A clay triangle is what holds a crucible over a flame. It sits on a tripod or drops into a support ring on a ring stand, and the three clay pipe stems cradle the crucible so the flame reaches it directly while nothing metal touches the hot porcelain. The clay is the important part. Bare wire would conduct heat away from the crucible and would sag or scale at ignition temperatures. The pipe stem sleeves insulate the frame from the heat and give the crucible three stable contact points instead of resting it on metal. The wire underneath is heavy 16 gauge, so the triangle holds its shape through repeated heating cycles rather than spreading over time. The two inch size fits standard porcelain crucibles in the 15 to 30 mL range, which is what most teaching labs and small analytical benches run. Sit the crucible so it rests on the three stems rather than dropping down inside the opening. Common uses: heating crucibles to constant mass, ashing and ignition, supporting evaporation dishes over a burner, and holding a funnel steady during gravity filtration.
