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Uwell Caliburn questions
submitted over 5 years ago by TheTeaSet66

Chewed wintergreen and mint snuff for ten years. Haven’t chewed in 3. Smoked socially while chewing. Smoked menthol cigarettes full time after I quit chewing. Switch to a Juul back in June and haven’t smoked since. Now I’m trying to reduce my Juul usage to start stepping down off nicotine and save some money while I’m at it. I was going through a pod a day at least and even the 3rd party pods were ~$2.50/ea

Ordered a Caliburn and it’ll be here tomorrow. Looking to make my own juice to save even more money.

Came to this sub and read through the sidebar/FAQ/wiki/helpful video. Used the search bar to find an answer to my questions, but I saw mixed responses from various posts 3-5 months ago. Here are my questions?

  1. Do I have to use Nic Salt or can I use freebase in the Caliburn? I’ve seen mixed responses. Most have said both are fine but some have said salt seemed to work better for them and/or was more similar to a juul hit. Can anyone confirm?

  2. What’s the proper PG/VG ratio for the Caliburn? I’ve read 50/50 is most like Juul, but I’ve also read the Caliburn is prone to spit back when there’s too much PG so a 40pg/60vg is better. I’ve also seen 30PG/70VG is too thick and the juice won’t wick well enough which shortens the lifespan of the pods. Has anyone had a Caliburn long enough to confidently say which ratio has helped their pods last longer and cause less spit back?

  3. I normally use 5% nicotine pods in my Juul. Would this recipe be similar to what I’m used to?

30ml total, 5mg strength, 50/50 PG/VG, 100mg PG nicotine (salt or freebase)

5% PG nicotine 35% PG dilutant 50% VG dilutant 10% PG flavor mixture

  1. I really enjoy iced and menthol flavors, but I’ve seen one or two reports of them killing the coils quicker. Is that actually the case or was it other factors? Has any Caliburn users had good luck vaping minty/menthol juices?

  2. Last question. I’ve seen a few comments saying the Caliburn tends to mute flavors and simpler recipes (1-2 flavors) at 10-15% worked best. Is this a general rule Caliburn users have been sticking to with their recipes or have I misunderstood what I’ve been reading?

Sorry for the wall of text and thank you for any help or advice anyone can offer!

Comments
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3 points
 
by TimInElmiraover 5 years ago

What you must keep in mind is that the Caliburn and Juul are low power devices: ALL pod/mod/AIO's are and share inherent differences with stock coil tanks and rebuildables. I can't find a recommendation anywhere on Uwell's website but vendors recommend a 60VG/40PG ratio. However, as you pointed out, you will find comments here on Reddit that say something else: your mileage may vary.

All low power pod/mod/AIO's suffer from muted flavor due to insufficient power: although you may taste top notes, the low power does not deliver the subtleties of low percentage accent flavors. 1-2 flavors totaling 10-15% is a good guideline, but not necessarily a hard and fast rule.

Which nicotine you use will depend on what level you want to vape at. Freebase provides more throat hit than nic salts. You can use low levels of freebase in a Caliburn (~up to 18 mg/ml) and nic salts for higher. p.s. you could just use nic salt: it's still nicotine. It's just that freebase is cheaper than salts.

I haven't had issues with menthol burning coils. What does burn coils is sweetener, which is loaded in many commercial juices. Welcome to DIY where you can develop your own personal favorite flavor without sweetener.

1 points
 
by TheTeaSet66over 5 years ago

Thank you so much for your response. That really puts my mind at ease and makes me feel like I’ve understood everything I read from the sidebar and wiki last night. Did my generic recipe make sense then?

1 points
 
by TimInElmiraover 5 years ago

>Did my generic recipe make sense then?

Yes. You're on the right track. Depending on what flavors you use, you could be looking at 15-20% flavoring for a pod recipe.

1 points
 
by TheTeaSet66over 5 years ago

That makes me so happy to hear! I haven’t decided on flavors yet. I’ve got a friend that doesn’t use flavors anymore and he’s giving me his whole collection on Friday. I’ll probably start from there. I prefer citrus/mint/menthol flavors over sweet/cream or tobacco flavors. I’ve had Ice Monster Strawmelon Apple 48mg in a refillable juul pod and loved that.

1 points
 
by swissarmy_fleshlightover 5 years ago

My caliburn gives me better flavor than my Berserker MTL, My dot mod aio with rba and a 1.2ohm clapton coil i made, any other damn device I have had.

1 points
 
by Jbennett99over 5 years ago

Looking to make a good menthol juice for my caliburn. What do you suggest recipe wise?

1 points
 
by TimInElmiraover 5 years ago

1% FW Extreme Ice 39% PG 60% VG Extreme Ice has been described as a candy cane with menthol (it has spearmint and peppermint oil in it). If it's not strong enough, try 2%. I prefer this over straight menthol.

If you want JUST a menthol, try 0.5% TFA Menthol. This stuff is strong, so step 0.5% at a time if you are going stronger.

