Test Tubes Made from Glass Tubing

Glass tubing is drawn continuously from molten glass and cut into lengths of about 1.5 m. A test tube is made from a length of it in the flame: turned until it softens, pulled apart to close one end, the closed end blown gently into a round bottom, and the open end heated and flared with a turnpin into a flange, which finishes the edge neatly and strengthens it so a cork can be pushed in without breaking it. Hard Bohemian glass was the usual test-tube glass in 1910.

Intermediate

Minutes per tube

Instructions

Heat and pull

Heat a length of tubing while turning it until the glass runs together, then draw the two pieces apart.

Materials for this step:

Glass Tubing Kit1 piece

Tools needed:

Bunsen Burner

Round the bottom

Reheat the closed end and blow gently to make it round.

Tools needed:

Bunsen Burner

Flange the mouth

Heat the open end and turn it out with a turnpin into a flange.

Tools needed:

Bunsen Burner

Glassworking Turnpin

Materials

1
1
Glass Tubing Kit
1 piece
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Tools Required

1 2 3
1 2 3
Bunsen Burner
Placeholder
3
3
Glassworking Turnpin
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