An apparatus for creating a high-strength weld seam in the center of a weld zone between two glass components (1; 2; 3; 14; 14a), each glass component (1; 2; 3; 14; 14a) having a first end (9; 11), an opposing second end (9; 11), and a ground surface, wherein at least one of the glass components (1; 2; 3; 14; 14a) is a cylinder having a central bore, the apparatus comprising: a first chuck configured to clamp the first end (9; 11) of the first glass component (1; 2; 3; 14; 14a) and a second chuck configured to clamp the first end (9; 11) of the second glass component (1; 2; 3; 14; 14a), the first chuck and the second chuck moving the glass components (1; 2; 3; 14; 14a) toward each other; an enclosure in which the second end (9; 11) of the first glass component (1; 2; 3; 14; 14a) and the second end (9; 11) of the second glass component (1; 2; 3; 14; 14a) are moved toward each other, heated, softened, and welded together to form the weld seam in the weld zone, the enclosure having layers of stacked quartz glass bricks and allowing the weld zone to cool slowly and avoid stress in the weld zone; and at least one propane melting torch directing a flame inside the enclosure and toward the second ends (9; 11) of the glass components (1; 2; 3; 14; 14a) as the glass components (1; 2; 3; 14; 14a) move toward each other, the flame softening the second ends (9; 11) of the glass components (1; 2; 3; 14; 14a) and creating smooth polished surfaces in the weld zone proximate the second end (9; 11) of each glass component (1; 2; 3; 14; 14a), characterised in that the at least one propane melting torch is a propane quartz melting torch (37; 38) the apparatus further comprises a purge device and a gas line introducing a purging gas into the central bore to prevent the flame from entering the central bore, thereby assuring that the hydroxide content on the inside surface of the cylinder is less than on the outside surface of the cylinder, such that the second end (9; 11) of each glass component (1; 2; 3; 14; 14a) has an increased hydroxide content, wherein at least 80% of the weld zone has a hydroxide content greater than 10 ppm average in a 10 μm depth from the surface and the tensile strength of the weld zone is greater than 10 MPa. a first chuck configured to clamp the first end (9; 11) of the first glass component (1; 2; 3; 14; 14a) and a second chuck configured to clamp the first end (9; 11) of the second glass component (1; 2; 3; 14; 14a), the first chuck and the second chuck moving the glass components (1; 2; 3; 14; 14a) toward each other; an enclosure in which the second end (9; 11) of the first glass component (1; 2; 3; 14; 14a) and the second end (9; 11) of the second glass component (1; 2; 3; 14; 14a) are moved toward each other, heated, softened, and welded together to form the weld seam in the weld zone, the enclosure having layers of stacked quartz glass bricks and allowing the weld zone to cool slowly and avoid stress in the weld zone; and at least one propane melting torch directing a flame inside the enclosure and toward the second ends (9; 11) of the glass components (1; 2; 3; 14; 14a) as the glass components (1; 2; 3; 14; 14a) move toward each other, the flame softening the second ends (9; 11) of the glass components (1; 2; 3; 14; 14a) and creating smooth polished surfaces in the weld zone proximate the second end (9; 11) of each glass component (1; 2; 3; 14; 14a), characterised in that the at least one propane melting torch is a propane quartz melting torch (37; 38) the apparatus further comprises a purge device and a gas line introducing a purging gas into the central bore to prevent the flame from entering the central bore, thereby assuring that the hydroxide content on the inside surface of the cylinder is less than on the outside surface of the cylinder, such that the second end (9; 11) of each glass component (1; 2; 3; 14; 14a) has an increased hydroxide content, wherein at least 80% of the weld zone has a hydroxide content greater than 10 ppm average in a 10 μm depth from the surface and the tensile strength of the weld zone is greater than 10 MPa.