About us
As our city's first and oldest makerspace, HackPGH has served Pittsburgh's creative community for fifteen years. We steadfastly believe that the Maker Movement should be accessible to anyone, regardless of their prior level of experience and irrespective of their socioeconomic background. HackPGH is a life-changing place where creative exploration, professional development, and socializing are actively encouraged.
Our secure workshop caters to a wide variety of interests and is open 24/7 to members. Over the years, we have built dedicated workspaces for woodworking, welding, machining & metalworking, electronics, laser cutting, CNC routing, sewing & embroidery, 3D printing, and many more!
HackPGH is a 501(c) non-profit organization with no paid employees. We keep fees as low as possible and in return, all members are required to regularly volunteer at the organization in some way - training others, contributing to a group project, cleaning the shop, and more.
Membership Model (as of 2024): - $75/month for 24/7 RFID access and communal training on almost all tools and machines. Discounts rates are available for students, seniors (60+), active armed services/veterans, and persons with disabilities. We offer paid classes as well as free clubs and events that are open to the public. While memberships are limited to adults (18+), many of our classes welcome children above the age of twelve.
HackPGH is all about collaboration, education, inclusion, and community. These goals transcend the boundaries of our workshop to the streets of Pittsburgh. As a charitable organization, outreach has always been a vital part of our past and present, from our free vaccination clinics to our food & clothing drives to constructing PPE during the COVID pandemic. Our primary goal for the future: further community involvement through classes, clubs, outreach events, and social engagements, all open to everyone regardless of membership status.
http://www.hackpgh.org
Upcoming events
3
- $75.00
Intermediate Soldering: Make & Take a Bluetooth Speaker
HackPGH, 1936 Fifth Ave, Pittsburgh, PA, USDo you enjoy soldering and wish to take on a more challenging project? Did you speed run through our clock or holiday tree intro classes? If so, this class is for you! Join us for this fun and informative soldering session!
Description: This intermediate class will increase familiarity with soldering and electrical components and strengthen the participants' understanding of electronic theory. Beebo will take students through the process of constructing a portable Bluetooth Speaker. Each participant will take their own speaker, complete with remote and plug, home at the end of the class. All materials such as soldering irons, solder, speaker components, and other tools will be provided.
Prerequisites: Registrants must have previous hands-on soldering experience and a basic foundation of electronics knowledge OR have completed one of HackPGH's Intro to Soldering classes.
Cost: $75 for non-members, $65 for HackPGH members.
We cannot take Meetup RSVPs. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER AND PAY FOR THIS CLASS!
Important:- You must pay at time of registration to hold your spot! If we have not received your payment within three days of the class, your registration will be cancelled.
- If you wish to pay with cash or need extra time to make a payment, you must contact us by email (info(at)hackpittsburgh.org) to make alternative arrangements.
- Be advised, no-shows will NOT be refunded.
- Please notify us if you cannot attend the class at least 48 hours before the class date!
Date and Time: Thursday, March 26th from 6:00pm-9:30pm. Free coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and bottled water are all available from our coffee bar during breaks. Other snacks and drinks are available from our vending machines.
Instructor: Beebo
Age requirement: Must be ten (10) years or older. Minors must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
- Guardians who are merely accompanying a minor to the class should select the "Minor Child with Parent/Guardian NOT Participating" option, and add the child's info in the guest form.
- Any adult wishing to make their own separate speaker alongside their child should choose "Minor Child Ticket with Parent/Guardian Participating."
Class limit: 6 students
Contact: Email us at info (at) hackpittsburgh.org if you have any questions or problems with the registration process.
1 attendee - $90.00
Learn the Shaper: an Intermediate Woodworking Class
HackPGH, 1936 Fifth Ave, Pittsburgh, PA, USThis intermediate woodworking class will instruct students on the proper use of HackPGH's Grizzly 3HP G1026 Shaper. Students will be taken through the process of making a cabinet and will work together to use both the shaper and other tools in the workshop to make one cabinet together as a cohort.
What is a Shaper?
In woodworking, a shaper is used to shape the edges of stock wood. In contrast to a router's bit, shapers have a rotating cutter mounted on a spindle that the user manually feeds the stock against. The cutter head has multiple cutting edges and rotates at high speeds. Shapers are more powerful and flexible than routers, and can make larger cuts in one pass with less splitting and tearout. However, more power increases risk which is why successful completion of this class is required before independent use of HackPGH's Shaper!Topics covered:
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The main parts of the Shaper and its general purpose
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Safe use of the machine and its collets & cutters
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How to use the Shaper in place of the router cabinet
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Using the Shaper along with other woodworking equipment to build a cabinet.
Date and time: Saturday, March 28th from 10:00am to 3:00pm
Prerequisites: This is not a class for beginners! Prior woodworking experience or successful completion of our Intro to Woodworking class is required.
Age Requirement: Adults only, 18+
Safety Information: Safety glasses and ear protection will be provided. Wear closed-toed shoes and tie any long hair back for your safety. Please do not wear any loose clothing and remove any jewelry. Instructor will offer safety checkoffs for independent use upon completion of the class at his discretion.
Instructor: Kyle Anchuetz
Cost: $90 for non-members, $80 for HackPGH members.
WE CANNOT ACCEPT MEETUP RSVPS. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER AND PAY!
Be advised:- No-shows will not be refunded.
- Please contact us if you wish to pay with cash or check.
- If you must cancel, please email info(at)hackpittsburgh.org at least 72 hours before the class date!
Class Size: 5 people
1 attendee -
- $60.00
Hands-On Privacy: Using the Raspberry Pi to Control DNS and Block Ads
HackPGH, 1936 Fifth Ave, Pittsburgh, PA, USIn this short class, students will learn how the Unix shell and DNS tools provide the foundation for managing and securing networks. Using a Raspberry Pi as a hands-on platform, participants will practice essential shell commands, connect remotely with SSH, and explore how domain names and IP addresses work through tools like nslookup and whois. Participants will then be guided step by step through installing and configuring Pi-hole, a powerful DNS-based ad blocker, to stop ads and trackers across an entire network. Students will take home their own Raspberry Pi 3 with Pi-hole installed and configured.
Topics Covered:
- Unix shell basics and Bash
- Secure remote access with SSH
- Using nslookup and whois
- History and role of BIND
- Running your own DNS for privacy on Raspberry Pi
- Installing and configuring Pi-hole
- Challenges from ad tech — and community-driven solutions
Date & Time: Wednesday, April 1st from 7:30pm- 9:30pm (depending on the class size, the session might end earlier around nine)
Cost: $60 for non-members, $55 for HackPGH members
Important: We cannot accept Meetup RSVPs.
PLEASE CLICK HERE TO REGISTER & PAY!
Be advised:- Payment is due at time of registration. You must notify HackPGH if you wish to pay with cash.
- No-shows will NOT be refunded.
- Please notify us if you cannot attend the class at least 48 hours before the class date!
- If payment is not received 72 hours before class time, your registration will be cancelled and we will move to the waitlist!
Instructor: Jason Lines
Class size: 6 people
1 attendee
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