One of the few places bagels, waffles and metal can unite on campus is the newly formed Hawkeye Chapter of the American Foundrymen Society.

The Hawkeye chapter of the organization was created to allow students to continue to practice and improve their casting and welding skills, said Jon Bolluyt, society president.

“[The American Foundrymen Society] provides a shop environment a lot of people don’t get in college,” said Bolluyt, junior in materials engineering.

The idea for starting the organization began in Materials Engineering 341, Metals Processing and Fabrication. A group of students in the class decided they would like to continue casting and welding outside of class, and “the more productive people made the plans,” said Craig Bossard, club safety and training officer.

The club meets and works on Wednesday evenings in Room 0609 of Gilman Hall. Casting projects are created through sand casting and a lost-wax method. Finishing and welding equipment are also available for student use at this time, Bolluyt said.

Bossard, senior in materials engineering, said he is working on a bronze mold that will be used by the Gaffer’s Guild to make coasters with a positive relief of the cyclone emblem.

On Wednesday evening, Sarah Warren was sand casting four waffles which she said she plans on using as coasters when they are finished.

Sand casting involves placing the object to be cast in a pan, covering the edges in clay and packing fine sand tightly into the pan. After repeating the process to the other side of the object, a sand mold is made and metal is poured into the mold to create the final product.

“There is a lot of room for artistic expression,” said Warren, senior in biochemistry.

Jessi Raim, the society’s vice president and senior in materials engineering, was creating a silicone-rubber mold of a bagel, which she would then use in the lost wax process to create a metal bagel centerpiece for her kitchen.

The lost-wax process involves making either a silicone-rubber or clay mold, covering the mold in wax and covering it again with a clay-like substance. After drying, the wax is melted out when hot metal is poured in. The final process is to chip away the clay from inside and outside of the project, leaving the creator with the finished object.

Bossard said almost anything imaginable can be cast. “What do you want to do? Just come in and do it,” he said.

Because the organization is a national society, the local chapter is provided with industrial contacts and backing, Bolluyt said.

Members are required to pay $15 per academic year, but the money paid in dues comes back to the club and will pay for materials.

There are 15 paying members of the society, but the club is open to all majors, he said.

The Hawkeye Chapter of the society is associated with the University of Northern Iowa.