A dab rig is a small water pipe made for concentrates. Instead of a bowl, it has a banger: a quartz bucket you heat with a torch. Drop a small amount of concentrate onto the hot banger and it turns to vapor, which you pull through the water. It looks complicated, but it's five steps once you've done it a few times.
What you need
- A dab rig with a banger. Our Stokes rigs come with a 10 mm quartz banger: the Fab Egg, Vortex and Typhoon.
- A butane torch. A lighter won't get quartz hot enough. The Blazer Big Shot is the one most dabbers use.
- A dab tool to pick up your concentrate and put it in the banger.
- A carb cap (optional). It sits on the banger and traps the heat, so you can dab at a lower temperature.
- Cotton swabs like Glob Mops to wipe the banger after each dab.
- Your concentrate, and a timer (your phone works).
Step 1: Add water
Pour water into the mouthpiece until the percolator (the part inside that makes bubbles) is just covered. Take a test pull with nothing in the banger: you should hear a smooth bubble, and no water should reach your mouth. If it splashes, pour a little out.
Step 2: Load your dab tool
Pick up a piece of concentrate about the size of a grain of rice on the end of your dab tool. Do this before you heat the banger, so you're not rushing while it's hot. Start small; you can always take another.
Step 3: Heat the banger
Light the torch and point the tip of the flame at the bottom of the banger. A small 10 mm banger takes about 20 to 30 seconds until the bottom just starts to glow; bigger, thicker bangers can take 45 seconds or more. Move the flame around a little so the heat is even. Keep the flame on the quartz, never on the glass joint.
New banger? Heat it until it glows once and let it cool completely before your first dab. That burns off anything left from manufacturing.
Step 4: Wait for it to cool
This is the step most people skip. A glowing banger is far too hot: it scorches your concentrate, tastes harsh and wastes it. Set the torch down and wait about 30 to 60 seconds (small bangers cool faster, thick ones need longer). Many people aim for roughly 450 to 600°F, which brings out flavor without burning. If your dab smokes heavily or tastes burnt, wait longer next time.
Step 5: Dab and inhale
Start inhaling slowly, then touch the concentrate to the bottom of the banger and roll the tool so it all comes off. Keep pulling slow and steady. If you have a carb cap, put it on the banger right away and keep inhaling until the chamber is clear. Exhale, and take a minute before the next one.
Step 6: Swab the banger
While the banger is still warm (not hot), wipe out the leftover oil with a cotton swab. Warm oil wipes right out; cold oil hardens and burns black on your next dab. Swabbing every time keeps the quartz clear and your dabs tasting clean.
Using an electric dab rig
An e-rig does the heating for you: no torch, no timer. Smart rigs like the Puffco Peak Pro, Puffco Peak and Puffco Proxy, or the Dr. Dabber Boost EVO, all work the same basic way: load a small dab into the cold chamber, pick a heat setting, press the button and wait for the rig to tell you it's ready, then inhale slowly. Start on the lowest setting and move up. Shop all electric dab rigs.
Keeping your rig clean
Change the water after every session; old water smells and makes every hit taste stale. Once a week or so, rinse the rig with isopropyl alcohol and coarse salt, shake, then rinse with warm water. The same method works for pipes and bongs: see How to Clean a Pipe.
Safety
- The banger stays hot for minutes after you heat it. Don't touch it, and set the rig where it can't be knocked over.
- Never point the torch at yourself, the glass joint or anything on the table.
- Start with small dabs. Concentrates are much stronger than flower.
- Keep the torch, rig and concentrates away from kids and pets.
FAQ
How long do I heat the banger?
About 20 to 30 seconds for a small 10 mm banger, longer for thick ones, until the bottom just starts to glow. Then wait 30 to 60 seconds before you dab.
Why does my dab taste burnt?
The banger is too hot or dirty. Wait longer after heating and swab the banger after every dab.
Do I need a carb cap?
No, but it helps. It traps the heat so you can dab cooler, which tastes better and wastes less.
Dab rig or nectar collector?
A rig gives you water filtration and bigger hits. A nectar collector is simpler and more portable. See How to Use a Nectar Collector.
Shop glass, e-rigs and dab tools at HIGHBOIS. Everything ships in plain packaging.
