apparatus and method for joining two ends of plastic optical fibers after the ends have been formed , preferably cut at a bias . the ends are pushed together within a tightly fitting quartz tube and their juncture is heated , by a resistance wire filament which surrounds the tube , to melt the ends and form a splice . the quartz tube is split into a top member and a bottom member and the spliced optical fiber is removed from the tube by opening the two tube members .