An elongated rod assembly is made by preparing a plurality of rods. Each rod is prepared by the steps of furnishing at least one nonmetallic precursor compound, thereafter chemically reducing the precursor compounds to produce the metallic material, and thereafter consolidating the metallic material to form the rod, wherein the rod has a rod length equal to the assembly length. The rods are bundled together to form a bundled rod assembly. The rod assembly may be used as a consumable feedstock in a melting-and-casting operation.