News on Columbia Gadget Works

Robot combat in the Chamber of Robotic Aggression

Sun, 20 Sep 2026 10:00:00 -0500

Somebody at this shop decided we needed an arena, so we built one. The Chamber of Robotic Aggression is a member-built battle box: a welded steel frame, a plywood floor, polycarbonate walls, expanded metal over the top, and hazard striping along the bottom rail so nobody forgets what it is for.

Here is fourteen seconds of what happens once two bots are in there together.

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New Website!

Sat, 19 Sep 2026 23:01:02 -0500

The Columbia Gadget Works website has been rebuilt from the ground up. The old site was a handful of pages and blog posts. The new one tries to answer the questions people actually ask before they walk through the door on Grand Avenue.

What’s new

A page for every part of the shop. The tools section covers the laser cutter, CNC router, 3D printers, metal shop, metal casting, electronics bench, and woodshop: what each one does, what people make with it, and which tools need training first.
A guide for first-time visitors. The visit page explains what to expect at Open Hack Night, every Thursday from 6 to 8 pm. No membership, no experience, and nothing to bring.
Classes and events in one place. The classes page collects the workshops members have taught and explains how to propose one, and the events calendar lists Open Hack Night, the free monthly City of Columbia grant classes starting in November, and board meetings.
Easier giving. You can donate directly on the donate page, as a one-time, monthly, or yearly gift, and membership dues and scholarship options are laid out plainly.
Ways to reach us. There is a contact form, and you can sign up for email updates about new classes and events.

Built by members

The site is a fast static site, and its source is public on GitHub. Any member can fix a typo, add an event, or write up a project by opening a pull request. If you taught a class, finished a build, or took a good photo on a Thursday night, we would love to post it here.

KOPN tour: April 23

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 07:05:47 -0500

For our open night two weeks from now, we’ll be taking a field trip to the local KOPN radio station!

KOPN has graciously offered to give us a tour of their radio station facility, including some of their very cool equipment and studios.

If you’d like to participate, please join our Discord server and check the announcements channel. You can meet us at the KOPN station at 6:30 pm (401 Bernadette Drive), or carpool from the CGW shop between 6:00 and 6:15.

Soldering Class and Art in the Park

Fri, 20 Mar 2026 14:57:50 -0500

Just a reminder that the CGW soldering class will be March 26th at 6 pm. We’ll be going over hand soldering and reflow/SMD soldering techniques, with free giveaways!

Also, CGW is planning to have a booth at Art in the Park (June 6 and 7). If you’re interested in showcasing projects for CGW or hanging out at the booth, please get in touch.

Metal casting class: recap

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 09:44:09 -0600

Thanks to everyone who showed up for the metal casting class! We made plaster molds from 3D-printed patterns and poured them in metal, and everyone went home with something they cast themselves.

If you have any ideas for future classes or something to cast in metal, join the Discord server or send an email to mail@columbiagadgetworks.org.

Curious how it works? See the metal casting page.

Metal casting class: February 26

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 09:52:15 -0600

Join us this Thursday (Feb 26, 2026) for a free metal casting class at 6 pm. Learn how to make a plaster mold from a 3D-printed part and cast it in different types of metal with the equipment you can use for free at Columbia Gadget Works!

No experience needed. Bring closed-toe shoes and long pants; we’ll supply everything else.

Metalworking Class

Tue, 27 Jan 2026 13:10:59 -0600

CGW has been running monthly classes. Last month, Jeff shared knowledge about using the manual milling machine in the CGW workshop, and other metalworking information.

Want to learn the mill or lathe yourself? See the metal shop page and watch the events calendar for the next session.