Need some scale help!

Hi everyone
So I tried to get my wife into DIY with me over the weekend and it turned out to be a bit of a disaster. We first tried to mix some 10ml batches of various juices, just to see which ones she likes.
I have a 0.01gm scale from BlckVapour and we mixed directly from the concentrate bottles into the little 10ml bottles...

HERE IS THE Poblem:
In some of the recipes, a flavour needs for instance 0.5%, which is 0.05gms on a 10ml batch. She has a degree in Biochemistry, so accurate lab work is one of her favourite things.... she carefully dropped a single drop into the bottle, then another, then another and on she went... by 15 drops the scale still had not updated a weight. There is no way that 15 drops can be less than 0.01 grams, so obviously the scale is struggling to register the drops as one at a time. I tried doing "larger drops" as a test and the scale would jump to 0.02 grams and drop down to 0.00, this happened 5 times.

My question to the pros like @Rude Rudi @Andre @StompieZA @BATMAN @Steyn777 is, is there an "analogue" replacement that I can use in such small quantities? I mean something like 3 drops = 0.05 grams, or whatever it comes out to?

TIA.

If you're using the eliquid recipes site, there is an option to display your recipe quantities in drops instead of grams

X-Calibre786 said:

If you're using the eliquid recipes site, there is an option to display your recipe quantities in drops instead of grams

View attachment 178385

Click to expand...

Very cool!
I did not know that, I am currently using the calculator on Steam Engine, so will definitely check that out. Thank you!

CJB85 said:

Hi everyone
So I tried to get my wife into DIY with me over the weekend and it turned out to be a bit of a disaster. We first tried to mix some 10ml batches of various juices, just to see which ones she likes.
I have a 0.01gm scale from BlckVapour and we mixed directly from the concentrate bottles into the little 10ml bottles...

HERE IS THE Poblem:
In some of the recipes, a flavour needs for instance 0.5%, which is 0.05gms on a 10ml batch. She has a degree in Biochemistry, so accurate lab work is one of her favourite things.... she carefully dropped a single drop into the bottle, then another, then another and on she went... by 15 drops the scale still had not updated a weight. There is no way that 15 drops can be less than 0.01 grams, so obviously the scale is struggling to register the drops as one at a time. I tried doing "larger drops" as a test and the scale would jump to 0.02 grams and drop down to 0.00, this happened 5 times.

My question to the pros like @Rude Rudi @Andre @StompieZA @BATMAN @Steyn777 is, is there an "analogue" replacement that I can use in such small quantities? I mean something like 3 drops = 0.05 grams, or whatever it comes out to?

TIA.

Click to expand...

The scales are sometimes a bit slow to register changes. Blow on the scale lightly - it should "wake it up".


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RenaldoRheeder said:

The scales are sometimes a bit slow to register changes. Blow on the scale lightly - it should "wake it up".


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Click to expand...

We thought as much, so I even tried to lightly tap on the top of the bottle just to see something register on the scale. I will try blowing on it next time and see if it makes a difference, thanks!

On another note, the scale's manual states that it can auto-calibrate, or calibrate manually with calibration weights. I just followed the manual route (as calibration weights cost almost as much as the scale did. Would it have made a difference if I manually calibrated it?

I found that these little R120 pocket scales are not that accurate. The bigger one +-R250 much better. Also if you tarre it to 0 the whole time is struggles to register the first drops.
So first I tarre with empty bottle, then add nic, then pg and then the concentrates. Never tarre in between just plus the next value on my phone calculator

Jean claude Vaaldamme said:

I found that these little R120 pocket scales are not that accurate. The bigger one +-R250 much better. Also if you tarre it to 0 the whole time is struggles to register the first drops.
So first I tarre with empty bottle, then add nic, then pg and then the concentrates. Never tarre in between just plus the next value on my phone calculator

Click to expand...

I have this one, not sure if it is a good one or not.
https://blckvapour.co.za/collections/accesories/products/digital-scale-0-01-500g

I will also try mix up the order that I do things in, thanks!

Hey @CJB85 - Hope you're well!! Just thought I'd share my experience and a few tips that may come in helpful to you...

I have the exact same scale and had the same experience as you did in the beginning with the scale not registering anything after dropping in however many drops of flavour concentrate. I then decided to test the scale sensitivity with plain PG so I didn't waste more flavouring.

