Blog

  • Webb’s Grainworks: Golden Republic Founders Club Release

    A full production weekend at GC3D

    Webb’s Grainworks just launched their Golden Republic Bourbon, GC3D supported their Founder’s Club gift baskets. The club is a program built around their commitment to locally grown grain, small batch distillation, and California craftsmanship. That focus on local production and hands-on quality is the same foundation GC3D operates on, which made this collaboration a natural fit. More about the Golden Republic release can be found at https://www.webbsgrainworks.com/.

    A wooden crate containing Webb's Golden Republic California Bourbon Whiskey, two engraved tasting glasses, and decorative filler.

    Each Founders Crate included a hand-signed bottle of Golden Republic California Bourbon Whiskey, a pair of engraved tasting glasses, and a thick metal Founders Club card. The card was designed as part of the full kit and quickly became a point of envy at the launch dinner. Webb’s presentation, paired with these elements, delivered a cohesive and premium experience that reflected the spirit of the release.

    GC3D handled the full fabrication run for the glassware and the cards. This included dialing in the laser settings, managing cycle consistency across the entire batch, and completing the production workload over a dedicated weekend in the garage. The final display at Webb’s tasting room shows the level of detail that went into the project and the alignment between both teams in producing something local and thoughtfully made.

    If you picked up a Founders Crate at the event, enjoy. This was a rewarding project to support.

    -Nick@GC3D

  • Blog Update: Lasers, Lasers, and More Lasers – Webb’s Grainworks Golden Republic Bourbon Special Release

    Happy Thanksgiving from GC3D. While most people settled in for a long weekend, the garage stayed lit with the usual late-night production cycle, this time for a special-release project with Webb’s Grainworks.

    Their Golden Republic bourbon launch needed something memorable. The request: a full run of custom-engraved sipping glassware paired with a matching batch of Founder’s Club metal cards. The output: 200 units of glassware, individually masked, jig-indexed, and rotary-engraved, completed over the course of the weekend. Each glass went through a full prep cycle including coating, burn, peel, and inspection before lining up in rows for final QC.

    The project also included a limited set of Golden Republic Founder’s Club cards, cut and engraved on anodized gold stock. Clean lines, tight edge definition, and a layout that complements the bottle and brand package.

    This release marks another step in expanding the GC3D catalog to meet broader client requirements. Beyond tap handles, we are taking on more specialty engraving, branded metalwork, and limited-run promotional pieces. As clients diversify, the garage adapts.

    More late-night oil, more tooling, more capability coming online. The catalog continues to grow to support the projects that walk through the door, or in this case, roll in right before a holiday weekend.

  • Laser Engraved Glassware for Webb’s Grainworks

    Today’s production work focused on dialing in laser settings and preparing for a full run of specialty glassware for Webb’s Grainworks in support of their upcoming Golden Republic bourbon release. The objective was to achieve consistent, high-detail etching across both the front crest and the base logo, ensuring clarity, even line weight, and uniform depth on every unit.

    Test engravings were completed on Glencairn-style tasting glasses with positive results. The crest, scrollwork, and “Golden Republic” title presented crisp edges and balanced contrast when paired against a dark backing cloth for inspection. Base engravings of the Webb’s mark were centered and clean, confirming proper rotation and focus adjustments for the underside pass.

    Next steps include finalizing production settings, locking in throughput timings, and validating the pricing model for the complete batch. Once parameters are confirmed, GC3D will transition into full production to support the release.

  • Another Production Run for Study Break Hard Seltzer for the 2025 Festival of Holidays

    GarageCraft3d completed another production run for Study Break Hard Seltzer that will support their offerings during the Disney Festival of Holidays at Disney California Adventure. This run included two returning favorites and two new seasonal releases.

    Production totals for this batch were:

    • 10 Blast of Baja
    • 10 L. A. Punch
    • 3 Cranberry Moscow Mule
    • 3 Peppermint Mocha

    Every tap handle was designed from provided artwork and produced in-house with GC3D’s multi-color print workflow to keep the artwork clean, bright, and consistent across the lineup.

    When these go live during the Festival of Holidays, snap a picture with them and send it our way. It would mean a lot to GC3D this season.

    Cheers to you and yours!

    -@nickgc3d

    A collection of tap handles for Study Break Hard Seltzer featuring designs for Blast of Baja, L.A. Punch, Cranberry Moscow Mule, and Peppermint Mocha, arranged on a wooden table.
    Three colorful tap handles for Study Break Hard Seltzer flavors: LA Punch, Cranberry Moscow Mule, and Blast of Baja, arranged on a wooden surface.
    A close-up of a tap handle for Peppermint Mocha Study Break, featuring a festive design with red and white stripes and candy imagery, alongside other tap handles on a wooden surface.
    Close-up of tap handles for Study Break Hard Seltzer featuring 'Peppermint Mocha' and 'Cranberry Moscow Mule' designs on a wooden surface.

