Overclad fiber optic couplers are made by inserting the uncoated portions of a plurality of optical fibers into the bore (14) of a glass tube, collapsing the tube midregion (15) onto the fibers and stretching the central portion of the tube midregion. The present method utilizes a glass tube (10) the bore of which includes a circular portion and a recess. A plurality of optical fibers (21, 22) are sequentially inserted into the tube by threading the coated end into the circular bore portion until the uncoated portion of fiber (23, 24) is centered in the tube. The uncoated portion of fiber is then transferred laterally into the bore (14) recess. After all fibers have been threaded into the circular bore portion and transferred to the recess, a filler fiber (28) is inserted into the circular bore portion. The resultant coupler exhibits low excess loss.