I have a Volcano Hybrid and a pair of POTV Lobos. I have been thinking about bringing dabs into our rotation. While I know both machines can dab, I don’t know best practices, or if there is something better. I only use dosing capsules now, and I appreciate the “pack now, vape whenever” vibe.
My situation:
I’m looking for a dab vaporizer that is best for:
What I care about most:
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Absolutely no combustion or carcinogenic exposure. Can’t have it.
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I want to be able to prep sessions in advance without a lot of work at the moment of imbibing.
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Variety of settings, but easy to dial in consistently once the right settings are found.
What would you recommend right now, and why?
For getting a first feeling into dabs, vapewool would be an easy solution imho. You also can use your capsule system, prepare them and vape them later. I even sometimes prefer a vapewool dab in an Dani 2.0 over a banger ^^. If you’re able to source titanium wool, this will work too and is reusable.
The e rigs I know don’t can be prepared like the capsule system. But dropping in a dab is also easy use imo.
Another option would be to decarb your rosin and fill a pod system with it. That’s also a solution where it’s always prepared and ready to vape.
real dabs are gonna be load as you go, with some light cleaning afterward. anything that preloads is probably going to be a dry herb session vape with a dosing capsule system, like your lobo, which delivers a concentrate session instead of a dab. you could test the concentrate session style with your lobo pad and dosing capsule to see if you like it. if you do, you’re good until you grow out of it. if you want more now, then you need something that dabs. concentrates with the Volcano can be very strong, but it’s still a session style, and I find I have to put a lot of concentrate in there to get the volume I want. have you tried a twax in the volcano or lobo yet? I twaxed my volcano last week and it’s nuts. The bowl lasts a long time and it really punches.
My first try at concentrates was 3-4 years ago. I bought a Proxy and put about 100 dabs through it. It worked as advertised, and I enjoyed it, but I just like flower better. Maybe a better device would have swayed me more.
One thing I do like a lot is twaxing with my ball vapes. Great flavor, big clouds, some of the clean dab feeling mixed with a flower high. It definitely livens up a bowl of flower, and gives a nicer head high for me.
The cleanup is no different than debowling flower. Depending on the size of concentrate added, you can get a bunch of hits from one bowl. I usually go with a grain of rice size.
Do you still have the Proxy?
IMO the Puffco Pivot has a lot of value.
For small dabs I think it rips harder than my Switch2.
You could pre fill Pivot chambers, sort of like dosing capsules.
I haven’t used my Proxy in 2 years
When I started with concentrate my first device was the Puffco Plus. At the time I thought it was great but learned the extreme limitations fast. I preloaded that one all the time and was amazingly discrete. I currently have a Puffco Pivot, Proxy v1 and a Core 2.1. I absolutely use the Proxy more than the others because of the performance to convenience factor. Through a small water pipe it’s fantastic. I love the Core as well but being larger it gets beat out by the smaller easier setup. One thing to keep in mind. Whatever wax pen/device you get…if you preload them you need to keep them upright in relation to the heating chamber so your wax doesn’t slowly run over the edge and into the device. My recommendation from the ones I have would be a Pivot and purchase the glass mouthpiece with balls for cooling…works exceptionally well.
Glass banger and torch. Cold dab. Simple, cheap, and effective.
I’m really appreciating all of this feedback, and I do have a big, dumb question: what’s a twax?
Is it “t-wax” or like “twix” but swapping the ‘i’ for ‘a’?
And what I am tending to see is people drop concentrate into a rig that’s been freshly heated, so, that’s not really combustion, right?
I’m totally green with this stuff, so keep the colloquial and anecdotal information coming. I need it!
I put down a layer of flower/concentrate/flower, in the bowl. I’ve only done this in a ball vape. Concentrate isn’t a “layer”’ just a grain of rice size dab.
Okay, I’ve heard about sandwich-ing like that before, Crush, and it’s definitely something I would consider doing.
I like figuring out what works best for me and repeating the process, because I thrive on predictable experiences (yay, Autism!).
What I probably need to do is get a bunch of wax and get someone experienced in the room with me to experiment. I dunno.
I just remembered that my MOAB came with a banger, I’ve never tried it. Using that would be new to me. I’ll try and find it. Any ideas on temp I should run?
Old head here. Recently into concentrates. Got a New Puffco Peak. It’s really easy and convenient if you keep up with routine maintenance. I’d suggest that or similar e-rig……… make that HIGHLY suggest!
how do you like to vape flower?
i prefer terp slurper dabs, but i also like one-hit ball vape hits
if you’re more of a casual, but serious vaporist - the market is filled with great devices.
all of the puffcos hit. Proxy core is really good imo. Pivot is super portable and affordable, but battery falls short. Switch 2 is gold standard e-rig. New Dr dabber coming very soon, and it’s very good, too. Pockety is a good ripper too.
I still vote terp slurper, but then you gotta get a torch and a temp reader - it’s a commitment.
Well, here’s a breakdown:
Most of the time, I fire up my Lobo put it into my POTV Thumper bubbler (I call him “Malcom”), and I’ll do two quick rounds of four chambers, about 30 seconds apart, and usually kill the dosing capsule. Left to my own devices (pun intended), I could do that at least once an hour all day.
When the wife stirs, we typically bust out a Superbag + on the ol’ Volcano Hybrid, and imbibe it via our Cube glass (AKA “Lucy”).
The rest of the night tends to be combos and variations on those themes.
I think a dab rig would be most effective for us at home, in that second scenario. Lots of medicine, fast.
I don’t think I will ever stop vaping dry herb, so I am looking for something that can hit hard, all at once, with the option of sipping. As long as the maintenance is clear to me, we can maintain it no problem.
Portability is a non-issue, since we have other devices that fill that need.
Of the ones you suggested, which ones fit that the best?
Your typical usage style sounds like it would likely match better with an e-rig over a banger.
But if you haven’t used your proxy in years I’m not sure that you’d find any of these newer rigs to be that much more compelling.
For all out medicating power I’m with @420vapezone and would put a proper banger over everything. My favorite is the Control Tower. 
It definitely sounds like you’re ready for concentrates. Whether you twax them or dab them. Don’t forget about the Rio, especially if you want something that’s not electric. I just put that thing in iso so I can hit it later today…
@invertedisdead @420vapezone @stickstones
GRAV® 14mm 90° Control Tower Quartz Banger Set
I presume this is the banger in question, used with one of our existing bubblers or bongs, yes?
What’s a good resource for proper usage and cleaning of such a piece?
Forget about it? I don’t even know what that is! 
oops had to add my XP I 
the four temp settings that are also color coded. Temp range is great. Price is extremely reasonable depending on needs/ wants. As long as u aren’t lazy on cleaning like me it is easy Peary maintenance . Oh and itWHIPS. My personal fave I know the Purists will say this is a device and not real dabs but I dig the variety of glass options. Oh and I like the sic 3-4mm pearls. Yeah I think that is it. I have this, and a good slurper as backup for this type of Ritual. 
