Bar stock

Okay, so imagine you're building a fort out of blocks. You know how you have different kinds of blocks, like big ones and small ones? Well, when people make metal things like forts for grown-ups, they start with something called bar stock.

Bar stock is kind of like a metal block, but it's long and skinny instead of squat like a regular block. It's a big piece of metal that's usually round or square, and people can use it to make all kinds of things.

Just like how you have different sizes of blocks for your fort, bar stock comes in different sizes too, so people can choose the right size bar stock for their project. They might also use different types of metal, like steel or aluminum, depending on how strong they need their fort to be.

So, when grown-ups make metal things, they often start by getting the right size and type of bar stock. They can cut it to the right length and shape, then use tools to shape it into the thing they want to make. And just like that, they've built their own grown-up fort out of metal!