- The process for bending a glass tube is simple in theory, but may be difficult in practice. Put a flame spreader on a Bunsen burner, hold the tube over the heat and spin it in your fingers until the glass begins to soften. Remove the tube from the burner and hold it for a few moments to let the heat distribute, and then quickly bend it into a new position and hold it at the new angle till it cools and hardens again.
- If you're conducting a standard experiment you can get materials from a supplier that specializes in lab tools; if, however, you want to make very specific curves in your glass pipes you can make them in your own lab. This can be a major benefit for an individual lab where you have glass tubes, a heat source and the necessary knowledge, but when you don't have additional funds to buy new materials.
- Glass pipes are comparatively cheap, and some of the best learning you can do is when you get your hands on the lesson rather than reading it out of a book. In a school lab setting the discussion of heat and how it changes materials can be seen and felt in working with glass tubes and creating good bends in the glass. Once that's been done, a student will have firsthand knowledge of what heat can do to solid materials, which makes the lab a good pairing with lessons on glass formation, heat properties and thermodynamic laws.
- Whenever you're working in a lab setting it's important that you use proper safety precautions. When working with glass tube bending, which might result in the glass snapping or melting if done improperly, always wear safety goggles and gloves to protect hands from the heat of the flame. When bending glass, the bend should always be made away from the face and body so that if a snap occurs the pieces fly outward and away from people.