For new cannabis concentrate users, figuring out how to use a dab rig can be a confusing process that will take some time and effort to learn.
Using a dab rig can seem like an intimidating proposition if you’ve never done it before, but it’s actually quite easy once you know the proper technique and set-up process. It always helps to follow a guide on what a dab rig is and how to use it, and we’ll take you through everything you need to know to use a dab rig safely and effectively.
What Is A Dab Rig For Concentrates?
A dab rig is a small smoking device used for consuming cannabis concentrates, but they can also get quite big, depending on how much you spend and what you want out of it.
A standard dab rig has three parts—the body of which contains water, a heating element (typically an electric coil) and some sort of handle or other convenient means of gripping. The heating element heats up and vaporizes your concentrate until it’s consumed via inhalation through the mouthpiece.
When shopping for a new dab rig, you’ll want to pay attention to these basic factors that impact ease-of-use: overall size, how you grip it, water capacity and if there are any extras such as removable dish pieces or stirring tools built in.
Another thing to consider is whether or not you want an electronic dab rig or one with a standard heating element. Electronic units will use either batteries or electricity, but they’re generally much more expensive and can be difficult to replace when they inevitably run out of juice.
An element requires replacement glass, but it’s generally less money overall. Glass—often acrylic, borosilicate (glass) or quartz—is essential for your dab rig setup since it both holds and heats up your concentrates as well as provides a mouthpiece for inhaling them.
Many setups also come with extra accessories such as dishes that hold water, glass oil jar inserts (for storage), grinders and other extras that can make using your device easier.
Buy The Right Rig
There are several things to keep in mind when choosing the right dab rig. Firstly, it’s worth considering your comfort level with concentrates versus dry herb. If you’re just starting out with concentrates, an dab rig is a great way to begin.
These are designed specifically for extracts and come equipped with a dome-shaped nail that heats your material evenly—this allows for extremely controlled and precise dabbing without combustion or inhaling any toxic smoke.
Dab rigs also often have additional features like magnetic attachments for removable nails and separate chambers (called recyclers) for capturing the condensed vapor created during heating.
What you use in your dab rig depends on what material you’re trying to heat. Rigs that are specifically designed for concentrates typically come with dome-shaped nails that cover more surface area of your concentrate, which makes them perfect for low-temperature dabs (and they also make sure no vapor gets wasted!).
However, if you want a deeper inhalation effect and higher temperatures—which some prefer—then a standard nail might be right for you. Keep in mind that most rigs can be used for both dry herb and concentrates so don’t stress too much about getting it exactly right! Instead, focus on picking something you feel comfortable using from day one.
This will increase your enjoyment of dabbing drastically!
What Are The Different Parts Of A Dab Rig?
Dab rigs come in all shapes and sizes, but there are some parts that are universal across all of them:
The Downstem – This is the part of your dab rig that connects directly to your nail or dome. It has holes in it that allow smoke to travel down into the water chamber below.
The Nail – The nail is what heats up when you apply heat from a torch. This allows you to consume the concentrates without completely burning them. You’ll need one for every different size of glass piece in your collection because each one will have its own specific size.
Bowl – You’ll use the bowl to load your concentrate in so it can be heated up by the flame from your torch. Some bowls come with domes attached so that you don’t have to worry about losing any material when using them, but other bowls come separately from domes so that you can customize your setup exactly how
Carb Cap – The carb cap is used to control airflow and limit how much concentrate you take at once. It also helps prevent your nail from being too hot, which can cause it to crack or become damaged over time.
Dabber – A dabber is a tool used for dabbing concentrates. It looks like a long, thin metal rod with a flat tip on one end and a knob on the other end to help you grip it. A dabber is used to place just the right amount of concentrate onto your dab nail so that you can get the best possible hit.
Dabbers come in all shapes and sizes, but they all have one thing in common: they allow you to apply concentrates directly onto your dab rig without having to use your fingers.
Torch – You’ll also need a torch to light up your concentrate.
E-nail – If you don’t want to use a blowtorch, you can also use an e-nail, and this lets you set it to just the right temperature.
You’ll want to find yourself an appropriate dab rig that works for your needs. Most dab rigs are like standard bongs with a few key differences that make them perfect for getting you and your friends stoned.
The first thing you’ll notice is they have a different mouthpiece than what you’re used to. These pieces are called dome-tops and require special glass domes so you can actually light and take hits from them.
Now that you know what parts of a dab rig there are, it’s time to learn how to use one. Taking a hit from a dab rig is very similar to taking a hit from any other water pipe. You should always start by cleaning out all of your equipment before taking your first hit.
