As people become more aware of the dangers of inhaling the smoke of any kind into their lungs, they begin to look for alternative ways to take advantage of the medicinal benefits of various herbs. Vaping is an excellent example but a phenomenon called dabbing is rapidly gaining steam as well. Dabbing and vaping are closely related; drying more explicitly refers to the inhalation of vapor which is produced by heating herb concentrates.
What are Dab Rigs?
For the completely uninitiated, a splashing machine will be a bit confusing. Unlike a bong, pipe, or other traditional smoking mechanisms, a probe is not designed to catch fire. Instead, it has a nail that is heated with a torch, and concentrated extracts of various herbs are then “applied” on it. As soon as they are heated, they produce a vapor that you inhale. You can use equipment to get the same level of medication you would get when taking multiple drugs from a traditional pipe or bong. The effectiveness of dabbing is one of the many reasons why it has skyrocketed in popularity lately and explains why there was such an explosion of dab rigs on the market as well.
What is dabbing?
Before going into more detail about dab rigs and how they work, it helps to have a clearer understanding of what dabbing is in the first place. Dabbing is concentrated forms of cannabis that is made by extracting THC and other cannabinoids using a solvent like carbon dioxide or butane and placing it in an extraction machine. As mentioned earlier, the term “wringing” is used because you apply a small amount of concentrated wax or oil medication to your probe to produce steam. Usually, the oil concentrates are relatively thick and do not leave the nail.
Basic components of Dab Rigs
At this point, you probably have a relatively clear idea of how flounder equipment works. Most dab rigs are composed of only three parts: a piece of glass, a nail and a lighter. You’re likely to have to buy the torch lighter separately. Also, most people prefer to use real dabbers to apply their concentrates. For starters, however, it’s good to start with dab sets of appliances that include everything you need. You can branch later.
Nail styles
There is a lot of heated debate about which type of nail works best. At first glance, this does not seem to be such an urgent problem. However, you need to keep in mind that the pin is responsible for heating the concentrate to the point where it produces steam. Ideally, then, the nail should heat up quickly and should be able to retain heat for a decent period.
With all that said, here are the most popular nail options for dab rigs:
- Glass – Borosilicate glass is a hard material and works well on bongs and pipes. When used on nails for dab rigs, however, it misses the target. Glass nails are quite ubiquitous because they are very cheap. However, the glass breaks easily. Glass nails do not last for long and should be replaced frequently. In the long run, you will end up paying more. In addition, the glass is not very good for keeping the heat, so the glass nails do not always do the work with specific concentrates.
- Ceramics – Like glass, ceramics break very easily. It keeps the heat a little better but is still much lower and generally not worth it.
- Quartz– Quartz nails are pretty decent. Quartz is more durable than glass or ceramic, and it is almost impossible to overheat it. However, quartz does not retain heat for long. Because it cools too quickly, it can heat up its concentrate, but not enough to create a lot of steam.
- Titanium – The vast majority of experienced dabbers prefer titanium nails. Titanium is virtually indestructible, on the one hand. Titanium retains heat incredibly well. The only problem is that there is a risk of overheating it to the point of burning the concentrate instead of producing steam. For this reason, many people like to mix titanium nail decks with water diffusers to get the right balance.
- E-nails – Few people bother with them, but nails are convenient. Nails are electrical nails with a door for a coil and a PID that measures the temperature of your coil. They tend to cost more, but eliminate the need to use a torch completely. In addition, you can set a precise temperature, to have a much better control. The vaporization points of different materials vary, so it is good to be able to set a temperature and go from there.
Who would want Dab equipment?
So, are you an ideal candidate for a probe? If you are already interested and want to do more in the future, you need a platform rig. Of course, there are DIY instructions out there for you to do, but the amount of time and effort that will be worth it really will not be worth it in the long run. There are a lot of cool designs and features out there, so buying equipment is a lot of fun.
If you have never tried to migrate, but are looking for alternatives to smoking, a splash machine may be the right thing for you. The bottom line here is if you want to indulge in the dabbing craze, you will need to purchase an outfit.
Best Practices
Unless you are using equipment with an e-nail, you need to be very careful in using it. Dabbing is not inherently dangerous, but using a torch can be if you are not paying attention. With that in mind, do not try to use equipment to move around. Find a safe and secure place to sit and focus on the task at hand.
Security Tips
The main safety tip to keep in mind, when using a splash machine is to be careful when lighting the nail with the torch. Use the smallest flashlight possible and be careful not to overheat the nail.
Some other safety tips include:
Clean your equipment regularly. The feedback that builds up can clog, and can also overheat and catch fire. Some people are concerned with residual solvents in concentrates and extracts. Avoid this problem strictly by using high quality concentrates. Use a nail with a done to reduce the risk of burning.
Conclusion
At that point, any confusion you had about wiping or using dabs should go away. If you want to get the most out of your dabbing experience, use the information you’ve learned in this guide to help you find the best dab rigs equipment you can. If you are a complete beginner, consider buying a set that includes the dabber and the torch. Along the way, you can upgrade to different nails and components to get the perfect setup.
