Close
0%
0%

The End of an Evil Industry

Ending big tobacco through the disruptive power of 3D printing and opensource hardware. Saving peoples lives and money.

Similar projects worth following
Ejuice printer. Built using openhardware and 3D printed pieces. Vaping is predicted to overtake the tobacco industry by 2020. Let's help make that happen by opensourcing nicotine addiction in a healthier, cheaper way. An Ejuice printer poses many positive implications for the end consumer and even the environment. I will update with a more complete explanation as the project move along.

Currently looking for someone capable of coding the controls of this. I have a pretty good layout of what needs to be done but I lack programming experience and need someone to translate my layout into something functional.

Why opensource this project instead of trying to monetize it? Well for a couple reasons. One I believe this idea is too much for one person to have a hold on. It should be a community effort. Also going this route makes it effectively un-banable. Which is another reason for choosing 3D printed parts and openhardware.

Update: Peristaltic pump seems to be the best way to go about this, luckily thanks to the comment section I found a 3D printed version from another Hackaday post! Funny how that works out so nicely.

This is just a basic render with 3 stations. The end product will be scalable to fit the users needs / space requirements.


Another advantage of an open-source design is that it could make the switch from analog (traditional cigs) to an ecig easier by having the community generating / voting on juice mixes that mirror the taste of the name brand of cigarettes they are hooked on.

Ejuice sold in stores can't claim to be mimicking the taste of a brand name cigarette for obvious copy right reasons. This might turn smokers away from trying vaping or sticking to it because they can't find the flavor that most accurately mimics what they used to smoke. A DIY Home Mixer solves that...

Imagine a website, we'll call it TheJuiceBay.com for this example, where users that just made the switch can go and pick "Camel Clone v2" and out comes an ejuice that tastes no different than the brand they are imitating. Clones of big tobacco, Clones of Ejuice brands found in stores, Clones of Clones. You get the idea.


Why it matters:

1 - Low income smokers can spend upwards of 30% of their income on cigarettes.

Vaping is much cheaper but still not good enough when store bought juice can go for $23 per 30mL. Making juice yourself cuts cost down to $2-3 per 30mL. This will give people struggling with nicotine addiction a very large chunk of money back. In the long term the extra money may even help them quit entirely. Many studies show that addiction is made worse when there are no attractive alternatives (being broke) vs having money to spend on other activities which helps break the addiction cycle.

2 - Environmental Aspect

Vaping is much better for the environment. A DIY home printer increases that through several aspects. Shipping is cut down drastically. Instead of trucks shipping packs to stores then the smoker driving to the store and home, they will be able to just print of their nicotine fix from the comfort of home. Also waste is cut down immensely. Instead of 2 packs, 40 butts, and 2 cellophane wrappers being littered waste is cut down to a reusable bottle.

3 - It's better for the user (not saying healthy! Just a better alternative)

Just talk to any ex-smoker converted to ecigs. They'll explain this one for me. Cutting down on smoking related deaths and disease would be a huge win world-wide.

4 - Marijuana Legalization

What's this doing on the list you might ask. Well a DIY ejuice printer aids the quest for marijuana legalization in two ways. The first is that this printer and vaping in general stand to make the gov. loose billions in tax revenue (they will start taxing ejuice heavily but if everyone makes it at home they won't be collecting much). This will cause a massive tax deficit and force the gov's hand to legalize weed to make up for the difference. Politics are subject to change. Money is constant. For example a new president (Chris Christie) could easily destroy the systems some states already have in place if elected. It would be much harder for a politician to make a move like that if they no longer have the revenue from big tobacco. Hit them where it hurts.... right in the pockets.

4.20 - The second reason is that users can make THC infused ejuice and the flavoring masks the smell. Can't enforce prohibition if it suddenly goes from being the most detectable drug to untraceable.

This category hits home with me. I suffered a TBI (traumatic brain injury) in my early teens. I started smoking weed and noticed it helped. Doctors confirmed this along with tons of research on the internet. It makes me sick that I live in a country where soldiers are so disrespected (many suffer TBI in the line of duty).

Lets make this change by crashing big tobacco on its head.

View all 7 components

  • This is a major event

    conklinnick10/26/2015 at 17:23 0 comments

    Puffing good shit, even though that bullshit's cheaper

    It's magic, we're turning this bag into ether

    Yo, is your hand on the wheel?

    Steer, you in control

    Take your foot off the gas now hit cruise control

    Well hackers I'm sad to say this will probably be the last update from me. I recently became unemployed again due to the job I landed being too physically demanding. It sucks being 20 and sick. It sucks even more when due to political bullshit you are forced to relocated to another coast of the country leaving behind family and friends while being sick and in turn struggle to hold a job.

