Which DIY calculator to use?

[Silver]

Hi all DIYers

I am beginning my DIY journey soon and wanted to know which is the best DIY calculator to use?

There seems to be three main contenders as far as I have gathered

• eJuice Me Up - application
• JuiceCalculator - application (downloadable from diyjuicecalculator.com)
• E-Liquid-recipes.com - website (ELR)

I am assuming they all do a good job with the basics. Ie you input the % of the flavours and they output the mls or weights for your scale.

I am leaning toward the web based one (ELR) to have it accessible on my iPad and my computer browser. I will do most of my mixing near my computer, but I would like to vape the juices and make notes on it when my PC is off and i have my iPad handy.

1. Which do you recommend?
2. Which one do you use?
3. Have you tried more than one and switched recently? Better or worse than the first one youve tried?
4. Have you tried several? Which one do you prefer and why?

Am hoping to hear from the experienced DIY folk - to save a lot of time testing them out for myself.

 

[incredible_hullk]

@Silver tried all 3 of the above plus some android apps. i prefer juice calculator and is the only one i use. reasons:
1) nice simple layout to use on my windows tablet
2) inventory control with stock level warnings
3)steep indicator pop up msg afer u input steep time
4) all concentrate manufacturers predefined in the code
5) storage location field in inventory control - i use numbering system
6) biggest reason is easy to use pre blend recipe maker
7) easy to switch across pcs- i store my xml file on my microsoft onedrive and have access at home, at work and on the road with my windows tablet

cons:
1) windows based - dnt like mixing with a pc spillage etc
2) lots of options to tinker (if u dont like tinkering)

 

[Silver]

Thanks @incredible_hullk

PS - I recall that thread where you guys were talking in detail about the premixes on JuiceClaculator

 

[incredible_hullk]

Thanks @incredible_hullk

PS - I recall that thread where you guys were talking in detail about the premixes on JuiceClaculator

its amazing @Silver only way i mix...mix once for steeping, so i make 5x 30ml preblends at a time..2 weeks ready to go but only 1 bottle used instead of 5 so it reduces steep time, cost ( not having to need 50 bottles) and space

 

[NewOobY]

Really happy to read that you will finally be joining us with the awesomeness we all call DIY - welcome and enjoy your journey man .

I've been using ejuice me up - I'm old, so I don't generally like changing something that works for me - you know the saying "if it ain't broke".

Only problem with it is that the number of flavours you are allowed to add is limited to 10. So if you ever have a recipe with more than 10 flavours, you will have a problem. I actually made my own little spreadsheet that works great for me - cause it also calculates the cost of the DIY. If you want it I can email it to you.

Good luck @Silver

 

[incredible_hullk]

Really happy to read that you will finally be joining us with the awesomeness we all call DIY - welcome and enjoy your journey man .

I've been using ejuice me up - I'm old, so I don't generally like changing something that works for me - you know the saying "if it ain't broke".

Only problem with it is that the number of flavours you are allowed to add is limited to 10. So if you ever have a recipe with more than 10 flavours, you will have a problem. I actually made my own little spreadsheet that works great for me - cause it also calculates the cost of the DIY. If you want it I can email it to you.

Good luck @Silver

@NewOobY juicecalculator also shows the cost per bottle made and it has a history of batches u made

 

[Silver]

Really happy to read that you will finally be joining us with the awesomeness we all call DIY - welcome and enjoy your journey man .

I've been using ejuice me up - I'm old, so I don't generally like changing something that works for me - you know the saying "if it ain't broke".

Only problem with it is that the number of flavours you are allowed to add is limited to 10. So if you ever have a recipe with more than 10 flavours, you will have a problem. I actually made my own little spreadsheet that works great for me - cause it also calculates the cost of the DIY. If you want it I can email it to you.

Good luck @Silver

Thanks very much @NewOobY

If it aint broke and its working for you then great stuff - i guess the beauty of starting out is one gets to choose a path and I am a lot like you in that respect, i dont like chopping and changing.

