E-Nail Dabbing 101: How to Mimic Your Torch Dabbing With an E-Nail

You finally ditched the torch and decided to upgrade your setup to an electric dab nail. Smart move. An enail can offer so many benefits over a standard torch setup, although enails are super easy to use with a very straightforward design, there is still a small learning curve.

For those of you that never wanted to part with your beloved torch, we will run through the steps to mimic that same dabbing experience without using open flame. If you want to skip ahead click here to access our torch-to-enail calculator.

Why Does E-Nail Dabbing Feel Different From Torch Dabbing?

Torch Dabbing Uses a Declining Temperature Curve

It's important to note, when you are using a torch to dab, once the torch is removed, your banger instantly begins cooling toward room temperature. Your banger cools down even more as soon as your dab touches the inside of the banger. This is because of the temperature difference between a hot banger and the temperature of your dab.

Sort of like, ice on a stove top, if you put ice on a stove the temperature difference between the two will cause the stove top to drop slightly in temperature. Even if it remains hot enough to melt the ice, it's definitely not as hot as it was before the ice was introduced to the surface.

An Enail Continues Heating During Your Dab

Enails offer consistent, steady temperature output throughout your entire dab. Allowing the quartz to maintain your preferred dabbing temperature without the same temperature fluctuation that you would find with torch dabbing.

Benefits to Using an Enail over a Torch

On the plus side, you'll never have to buy butane to refill your torch ever again. Sounds like a small difference (it’s not like you're purchasing butane every day), but in the long run this could be a big win for your pockets. With an estimated cost of $4.25 per can, going through roughly 45 cans per year (also estimated), that could be a yearly expenditure of $190 dollars per year.

Pair those savings with better temperature control and an evenly heated banger, using an enail might also help to preserve your wax instead of wasting it.

Enail Vs Torch The Ultimate Comparison

What Temperature Am I Actually Dabbing At With a Torch?

The first part to getting those sweet torch dabs carried over to your enail is understanding your torch dabbing temperature. This will get you the closest experience to what you are most accustomed to.

Some heat their banger until they see it glow red then wait a few seconds/minutes for it to cool down to temp. Below we attached a chart that shows what temperature your quartz banger is, based on its color. Glowing red and bright red are two different temperatures that can vary by 800 degrees!

Understanding Torch Dabbing Temp and E-Nail Dabbing Temperature

Most people that are accustomed to torch dabbing have difficulty understanding how to translate their typical dabbing temperature over to an enail setup. Especially if they are using an IR temp reader throughout all of their sessions.

“I always dab at 500 degrees, but when I set my enail to 500 degrees, it just isn't doing it for me. What gives?”

Newsflash! That’s because you might've been actually dabbing at a temperature higher than 500 degrees! You prefer your quartz to be way hotter than you originally thought. With that, you'll have to match your enail temperature to the REAL temperature you are used to dabbing at.

Can You Tell Dab Temperature by the Color of a Quartz Banger?

The first step to understanding what temperature you ACTUALLY prefer, you'll have to understand how hot your banger gets while you are heating it. I know, that's your temp readers job, but, we made it pretty easy for you.

Using the chart below you can assess your banger temperature by the different levels of red visually observed while your banger is heating up.

• Visible glow and color gives you an approximate temperature - the color of your banger might appear differently depending on the lighting

Dab Temperature Readings and Torch Dabbing

Now you might be thinking, “well when I use my torch I also use a dab temp reader, one of the best options out on the market”. To be frank, my response is “beh” that doesn’t really matter.

If you are using an IR (infrared) dab temperature reader chances are you are not getting the most accurate reading. Although these devices might help by providing you with a “cue” of WHEN to take your dab, they will not provide you with a 100% precise reading. This is because of differing sensor technology, distance from the temp sensor and your banger, emissivity assumptions, and the location of where the temp sensor is pointed on the banger itself.

Infrared Dab Temperature Readings

This isn’t to say dab temp readers are completely worthless, although they aren't 100% accurate they are usually consistent with their readings. For example, if your banger's real temperature is 700 degrees but your temp reader shows 500 degrees. You take your dab at that temperature reading and you end up enjoying it. Then have at it!

Your dab temp reader showing 500 degrees will then be your cue to take your dab since that is your preferred dabbing temperature.

Touch Thermometer Dab Temp Readings

We always suggest using a temp reader that needs to touch the surface to determine its temperature, instead of a laser. A touch dab thermometer will offer the most precise temperature reading, but even then, no device is completely perfect. Our top recommended device would be the terpometer.

What Changes Your Torch Dabbing Temperature?

How Cool-Down Time Affects Dab Temperature

After your banger is heated until it's red hot, you usually turn off the torch, let the banger cool and then take your dab. The cool down time has an impact on the temperature of your dab, the longer you wait, the lower the temperature will be. You can use the chart below to get a better understanding of what temperature your banger might be at once you begin your dab.

How Dab Size Affects Banger Temperature

Now once you have a better understanding of these two factors, you will have to factor in the temperature fluctuation when your dab actually makes contact with the inside of your banger. This is largely different depending on your dab size, a small dab will not nearly affect the temperature as much as a larger sized dab would.

You can use the chart below to estimate the temperature of your banger, after you have added your preferred dab size into it.

Thick vs. Thin Quartz Bangers: Heat Retention

The banger walls and your banger bottom thickness are also super important to consider. A thicker bottom and side walls will retain heat for longer periods of time, opposed to a standard thinner quartz banger. If your banger is on the thinner side, its cool down time is accelerated because of its thermal mass being lower.

You can use the chart below to calculate an estimated rate of heat loss based on the thickness of your banger.

How Dab Session Length Changes Temperature

Understanding how long your dab lasts will allow for you to understand what temperature your banger is toward the end of the dab. We have created this calculator to help better understand what temperature you are actually dabbing at and consequently what temperature you should set your enail to.

How Banger Size and Shape Affect Heat Retention

There are some adjustments that need to be made for the exact type of banger you are using with your enail. A prime example is a terp slurper banger, this style will require a slightly higher enail temperature than a regular bucket banger would.

How Do I Translate My Torch Temperature to an E-Nail?

Switching from a torch setup to an enail setup doesn't mean you have to give up the experience you already enjoy and love. With this calculator created by the pro’s, you can cut down that learning curve to just a few minutes instead of playing the long game of trial and error.

So instead of wasting your dabs trying to figure out your preferred temp, use our calculator!

We have several other calculators to use to help you with your enail dabbing setup and possibly most importantly we have the “which enail setup is best for you” calculator. Each banger type will give you a different dabbing experience, and each banger diameter size works better for different sized dabs.

There wouldn't be so many enail options if they were all the same, so many people love to experiment with different options to find their most preferred dabbing setup. So be sure to utilize these calculators so you can find your best enail with your best dabbing temperature!