Im not 100% on if i should post this here or not but it seems like a good place. Do you guys use a tank or dripper for testing flavors? Would you suggest any specific? I feel as though an RDA (dripper) would be best but how do you go about moving between flavors, and how often do you rebuild? Any specific devices and components to build with (cotton, coil material)?
Thank you everybody for the general setups, i went to the local shop and picked up an indulgence mx v5 for next to nothing. Hopefully my flavors get better. I have about 25 different concentrates from Liquid barn and have been consuming rootbeer because its easy to get right with other mixes.
A simple RDA is an easy to clean, easy to rewick option. I personally use my Derringer RDA for tasting my test batches. I use a single clapton coil and switch cotton between flavors.
As far as rebuilding coils, I think I've been running the same coil for about a month with little to no performance drop. I use the dry burn/distilled water method of washing my coil after I notice a drop in flavor. After that it works like a brand new coil so I don't see a point in rebuilding when I don't have to. That said, I do enjoy building coils just to keep things interesting.
Cool, cotton is way easier than a screwdriver.
Like the guy up top said I use my freakshow too. I use mine with a single coil. I only change the cotton when I really need to it and it tasted bad. Cotton is way easier and you should always just change cotton for a new flavor. I usually just drip on the old cotton and get rid of the old flavor that way though. Good luck playing mad scientist! That's how I feel when I make flavors anyway haha.
I use my very old rda's for testing flavours. Less airflow the better it is. I have wotofo Freakshow with single spaced 22awg kanthal 2.5mm 5 wrap coil I run around 30-40w, I also use pyrro rda clone with dual 2.5mm 24awg kanthal 6 wraps around 35-45w, sometimes I'll use single coil in my tsunami rda although it seems like flavour are not as sharp (dual coil mode I get flavour for days). After I think I nailed flavour I'll mix it at 1.25mg nicotine (I normally vape 2.5mg in my sub ohms rta) and vape like madman at 100w+ just to see how I like this flavour in amounts of 30ml+ a day. If I still liked this flavour I save it on my excel sheet and mix few 50ml @2.5mg to use when I feel like. Loads of people use cheap velocity clones from fastech for ease of testing but almost any rda will do.
Holy detail, thank you so much for that. And your methodology of testing.
No problem. When I first started diy I assumed 25drops equal 1ml (it doesn't) and I was mixing juice at 25% flavour total. I learned everything from lovely reddit people so I think only right thing to do is to share same knowledge. If you ever have any questions you can save my username and drop me message any time. If my messy way of writing doesn't bother you I can explain everything you want and I know in most detailed way I can. Good luck with your diy journey.
Definetly running single coil in the Tsunami is kind of underwhelming. But dual coil the things a beast imo.
I use cheap narda clone from FT. It is single coil, restrictive dtl. Amazing flavor, and takes a minute to splash it and to rewick.
Edit: basic kanthal a1 awg26 or awg 24, 0.5-1 Ohm and Japanese cotton.
I single flavor test mostly using a simple build in my Sapor.
I recipe flavor test using 2 different vapes. One is a simple SS 316L 26ga build in a Petri v2 and the other is a triple fused SS 316L clapton in a Kennedy 25.
My tanks are for vaping up test batches quickly to not waste them lol. If I have something I want to vape through to get rid of, I throw it in my Limitless Plus. That thing chugs juice.
Yup... LL RDTA+ will go through all your inventory in no time specially if u r using claptons variety and filling the tank. If I use it as a dripper with simple coil, it will not crush mu bottles as fast.
I was looking at an RDTA today but most of my tests are only 15ml. I would usually throw 3-5ml in my tfv8 and vape, if i didnt like it i would vape it out or dump it and then return after a few days of something else to let the test steep a bit longer. Patience is hard for me and new flavors lol.
everybody is going to tell you something different but this is why diy has been going on for years and you can hardly find a good recipe :) maybe the answer is bridgeless atomizers and mixing very small batches using drops of flavors as parts and testing between each and ever drop pretty much as you build up a flavor. something like http://www.kidneypuncher.com/kp-long-barrel-sealed-atomizer/ I strongly disagree with any method that just brainstorms up complex recipes and makes batches to test. it seems like a huge shot in the dark to me and the success rate of that is going to be pretty low if your goal is something premium and not just usable.
I have been doing drops, and adding enhancers as it steeps. Specifically blueraspberry and sour. My next one will be a base of about 6 flavorsand seeing how they accent eachother as a whole. Its not really a shot in the dark if you have a general idea of the flavor you want. Mind you these are only personal and it will probably taste different to the next guy. But complexity is part of the fun and you can learn way more about a flavor or set of flavors by seeing how they respond. Its all just fun man.
I myself use my goon with a set of alien coils or my baby beast tank