Mix By Weight Or By Volume?

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geopiper

Can't Leave
Jan 9, 2019
373
609
What say you? Looking for a 1:1 mix of moist, stoved virginia and much drier red virginia.
 
Jun 18, 2020
3,800
13,540
Wilmington, NC
Since the moisture level is different that makes it tricky. I would say do it by volume, but do not "pack" the volume down as one may compact more than the other leading to and off ratio.

Just my two cents.
 

F4RM3R

Part of the Furniture Now
Nov 28, 2019
567
2,512
38
Canada
For something like you are making just eyeball by volume. It would be hard to mess up a straight Virginia like that one. I find a stoved Virginia that is still in higher case can have quite a bit more weight than a light and fluffy unstoved version and it will take up less volume in the blend.

I always go by weight though, its especially needed for complex blends. But moisture content can make a big difference. With leaf that's very dry or really high case(like perique) it can be up to 30%! Generally it may only make a difference of 10-20%, but this can make quite a difference with more potent leaves like perique or latakia.

Best to have it at a similar case or to do a test on some higher case leaf and weigh it before and after drying to see the difference so you can adjust accordingly. I know for myself that I need to use 20-30% more perique as I keep it stored in high case. My orientals are pretty dry usually so I factor that in a put a bit less when doing a blend.