Take a piece of No. 4 tube about 6 inches long, close one end, smooth the other, and allow it to cool.

Now to make a large hole in the side of this tube, proceed as follows : Heat in the blowpipe flame the point at which you wish to make the hole, and blow a slight bulge (1, Fig. 75). Then heat the top of this bulge until it is red hot over an area about equal to the size of the hole you wish to make, and blow hard to make a thin bubble (2, Fig. 75). Break away the thin glass of the bubble, smooth the edges, and the hole is made. The edge of this hole will project beyond the side of the tube (3, Fig. 75). If you wish to make the edge even with the side of the tube, heat it in the blowpipe flame until it shrinks back level with the tube.