    I want to give a shout out to:

    DIY Animatronics

    for suggesting I leave this http://www.instructables.com/id/3D-Printed-Syringe-Pump-Rack/ here. While it might not have the ease of putting a bottle on a linear actuator and letting it mix, this syringe rack will certainly get the job done. I'm sure if anyone is motivated enough to build one of these I have certainly laid the ground work on this project. I just don't have the funds to invest myself at this moment in time.


  • I Survived this.

    conklinnick10/25/2015 at 02:07 0 comments

    3rd rail jam. Mountain Creek NJ 2011. Knocked a GoPro mount right of my helmet from an impact to the back side of my head.

  • Neuroprotection, immune suppresion, anti-inflamitory.

    conklinnick10/25/2015 at 00:46 0 comments

  • E-cigarettes 95% less harmful than tobacco

    conklinnick08/20/2015 at 05:53 0 comments

    UK study: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2015/08/19/e-cigarettes-5-percent-less-harmful-than-tobacco-uk-study-says/

    Well I missed the deadline to have a video uploaded :( there's always next year.....

    Sometimes life gets in the way and even amazing projects like the Hackaday Prize have to be temporarily sidelined. It's 2 AM Thursday. I leave to drive from NY to CO in two days to start a new job and a career in manufacturing. Much more important than a chance to win a trip to space believe it or not. At least this gives me the chance to finalize changes and get ready for the 2016 contest. This project is getting completed one way or another!

  • I got a job! Moving from NY to CO!

    conklinnick08/07/2015 at 04:08 1 comment

    Hey guys!

    Sorry for the slow progress on this project. Up until this past Monday I have been unemployed with having less than $15 to my name at times. Yeah kind of your stereotypical broke hacker. Needless to say I had no money to spend on this project.

    Not any more! I recently accepted a job out in Denver. My birthday is coming up on the 12th (going to be 20!) and I have a ton to do in the way of seeing family and friends, packing, and finding a place to rent. This is a dream coming true, I have wanted to live in the Boulder-Denver area my entire life since growing up and watching ski movies.

    Once I get out there, start working, and get settled I'll really be able to focus in on finishing this project up! Not much is left short of having the funds to order the remaining components. I also plan on taking advantage of the wealth of Maker / Hacker spaces in the area if I need assistance in any of the final stages.

  • I 3d printed my brain being 3d printed

    conklinnick08/07/2015 at 03:59 0 comments

    Something cool I've been working on as a side project. I figured I would post it here since its a 3d print of my actual brain and I have discussed how I had a TBI.

    Based of 2d fMRI slices from a recent check up, reconstructed into a 3d model then edited to be suitable for printing. I couldn't render the top section of the brain so it appears flat. I designed the brain being 3d printed based on Autodesk's open-source Ember SLA printer to hide this imperfection. Physically printed on a Form1+.

    Also here is an interesting patent: US6630507 B1

    Titled "Cannabinoids as antioxidants and neuroprotectants"

    Owned by the US Gov. specifically The Department Of Health And Human Services

  • Random Ramblings

    conklinnick07/30/2015 at 08:18 0 comments

    This entry is dedicated to explaining the logic behind why this mixer as a concept has the ability to severely financially damage the tobacco industry and why that will aid in the legalization of cannabis.

    Picture TOR. The system works because there are others using it. You can’t be anonymous alone.

    E-Juice is a physical router. Every bottle of nicotine ejuice is serving as a proxy to those using cannabis infused ejuice. Through our postal system and in everyday situations.

    Even in some states that have decriminalized cannabis, oils and edibles are still considered a felony. Ironically edibles and oil are what those using for medical purposes most need.

    There needs to be a way to organize an underground railroad of access to cannabis hidden in ejuice (tinctures for edible effect and oil infused for a vaporized effect) to patients in need that don’t happen to be fortunate enough to live in a non-ass-backwards state.

    Location should not limit access. One country united. Not one country where a child with epilepsy will be allowed to die in one state where a state over they would have access to lifesaving medication.

    This puts the gov. in an interesting position. They will want to straight out ban ecigs and fear monger with poorly conducted studies just like how they said weed kills brain cells after gas masking a monkey for several minutes straight.

    Banning ejuice & ecigs would cause a generation addicted to them to make the switch to traditional cigarettes.

    A moral dilemma. Protect big tobacco and the tax money it generates and damn another generation to be plagued with smoking related diseases or deal with it and find a way to supplement the lost income. I suggest cannabis.


    Also with 3d printing ecigs and the common uses of the ingredients ejuice consists of will make it impossible to ban. VG and PG are common ingredients that are used in a wide range of applications. The flavor extracts existed before ecigs, they are for flavoring candy. It’ll be another case of the waterpipe (candy flavoring) VS the bong (using the flavoring for ejuice) if they choose to use the ban-hammer.

