Abstract: A stopcock with the exception of its shaft, journal and bearings, is constructed of a plurality of sheet metal parts welded together to form a housing and a plug rotatably mounted in the housing. The housing is made up of a tubular member with ring disks welded to its opposite ends. The plug is made up of ball-shaped half shells and annular disk cores welded to the half shells. A tubular plate is welded into the half shell and forms the flow passage through the stopcock.