this came up before, but not at prince rupert.. i think it was in a words about glass, or tension, or fractures... (in other words we got to the same place, but with different word!) in any case, some one, (might have been you Dr Bill!) found a web sight showing some..

and instead of a bunsen burner you could just use a propone canister.. that is what glass workers used for melting glass rods! Home depot or Lowes and or anyother hardware store caries small canisters of propane for soldering copper pipes, etc..