I have always thought that ACME thread and nuts would make a killer looking, hell for stout flexi. Let me find some pictures.
View attachment 284485
View attachment 284486
These parts are available from Grainger, Motion Industries - most industrial supply houses. They do get pricey, but the metal is high quality and nicely machined. For non-precious, they still have that heavy, rich metal quality - plenty of stength, too. With proper weight on the bottom and good shelving, a guy could get away with two, maybe one, rod. These rods and nuts can be ordered very large. We use them at work to move 2 ton rolls of paper.