg salt nicotine so not strong or harsh.
Thanks

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with a low powered mtl setup(ie pod), typically you would want to crank up the % a little, i have mixed for pods & mix often with the flavours you mentioned, but never mixed for a pod with these,lol.
I know ssa ice cream vanilla shines from 1-2% in an rda, so if i were mixing with this for a pod i would start around 2.5-3%, shortbread cookie is kinda light for ssa & i do usually push this to 3% in an rda, so depending on how prominent you want the biscuit to be i would say between 2-4% maybe? FA cream fresh i havent mixed with very much so maybe someone could chime in on that one? But the recipes i did use it in i used 1-1.5% but never for a prominent cream flavour so unsure how this works when pushed?

I know SSA icv & shortbread cookie can be pushed pretty high but the vanilla gets really strong past 2.5%
So if it were me i would start with small test batches something like this
ssa ice cream vanilla - 2.5%
ssa shortbread cookie - 3.5%
fa cream fresh - 1.5%
then add whatever sweetener you want, for pods i usually add 1-1.5% purilum super sweet (depending on who im mixing it for). Then see what needs tweaking from there. smaller batches means reduced waste, just make 5ml testers or something.

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Thanks so much for the advice. Am glad I asked because I had been thinking 10% ice cream vanilla and 10% shortbread!! I have no clue which concentrates are a lot stronger than others. I wasnt keen on vbic tfa version and had been advised the ssa was highly rated. So the ssa ice cream is quite a strong concentrate then? I’d been making up 40ml batches initially ( i did 20 different mixes of simple 2 or 3 flavours) and did that amount because of needing to then steep for weeks before trying it and the idea had been to then have something to last a little while… the drain was only recipient of my mixes and I got really demoralised after weeks of this!
The order is due tomorrow and I ordered some longfills to have something to use for a change!
Thanks @RicklePick for the info. They just seem so low for a pod but I dont know what am doing clearly!
Thank you :blush:

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Firstly with small pod units like the OXVA devices some recipes will need to be taken higher 20-30% to achieve a good flavor. Though some recipes can work well at lower percentages. experimenting with percentages take some time and patience.

It can be done with just the two flavors though you would have to take both SSA Ice Cream Vanilla and SSA Shortbread Cookies quite high to achieve maximum flavor saturation. The problem with that is you can take certain flavors too high it can break or mute said flavor. For me SSA Shortbread Cookie can be fairly plain at lower %, but if you take it to around 4-5% and combine with the buttery INW Biscuit @ 2-3% it can make for a really delicious shortbread cookie.
Now I’ve never tried the SSA Ice Cream Vanilla but from the reviews it seems to have a top end of around 4%. I don’t know how strong the vanilla in SSA Ice Cream Vanilla is so you may want to add a little bit of a strong vanilla flavor. Something like a bit of Capella Vanilla Custard more vanilla and to add depth to the ice cream.
The TPA Sweetener contains ethyl maltol which can enhance and or mute some flavors so use it sparingly (I never go above 1%).
Lastly when experimenting always mix small amounts to test (I usually start with 5 ml at a time). That way if something is off and you feel you have to dump it you wont be wasting a lot of materials. Though if it seems like it’s working but needs some increasing of the flavors you can simply boost your percentages slightly and continue with the same bottle. Until you get the flavor were you want it.
A simple recipe Idea for a Shortbread Ice Cream Sandwich

Biscuit (INAWERA) 2.00 - 3.00% If you get coconut it should fade after a few days of steeping, but it will bring more texture and flavor to the shortbread cookie.

Ice Cream Vanilla (SSA) 3.00% I haven’t used it so just estimating.

Shortbread Cookie (SSA) 5.00% The Shortbread Base for the cookie. Biscuit will increase spice and butter flavor.

Sweetener (Sucralose/Maltol) (TPA) 0.75% You can always turn it up if you want sweeter. Increase by .25% until it sweet enough.

Vanilla Custard (CAP) 1.25% Just to enhance vanilla in the Ice Cream.

This is at around 13% total you can always increase it. A lot of commercial vape juice companies use anywhere from 15-30% flavor in their mixes.

You can use the blue wrench on the recipe of the calculator to adjust the percentage of the total of the recipe. Take it as high as you need to. Like I mentioned mix trial sized bottles and increase the total of the recipe only slightly until you find your sweet spot.

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I love hearing your descriptions of the flavors.

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@McDuckie cheers so much. I’ve written everything down. I so appreciate the advice. Working with pod device makes it impossible to test stuff quickly and it’s a long month waiting to see if something is drain or vapable standards!! I shall try what you have suggested and then let it steep for few weeks. I only ever wanted to manage an ice cream Biscuit and after 6 weeks since I started I am nowhere further forward and back to square 1!! The blue wrench has had lots of usage :grin:.
Thank you for the advice.