No need to send me the Excel sheet at the moment, but thanks for the offer - maybe in time i may ask you

 

[NewOobY]

@NewOobY juicecalculator also shows the cost per bottle made and it has a history of batches u made

damn son - I think I will have to change hey. I'll give it a shot. Thanks bro

 

[incredible_hullk]

damn son - I think I will have to change hey. I'll give it a shot. Thanks bro

not an expert but any probs pm me @NewOobY

 

[Kalashnikov]

I have tried many. EJuice lab on the Android store is by far the best app as it works very easily and Stores all your ingredients as well so when you make a recipe there is no need to manually name everything as it's all stored. It does cost R15 for it. But it's very well worth it

 

[Silver]

Ok so far the feedback has been good

I think I am going to add a poll to this soon so we can see what people are using
Will wait a bit longer in case any other apps come into play

 

[Andre]

I started off with e Juice Me Up, but moved to JuiceCalculator when I got a scale. Works perfectly for me for the reasons @incredible_hullk has listed above. The automatic creation of pre-blends from a recipe is a must.

 

[Silver]

I started off with e Juice Me Up, but moved to JuiceCalculator when I got a scale. Works perfectly for me for the reasons @incredible_hullk has listed above. The automatic creation of pre-blends from a recipe is a must.

Thanks @Andre - do you find not having it accessible online a problem? I assume not?

 

[Andre]

Thanks @Andre - do you find not having it accessible online a problem? I assume not?

No, I only use it at my PC. When out I have no need to access it.

 

[Polar]

Juicecalculator -

Great for inventory tracking if your into that sort of thing. Makes organising your flavour stash a fun experience (like the darklord of DIY) and lets you know when your running low on stuff and such. Gives you a nice breakdown of the what your newly made concoction costs so you see nice savings. You can print labels, make shopping lists, see which of your favourite recipes you can make with availible inventory, monitor steep times. Its just an all in one solution.

My first 100ml cost me R62.19 in ingredients and its not half bad

Nicotine Strength 1.50 mg
PG Level 31.00%
VG Level 69.00%
Flavor Level 12.50%
Amount to Make 100.000 ml
Cost of Recipe $62.19

 

[GregF]

I started off with e Juice Me Up, but moved to JuiceCalculator when I got a scale. Works perfectly for me for the reasons @incredible_hullk has listed above. The automatic creation of pre-blends from a recipe is a must.

I also started with eJuiceMeUp and changed to JuiceCalculator.
JuiceCalculator is by far more powerful with many more features. It is a pain to setup but once done it is a breeze.

To get past the offline scenario I have printed my recipes to PDF and put them on my phone/tablet.
I did this after a power outage once when I wanted to mix and couldnt access my recipes.

 

[incredible_hullk]

I also started with eJuiceMeUp and changed to JuiceCalculator.
JuiceCalculator is by far more powerful with many more features. It is a pain to setup but once done it is a breeze.

To get past the offline scenario I have printed my recipes to PDF and put them on my phone/tablet.
I did this after a power outage once when I wanted to mix and couldnt access my recipes.

thats a gud idea @GregF...i also keep a backup of my xml on my c drive in case of no net scenario

 

[RichJB]

Having tried ELR and eJuice Me Up, I prefer Juice Calculator. It's a pain to set up but is the most powerful for me. I don't like this whole cloud thing, I want data that I can put on disks. I don't use the inventory tracking function. If I had three appies making juice for me and couldn't trust them to tell me when supplies are low, I'd use it. But honestly, it's easier for me to just eyeball when a concentrate is getting low and write it down to add to my next order. Similarly, I don't use the cost function. DIY is so much cheaper than commercial that I don't need to quantify it further.

I don't use premixes yet because I'm still at the stage of trying out hundreds of new recipes and determining which ones will stay in my rotation. Eventually, once I've narrowed it down to maybe a dozen juices that I want in my permanent rotation, I'll start with premixes. But that's a long way off yet. Of all the juices I've tried so far, Funfetti is really the only one that I know I'll still be vaping a year down the line. There are other good ones that I've enjoyed but wouldn't be heartbroken if I never vaped them again. So I'd rather try something new than remix a good but not stellar juice.

