PURPOSE: To improve the positioning accuracy of rods and plate material by providing the 1st conveying table for conveying the plate material and the 2nd conveying table for supporting and guiding said material and disposing a plate material feeder which feeds the plate material at every prescribed pitch.

CONSTITUTION: A rod attaching device is constituted of a plate material conveyor 3, a rod leading-in device 4 and a tack welding device 5. The conveyor 3 is constituted of the 1st conveying table 11 for conveying the plate material 1 in the prescribed direction, the 2nd conveying table for supporting and guiding the conveyed material 1 and a plate material guiding device 14. A traveling table which is run on rails by means of a rack and pinion is disposed on the feeder 13 and a sandwiching device for the plate material is provided atop the traveling table. The end face of the material 1 is positioned by the device 14 and is fed at every prescribed pitch by the feeder 13 via the sandwiching device when the plate material is led-in onto the 1st conveying table 11. The positioning accuracy of the rods 2 and he material 1 is improved by the above- mentioned method.