Australia's Science Forum

Our lovely timber test tube holders are slowly being burnt away, and we need to replace them.

We have some of the metal spring ones but none of the teachers are very keen on them. We purchased some new timber ones a couple of years ago but the springs were very weak and so they haven't lasted long at all.

Has anyone got any recommendations for good quality replacements, preferably in a peg type? I noticed that Wetlab has some plastic ones, has anyone tried them at all?

TIA
Mel

I bought some good ones from Science Supply. I had some others where the spring was not only weak, but there was no groove cut into the timber for the spring. They were dangerous and ended up in the bin.

Thanks Merilyn, I'll check them out.

We have had our metal test tube holders since the nineties or thereabouts. The head of department got sick of the budding pyromaniacs burning the wooden test tube holders. Haven't had a burning test tube clamp since. They are relatively cheap and easy to use. I think they are a great invention.

I wouldn't bother with plastic - i think they would melt too easily

I got one plastic one to try but it did melt quite quickly when it got close to the flame. I'll be staying with the wooden ones.

I was worried that the plastic ones would melt, now to find some wooden ones that have a strong spring! Sadly my teachers realy dislike the metal ones - our students tended to drop them a lot.

Thanks everyone for the info