Lehigh University students made "steel roses" Friday in advance of Valentine's Day by cutting and bending metal into floral shapes.

Students learned to cut out sheet metal petals and thread a piece of metal rod. They then attached petals to the rod with nuts and bent the petals to form roses.

They made unique and beautiful gifts for a loved one - or a memorable keepsake for themselves - in the process.

Lehigh University plans 400-bed dorm by Broughal

This is the second in a series of themed events designed to introduce students to the array of tools, equipment and materials available in the university's main "maker space" - much of what is open for any students or Lehigh campus members to use, according to a news release.

The steel roses were made at Wilbur Powerhouse -- home to the university's prototyping lab. Equipment available at the lab includes laser cutters, routers, computer-aided design software and 3D printers. Read more about Lehigh's Wilbur Powerhouse here.

Brian Slocum, managing director of the Wilbur Powerhouse and Design Labs and director of Lehigh's Additive Manufacturing Lab, said the event is part of Lehigh's campus culture of "making."

For Slocum, creating and sustaining a campus "maker" culture is about getting more students access to more "making" resources, having a low barrier to entry to use tools and equipment, and empowering students, staff and faculty to use those resources.

Students participating in the steel roses event come from different majors and backgrounds. About 120 signed up for the project.

Sue Beyer may be reached at sbeyer@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @sbeyer_photo. Find lehighvalleylive on Facebook.

Our editors found this article on this site using Google and regenerated it for our readers.