How To Use a Dab Pen (Wax Vaporizer): Tutorial

Posted by Vaporizer Chief on 8th Jun 2021

Wax pens can come in different sizes. They are usually known as being the smallest of all the portable vaporizers. They don’t need much to operate since a small battery and wax chamber attachment are all that’s needed. This is in relation to an herbal vaporizer where it requires a bigger herbal chamber to fill up more herbs. It also requires a stronger heating coil element to make sure the entire oven is warm enough to give the herbs a proper heat distribution.

Wax chamber attachments are usually small with a metal coil wrapped a wick or small ceramic rod. They usually come with a dab stick or dab tool to help you carve out the concentrates and put it on the heating dab coil. Remember that when heated, the wax turns into liquid and runs so it can stick to the side or walls of the chamber. This can make it harder to vaporize all and can sometimes clog if not heated well. With a bit of experience, you should learn how to make sure this does not occur.

How to Use a Dab Pen?

Knowing how to use a dab pen is essential to make sure you're using it correctly and efficiently. They also use different wax atomizer coils with each one having it's own advantage. Vape pens for dabs come in different shapes and sizes but for the most part. Learning how to use a dab pen efficiently will help you save money down the road and still get the best vapor quality.

Turn it On:

Turn on the dab pen by clicking the power button five times which will start a blinking light. Click the power button and check the coil to make sure it is working. This will help make sure you do not waste your wax by placing it on the coil without knowing if your coil is working. It doesn’t happen often but it can be faulty from the manufacturer.

Packing and Loading your Chamber:

Learning how to pack your dab vape pen is very important. Go ahead and take off the mouthpiece attached to the chamber. Using your dab tool, scoop up a small piece of the wax. If you do not have a dabber tool, then you can use a paperclip too.

At this point you can but dab the wax from the tool onto the coil. This is the hardest part because if you poke at your dab coil a bit too hard it will break apart the metal coil. The breaking happens due to a fragile or worn down coil resulting in getting a replacement. Don’t worry, once you get the hang of it, it won’t happen anymore unless you’ve been using it for a while. Dab coils are disposable so you must replace them every now and then.

Vaping Wax:

Once you press the power button, the wax should start melting. It will vaporize right away so make sure to have the mouthpiece on. When you first start, make sure to prime the wick. When you dab your wax on, hit the button for 2 seconds and let it melt onto the coil. This will keep it moist so you don't have any dry hits.

You can try taking another hit and checking to see what’s left. Open the mouthpiece to check to see if you can scrape off the sides and walls of the chamber. You can add it onto the coil. The coil at this point should be wet and waxy so it will only give you a bigger hit.

We recommend you do not use a variable voltage battery on your wax chambers since they can burn it out. If you only have a variable voltage battery, put it to the lowest voltage, which is usually 3.2V. If the vape pen gives you the option of specific temperatures, choose something between 420°F and 500°F. Try not to tilt the vape, especially right after vaping because the oil can spill. It’s very unlikely though.

Tips To Remember:

  • Make sure to keep your wax fresh.
  • Keep your wax pen upright at all times.
  • If it feels hot during vaping, let it cool down for a couple minutes.
  • Inhale slow and short. Don't take a big hit like you're smoking. Use your diaphragm to draw.
  • Continually clean your pen. This will further help clogging.
  • Be careful of the coil. It can break easily.
  • You don't need to use high heat. It can affect the quality of vapor.

crumble, wax, shatter, co2, rso, sugar wax, budder

Vaping Dabs with Different Kinds of Wax

There are different kinds of concentrates you can use and it all depends on how you like it. Each kind requires care in a different way.

- Crumble: Crumble wax is a bit harder and requires more diligence. You want to make sure you dab it on the coil. Don’t be too rough with it.

- Shatter: Smoking shatter in a vape pen can be a bit tricky because its not easy to dab with it. You can use your fingers if that is more comfortable for you but we recommend you using the tool as much as possible. Lay a small piece on the coil.

- Oil: Oils can come in different ways but it’s generally easy to scoop it up with a dabber. Scrape it and add it to the dab coil.

How Much Should I Pack in the Chamber?

Don’t try to overpack it or load too much on the chamber. It can cause a short circuit or be too much load on the coil. This can give out and stop working. Then you’re left with a gunk of wax on your coil which is messy to get off. If it is a deep chamber, it can handle more concentrates. To make sure you’re being efficient as far as vapor production and maximizing the flavor, try to pack enough so you reload it after the next hit.