My assumption is that the scale has some bad logic in its firmware and it's trying to perform error correction on minimal weight differences as if they are disruptions to the scale such as a slight bump or movement of the work surface etc.

If you tare the scale with an empty bottle and note the negative weight, then add multiple drops of PG one as a time at a slow pace for maybe about 10-20 drops, then check the negative weight again and you should see a difference.

So after determining that the scale is temperamental with reading small amounts I tried using an improvised constant weight offset.
I took a small plastic bottle, weighed it and then added a blob of Prestik to the scale which I added and removed from until the scale said 10.00g. I put the Prestik in the bottle and used the improvised 10g weight to act as an offset. I then found the scale to be more responsive to only a few drops.

This was all good and well but it took a lot of the fun out of mixing for me which led to further testing.

Here's a summary of my tips:

• One drop of most concentrates with unicorn nozzles is 0.02g.
• One drop of CAP Super Sweet is closer to 0.03g.
• Drops from bottles with bigger nozzles are about 0.03g each.
  
• If the scale is on 0.00g then you need to put in about 3-4 drops in rather quick succession for the scale to register the change.
• If the scale is on a value other than 0.00g, putting in a single drop typically won't register.
  Pace yourself and try doing 2-3 drops as a time.
• If you are trying to put a single drop into an existing volume, then touch the scale lightly with your fingertip while dripping the flavouring in and when you lift your finger the reading should have changed.
• When putting in small quantities with the scale on 0.00g, place your finger on the scale and then count the drops. 3 drops seems to be enough for my scale to get the ball rolling.
• I typically mix a 24ml sample which results in 0.25% equalling 3 drops, 0.5% equalling 6 drops etc.
  For safety sakes with small quantities of unfamiliar concentrates, I drip one or two drops less than assumed and check my reading before just dripping 3 or 6 drops.
• A recipe that calls for 0.07% is pretty much 1 drop in a 30ml.
  
• With CAP Super Sweet and some other concentrates being heavier I will count the drops using 0.03g as my weight per drop.

Sorry if I waffled a bit but hopefully this will help...

takatatak said:

Hey @CJB85 - Hope you're well!! Just thought I'd share my experience and a few tips that may come in helpful to you...

I have the exact same scale and had the same experience as you did in the beginning with the scale not registering anything after dropping in however many drops of flavour concentrate. I then decided to test the scale sensitivity with plain PG so I didn't waste more flavouring.

My assumption is that the scale has some bad logic in its firmware and it's trying to perform error correction on minimal weight differences as if they are disruptions to the scale such as a slight bump or movement of the work surface etc.

If you tare the scale with an empty bottle and note the negative weight, then add multiple drops of PG one as a time at a slow pace for maybe about 10-20 drops, then check the negative weight again and you should see a difference.

So after determining that the scale is temperamental with reading small amounts I tried using an improvised constant weight offset.
I took a small plastic bottle, weighed it and then added a blob of Prestik to the scale which I added and removed from until the scale said 10.00g. I put the Prestik in the bottle and used the improvised 10g weight to act as an offset. I then found the scale to be more responsive to only a few drops.

This was all good and well but it took a lot of the fun out of mixing for me which led to further testing.

Here's a summary of my tips:

• One drop of most concentrates with unicorn nozzles is 0.02g.
• One drop of CAP Super Sweet is closer to 0.03g.
• Drops from bottles with bigger nozzles are about 0.03g each.
  
• If the scale is on 0.00g then you need to put in about 3-4 drops in rather quick succession for the scale to register the change.
• If the scale is on a value other than 0.00g, putting in a single drop typically won't register.
  Pace yourself and try doing 2-3 drops as a time.
• If you are trying to put a single drop into an existing volume, then touch the scale lightly with your fingertip while dripping the flavouring in and when you lift your finger the reading should have changed.
• When putting in small quantities with the scale on 0.00g, place your finger on the scale and then count the drops. 3 drops seems to be enough for my scale to get the ball rolling.
• I typically mix a 24ml sample which results in 0.25% equalling 3 drops, 0.5% equalling 6 drops etc.
  For safety sakes with small quantities of unfamiliar concentrates, I drip one or two drops less than assumed and check my reading before just dripping 3 or 6 drops.
• A recipe that calls for 0.07% is pretty much 1 drop in a 30ml.
  