1 points
 
by Jbennett99over 5 years ago

Right on, now ws-13 kind of just adds a cooling effect on inhale and exhale right? If so how much would I add for that? I haven’t mixed in a long time, tried to mix something up last night before I saw this and it just taste like vanilla asshole and is burning my coils. Also for the caliburn would you still suggest a 60/40 VG/pg ratio? That’s what I did last night and it seems it’s not wicking well (cause of my burnt coils I’m assuming)

2 points
 
by torma616over 5 years ago

I use the caliburn with Pod Juice Jewel Mint 55mg exclusively, and I get about 2-3 weeks out of each pod (refilling once every 1-2 days)

1 points
 
by TheTeaSet66over 5 years ago

Is there a reason you don’t make your own juice for the Caliburn? I’ve heard good things about the Jewel Mint juice, and after paying for Juul pods the last 7 months it’s already cheaper than that, but now that I’ve seen how cheap it is to make my own, it seems a bit much to pay $10-15 for a 30ml bottle.

2 points
 
by torma616over 5 years ago

Long story short, I tried in the past ultimately it just didn't seem like a good use of my time.

I'd love to help support a smaller operation, like someone local who DIYs, but ever since RHV shut down I haven't found anyone, and I just don't have the time or energy to do it myself.

1 points
 
by TheTeaSet66over 5 years ago

I totally get it!

2 points
 
by uncle-antiover 5 years ago

Correct me if I’m wrong but isn’t 5% Juul equivalent to 50mg nicotine?

1 points
 
by TheTeaSet66over 5 years ago

That’s the part I’m still trying to understand. And the only reason I haven’t ordered all my supplies for DIY yet. I thought it was 50mg too but when I read through the sidebar, watched the “getting started” video, and played with the recipe calculator 100mg/ml appeared to be the standard. I’ve seen 48mg/ml nicotine and wondered if that’s what I was supposed to use instead. But with the recipe calculator I could adjust my recipe to be 5% nicotine so I thought maybe the mg level of nicotine didn’t matter as much. I’d just be using less of the 100mg in a recipe to achieve a 5% juice. Saving more money overall.

2 points
 
by uncle-antiover 5 years ago

Yes, I remember reading the % is a reference to pure nicotine which is 1000mg. Get 250mg salts in pg, if you can. Then your mix will be 20% nicotine = 50mg and the rest 80% will be pg, vg and your flavours. Remember to shake everything up well, before you use them to mix. Best of luck. It’s really quite easy once you get over all the acronyms and the science bits, which are simple too. Get a digital scales and some beakers and funnels and some smaller bottles to break your nic down for freezing for long term storage. 👍🏼

1 points
 
by TheTeaSet66over 5 years ago

I’ve got all that stuff on the list. I’ll put back the other nicotines and get the 250mg salt instead. Thanks for all the help!

2 points
 
by llsardonicllover 5 years ago

You are on the right track. 100mg/ml nic salt base would be 10%, which you could dilute down to 5%. 48mg/ml would be 4.8% so you couldn't make a 5% with it.

1 points
 
by TheTeaSet66over 5 years ago

I missed the part about diluting nicotine in the sidebar I think. Do you just mix with PG to dilute?

1 points
 
by DrBrogboover 5 years ago

5%, like in the Juul pods, is 50 mg/mL. Pure 100% nicotine is 1,000 mg/mL. The average person can't get nicotine concentrations that strong, though, so 100 mg/mL is usually the standard, although some places sell 250 mg/mL. It's 10% pure nicotine (or 25% for the 250) suspended in either PG or VG, so shake it well before using it.

If you're trying to match the Juul and go for 50 mg/mL juice, you will need to buy either 250mg/mL salt nicotine suspended in PG (since 50/50 final mixture would require half the bottle be nicotine if you're using 100 mg/mL, leaving no room for flavorings at all), 100 mg/mL nicotine suspended in VG (leaving room for PG-based flavorings), or 100 mg/mL nicotine in a 50/50 distribution already.

Be careful with nicotine, though. Use gloves when working with it, measure three times, wash your hands immediately afterwards, and store it high up in the freezer where no kids or pets can ever get to it (also, it lasts longer in the freezer. You can transfer some to a smaller bottle that you work out of, which is stored in the fridge).

1 points
 
by TheTeaSet66over 5 years ago

So on the recipe calculator where it says “desired strength __mg” I should put 50 instead of 5? I plan on ordering smaller glass bottles for the nicotine. I’ve got plenty of nitrile gloves from growing Carolina reapers and making hot sauce. I’ve also got an outdoor freezer where I store my peppers. Kids can’t reach and are never outside unsupervised.

1 points
 
by AtheismRocksHahaover 5 years ago

Actually because Juul pods aren't a full mL it's 59mg/mL

1 points
 
by uncle-antiover 5 years ago

Close, but no cigar, huh. Ha.