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@Cornish_Holly Always happy to help. I’ve done a lot of recipes that have taken weeks and or months of trial and research. Though you shouldn’t have to wait for weeks to know if a recipe is going to work. You can try immediately after shaking to see if you are on the right path. Then if it seems like its going to be good test again after a week. This is usually easier with an RDA as it can be dripped straight in as compared to wasting a premade coil to test. For pod recipe testing I usually use a MTL style RDA. I use a Vandy Vape Berserker MTL RDA with a single wire 26g coil on a 18650 tube mech for testing as you can turn the airflow really low to simulate the flavor of a pod unit.

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Aah right thanks I didn’t know you could test it quite simply like that. So if my lot I’ve previously made taste like sh*t after 2 weeks then after 4 it won’t be any different :rofl:

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The vape you use is a total foreign language to me but i am about to resort to google!

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Yes testing immediately allows you to see if you are on the right track. That way you can move in a different direction immediately rather than waiting for the juice to steep. I’ve also had a lot of recipes that I knew right away that it wasn’t going to work though others that tasted like crap at first but became awesome after steeping. It’s a tedious venture but the payoff can really be amazing in the savings from buying commercial juices.

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Yeah its felt a difficult process at times. I make something up and enjoy the actual mixing process and feel I’ve accomplished something then a month later the huge anticlimax because its no good ! Definitely going to try what you’ve suggested instead. I added up what it’s cost me so far and its quite a lot of money for a successful one recipe strawberry ice as everything else needed pouring away. Thank you.

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yeah making 40ml batches is a lot to waste really, especially if you’re buying 10ml bottles of concentrate, just make small 5 or 10ml batches. Mcduckie is right though pods do usually require high %, but with ssa they are pretty strong & they do shine in pods at lower % than what capella or tpa would, i would say start between 2.5-5% ice cream vanilla, if you want the vanilla forward go 4/5%, if you want it subtle/background start with 2-3% then increase as you need, it is a wonderful flavour the vanilla is so nice & the cream just compliments it perfectly, i have only pushed this up to 6% so far testing & it didnt turn bad in an rda high wattage so dont be afraid to push it. You may also need to push shortbread cookie above 5%? You can still test your mixes with a pod just dont fill it right up, it can be tedious when you only have the 1 pod device i know but it is still very possible, just test in smaller batches, fill the pod just enough so it reaches the cotton inside let it sit 5mins then try it, if its not good enough take notes on what needed improving, more/less vanilla? more/less cookie etc?, re-adjust the recipe, empty the pod(open the fill hole & flick as much as you can out) then refill it with the next version, it will take a few puffs(5-10 max) to get the new flavour coming through but it will so vape through it & do the same again, take notes etc(rinse/repeat). Just keep that 1 pod seperate then for testing only, it will be ok if your recipes are similar profiles, you could fill it up half way with plain vg/pg to store it just to keep it juiced up, also when you empty the plain vg/pg to test something else it’l help get some of the flavour out left in there from last time, so yeah like i said tedious, but at least that way it doesnt hurt when you have to tip away 3/4ml as opposed to 35-40ml a time. Oh, & dont put nicotine in the small testers.

Just to echo what md also said, testing would be much easier with an rda though. ebay have berserker mtl rdas then all you would need is a little built in battery mod to get it up & running, oh & some cotton & wire but thats cheap & easy to get anyway.

Next time i go near the vape shop il grab a few xlim pods & i will make a vanilla cookie for you that works in pods, using ssa ice cream & shortbread cookie, i dont know if i have any cream fresh left atm? but if you let me know what flavours you have & what sweetener you have etc ill put somethin together for you, ill test/adjust etc & make sure it works in a pod so it might take a couple weeks to develop it properly, but i suppose its better than just giving you random numbers i have never tried myself in a pod.

Overall it sounds like you’re doing pretty well though tbh, you’re doing everything right & you have the right attitude etc, just remember this is only the learning curve, a few months from now it will be you helping someone just starting,lol. Sorry for the wall of text i get carried away when im tired, its 3am,lol. Take care :v::heart:

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@RicklePick I don’t know where to begin! Firstly I feel guilty that you are going to buy a oxva pod to try out the recipe! But I am incredibly grateful. I have used a pod kit since quitting smoking in March this year and I had wanted in the future to get a mod and tank with changeable coils using mtl which I prefer, but I am unable to make the coils myself due to a condition causing finger dexterity issues. An rta or rda I don’t think I’d manage. But it’s early days for me with vaping and I do like the compactness of a pod kit. Commercial juices do taste great in the oxva and so did my own strawberry ice which am amazed at!! I thought a mod vape kit might produce better flavours? My favourite flavours is vanilla and vanilla Biscuit really and strawberry for a palate change .
I made the huge mistake of making up bottles of anything between 30 and 50ml with the nicotine and everything without knowing how to test flavours etc with the pod kit. I gave everything a month steep. I stupidly each week continuously made a few more of varying flavours without knowing how the previous mixes would taste! So for example I did a vanilla cheesecake and a vanilla custard one week and next week did a strawberry cheesecake and a vanilla Biscuit… i enjoyed the mixing up and all the labelling and bottling etc!!! Sad I know but it gave me pleasure making stuff… until the 4 weeks passed and the excitement wore off once I tasted them! For info I have an incredible sweet tooth and use tfa sweetener at 2% .
I hadnt thought about testing the flavours without nicotine already and in the pod. Previously if I had bought a shop juice I didnt like I did manage to just flick it out of the pod to save the pod!
I am going to leave the order of ice cream vanilla and cream fresh and shortbread cookie in the cupboard and not try anything until I have an idea of the recipe from yourself!! I am desperate not to mess up another one anytime soon! And don’t put any rush on yourself as I have plenty of commercial juice here and I also got 2 longfills from Nom Nomz. Its the first time I’ve ordered from them as always used darkstar before. I am so impressed! Ordered lunch time yesterday arrived 830am today well packaged and the concentrate liquids actually have the bottle nibs caps already which I’ve not had before! So much easier and I’ll use them in future as they also have a wider choice.
Thanks so so much for your help and advice I am ever so grateful. So will be my purse! I am ok money wise to buy a new vape kit just waiting for a bit until I know what to do. Take care :slightly_smiling_face:

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Holly, I feel your pain. Here’s another suggestion.
Go to the recipe side and type pod in the search bar. Then go over to rating column and click on rating. You might need to click on it a second time as it’s a toggle. Now if you peruse those recipes, you can see how others use those flavors, and down below will be the comments from those that mixed it.

Remember your taste buds are unique to you, so make small batches and use the %'s as a guide. You might want more/less of a particular flavor.

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honestly its no problem i already have a few xlims but my daughter used all my fresh pods so i only need to grab a pod which is only £2 +/-, & its no problem getting an extra 10ml bottle out next time i mix, ice cream vanilla & shortbread cookie are flavours i use pretty much every time anyway. Which strawberries do you have? & any other creams you have that you like to use? Im not sure if i have any cream fresh left, i know i wrote it down in my book that i needed more but i never ordered any, im not sure if the bottle was empty or just low? What you could also do is take the strawberry recipe you made the one you liked, & adapt it, take out the strawberry replace it with ssa ice cream vanilla say 3-5%(3 for subtle vanilla 5 for a bit stronger) & add in shortbread cookie, i would go a bit higher on shortbread if you want it more noticable, maybe 4-6% it could even need more? But if it doesnt taste strong enough at least if you start lower % you can just add more later, some mixes can be saved fairly easily & if it cant then at least its no big issue pouring a couple mls away. & yeah its best not to put nicotine in testers, not just for wastage but for when you have to vape through testers you’re not O.D’ing yourself on nicotine. Just keep your main pod seperate & when you need a proper hit switch the pod over.

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@big_vape thank you, I did learn about searching under pod in the recipe search bar after making up rather a large amount of mixes! I noticed that majority were high vg and so I just amended the ratio… wasnt aware how different the tastes would be with the higher powered devices however! definitely learning how to use that side of the website more now too!! I am determined not to give up with this as I really enjoy it and the idea of diy. many thanks

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@RicklePick I haven’t had any success with any creams or anything else so don’t have a favourite etc! I think my flavour stash is public but I remember I have capella sweet cream, bavarian cream by tfa, vanilla swirl tfa, vbic tfa, capella v1 custard.

For the successful strawberry ice ( success for me anyway!), I used strawberry ripe(18%) tfa and shisha strawberry(4%) inawera, with 2.5% tfa sweetener and 2 drops ws23 per 10ml.

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ok i have most of those flavours, the only ones i dont have are cap vanilla custard & tfa bavarian cream. Inw shisha strawberry is one of my favourite strawberries. Seems you did your homework :+1:I have no doubt that if you stick at this you will soon be mixing your own bangers pretty much every time, as soon as you get to know your flavours it becomes pretty easy to put good recipes together & knowing wether something will work for you, its perfecting them thats the hard part,lol. I think you’re doing great though, this is the attitude you need when going into diy because some people expect to buy vg/pg & flavours & their first mix to be better than commercial & thats just not the case, theres a bit of a learning curve that only comes with time/expercience & you’re definitely going in the right direction. :v::heart:

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@RicklePick I forgot I also have Inawera shisha vanilla. Ive made quite a few basic ones up like strawberry ripe with capella new york cheesecake, and shisha vanilla with tfa graham’s crust, strawberry shisha with custard… just easy ones. I am loathe to try the 20 that are steeping!!! The first 7 were a disaster and past the point of saving cos if i added more concentrate they just leaked through the pod and still tasted rank adding more sweetener etc.

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Not sure I want to start trying these above! Hopefully a photo has appeared!
I’d love to make a vanilla ice cream biscuit with those new flavours Hopefully.
And I did a ton of reading before buying the flavours!!! Mainly on here to be honest. Didn’t expect them to taste like commercial juice… but did think they might have been a little better than they were! I can laugh now but wont be in a few days time when i try another one that’s ready!!!

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I also bought some hideously large glass pipettes to begin with and forgot how they work until i squeezed the rubber bung thinking I’d be withdrawing liquid concentrate from the bottle and not blowing a ton of air into it… the kitchen still has a strawberry aroma :rofl: so I guess I am learning! Now have digital scales etc :grin: hopefully others can learn a lot here too!

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