  • Brewers Mash 2025: From Poster Art to Tap Handle

    For Brewers Mash 2025, the Orange County Brewers Guild released a poster featuring a zombie hand lifting an OCBG pint. The artwork was strong and on theme for a Halloween-season festival, so we rebuilt it as a multi color tap handle that matched the poster line for line.

    The result was a batch of 2025 OCBG Brewers Mash handles printed, assembled, and delivered ahead of the event.

    What made the project special was seeing how quickly the brewers put them to work. As soon as the gates opened, the handles were already mounted on jockey boxes across the venue. Different breweries adopted them immediately, and the bright orange pint and green zombie hand stood out against every backdrop. IPA tents, seltzer tents, classic beer tents, even award-style tap setups put them front and center.

    The photos from the day say everything. Dozens of breweries, different booth styles, different hardware, all using the same festival handle. The design tied the event together visually and made the OCBG brand consistent across the entire field.

    This project is a demonstration of what GC3D focuses on. Take the artwork. Rebuild it clean. Print it in full color. Deliver it ready for the tap. When the festival starts, the handle goes straight into service.

    If your brewery or event needs custom hardware built directly from your label art, poster art, or branding, GC3D can take it from concept to installed product with the same speed and consistency.

    Poster for Brewers Mash 2025 Beer Festival featuring a bright orange pint and a green zombie hand holding it, surrounded by Halloween-themed graphics.
    A colorful tap handle depicting a green zombie hand holding an orange pint glass with the text '2025 OCBG'.
    A collection of custom tap handles for the 2025 OCBG Brewers Mash, featuring a zombie hand lifting an orange pint, displayed on a wooden surface with a QR code stand in the background.
    Three men posing behind a booth with a 'Chapman Crafted Beer' banner at a festival, with a cooler and drinks on display.
    Two men standing under a tent with the 'Broken Timbers' logo, beside a blue cooler and tap setup, at a festival.
    A Riip Beer Co. booth displaying a silver cooler, a skateboard with the brand logo, and a bright orange 2025 OCBG sign among greenery.
    A festival booth featuring a large banner for STEREO Brewing with a green and black color scheme. There is a small 2025 OCBG pint glass decoration on the table and a person wearing a colorful tie-dye shirt stands beside the booth.
    A festival booth displaying a sparkling teal tablecloth with two clipboards containing drink menus, alongside a green zombie hand tap handle featuring the 2025 OCBG logo. A smartphone is visible on the table showing a video.
    A colorful tap handle for the 2025 Orange County Brewers Guild featuring a zombie hand holding a pint, displayed alongside two gold trophy figures under a tent.
    A collection of colorful tap handles for the Orange County Brewers Guild's 2025 Brewers Mash event, featuring designs with a zombie hand lifting an OCBG pint, displayed on a wooden surface.

  • Study Break Hard Seltzer Joins the Lineup at Disneyland’s Sonoma Wine Terrace

    A variety of craft beer tap handles on a metal bar top, including a statue-themed tap and colorful beer labels, with a small shot glass in front.

    Last weekend I had the opportunity to personally deliver and help Disney Cast Members update the taps for Study Break Hard Seltzer at the Sonoma Wine Terrace inside Disney California Adventure Park.

    These custom tap handles are now proudly on display for GarageCraft3d, pouring Blast of Baja day and night. The leftmost handle in the photo, the vibrant purple one with the signature “canguy” artwork, represents another GarageCraft3d design now live inside the park.

    If you’re visiting Disneyland California Adventure, stop by Sonoma Terrace, grab a cold one, and snap a selfie with the handle. Send it my way! I’d love to see it in action!

  • Update from Disneyland: GameCraft Märzen on Tap

    This weekend my wife and I spent a date day at #Disneyland and #DisneylandCaliforniaAdventure. We ended up stopping by the #LamplightLounge. On tap was GameCraft Brewing’s Märzen, a classic #Oktoberfest-style lager, and supporting those pours behind the bar was another GarageCraft3d #taphandle.

    A man with a Jack Skellington shirt stands at the Lamplight Lounge bar in Disneyland California Adventure, pointing at craft beer taps. The background features colorful lights and structures from the park at night.

