Some projects are less about solving a problem and more about having a laugh. This one started as a long-running inside joke - "Bush Chook," the backyard Aussie answer to a certain well-known lager - and for a good mate's birthday, I decided it was time to make it real.
Designing It From Scratch
I modelled the entire can by hand, no templates. That meant nailing the proportions first - the neck taper, the body curve, the rim detail - so it actually reads as a real beverage can in the hand.
Then came the label. I built the sunburst emblem, the "Since 1923" banner, the wordmark, and the brewery icon along the base as raised and recessed surface detail directly on the model, rather than a flat decal. That's what gives the print its embossed, tactile look instead of reading as a sticker wrapped around a cylinder.
Printing and Finishing
I printed it in matte PLA, which turned out to be exactly the right call - the slightly textured finish reads more like a painted can than a shiny plastic prop, and the layer lines actually add to the realism on the raised label detail.
The Result
What started as a joke turned into a genuinely fun bit of custom fabrication - equal parts CAD modelling, print tuning, and hand-finishing. If there's a joke, brand, or object from your world you'd love to see turned into something real, get in touch - custom pieces like this are exactly the kind of project I love taking on.