HOW TODAB

DABBING IN ONE PARAGRAPH

Dabbing is vaporizing cannabis concentrates. You heat a quartz banger (the dish mounted on a dab rig), drop a small amount of concentrate onto the hot surface, cap it with a carb cap, and inhale the resulting vapor. The whole process takes about 30 seconds. The skill is in the temperature — too hot and the terpenes burn off, too cool and the concentrate doesn’t fully vaporize. Modern connoisseur dabbing targets 520–560°F, the sweet spot where every cannabinoid vaporizes but no terpene combusts.

Compared to smoking flower, dabbing delivers 3–5× more cannabinoid per inhalation, with cleaner flavor (full terpene preservation), and zero combustion byproducts. The entry-cost is real — you need a rig, a torch (or e-rig), a quartz banger, a carb cap, and a dab tool. Once equipped, daily dabbing is more cost-efficient than daily flower smoking.

THE LOW-TEMP PROTOCOL

1. Heat the banger. Apply torch flame to the underside of the bottom dish until it glows red-orange. Maintain heat for 25–35 seconds depending on banger thickness.
2. Cool down. Remove torch. Use a digital infrared thermometer or count 35–60 seconds (varies by banger thickness). Target 520–560°F surface temperature when the dab drops.
3. Drop the dab. Use a dab tool to place a rice-grain-sized portion (10–25mg) onto the banger surface.
4. Cap immediately. Place the carb cap over the banger as soon as the dab hits. The cap restricts airflow, lowering vaporization pressure for full evaporation at low temperature.
5. Inhale slowly. Steady draw for 8–12 seconds. The vapor should be cool, flavorful, and visible.
6. Swab while warm. Use an isopropyl-soaked q-tip to wipe any residue from the banger before it cools fully. Skipping this step leads to carbon buildup.

EQUIPMENT CHECKLIST

The minimum equipment for proper low-temp dabbing:

• Dab rig — small water pipe with banger attachment ($50–$300 starter; $500+ for premium glass)
• Quartz banger — match joint size to your rig (10/14/18mm), prefer flat-top with terp pearl compatibility ($30–$120)
• Carb cap — directional or spinner cap for even vaporization ($15–$50)
• Terp pearls — 1–3 quartz or ruby pearls, 4–6mm diameter ($10–$60)
• Dab tool — titanium, glass, or ceramic; pick scoop tip for budder/badder, pointed for shatter ($10–$50)
• Torch— butane chef’s torch (Blazer, Vector) or culinary torch ($30–$80)
• Q-tips + isopropyl — 99% IPA preferred for fast evaporation; q-tips after every dab
• Optional: Infrared thermometer — takes the guesswork out of cool-down timing ($25–$60)

Total entry: $200–$400 for a quality starter setup. Premium connoisseur kits run $500–$1,500.