Sounds strange about small rods; wasn't there a wider diameter available? Mine are 0.385 inch, both copper and zinc rods. So are both rods, copper and zinc in that 0.125 range?
I guess you could pack them up, but I don't know how well it would work. Try it, perhaps send a picture of the result!
Postage from where I live is so high to the States or pretty much anywhere outside my region (Scandinavia), otherwise I could hook up a brother or two, although I think I'm running low on the silicone hose.