Classes and workshops
Hands-on, taught by members, free or at the cost of materials.
Open Hack Night is the first class
Every Thursday from 6 to 8 pm the shop is open to everyone. It isn’t a formal class, but it’s where most learning at CGW actually happens: a member shows you how the laser works, someone walks you through your first 3D print, a machinist explains what you did wrong on the lathe. If you want to learn something specific, say so when you arrive. Plan a visit →
Scheduled classes
Members run classes roughly monthly, usually on a Thursday at 6 pm in place of the normal open night. Recent ones:
- Metal casting – make a plaster mold from a 3D-printed part and pour it in aluminum, zinc, or pewter with the shop’s casting setup. Recap →
- Soldering – hand soldering and reflow/surface-mount techniques, with kits to take home. Announcement →
- Machining – the manual milling machine and metal lathe, from reading the dials to taking a real cut. Recap →
- Field trips – like our tour of KOPN community radio’s studios and transmitter equipment. Details →
Classes on the calendar for the year ahead: laser cutting basics, CNC router basics, 3D printing basics, intro to electronics and Arduino, welding, and woodshop safety. Dates are announced about a month ahead on the events page, the news page, and Discord.
City of Columbia grant classes, Nov 2026 – Oct 2027
Thanks to a grant from the City of Columbia, we’re running a free public class on the first Thursday of every month for a year, starting November 5, 2026. Topics rotate through every zone in the shop. No membership needed; some classes have limited seats, so watch the calendar for sign-up links.
Cost
Most classes are free. Where materials are significant (casting metal, electronics kits) we charge cost, typically $5–$20, and members get a discount. No one is turned away for inability to pay; just tell the instructor.
Upcoming
- Oct29Quarterly board meeting
Held after Open Hack Night. Members welcome.
- Nov5Grant class: topic to be announced
First of the monthly City of Columbia grant classes. Free; details to come.
- Dec3Grant class: topic to be announced
- Jan7Grant class: topic to be announced
- Jan28Quarterly board meeting
- Feb4Grant class: topic to be announced
Teach a class
Everything we offer is taught by volunteers, and the best classes come from members who are enthusiastic about something. You don’t need to be an expert; you need to be a step or two ahead of the students and willing to prepare.
To propose a class:
- Pick a topic and a rough length (most are 90 minutes to 2 hours).
- Post in the
#classeschannel on Discord or send us a note with the topic, what students will make or leave able to do, materials needed, and how many people you can handle. - The classes lead will help you find a date, put it on the calendar, and promote it.
Instructors may charge a fee for paid classes, split with the zone that provides the tools. Details are in the membership policy on the wiki.
Groups, schools, and scouts
We regularly host tours and short workshops for school groups, scout troops, and clubs. Contact us with your group size and what you’d like to see, and we’ll line up enough members to run it.