the preferred ellipsoidal reflectors 49 for use with the invention are available from the melles griot company danbury connecticut under model number 02rem005 each of the four units 45 is preferably located at an angle 34 a 34 with the axis 25 of rod 11 disc 17 also lies on axis 25 similar to the embodiment of fig1 angle 34 a 34 is preferably within the range of about 45 to 90 degrees given the above parameters for rod 11 e g diameter rate of travel etc the radiation from each lamp is focused on drop 19 such that a solid angle of about 1 1 steradians is subtended at the respective reflector lighting units 45 are capable of supplying the remaining energy to end 15 necessary to provide molten drop 19 thereon as in the case of heater 21 in fig1 the first heater in fig2 has provided sufficient heat to assure that end 15 and adjoining region 23 are at the required first temperatures the described second heating means of the invention either the induction coil and concentrator combination which induces current flow only in a localized portion end 15 of rod 11 or the plurality of lighting units which concentrate radiant heat also at said end thereby operates in a different manner than the first heating means of the invention which as described is a resistance heater and which heats a significantly larger area of rod 11 thus there has been shown and described an improved apparatus for producing metallic filaments from rods of high melting point material the invention as defined assures provision of a substantially vibration free pendant drop at the end of each rod to permit facile removal of the.