Then, load up some wax onto your nail and place it into the top of your dome piece (make sure not to touch it with your hands). Once everything is loaded up, grab some sort of torch lighter and heat up both ends until you see vapor forming on top of it (this usually takes about 10 seconds). Then just inhale slowly through your mouthpiece!
How Do I Use A Dab Rig?
While the process above might seem easy for some, it helps to go into the steps in a little more detail.
The first step in using a dab rig is getting the right nail. This doesn’t need to be anything fancy, and many people opt for a standard glass nail. The next step is to put the nail into your rig. This can be done with a dabber or simply by heating up the nail with a torch and then sliding it into place.
You’ll want to make sure there is enough water in the dab rig by putting water in the downstem. Once the nails are in place, you can now heat up your materials and begin dabbing.
The first thing you’ll want to do is heat up your materials so that they’re warm enough for you to handle them safely. You can do this with a torch or by placing them in an oven set at 325°F for 10 minutes.
Once your material has been heated up, place it onto the nail so that it’s completely covering it. You’ll want to make sure that there are no gaps or holes between your material and the top of your nail because this could cause smoke leaks and other problems later on down the road when you’re trying to use your rig for smoking cannabis concentrates.
After placing your material onto your dab rig, you should immediately start inhaling through your mouthpiece while maintaining pressure on top of it to get a good hit.
What Kind Of Concentrates Can You Dab?
There are many different kinds of concentrates that you can dab, depending on your preference. Whether you’re into wax, shatter, or crumble, there’s something for everyone.
Wax
Wax is one of the most popular types of concentrates out there because it’s so easy to use and offers an instant high when dabbed. Wax is a solid concentrate (think crayons) that melts at room temperature and has been dabbable for years.
The primary downside with waxes are that they are not very potent in terms of THC potency (most marijuana wax contains less than 30 percent THC). Shatter is another form of cannabis concentrate but made with butane instead of CO2—which makes it much more potent, usually over 90 percent pure THC.
Hash Oil
Hash oil is one of the most common types of concentrates. It’s made by extracting THC and other cannabinoids from the plant material with butane or CO2 solvents. It’s typically thick and sticky; when ingested, it produces an intense high that lasts for hours.
Hash oil can be smoked in a variety of ways, including using glass pipes and dab rigs. You can also use hash oil in edibles such as brownies or cookies or make hash oil tinctures for use in drinks.
Shatter
Shatter is another common form of concentrate used for dabs. It is made by having marijuana’s trichomes broken down into small pieces using a process called “fractional distillation.” The result is an extremely potent form of marijuana that produces high-energy effects that last a long time.
A shatter is an opaque form of cannabis concentrate that contains high levels of THC and CBD (cannabidiol). Shatter can be dabbed just like waxes but tends to break up into smaller pieces when heated due to its hard texture. The quality of shatter varies depending on how it was made; some people prefer butane hash oil (BHO) over CO2 extraction due to its potency, while others prefer CO2 extraction.
Clean Up Afterwards
Whether you have an electronic or glass rig, you’ll want to carefully clean up after each use. The easiest way is to use 90% isopropyl alcohol and cotton swabs (get them from any pharmacy). Dip your swabs in the solution, then start cleaning.
Start with your pipe or bong and make sure every nook and cranny is cleaned thoroughly. For your nails, take them off of your rig if possible and dip them in a little bit of solution. After they’re clean and dry, reattach them.
Last but not least, rinse out your torch lighter and make sure it doesn’t smell like anything but lighter fluid!
What Are The Advantages Of Dabbing?
Dabbing has been around for years, but its popularity has exploded recently. A study published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence found that one in five cannabis users had tried it at least once, while another study found that more than half of Colorado dispensaries offer concentrates as an option.
Dabbing is seen by some as an efficient way to get high, while others prefer it because they don’t have to smoke as much of their flower or concentrate to feel the effects.
Dabbing has a couple of advantages over smoking dry weed. First of all, it’s much more efficient. A dab is a tiny amount of concentrate that you vaporize in a small pipe or bong. It can take a few dabs to feel high, but it’s easy to get more than one hit from each dab. So if someone offers you some concentrate at home, you don’t have to worry about wasting any weed just trying things out.
The biggest benefit of dabbing over smoking dry marijuana is that dabs allow you to consume much more THC in one sitting compared to smoking flower. This means you can get really high really fast!
The second advantage is that there are no combustion products involved when you use a vaporizer or vape pen instead of smoking dry weed out of an ordinary pipe or joint. So it’s healthier because there’s no smoke involved and no carbon monoxide or other chemicals produced by burning plant material. You also don’t need any paper or filter material with dabbing since it’s all contained in the vaporizer itself (or bong).
Thirdly, it can be easier to dose with concentrates than with dry herb if you’re trying to find the right amount to take without getting too high (or paranoid).
