Glass Stirring Rods: Cut and Flame-Polished

A laboratory stirring rod is a piece of solid glass, usually borosilicate, about half a centimetre thick and 10 to 40 cm long, with rounded ends. Rods are cut from a single long length of thin glass rod, and the ends are rounded, for example by flame polishing, so they cannot scratch the glassware: a scratched beaker or flask may crack when it is later heated. In flame polishing the glass surface melts briefly and surface tension pulls it smooth.

Beginner

30 minutes

Instructions

Cut to length

Cut the long glass rod into pieces 10 to 40 cm long.

Materials for this step:

Borosilicate Glass Rod1 as required

Flame-polish the ends

Hold each end in the torch flame until the surface melts briefly and surface tension rounds it smooth. Let the rods cool.

Tools needed:

Bench Glassblowing Torch

Materials

1
1
Borosilicate Glass Rod
1 as required
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Tools Required

2
2
Bench Glassblowing Torch
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