    This handle is part of the continuing rotation of GameCraft Brewing beers featured across the park, marking the third or possibly fourth GarageCraft3d handle now in active use at Disneyland. Each handle is designed, manufactured, and finished in the garage, built to stand up to the constant use of a busy venue while still reflecting the look and feel of handcrafted design.

    It is always rewarding to see something that started on a workbench here in #SoCal being used to quench the thirst of thousands of guests every day at DCA! These handles represent what GarageCraft3d is all about: creating functional, durable, and well-crafted products that serve both purpose and story.

    Another successful pour, another proud moment for GarageCraft3d. Check us out and/or design your own!

    Cheers,

    -Nick@GC3D

  • From Ask to Reaction: House IPA Handle

    Every project starts with a simple ask. In this case, our client said:


    “Ideally, design-wise, the words ‘House IPA’ and both the Tony Pepperoni and Station Craft logos to be included.”

    That became the foundation for our design process, combining bold lettering with both brand identities into one clean and cohesive tap handle.

    The end result spoke for itself, but the client’s reaction said even more:

    Illustration of a tap handle featuring the text 'House IPA' along with the Tony Pepperoni Pizzeria logo, designed to be bold and cohesive.
    A tap handle featuring the text 'House IPA' in bold lettering, along with the logos for Tony Pepperoni Pizzeria and 'IPA' stylized in a circular top design.


    “That is soooooo sick!!!”

    At GC3D, this is exactly what we strive for: to take a clear ask, translate it into a tangible product, and deliver a result that gets that kind of reaction.

    If you’re ready to bring your own brand to life, whether you’re a brewery, restaurant, or distillery, let us take your vision from ask to reaction.

  • From R&D to Market: Laser Engraved Moscow Mule Mugs

    At GarageCraft3d, every test is about moving closer to production-quality outcomes. Our latest focus was laser engraving copper Moscow mule mugs. Using the branded Nauti Vodka bottle from Webb’s Grainworks in Aliso Viejo as our benchmark, we set out to validate whether their clean, recognizable logo could be faithfully transferred onto copper.

    The results came back strong. The engraved mugs carried over the detail, depth, and clarity of the original Nauti Vodka branding, showing crisp linework even on the curved copper surface. More importantly, the process proved repeatable, confirming that custom copper mug engraving is not just possible but production-ready.

    A Nauti Vodka bottle standing between two engraved copper Moscow mule mugs on a marble countertop.
    A display of engraved copper Moscow mule mugs featuring the 'Nauti Vodka' logo beside a bottle of Nauti Vodka, set on a marble countertop.

    This milestone expands what GarageCraft3d can deliver. With this successful validation, laser-engraved Moscow mule mugs move from experimental R&D into a true product offering, standing alongside our 3D printing, CNC, and laser engraving lines. Breweries, distilleries, and event brands can now bring the same logos featured on bottles, cans, and taproom signage onto durable, high-quality copper barware.

    From bottle to mug, from glass to metal, craft continues to meet craft, and our product line just got stronger.

    -Nick@GC3D

  • PewPew Lasers: Copper Mug Edition

    It’s 2:30 AM in the GarageCraft3D lab, the RA2 rotary is whining, moly dust is in the air, and we have officially crossed into pewpew laser territory.

    This week’s victim? Copper Moscow Mule mugs.

    The Problem

    Reflective, clear-coated copper does not like to play nice with diode lasers. First passes looked weak, patchy, and way too slow. We were staring down 30 minutes per side. That is a non-starter for production.

    The Breakthrough

    After a little garage science, we found the enemy: the factory clearcoat. A quick acetone wipe, a light moly spray, and a flash with a heat gun prepared the surface. Suddenly the pewpew actually stuck.

    The Results

    • Converted vector art to bitmap for clean raster passes
    • Dialed in 200 mm/s at 100% power
    • Cut runtime from 30 minutes to 7 minutes per side
    • Throughput = 3 mugs/hour → about 12 mugs per late-night session
    A close-up of a person holding a polished copper Moscow Mule mug featuring the engraving 'Nauti VODKA', with a textured surface, set against a light-colored countertop.
    Close-up of a copper Moscow Mule mug with the word 'Vodka' engraved, resting on a laser engraving machine
    A hand wearing a blue glove holds a metal handle near a copper Moscow Mule mug positioned on a laser engraving machine, with equipment and wood surface visible in the background.

    Why It Matters

    Tap handles put your brand on the bar.
    Copper mugs put your brand in your customer’s hand.

    Brewery merch just got a pewpew upgrade.

    That is the latest from GC3D: keep it scrappy, keep it late, and always trust the pewpew.