A quartz banger and enail coil setup requires a way to keep the coil held onto the banger. I’ll highlight and explain in this article the various solutions that have evolved over the years, including my new personal favorite.
As we might remember from science class, matter expands when heated and contracts when cooled. Metal and quartz expand and contract at different rates. If the metal heat coil contracts faster than the quartz banger while cooling, the coil may fall off the banger. If the metal does not expand enough while heating up and is very tight around the quartz, that may result in cracking or shattering.
Repeated heating and cooling can eventually weaken the glass welds in your beloved daily driver. This can also be a fire hazard if flammable materials are underneath the dab rig. Sure, it’s possible to tighten the coil so it fits so snug on the banger that it holds itself up, but this is when you may run into issues with the banger cracking or separating if not fully welded. Ideally, the fit should not be too tight enough to transfer heat, but with enough gap to allow for expansion during heating.
The Old School Banger Arm
The early days of enail tech featured the side-arm design pictured below. A quartz hook was fused into the side of the banger itself acting as a holder for the coil’s neck. This solution seemed adequate at first, but you soon found out it was almost impossible to get a really good fit without making the arm too low for the bottom of the bucket. When the arm was placed at the perfect height there was no way to slide the coil under the banger. For this reason the delicate arms were prone to breakage and this so-called solution was slowly phased out.
Since then we’ve discovered much better ways to hold the coil onto the banger for convenience and longevity.
Cotter Pin Fasteners
Some find that a cotter pin fastener suits their needs. The metal pins slip through the nipple on the bottom of the banger and holds the heating coil
This solution benefits from being fairly stable compared to most other solutions; but there are some limitations. The first is that the pin can be difficult to remove at times. It’s not great for those with poor finger dexterity or ailments such as arthritis. They can also be easy to lose.
Another drawback is the stress that can be exerted on the banger’s holding nipple if you’re not careful removing the pin. It’s natural to try to pull out on the pin rather than push it out and this can result in the quartz nipple eventually breaking off if you frequently remove the coil from the banger and aren’t careful.
Last, it only works with bangers that are designed with a nipple on the bottom, and therefore are not as adaptable to other bangers. Also, you need to make sure that your coil has an adequate opening on the bottom wrap so that the nipple fits through. This last point normally isn’t much of an issue, but I think it’s worth mentioning.
My Favorite: Hose Clamps
IMO, the ultimate way to hold a coil onto a banger with a nipple is using automotive hose clamps (see image below). They are designed to hold a rubber engine hose securely, but thankfully they also work extremely well for our purpose. The reason I favor this solution is due to the ease of application and flexibility of placement. Sometimes slight variations in the manufacturing process results in the hole (for the pin) that is a little lower than optimal, which leave too much of a gap between the bottom of the banger and the coil. Some gap is OK (too allow for expansion) but too much of a gap means inefficient heat transfer. These clamps allow you to position the coil just right on the coil nipple.
Silicone Rubber Banger Bands and Hooks
Silicone bands have a surprising amount of heat tolerance and are available in a variety of different sizes. With proper curing, silicone rubber can withstand about 50°C degrees higher than neoprene rubber; which is rated for up to 250°C/500°F.
Silicone rubber keeps it’s form at an even wider range of temperatures, from -148°F to 572°F. Keep in mind that this is not the temperature of the coil, since the band is placed slightly behind the coil.
Silicone is widely used in many industries for applications with an exposure to a wide range of temperatures. The hooks that hold the bands make for an easy-on, easy-off installation.
DIY: The Wire Tie Method
The quick-fix solution is to simply use wire to secure the two parts together. Many like this solution, since the wire is easily replaced. It can be found in twist-ties available in the produce section of a grocery store or even some thin gauge wire at the hardware store.
It’s not the prettiest solution, but it works. The only disadvantage is disassembly. Rather than untwisting the wire, most users will simply snip the wire off and bust out a new one when replacing.
You’re best off using a pair of needle-nosed pliers to install, but the thin wire can be twisted by hand fairly easily. Pro tip: If you make sure the tabs are completely horizontal while twisting this will make a tighter connection than if they are diagonal. Twist exactly like you would when closing a plastic bag, but more firmly.
Neoprene Rubber Banger Bands and Clips
This adaptable neoprene rubber solution incorporates the humble roach clip from the old days to make an adjustable but less secure coil holder. Cheech would be proud! This setup uses a rubber timing belt with alligator clips to form a MacGyver-style banger band and clip set which is highly adjustable to fit a wide range of different axial heat coil and banger combinations.
The drawback is that it is less heat stable than the silicone bands above. It’s made with neoprene rubber, which can withstand high temperature. It is also wire-reinforced for a second layer of protection against breakage. Also, silicone versions of this timing belt may be found online as well as neoprene (with about 75°F more heat tolerance and being less prone to becoming hard and brittle over time)
Although not as strong as the silicone bands, neoprene rubber has very good heat resistance and will not produce any off-gassing if kept at least 3/4 of an inch away from the heated part when the enail is set to 750°F. Above that and some small particles could possibly out-gas. This doesn’t necessarily mean the gasses would make it into your rig; but better safe than sorry. As long as the band stays under 392°F/200°C, it should not be affected by normal dabbing temperatures.
One user has experienced breakage with this solution so far, so be smart if you choose to go with this adjustable solution. That being said, neoprene is a decent material for the job if you used correctly. It’s right below silicone in heat resilience and longevity.
Your input is valued.
What’s your favorite solution to hold your coil onto your banger? Have you found anything better than the solutions mentioned above? I’d love to hear your #stonerengineering solutions!