  • Control system

    conklinnick07/12/2015 at 07:19 0 comments

    Working on the digital side of the project. Looking to tackle it by combining and tweaking:

    1. https://www.wevolver.com/gerrit.niezen/openpump---an-open-source-hardware-syringe-pump/software-design

    (would need to translate steps of the stepper motor in an mL amount in the software)

    2. http://www.buildlog.net/blog/2011/12/makerslide-camera-slider-control-program/

    http://www.buildlog.net/blog/2013/10/camera-slider-controller-shield/

    and a UI somewhat like this: http://ejuice.breaktru.com/

    then have users enter file downloads that code for flavors.. sort of like a torrent.

View all 8 project logs

View all instructions

Enjoy this project?

Share

Discussions

anthony.reaney wrote 07/08/2015 at 16:10 point

I have been using Ejuice me up for about 3 years, very easy to use. It would be cool if you could make use of their software http://ejuice.breaktru.com/. Look forward to updates.

  Are you sure? yes | no

Devistator wrote 07/02/2015 at 15:32 point

Peristaltic pump is the way to go.

There is already an open source project for mixing drinks and can be easily implemented for the eJuice mixing:

http://www.wired.com/2013/03/bartendro-robot-bartender/

Other similar projects:

http://yujiangtham.com/2014/05/25/build-your-very-own-drink-mixing-robot-part-1/

http://partyrobotics.com/collections/products

The formulas for the eJuice are ample all over the net.

To your success.

  Are you sure? yes | no

Aleks Clark wrote 06/29/2015 at 19:39 point

Ok, so I mix my own juice, and I think this would be a better way to go than syringes:

http://hackaday.com/2014/09/16/a-3d-printed-peristaltic-pump/

Using a pump like this will let you use really big flavor/nic/vg/pg bottles.

Add a scale to the slider, and you can weigh in the ingredients instead of using volume.  

  Are you sure? yes | no

conklinnick wrote 06/29/2015 at 20:28 point

well that could be a game changer.  I have looked at peristaltic pumps as a better alterative but chose this setup do to cost / being easily sourced and replicated.  But with a 3d printed version... appreaciate the link!

  Are you sure? yes | no

Aleks Clark wrote 06/29/2015 at 21:17 point

Glad I could help. As a product I think this would probably be better suited to local vape shops. Just having the machine and all the flavor concentrates on hand is a big enough investment in skill and money that people who could afford such a setup could probably hand mix with a scale anyways. A vending machine that you walk up to and can dispense any of 500 flavors in whatever pg/vg/nic you want however...

  Are you sure? yes | no

mlanger09 wrote 06/29/2015 at 06:30 point

Sounds incredible, but your explanation of the components to create it shows that's it's really a straightforward process. Good thinking, keep us updated!

  Are you sure? yes | no

Tyler wrote 06/29/2015 at 05:38 point

I think it could be very useful when making multiple bottles of the same juice. Making 1 bottle it might not save any time, but 5 it definitely would. 

  Are you sure? yes | no

zandrewdodson wrote 06/29/2015 at 01:47 point

What advantage does a 3D printer setup have over a typical handmixed setup?  Especially in the case of recipes using 8+ ingredients, it seems like setting up a 3D printer to do the work would be harder than just making a flavor base and handmixing.  You could use a flavor base in a 3D printer... but why would you need a 3D printer to mix up PG, VG and a single flavor?

  Are you sure? yes | no

conklinnick wrote 06/29/2015 at 01:56 point

This is just a basic render!  The printer is scalable for example the one I am building will have 27 stations.  Theoretically two or more slider could be combined for unlimited stations.  The user will be able to scale it to fit their needs / space requirements.  It would be better over hand made juice because instead of eyeballing measurements with a syringe a precision stepper will dispense the exact amount every single time.  Also it would appeal to people that don't want to make their own flavors and just want to download a file to run and press print.  I'm picturing a social type site where people can review flavors, upload their own, and rate mixes.

  Are you sure? yes | no

zandrewdodson wrote 06/29/2015 at 09:19 point

Experienced mixers don't eyeball measurements; you put percentages into a calculator or a spreadsheet and then it spits out how many grams of that flavor (to whatever decimal you want).  

To actually be able to make a recipe, you would have to track down all of the ingredients to make it, and then load it into your mixing station.  You wouldn't be able to just plug and play more than fairly simple recipes unless you had a master mixologist's flavor library already at your disposal-- but by the time you have that, you can probably hand-mix pretty well.

Also, recipe sites already exist:  http://e-liquid-recipes.com/

I don't mean to sound like a dick; I just want to make sure that you're setting up something that will actually be useful and time-saving for the average mixer.  If you want to consult someone who hand-mixes ejuice regularly for help with this, feel free to send me a message.

  Are you sure? yes | no

conklinnick wrote 06/28/2015 at 21:25 point

Going to be making tons of friends over at the ATF haha

  Are you sure? yes | no

Similar Projects

Does this project spark your interest?

Become a member to follow this project and never miss any updates