I have done my 4 horizontal Empire Engines with ~5mm Sight Glass tubes, perfect seals for all. If that silicon 3/16" ID x 1/4" OD tubing was a bit stiffer I sure I wouldn't need that o-ring or perhaps if I was to get a perfect cut on the tubing. I still have my vertical No.92 "Play Boy" to redo, so perhaps I'll see how close I can get without the o-ring. I have been thinking, how could I make a cutting jig that would make a perfectly cut ~0.15 seal from this silicone tubbing.
I didn't try to much without the o-ring because the process was working and I wanted to see if I could repeat my steps with success. My success rate with combo o-ring/tube is 100%. The time it took me to do these 4 (with steam testing) is about what it took me when I was working on that No.32 that kicked off this thread of my!