• With CAP Super Sweet and some other concentrates being heavier I will count the drops using 0.03g as my weight per drop.

Sorry if I waffled a bit but hopefully this will help...

Click to expand...

Do you have a scale?

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I found the same issue @CJB85

I did what @Jean claude Vaaldamme suggested. Put in the other ingredients first and not taring each time, just adding up as I go. It did seem more responsive that way once it has some weight on it

But I am a rookie DIYer so I am not experienced in this

CJB85 said:

Hi everyone
So I tried to get my wife into DIY with me over the weekend and it turned out to be a bit of a disaster. We first tried to mix some 10ml batches of various juices, just to see which ones she likes.
I have a 0.01gm scale from BlckVapour and we mixed directly from the concentrate bottles into the little 10ml bottles...

HERE IS THE Poblem:
In some of the recipes, a flavour needs for instance 0.5%, which is 0.05gms on a 10ml batch. She has a degree in Biochemistry, so accurate lab work is one of her favourite things.... she carefully dropped a single drop into the bottle, then another, then another and on she went... by 15 drops the scale still had not updated a weight. There is no way that 15 drops can be less than 0.01 grams, so obviously the scale is struggling to register the drops as one at a time. I tried doing "larger drops" as a test and the scale would jump to 0.02 grams and drop down to 0.00, this happened 5 times.

My question to the pros like @Rude Rudi @Andre @StompieZA @BATMAN @Steyn777 is, is there an "analogue" replacement that I can use in such small quantities? I mean something like 3 drops = 0.05 grams, or whatever it comes out to?

TIA.

Click to expand...

I have the same problem with this one from FlavourWorld, cruel little sh%t of a scale, just auto tares' small amounts on me. Now I go by drops which is tedious but saves me a heart attack from wanting to kill a frikken scale dead!

The vaper said:

Do you have a scale?

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Click to expand...

First sentence of the second paragraph:
I have the exact same scale...
These tips just pertain to using the bloody thing to measure small amounts without ripping my hair out.

Must be an issue with the scale. I have a R100 scale and have never had an issue.

Also be aware that being slightly out isn't a fatal error. Recipes aren't the Holy Grail, the juice doesn't turn to junk if you are slightly out. Quite the contrary, I often tweak recipes the second time I mix them, dropping half a percent here, adding 0.75% there. I'll always mix it up correctly first time just so that I know I'm tasting what the mixer intended. But thereafter, I tweak to my palate. If a recipe calls for 3% FA Zeppola and you bump it to 4%, it's not going to kill it. In fact, it might even be better for your palate.

The only thing you need to be really careful with is super-potent flavours like Flv Rich Cinnamon. If a recipe calls for one drop of Rich Cinn and you accidentally splurge three drops into the bottle, you'll definitely taste it. But being five or six drops out on 5% of TFA VBIC is neither here nor there.

Also, don't be afraid to tweak once the recipe is mixed. Let's say you mix a recipe with 5% blueberry and 0.5% lemon. You try it after a steep and the blueberry is there but you can't taste any lemon. You don't have to vape it like this just because it's faithful to the original recipe. Add another 0.3% of lemon, shake and vape and see if the lemon is registering now for you. Maybe the lemon has faded on the steep and the original mixer did it shake and vape. Maybe he is very sensitive to lemon and you're not. Maybe his lemon was fresh and potent, yours is older and has faded a bit in the bottle. Maybe he was using a coil/wire type/wattage that helps the lemon to register, your setup is different. It might be his/her recipe but it's your juice. Make it work for you. If it's not exactly the same as the recipe, who cares?

CJB85 said:

I have this one, not sure if it is a good one or not.
https://blckvapour.co.za/collections/accesories/products/digital-scale-0-01-500g

I will also try mix up the order that I do things in, thanks!

Click to expand...

Same as what I have been using since I started mixing.


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It’s a tare error on scales, even more accurate ones, when small amounts are added initially, it tries to follow the zero. A simple solution for this is to add something on the scale for it to register a small amount, 0.1g for instance, then just add the amount you’re aiming for on top of that. That’ll make it accurate. When you Tate again, remove the weight, Tare, replace and repeat. That should work.