Couldn't put my hands on the nickel iron rod I have been storing for
years, so I looked at what else is available - and I was pleased to find
fused silica rod on offer at $9 for 40 inches 1/4 in diam. from
Technical Glass Products Inc.
Beautifully packed - on a wood stick in bubble wrap in foam chips in a
10X 10 inch X 5 ft box. Possibly the lowest thermal coefficient
material I'm gonna find!