The midpoint of the tube size spectrum — 5 to 15 mL — is where culture tubes, serology tubes, and standard round-bottom tubes all live. The Heathrow Scientific HS243077 Fold & Snap Tube Rack was built for exactly this range. With 60 wells at 17mm diameter, it holds more tubes per rack than the 21mm model while accommodating the wider tube profiles that the 13mm model can't fit. And like all Fold & Snap racks, it ships completely flat and assembles in seconds — no tools, no complex interlocking parts, just fold and snap.
The polypropylene construction withstands full autoclave cycles and water bath immersion. The open well design ensures uniform temperature exposure across all 60 tube positions during incubations. Available in Blue, White, Red, and Yellow for color-coded sample organization.
Features and Benefits
17mm Wells for 5–15mL Tubes: Covers the mid-range tube diameter — fits culture tubes, serology tubes, and round-bottom labware that fall between the 13mm and 21mm well sizes.
Flat-Pack Storage and Shipping: Ships as a single flat polypropylene sheet — drastically reduces storage volume vs. pre-assembled racks. Fold and snap together in seconds on demand.
60-Place High Capacity: More wells per footprint than the 21mm model — maximizes bench utilization for workflows running large numbers of mid-size tubes simultaneously.
Autoclavable Polypropylene: Withstands standard 121°C autoclave cycles — sterilize between experiments or users without warping, cracking, or joint failure.
Water Bath Compatible: Stable base holds all 60 tubes upright during temperature-controlled water bath incubations — open well design ensures uniform heat distribution.
4 Colors for Sample Tracking: Blue, White, Red, and Yellow enable color-coded organization across experiments, projects, or users in shared labs.
Specifications
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| SKU Series | HS243077B, HS243077W, HS243077R, HS243077Y |
| Brand | Heathrow Scientific |
| Material | Polypropylene |
| Number of Wells | 60 |
| Well Diameter | 17 mm |
| Compatible Tube Size | 5–15 mL |
| Dimensions (L x W x H) | 9.6 x 4.2 x 2.8 in (24.5 x 10.8 x 7.2 cm) |
| Quantity | 1 Each |
| Autoclavable | Yes |
| Colors Available | Blue, White, Red, Yellow |
| Weight | 0.35 lb (0.16 kg) |
| Country of Origin | China |
Choosing the Right Fold & Snap Size
| Model | Well Diameter | Tube Size | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| HS243073 (13mm) | 13 mm | 5–10 mL | 90 wells |
| HS243077 (17mm) | 17 mm | 5–15 mL | 60 wells |
| HS243071 (21mm) | 21 mm | 5–30 mL | 40 wells |
Laboratory Applications
Microbiology and serology workflows using standard 10–15 mL round-bottom glass or plastic culture tubes that are too wide for 13mm racks
Water bath incubations requiring stable, submersible rack support for tubes in the 5–15 mL range
Teaching labs needing affordable, autoclavable racks that can be sterilized and reused across multiple student groups
High-throughput clinical and diagnostic labs using color-coded rack assignments to separate sample batches or patient groups
Frequently Asked Questions
What tube sizes fit the 17mm Fold & Snap rack?
This rack is designed for tubes with 17mm outer diameter in the 5–15 mL range. This includes standard 10 mL and 15 mL glass culture tubes, serology tubes, and similar 17mm-diameter round-bottom labware. It will not securely hold standard 15 mL conical (Falcon-style) tubes, which have a wider conical base — for those, use the HS24311 Peg Rack or HS24318 Pop-Up Rack.
How does the 17mm model differ from the 13mm and 21mm Fold & Snap racks?
See the comparison table above. The 17mm model is the mid-range option — more wells than the 21mm rack, wider wells than the 13mm rack. Choose based on the outer diameter of your tubes, not the tube volume alone.
Can this rack be used in a water bath?
Yes. The stable polypropylene base and open-well construction make this rack fully compatible with water bath use at standard laboratory temperatures.
Is assembly permanent or can it be collapsed for storage?
Once snapped together, the Fold & Snap rack is a rigid, fixed structure — it is not designed to re-collapse after assembly. The flat-pack benefit is for pre-assembly storage and shipping, not repeated collapse cycles.
Quality Assurance
Heathrow Scientific manufactures this rack from virgin polypropylene for consistent chemical resistance and structural integrity. Each rack is tested to confirm stable snap-joint assembly, consistent 17mm well geometry across all 60 positions, and dimensional stability through autoclave and water bath cycling.
Academic and Institutional Pricing
LabSupplies.com offers tiered quantity pricing for academic and research institutions. As an authorized dealer, we ship directly from USA inventory.