Three are a few different types of dab rigs commonly available on the market, each working in a slightly different way.
That said, the basic setup of each is generally as follows:
A “nail” sits at the top part of the main “bowl” where you place the concentrates for smoking. Nails are the most important part and they can be made out of various materials, including titanium, glass and quartz. You can buy nails separately from the rig itself, but just make sure that you are purchasing the correct size to fit your setup.
Often, dab rigs come with a “dome,” which is a specialized cover to place over the nail. These domes help to keep the vapor (and THC) in the same place so that you don’t lose any when you heat your concentrate or dab. You’ll also find a glass vapor slide which connects to the nail.
A 90-degree joint is part of the arm which brings the vapour into the bowl. Regular pipes have 45-degree joints, but dab rigs have smaller 90-degree joints in order to keep the vapor more concentrated.
A recycler will be located in the bowl as well, which will help to create a closed “loop” for the water and vapor to flow through. Recyclers are meant to cycle water back through the pipe so that the smoke and water are going through in a loop where water turns to vapor (and vice versa) in a cycle.
You will also want to purchase a glass, metal, or ceramic dabber to apply the dab to the hot surface of the nail. You will also need a torch, which can be found at most supermarkets or big box general merchandise stores. You can find flame-less dab rigs as well, but they tend to be quite expensive, so we recommend just using a small kitchen torch.