TL;DR Between 550 and 650°F “at the nail”.
This is an opinionated explanation of dab temperatures. The temps below are “at the nail” temps. This is an important distinction because if you are using an e-nail rather than a torch, you’ll need to figure out the difference between your e-nails temperature display and the temperature of the inside of the nail. In my case the temperature on my e-nail is about 100 to 150°F higher than the inside of my go-to bangers. When I purchased a MiniNail it came “calibrated” to the nail I selected.
Starting from lowest temps:
Below 300°F#
You end up with very, very little cannabinoids. THC-A and CBD-A both convert at this low range but, if your nail cools off too fast then you can drop below the THC and CBD boil points. Caryophyllene, sitosterol and pinene will be the major terps at this range.
450 to 550°F#
Mild effect compared to higher temps but easier on the throat and low-tolerance fam. All cannabinoids and terpenes are generally vaporized. There will be waxes, fats and lipids left in the nail. The full flavor of the dab is available.
550 to 650°F#
This is my go-to temperature range. I will go higher but this is my standard. Dab-level effect and every combination of terpene and cannabinoid is vaporized. The leftovers will probably burn. If you are hitting a rosin use the low-end.
650 to 700°F and above#
This is a temp range for strong effects and less terpenes than lower ranges. There’s most likely at least some combustion after 800°F and the risk of carcinogens increases a little too much for me. 700°F is generally as high as I purposefully go.