0 points
 
by rubermnkeyover 5 years ago

yes, so for 5% juice with 100 mg nic he would need it to be 50% nic, not 5%. so probably going to want to look at the 250 mg nic salts or find 100 mg nic in a 50/50 vg/pg suspension.

2 points
 
by Datto910over 5 years ago

My wife used a caliburn as her only device for about 3-4 months. I found 70vg to work well. Got about 30ml thru a pod before swapping out. Could have gone longer too cotton was still in pretty decent condition most of the time and not too much gunk stuck to coil. Would always just change pod when I mixed her up a fresh bottle. 30ml lasted her about 3-4weeks.

She only changed devices coz I got a target mini 2 as a part of a deal and she thought it looked cute.

2 points
 
by TheTeaSet66over 5 years ago

I’m going through a juul pod a day. Even if I can get a week out of a pod I’ll be happier than what I have now. Seems like most are getting much more life out of their pods than that though so I’m excited to start using mine tomorrow. Already have a bottle of 50/50 48mg Ice Monster from my local B&M that I refilled juul pods with. I’ll see how that does and try the 70/30 when my DIY supplies come in. Thanks for the advice!

2 points
 
by doctor_yapover 5 years ago

I use 60/40 salt nic at 15mg that I make myself in my Cali.

No spitback, pods last me 3~ weeks on average. I don’t really keep track of it back most I get more than that. When I used commercial juices I’d sometimes get a week before I couldn’t taste anything.

1 points
 
by TheTeaSet66over 5 years ago

Good to know. Thanks!

2 points
 
by noam_compsciover 5 years ago

I had a great vape experience with 2.5% (25mg), 70:30 salts. Start with Single flavour profiles (like a mix of mangos, or strawberry). Maybe add one secondary note.

1 points
 
by TheTeaSet66over 5 years ago

I’ve definitely seen a lot of people saying to keep the flavors simple with the Caliburn because it doesn’t have enough oomph to taste the subtleties of most recipes.

Edit: thanks for the ratio info as well. I wouldn’t mind to step down my Nic levels a bit. That’s the end goal anyways.

2 points
 
by Kajilalanizover 5 years ago

Apologies if it’s been said already but tbdliquids.com!!!! These guys have the pod game down. Juice specially designed for the Caliburn. 10/10

1 points
 
by TheTeaSet66over 5 years ago

Help me understand a little better please. I appreciate all your help so far.

I bought a 30ml bottle of a nic salt juice from my local B&M that says 48mg on the front and 4.8% nicotine.

So this recipe is essentially 48% 100mg/ml PG nic sat, 50%VG, and 2% PG flavor? But somehow that’s only 4.8% nicotine.

2 points
 
by cldzvpover 5 years ago

100mg/ml is a 10% nicotine solution, so a 48mg (/ml) juice will be also called 4.8% nic.

You would want to buy salt nic, since freebase is not vapable at higher concentrations.

You would want to get a VG base salt nic, (or 50VG/50PG) since with a PG base you will have too much PG at your higher concentration juice. If you buy one 120ml bottle of VG based nic and one VG/PG based nic that should be enough for your first purchase. Also get a liter or gallon of VG and a smaller bottle of PG. Make sure to find a coupon code, almost every nic vendor will have something for diy-ers or first purchases. If you can't find it ask here or call them on the phone, they will tell you.

You would preferably want to buy salt nic that's noted as "smooth" for your 50mg juice. (I used to use NN smooth salt VG for my 50mg juice, but I don't vape that strength anymore, LNW is also supposed to be the smooth kind) but any salt nic will do really.

Mint and menthol e-juice can be super simple or as complicated as you want it. Try FA wintergreen and INW menthol&eucalyptus...buy small 15ml bottles of flavorings before you figure out your favorites, plus you can add cooling additives for the fun of it. As to how much flavoring you'll use, no one can tell, but it'll be straight forward to you once you start testing your mixes, first do a lick test on the back of your palm, you'll see how potent each flavoring is, it'll be pretty easy from there.

1 points
 
by TheTeaSet66over 5 years ago

So 1/10 of my recipe strength is the percentage of nicotine in my juice? That makes more sense.

Could I just do 40% PG Nic Salt, 50% VG, and 10% PG flavors for a 50/50 juice? That would put my strength at 40mg or 4% nicotine. That’s not too far off from my Juul.

Thanks for the tips on menthol flavors!

2 points
 
by cldzvpover 5 years ago

Yes you can do that, if hitting 50mg is not a must and you can vape 50 % PG which some people can some can't and 10% flavoring is way too much for 99% of people if we are talking menthol/mint only.
For high nic juices VG salt is the name of game, otherwise you'll need to compromise and might not be happy. You whole first purchase will be around $60-80, that'll give you juice for months to no end, you'll never look back.

There are free e-juice calculators and apps everywhere, just search on google. Also do a search here in the subreddit for mint and menthol and you'll get a better idea.

1 points
 
by TheTeaSet66over 5 years ago

That makes sense. Thank you!

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