The pricing and costs of metal rods depends greatly on the size and metal rod stock material. Rods may cost anywhere from $2 or $3 to $50. You may buy metal rods at hardware and home improvement stores, as well as find metal rods online. Metal rods material consists of steel rods, stainless metal rods, brass rods and aluminum metal rods. Industries such as construction, factory and home improvement all use metal rods.

Metal rod manufacturers also create industrial metal rods. Different shapes of rods are available, such as a thin metal rod, square metal rod and a stretched metal rod. When considering pricing and costs of metal rods for your business budget, consider the following:

1. Spiked metal rods secure speed bumps.

2. Construction workers use metal rods to stabilize concrete walls.

3. Large quantity quotes can result in cheaper prices for steel rods.

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Purchase shorter spiked steel rods for parking lot use

Metal rod stock comes in a variety of diameters and lengths. Concrete contractors often use shorter spiked steel rods for securing speed bumps to asphalt. Typically, the contractor places one rod at each end of the speed bump. Because speed bumps receive much traffic in parking lots, it is essential to use strong metal rods to withstand weight and movement. These rods cost little compared to their importance.

I recommend: Global Industrial sells 14-inch spiked speed bump steel rods for $1.50 each. Northern Tool features a three-pack of 14-inch spiked steel rods for $19.99.

Buy metal rods for concrete and masonry stabilization

Contractors often purchase longer metal rods for securing concrete walls and other masonry formations. These metal rods used for this purpose have gained the name rebar, short for reinforcing bar. Construction workers use these rods in various lengths depending on the thickness of the concrete.

I recommend: Do It Best.com sells rebar steel rods in 4-foot lengths for less than $9. They also carry round steel rods in 3-foot lengths for less than $4. Nothing But Hardware has 3-foot rebar metal rods for less than $6. They also feature three other lengths of rebar.

Contact manufacturers for quotes to buy large quantities of metal rods wholesale

If your business uses metal rods frequently, you will benefit from purchasing metal rods in large quantities direct from the manufacturers. Pricing depends on the amount and type of rods requested. Most of these companies offer price quoting on a specific type and amount of product. Check manufacturer websites for information about the pricing of wholesale steel rods.

I recommend: Admiral Metals sells a variety of wholesale metal products and offers aluminum rods in a variety of sizes and shapes. Once you have determined the amount of rods your business needs, contact Admiral Metals for a price quote. Penn Stainless also sells wholesale metals including stainless steel rods. This company offers an online quote option for potential buyers.

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.

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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.

Metal rods are used primarily in the industrial and construction industries. Construction rods are often used in brick and foundation work. Factories and manufacturers are starting to use more and more metal rods for melting and creating products. Metal rods are easier to handle and store than sheet metal or metal rolls. This makes the rods ideal for crowed factories. Learn the different metal rods types and styles so you know what you need when you decide to purchase rods for your company.

Metal rods types and styles are categorized by the metals they are made of. Soft metals that are easy to bend and alter are available in an array of styles. Steel alloy rods are available in standard and custom sizes to fit your needs. Heavy metal or high strength metal rods are available for areas with high temperatures or corrosive materials.

1. Explore your soft metal and aluminum metal rods options.

2. View information about different styles of alloy steel rods.

3. Discover the types of titanium and heavy metal industrial metal rods that are available.

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View the available styles of soft metal and aluminum metal rods

Soft metal rods are used in many industrial jobs. Soft metal rods are made from products such as brass, bronze and aluminum. These rods are easy to bend and easy to form. They come in sizes that range from 1/16-inch to 3-inches in diameter.

I recommend: HobbyLinc carries a variety of metal rods material including aluminum. Visit OnlineMetals.com to review their aluminum metal rod stock. Find soft metal rods from Enco, one of the leading metal rod manufacturers.

Discover the different styles of alloy steel rods

Steel alloys are made of carbon steel that is mixed with other metals and materials to give the steel different properties. Alloy steel rods are available in most diameters. Custom alloy steel bars are available in irregular shapes and sizes.

I recommend: RTI International Metals sells many alloy steel rods from its website. Select from the wide selection of stainless metal rods at Speedy Metals. Visit K-mac to find an array of industrial metal rods. Neelcon Steel Industries carries a wide selection of stainless metal rods.

Find titanium and heavy metal industrial metal rods

Titanium rods are primarily used in heavy machinery, vehicles and aircraft. Heavy metal rods are often used in high corrosive and high heat environments. These metal rods have high strength qualities and come in various grades depending on the quality of the rods.

I recommend: Buy metal rods made of titanium and titanium alloys at All Metals & Forge. Compare various heavy metal rods at Ed Fagan. Discover the sizes and types of heavy metal rods online at Sunlight Metal Industries.

Metal rods come in many shapes and sizes and have many uses. Although most metal rods are round, they also come in other shapes, such as hexagonal and square. They can be made of titanium, steel, copper, nickel, cast iron, aluminum or various alloys. Each of these metals has its own strengths and advantages.

Many times, metal rods are used in machines, tools and engines. They are also used in construction and to strengthen poured concrete. Other rods are used in welding or are melted down to make other metal products. Understanding the processes metal undergoes and the variety of metal rod applications will help you choose the right product for the job you are doing.

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Rebar spikes

Rebar spikes are thin metal rods that are threaded like screws. They are driven into asphalt to make speed bumps.

I recommend: Traffic Logix explains how to use rebar spikes to install a speed bump.

Threaded rod

Right-handed threaded rods are configured so that turning them clockwise tightens them. Left-handed threaded rods are used in motors where motion could jar right-handed ones loose. Dual threaded rods, left-handed at one end and right-handed at the other, are used for turnbuckles.

I recommend: GlobalSpec provides information on threaded rods.

Machining bar

A machining bar is round bar that comes in a variety of thicknesses and lengths. These stainless bars can be polished or center-less ground. Also available in nickel alloy, these bars extend tool life.

I recommend: Penn Stainless Products describes the many varieties of machining bar they offer. They also discuss the importance of machinability.

Dowel pin

Metal dowel pins hold two pieces together and are used in mechanical equipment such as disc drives, pumps, and tools. The dowel pins come in a variety of sizes and have the advantage of being able to be removed without being drilled out.

I recommend: S. B. Whistler & Sons has pictures of metal dowel pins and demonstrates their uses.

Hot rolled

Wrought, or hot rolled, metal bars are formed first by casting. Then they are reheated so they can be rolled into their final form. When the rods are hot rolled, they end up with a scaled surface and a blue-grey finish. To remove the scale, the bars are put in acid or shot blasted. Then they go through a die, which restraightens them.

I recommend: Machine Design discusses the hot rolled process for carbon steel.

Cold finish

In contrast to hot rolled metal, which is shaped after it has been heated up, a bar is cold finished if it is turned or ground when it is cold. By not undergoing the heat and pressure that hot rolled metal does, cold finish metal retains its original steel gray color. Because steel is much less malleable when it is cold, it is much harder to shape. Thus, fewer cold finish products are produced.

I recommend: OnlineMetals.com gives specs and uses for cold finish metal rods. Metalreference.com gives information on cold finished steel.