How does a dabber work? What’s a dab rig? Are dabbing tools the same as smoking devices? These are all questions that new cannabis concentrate users might have. If you’re a new dabber trying to learn the basics of a dab rig and what they’re all about, having an informative guide can help you with that.
What Is Dabbing Cannabis Concentrate?
Dabs are one of the newest and most potent ways to enjoy cannabis. Cannabis concentrates, also known as dabs, are made by extracting the resins from cannabis using high-pressure carbon dioxide gas or butane. These concentrates contain up to 80% THC, as well as other cannabinoids like CBD and CBN.
Before starting to dab for the first time, keep in mind that Inhaling too deeply or too quickly will cause dizziness, coughing fits, bouts of paranoia, or even vomiting – just remember: slower is better. Always start low with only a few hits per session before taking more.
What’s A Dab Rig And How Does It Work?
As mentioned, dabs are concentrated extracts made by extracting the cannabinoids and terpenes from cannabis plants, then purifying them. This process eliminates all plant matter and leaves behind an oil with high levels of THC or CBD.
Other extraction methods like CO2, ethanol, or butane extraction create concentrates as well, but make sure you’re aware of how much solvent is left in the final product.
There are two main ways to use dabs: with a nail or bong. Nails are typically heated with a torch until they glow red hot and then you place the dab on top of it.
A dab rig is a device that is used for smoking dabs. It typically consists of an electric nail (e-nail) attached to a glass water pipe. The e-nail heats up the nail so you can touch it with your dab tool—a small metal rod with a ball handle on the end—to smoke dabs when they’re ready.
With a torch, you would have to use tongs to hold the nail while heating it. Torches produce more heat than e-nails, which means they vaporize dabs at lower temperatures than e-nails do. An e-nail is more efficient because its temperature can be adjusted to make sure all of your product vaporizes instead of combusting and wasting some.
If you don’t have an e-nail setup, use a low-flame torch instead. To take a hit off the rig, place your lips over the mouthpiece and inhale slowly until all air has been pulled through the dab rig; then release gently without blowing out any smoke or sucking in any air.
You want to avoid exhaling into the chamber as this will lead to loss of flavor and wasted smoke. You should use a carb cap on top of the nail if possible to help trap flavorful vapors that might escape during your session.
Safety Advice For Dabbers
Here are some safety tips to ensure your safety and enjoyment:
- Always make sure there is nothing around the area where you plan to use a torch that could ignite due to the hot flames.
- Keep things away from the area where you plan to take a hit.
- Make sure all surfaces around where you plan to take a hit are free of flammable materials.
- Do not smoke inside or near buildings and other places where people may not appreciate it such as schools, hospitals, offices, etc.
- Be careful of how much you use and the frequency. Once you become familiar with the effects, you’ll know what to do.
- Stay hydrated and eat food. Dabs are very powerful and if you’re new to consuming them, they can induce anxiety, panic attacks, dizziness, and discomfort. This is why it is important to stay hydrated and eat food so as not to exacerbate these symptoms. Furthermore, it is essential to keep your environment as clean and safe as possible.
Use common sense to determine whether or not you can use a dab rig safely and responsibly. Know your limits and be smart!
The Components Of A Dab Rig
The components of the device include: an e-nail, which heats the nail from below so that you can use it at any temperature; an e-rig with a titanium nail, which heats up quickly and delivers pure flavor; and a water pipe adapter to draw the vapor out.
There are many variations of these components. For example, some people prefer using an e-nail without an e-rig because it provides more control over the heat settings. Others may prefer using an induction nail instead of a titanium one because it requires less heat time before use.
When shopping for your own dab rig, it is important to know what kind of experience you want in order to make an educated decision about what pieces are right for you.
Consider whether you’re looking for something small or large, whether or not you need multiple nails, and whether or not portability is important to you. There are plenty of options out there!
Step-By-Step Instructions For Using A Dab Rig
A dab rig is one of the most popular ways to consume cannabis concentrate, and they’re fairly easy to use.
To use, heat up your nail (also known as a banger) with the torch and place it on top of your dome or nail piece. Next, add a small amount of concentrate to the nail and touch it with your lighter until it melts into liquid form.
Carefully remove the lighter and inhale the vapor through the mouthpiece while holding down on the carb hole. This will allow you to take long, powerful draws from your rig without wasting any vapor from leaking out of your bong.
When you’re done, simply replace the glass on top of your nail so that it doesn’t overheat.
What Are The Different Types Of Cannabis Concentrates?
Cannabis concentrates are the purest form of THC, CBD, and other cannabinoids that can be extracted from cannabis plants.
There are a couple of main types of cannabis concentrates for dabbing:
- Hash oil is made by extracting the trichomes from the cannabis plant with a solvent. Hash oil can be used for dabbing because it has a high concentration of THC and other cannabinoids. It can also be used in other ways like cooking, vaping, or even as a topical treatment for pain.
- Kief is made by roasting cannabis seeds and scraping off the resulting hash. Kief is often what’s left behind after you’ve smoked your bud. It is almost always better than bud when it comes to potency, but it has fewer cannabinoids than either hash oil or wax.
- Wax refers to solid chunks of cannabis resin that have been melted down into a liquid form using heat and pressure (think: lava lamp). Wax can be added to food or used as a vehicle for smoking weed—it’s usually much stronger than either kief or hash oil.
- Crumble is made by heating wax cubes (also called budder) until they melt into liquid form and then letting them cool before running them through a screen. The end result is a fine powdery substance with many small particles held together by a sticky residue. Crumble can be used in place of shatter when making concentrates like bubble hash or honeycomb hash oil (both made using ovens).
Tips For Getting The Most Out Of Your Dab
Here are some great tips for using a dab rig:
- Don’t smoke around children and pets!
- There are always new methods of consumption available! Be sure to try them all out and find what works best for you;
- Use a torch lighter or flame source designed for waxes and not for flower material;
- Don’t heat your dab rig too much. If it gets too hot, it can burn through the wax or concentrate within seconds—and then what good will it do?
- Keep an eye on how much oil or concentrate is left in your vial at all times—you don’t want to run out!
Final Thoughts
If you’ve decided to dab, you’ve made a big decision. But there’s no reason to stop there. The world of cannabis concentrates is huge and growing all the time. There are dozens of different kinds of extracts and oils, each with its own unique properties.
