SHOPTALK1212.25 - HOW TO MEASURE CARB CAPS & QUARTZ ACCESSORIES

Ever order a carb cap that doesn't fit quite right? Or a slurper marble or bubble cap that was a bit too big? Getting the right size accessories for your quartz can be frustrating, but it doesn't have to be. Once you know what to measure and where, ordering caps, guards, pillars, and pearls becomes less of a guessing game. This quick guide will walk you through the essential measurements you need - no chaz here! - just the info that'll help you get the right fit every single time.

TOOLS
You don't need fancy equipment to get accurate measurements - a basic ruler with millimeters works great for most stuff. Just place it flat across the opening of your bucket or slurper and read where it crosses. 

For more precision (especially on smaller parts like pillars or valve marbles), digital calipers are worth the $15-20 on Amazon (affiliate link)—they measure down to 0.1mm and can do both inside and outside diameters. 

PLUG STYLE CARB CAPS
For virtually all caps, but especially plug style caps like spinners and directional flow caps, the single most important measurement is the inner diameter of your quartz - that's the opening at the top where your carb cap sits. Grab your ruler or calipers and measure straight across the inside of the bucket opening (don’t include the thick quartz walls, we just want to measure the usable space). Most Terp Slurpers run 15mm inside (XL’s 20mm), while most other bangers, buckets, blenders, etc are 20mm across, while XL’s are typically 30mm.

These are just generalizations, every company can be slightly different so be sure to measure what you have to be 100% sure. Ideally, the plug on plug-style caps will be 1-2mm smaller than your inner diameter measurement because you want a good fit; not a perfectly tight fit, but not a sloppy loose fit either. 3mm or more of plug slop will increase the chances of falling off during any potentially sudden movements.



BUBBLE CAPS & SLURPER MARBLES
For bubble caps, slurper marbles, and flat tops style caps, your carb cap should be large enough that it doesn’t fall in, so take the outside diameter measurement (this time including the quartz walls). If you've got a 25mm banger, you're looking for a 27-28mm cap or marble. Why? The cap needs to rest on the rim to create a seal—if it's the exact same size as the inside diameter, it may drop inside instead of sealing on top. Be sure to measure at the very top of the bucket since some bangers taper slightly, and that top measurement is what actually matters for fit.

PILLARS, VALVES & PEARLS
Terp Slurpers have a few more functioning pieces besides the cap, such as guards/valves, pillars and pearls. The middle section of a Terp Slurper is narrow and tall, typically an 8mm diameter, and this is where your pillar or pearls live. The ideal pillar and pearl size for your slurper is 6mm diameter (or smaller) because you don’t want them too snug in there or it will restrict air flow, and could even get stuck with heat/expansion. The heights of a pillar can be anywhere from 10-60mm.

Pay special attention to the height of your pillar and pillar area - you don’t want your pillar sticking up out of the pillar area and into the top cap area, especially if you use a guard/valve marble, because you don’t want the pillar and the guard to contact or chatter when using them as it could lead to them chipping.



CONCLUSION
And that's really all there is to it! It takes five minutes with a ruler and saves you from the headache of ordering stuff that doesn't fit. Bookmark this if you need to come back to it later, and if you need examples of different caps and accessories, check out my accessories section to see what’s in stock!

Happy dabbing!

-N8-