Metal rods make metal stock storage practical and easy. Companies buy and sell rods, and then undergo processing them into other metal products. Rods also serve as building materials themselves, most commonly as concrete support rods. Most metal rods have round cross sections (i.e. they are long cylinders). Still, there is also square metal rod stock as well as other polygon shapes, such as a metal rod or bar with a hexagonal cross section.
Ferrous metals, like steel and cast iron, account for a great deal of metal bars. There are even stainless metal rods. However, there are other compositions:
1. Aluminum metal rods are ductile and easy to work with, but still rather strong. They're also corrosion resistant.
2. Cobalt rod is strong and highly resistant to corrosion. This metal has the added benefit of being temperature tolerant.
3. Copper bar and its alloys (like brass and bronze) are fairly ductile and workable, with varying strengths (depending on the alloy). They are also good conductors and resist corrosion.
4. Nickel is strong with superior corrosion resistance and temperature tolerance.
5. Titanium is very strong, especially as compared to its weight. It is also corrosion resistant.
Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
Buy steel rods and other ferrous metal rods and bars from quality metal rod manufacturers
The various types of ferrous rod stock are among the most common and most plentiful metal rods. Fabrication with rods containing iron include casting, forming, machining and welding.
I recommend: All Metals & Forge has a huge variety of products. However, there are many other places to look, like
OnlineMetals.com which sells tool steel, drill rod and other rod and bar stock. Also, there are metal rod companies, like
Ed Fagen, Inc., that help their customers locate hard to find rod stock.
Buy metal rods of various compositions, including rare metals
Many applications are better served by non-ferrous metal rod stock, like the aluminum metal rod. Some applications have a "gold" standard metal that is always, or nearly always, chosen. But sometimes there are options, in which case you can prioritize the metals that have the best properties for the job at hand and then consider cost.
I recommend: Metal World carries an extensive list of metal rod stock, including somewhat less common compositions, like beryllium, sliver and zinc.
Elmet Technologies specializes in molybdenum products, including rod stock. The metal has a very high melting point and other beneficial thermal properties, and it also conducts electricity fairly well. Yet another place to look is
RTI International Metals, which carries special alloys and refractory products.
Place very small or large custom orders
If you can avoid it, don't waste time re-cutting rod to accommodate your industrial process. Also, if you only want a small order and have nothing to do with extra rod stock, find a company that will work with you. There are a number of metal rod sources, so if you don't find what you want the first time, check out another company.
I recommend: Speedy Metals cuts rods down to the size you want and they have no minimum order size, a great convenience for many smaller companies or for small projects. Plus, they carry a full range of metals and shapes.
All Metals & Forge is a major rod stock source. They fill custom orders and supply a variety of ferrous and non-ferrous products.
Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide
- If you produce products that must take a lot of wear, tool steel is a good option. It's carbon and iron based, and it is also highly hardened. The drawback, however, is that it's not as easy to work with as other types of rod stock.
The official source of Metal Rods is the Metal Rods page at Business.com
Featured Vendors
RodsManufactures and distributes brass, bronze and copper alloys, from stock or made to order. Wrought bars, tubes, wire, sheet, plating, and cast bars.
www.nbm-houston.com
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