Using Wax Oil Cartridges

Wax C02 cartridges are different but usually use the same battery. Vapes generally use 510 thread batteries. If you get a concentrate oil cartridge, you can screw that onto the battery. Those don’t need any dabbing or preparation.

Rather than opening the mouthpiece, dabbing the wax onto the coil and vaping, wax oil cartridges work totally different. You can usually buy them pre-loaded or fill it up yourself. To fill them up, simply open the top mouthpiece and pour your oil down the side.

If you're using a variable voltage battery, make sure ot keep it on the lowest output. The higher it is, the more of a burnt taste you will have in your mouth. You also lose potency if the temperature is too high on oils.

How to Vape a Wax Oil Vape Pen

Using an oil vape is pretty easy because it's plug n play. Simply attach it to the battery, turn it on by clicking the button five times and vape.

Starting:

When you are first starting with a cartridge, you want to prime the inside coils. Remove the rubber cap on any of the cartridges. Attach the threaded part to the battery. Take three quick draws from the vape.

Vaping:

Everytime you draw vapor, make sure it's quick hits. They tend to be more effective. Taking long draws can heat up the pen too much. Try to do draw slowly. The harder you pull, the less vapor it gives out.

Unclogging:

Cartridges tend to get clogged but so can other vapes. If it gets clogged, use a small paperclip. Straighten out one end and stick it through both sides of the cartridges. The bottom end where the threads are should have a hole in the middle. The top part is through the mouthpiece. If you can, take the mouthpiece out and run it through warm water. When fully dried, attach it back. Just make sure you don't tilt your pen vape because the liquid oil might fall out.

Storage:

Many people don't vape that often so they put their cartridges away for a while. If you do, make sure to keep the rubber cap and but it on both ends. This can help avoid future leaks. Try to keep it upright at all times too. Make sure it is kept around 65ºF - 75ºF preferably somewhere dark.

Dab Pen Accessories

All you need to vape is a battery, your material and a chamber. Having accessories for your personal belongings can help. Although some wax vaporizer kits come with these, you might want to find out which don’t so you can also buy it.

- Dabber: Dabbers, dab tools or dab sticks are all little picks you can use to scoop up your wax. Once you gather it, you want to use a dabber that is going to help you dab it on the coil.

- Carry case: Having a carry case for your kit can be good for two reasons. First of all, it makes transporting easier. Put it into the case and walk out the house with it. Second of all, it helps masks the smell that might come from a used concentrate pen. Keeping your concentrates inside a silicone container and inside the carry case will help too. Not only will it help with smell but it will preserve the potency and freshness of the wax.

- Vubbler: A vubbler or a vaporizer bubbler is an attachment that screws into your battery. It comes with a coil and everything in one. Fill it with water from the top and vape away.

Dr. Dabber Aura Atomizers

Can I Use Wax Vape Pens for Dry Herbs Also?

Wax vape pens are usually 510 thread connection chambers which means that they are almost universal. Almost 95% of vaporizer pens tend to use the same connection threading which means you can switch it out for another similar chamber. Unfortunately, you cannot use a vape pen for dabs with dry herbs because of the way the coils are structured. Herbal conduction vaporizers have flat circular coils that look like “@”. This helps them heat up but a coil wrapped around a wick will only be good enough for oil.

Cleaning Your Dab Pen

Being able to maintain a clean vape is a very important part of using a dab pen. Making sure it is clean can make the difference between efficient vapor and mediocre quality. The main parts that need to be cleaned is inside the mouthpiece and the chamber. That's where any clogging can start to occur. Before starting to clean anything, make sure you disassemble the unit.

Battery:

Starting with the battery, use a isoprpyl alcohol and lightly moisten a cotton ball. Use that to clean around the battery.

Atomizer and Chamber:

This is one of the most important parts. Always be very careful when cleaning your atomizer. The coil can get very brittle after a few uses. Poking at it can cause it to break off. Using the dab tool or scraper that is included with the dab vape kit, scrape all the sides out. You can light the coil for a second or two to get the chamber to heat up. This will cause the oil to slide around and turn into liquid. You can then scrape it off the sides easier.

Some chambers have a tiny hole at the bottom to help with better air flow. If yours has this, make sure it is scraped clear of any residue.

Mouthpiece:

First, open the mouthpiece as much as you can. Some open up and turn into 3 different pieces. Take those pieces and clean any residue or dirt you can visibly see. For any metal or plastic pieces, put them into water water and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes. This will help break the residue apart. You can then use isopropyl alcohol to clean anything blocking the way of an air path.

