A rod-based well screen is formed in place on a perforated pipe base by wrapping wire around the pipe base and a plurality of rods located around the outside of the pipe. The wire is welded sequentially to each individual rod as it is wrapped around the pipe. The welding and ground electrodes engage the wire and the rods respectively. The rod engaging ground electrode is positioned a short distance ahead of the wire being wrapped around the rods and the pipe base. The ground electrode includes a plurality of contacts. Each contact is mounted to pivot toward and away from a rod. Springs urge each contact toward a rod to hold the rod against the outside surface of the pipe base and to maintain good electrical contact between the contact and the rod. Each contact has a groove to guide the rod into position for welding to the wire.