Glassware and tubing
Short answer: Click Draw in the top bar, then pick Glassware and drag on the canvas to place a flask or beaker. Click Glassware again to choose from 125 pieces. Pieces snap together at their joints, and the Tubing tool draws a hose between two hose barbs. Set the liquid, outline and marks in Color & style.
- Click Draw in the top bar. The Draw tools open beside the left rail.
- Click Glassware. Click it again to open the Glassware menu.
- Type in Search apparatus, or browse the groups, and pick a piece.
- Drag on the canvas to place it.
- Place the next piece near a joint of the first. It snaps into place.
The Text, shapes and images page covers the basics: the liquid grip, turning a vessel and pouring. This page covers the rest.
The Glassware menu#
The menu has 125 pieces in nine groups:
- Flasks & vessels
- Funnels & filtration
- Condensers & columns
- Distillation & rotovap
- Adapters & closures
- Vacuum, gas & tubing
- Heating & cooling
- Stands, clamps & tools
- Measuring & analysis
Open library at the bottom opens the full apparatus library with previews and more drawing styles. See the apparatus library.
Liquid level and two layers#
Select a vessel and open Color & style. Vessels that hold liquid show these controls:
| Control | What it does | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Liquid | Colour of the liquid. | Light blue |
| Level | How full the vessel is. You can also drag the grip on the liquid surface. | 35% |
| Opacity | How see-through the liquid is, 15% to 100%. | 82% |
| Two layers | Adds a second liquid on top, for example in a separatory funnel. | Off |
| Top layer | Colour of the upper liquid. | Yellow |
| Bottom layer | Share of the liquid in the lower layer, 5% to 95%. | 50% |
Look of the glass#
The same panel sets the look of any selected piece:
| Control | What it does | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Style | Line is a clean line drawing. Premium adds soft 3D shading. | Line |
| Outline | Colour of the glass outline. Auto follows the theme ink. | Auto |
| Width | Outline width, 0.5 to 6. | 2 |
| Highlights | Thin reflection lines on the glass. | On |
| Graduations | Volume marks, for example on a conical flask, cylinder or burette. | On |
| Glass tint | A faint glass colour in the Line style. Always on in Premium. | Off |
For a black and white journal figure, use Line, turn Highlights off and keep Outline on Auto.
Snap pieces together#
Every piece has named joints, such as a flask neck or a condenser end. While you drag a piece, a free joint that comes near a matching joint pulls it in. A ring marks the point where they meet.
- A single piece turns a little and slides so the openings face each other.
- A selected group of pieces only slides. It does not turn.
- Hold Alt while you drag to place a piece freely.
- Pieces dropped from the apparatus library snap the same way.
Select the whole setup and drag to move it as one. To keep it together for later, right click and pick Group. See Select, move and align.
Draw tubing#
- Click Draw in the top bar, then Tubing.
- Press on a hose barb, for example the side arm of a Büchner flask or a condenser inlet.
- Drag to another hose barb and release.
The tube is a smooth curve. Ends fitted on a barb follow the glassware when you move it.
To shape a selected tube:
- Drag a round end onto another barb. Drop it on empty canvas to free it.
- Drag a diamond handle to change the curve at that end.
- Drag the tube body to bend the whole tube.
In Color & style, Tubing sets the look: Rubber (red vacuum hose, the default), Water or Clear. Thickness goes from 4 to 24, with 9 as the default. Outline sets the edge colour.
Common problems#
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| A piece will not snap | The joint is already used, or the joints do not match. Move it closer, or check you are not holding Alt. |
| A piece snapped where I did not want | Hold Alt while you drag. |
| No liquid controls | The piece does not hold liquid, such as an adapter or a clamp. |
| The tube end does not stay on the flask | Drop the end right on the hose barb. It fits when it is close. |
| Lines are too thin in the export | Raise Width for glassware or Thickness for tubing. |
For the theory behind each piece, read the lab glassware guide. To draw a TLC plate, try the TLC diagram tool.
Questions and answers
How do I draw a distillation setup in MolDraw?
Open Draw, pick Glassware and place a round bottom flask. Then place a distillation head and a condenser near its neck. Each piece snaps onto the free joint.
How do I show two liquid layers in a separatory funnel?
Select the funnel, open Color & style and turn on Two layers. Set the Top layer colour and the Bottom layer share.
How do I connect water tubing to a condenser?
Pick Tubing in the Draw tools and drag from one hose barb to another. Set the look to Water in Color & style.
How do I stop glassware from snapping?
Hold Alt while you drag the piece.
Can I hide the volume marks on a beaker?
Yes. Select it, open Color & style and turn off Graduations.
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