Dabbing Discreetly

Besides for being health conscious, one of the reasons why people switch to vape pens is because of the anonymity it gives. No one knows what you're doing and it's very quick. However, more people are learning about vaporizers so it's getting harder. Here are some ways to make sure you're vaping discreetly when around other people. Always remember to be respectful and mindful of the law.

Smell:

Smell is a very big giveaway when weed is involved. Wax gives off the smell of terpenes so it's a big lighter on the smell. The best way to make sure the smell is minimized is to clear any vapor that is created. Don't even leave any in the chamber itself. When you're vaping, try to inhale deep with a big breathe. The longer you keep it in, the less you will blow out.

Blow it in Your Shirt:

This is one of the most common methods. Simply blow any left over vapor into your shirt. There shouldn't be much if done correctly.

Size and Shape:

One of the best ways to start vaping discreetly is to buy a smaller vape. That will make sure you can hide it in your palm. You will also be able to put it on your desk without being noticed or n your pocket without a bulge.

Best Portable Cheap Wax Vape Pens

Dr. Dabber Boost eRig Vaporizer

Ironically, the Dr. Dabber Boost looks like a desktop wax vape but it is very portable. This is one of the best dab vaporizers you can use for its flavor purity, performance and style.

Portable Dab Rig

It looks very similar to a dab rig but you do not need a torch. It uses a rechargeable battery which can last about 60 uses per charge. The battery is also very easy to replace. The battery is 2500mAh so it's not too heavy as a device. The unit from the base to the top is 10 inches.

Pure Taste

The vapor travels through all glass pieces which keeps it flavor unadulterated. The bottom of the glass features a glass percolator. The percolator features water filtration through it. It also comes with several atomizer coils from titanium, quartz or ceramic.

Dr. Dabber Boost eRig

Kandypens Prism Plus Vaporizer

The Kandypens prism Plus wax vaporizer is perfect when you want a compact dab pen with super performance. It has a very nice stainless steel finish. One of the most exciting aspects to this is the fact you get lifetime warranty. You get two different coils with this unit. The first is a ceramic coil-less atomizer and the second is a dual quarts rod atomizer.

Battery Life

The Prism Plus has one of the most powerful batteries from all Kandypens vapes. It has a 900mAh battery that is charged with a Micro-USB charger. You can also change the voltage by clicking the power button three times quickly. The LED light for the voltage goes as follows:

  • Yellow is the lowest voltage at 2.3v
  • Green at 3.0v
  • Red at 3.6v
  • Blue is the highest voltage at 4.2v

kandypens prism plus vaporizer accessories

Puffco Plus V2

This sleek and thin sharpie-like wax vape pen is the Puffco Plus V2. It is the second generation of the original Plus and it comes with extra features.It's super efficient as a dab pen. it has a ceramic coil-free chamber for your wax. The bottom of the mouthpiece has a dabber on it so you can scoop it up directly from its jar and place it in the chamber. No more messy spoons.

Sesh Mode

The Puffco Plus V2 has a sesh mode which give the vaper 12 seconds of continuous heating. it has three different temperature with quick heat up times. The three temperatures don't have exact temperatures but you can scroll through the three different voltage settings.

puffco plus vape

Flytlab Stik Vaporizer

This is the newest dab vape pen from a new company but there new vape with the two atomizers are very efficient. The atomizers are dual quartz and ceramic slab. it comes with a smart one-button control which controls everything through that button, including the four temperature selections. The threading connection is so smooth, it comes with thread-less connection.

Vapor Quality

The vapor quality is on the Flytlab Stik has very good vapor quality. There are many features that contribute to this. there are two heating chambers that product low temperature dabs. This keep the flavor very unique.

Temperature Control

You can control the temperature through out the different vaping modes. It has four different temperatures you can use with the ceramic chamber:

  • 200°F
  • 250°F
  • 300°F
  • 400°F

With the dual quartz atomizer, can cycle through

  • 400°F
  • 500°F
  • 600°F

Dr. Dabber Aura Vaporizer

Dr. Dabber has been known to be one of the biggest names in the wax vape world. The Dr. Dabber Aura vape has a smooth and clean matte satin finish on the exterior. It comes with four atomizers: the ceramic halo, a dual quartz heating rods with quarz dish, and a double ceramic heating rods with quartz dish. They all produce pure vapor.

Quality

The Dr. Dabber Aura uses the slogan "Less Heat. More Flavor." This is exactly how the atomizer and battery work together. The vapor produces a very flavorful vapor because of the low temperature.

The Aura by Dr. Dabber features a clean experience including the way you connect the parts together. They connect through threadless connection using magnets.

Dr. Dabber Aura Vape Pen