 

[Polar]

But honestly, it's easier for me to just eyeball when a concentrate is getting low and write it down to add to my next order.

Eyeball'n might become an issue if you have 100 plus bottles with some duplicate flavours. JC tracks precise amounts remaining after every mix made. When you set up to make a certain recipe and have a few ml's to little to make it, the software lets you know. Awesome features there that you are not using.

I put a threshold of 3 ml on flavour, next order I click "add below threshold ingredients to shopping list"... Easy peezy

 

[Silver]

Ok so far the feedback has been good

I think I am going to add a poll to this soon so we can see what people are using
Will wait a bit longer in case any other apps come into play

Poll has been added

The only one I included that wasn't on my list was the one Kalashnikov suggested - eJuice lab Android App

Please cast your vote. Will be interesting to see what the DIY folk are using

 

[Kuhlkatz]

Voted for EJuiceCalculator, only because I use it. In your case it might be better to use the cloud-based ELR as you mostly use Apple.

My biggest gripe I have with ELR, is the pre-defined naming on selection when you add your own flavour stash. It includes typos and lower-case naming AND multiple definitions of the same flavors that include one or other form of the mistakes, and that seriously conflicts with my internal 'Little Grammar Nazi' and his OCD.
To get matching recipes, you unfortunately have to 'pick' the ones that matches most.

At least with EJuiceCalculator, I can replace this in existing recipes and merge the flavors to conform to MY preference.

 

[Polar]

Even though I think Juice Calculator is pretty perfect, the one thing I would like to be added as far as usability goes is an ingredient info button to the main recipe page next to each ingredient. Like the sort you hover over and it brings up the notes you have for that specific flavour. This would make designing my own concoctions easier or at least from a newby standpoint help with deciding on percentages and what not. This would also be used to bring up info such as "Contains Dikatones or Known to crack poly-carbonate tanks, etc". Seasoned mixers might not really need this though as they might know every flavour in their inventory off by heart.

And... would be great if adding new ingredients, if the program would assume I purchased it today (and if it was old stock I'm adding, I could simply edit the date). This is a very minor nuisance though.

 

[Silver]

Thanks to those who have voted in the poll so far
I see its pretty close between Juice Calculator and ELR

 

[Polar]

Even though I think Juice Calculator is pretty perfect, the one thing I would like to be added as far as usability goes is an ingredient info button to the main recipe page next to each ingredient. Like the sort you hover over and it brings up the notes you have for that specific flavour. This would make designing my own concoctions easier or at least from a newby standpoint help with deciding on percentages and what not. This would also be used to bring up info such as "Contains Dikatones or Known to crack poly-carbonate tanks, etc". Seasoned mixers might not really need this though as they might know every flavour in their inventory off by heart.

And... would be great if adding new ingredients, if the program would assume I purchased it today (and if it was old stock I'm adding, I could simply edit the date). This is a very minor nuisance though.

I'll have to say that the designer of Juice Calculator is just simply amazing. I approached him yesterday with these ideas and there are solutions today that will be implemented in the next update! I'll quote HotRod19579 below.

"Item 1 - I made a change that will be available in the next version. Any ingredients that have notes associated with them will show a small information icon after the remove button. If you hover your mouse over the icon the notes will display.

Item 2 - I'm not sure how to tackle this one. Not all notes entered will be warnings and you wouldn't want all notes displayed in the warning area. I am not sure how to allow for the ability to add warnings to associate with an ingredient. (Polar - This is perfectly covered in Item 1, ingredient warnings could be added to the top of the notes field and will then display when checking the notes from the recipe page)

Item 3 - I'm not to sure about this change. You might go into an ingredient to make other changes and I don't think you would want the purchase date to change. I did make a change that might help. You will be able to enter a "T" in the date field and when you leave the field today's date will be provided. There are also some other shortcuts that you could use
T = Today
Y = Yesterday
"T-nnn" = Today's date minus nnn days
LW = Last week, today's date minus 7 days.
LM = Last month, today's date minus 1 month.
I also made this change for the last made date on the recipe window."

 

[Silver]

Wow, thats just great @Polar
Thanks for sharing
The developer is on the ball!