Pasteur pipettes with customized opening diameters
MATERIALS
Equipment
Alcohol burner, glass
Pasteur pipettes (glass, long)
Long pipettes usually have a longer conical part than the short variety.
Pencil (diamond-point)
Plastic card (e.g., credit card)
Protective eyegear and gloves
METHOD
This method produces the desired opening size by defined fracturing.
Protect your eyes and hands against flying glass splinters.
-
1. Hold the pipette horizontally.
-
2. Make a vertical notch at the conical part of the pipette with a diamond pen.
Vary the position of the notch to get different diameters in the resulting opening.
-
3. Use a solid ridge (e.g., a stiff plastic card such as a credit card) to crack the pipette in two.
With some practice, a vertical cut end is obtained at the intended level of the pipette conus.
-
4. Flame-polish the sharp edge of the pipette using an alcohol burner.
