What No One Tells You About Custom Tin Tackers: The Good, The Bad, and The Warped

October 10, 2025

You love your logo. You love beer. You’ve seen those shiny tin signs on brewery walls and thought, “We need one of those for our brand!”

You’re not wrong — custom tin tackers are awesome.

But before you dive in headfirst, let’s talk about the good, the bad, and the straight-up warped.

The Good

Let’s start positive, because tin tackers are the coolest thing since aluminum cans.

They’re nostalgic. They’re collectible. They make your brewery or brand look legit.

Your customers want them on their garage walls, beer fridges, and mancaves.

And the best part? When they’re done right, they last basically forever — no batteries, no screen, no updates, no problem.

But now that we’ve cracked that cold one open… let’s talk about the other side of the keg.

The Bad (and Kind of Ugly)

1. They Take a While — Like, “Don’t-Hold-Your-Breath” While

You can’t rush perfection.

Custom tackers take about five weeks to produce because each one has to be printed, laser cut, embossed, coated, shrink wrapped, and carefully packed for shipping.

While we do have rush jobs available, if you’ve got a last-minute event next week, sorry — these aren’t “Prime-eligible.”

2. Art Fees Are a Thing (and They’re Not a Scam)

We wish we could just hit print and crank them out, but nope.

Every custom tacker needs a set of embossing plates — those fancy metal molds that make your design pop (literally).

The first time you order, you’ll pay an art and tooling fee that covers our artist times in setting up your file, and creating those plates.

We keep the plates for your next order (they take up space, and trust us — you don’t want them in your garage).

The good news? If you reorder the same design later, you don’t pay that fee again.

The bad news? Yeah, you still have to pay it the first time.

3. Warp Happens (and It’s Totally Normal)

Sometimes, tackers come out a little… wavy.

That’s usually because of how much embossing your design has — the more raised detail, the more likely your tacker won’t lie perfectly flat right out of the box.

But don’t panic.

Once you tack them up using proper mounting holes, they’ll sit flat and look like a million bucks.

4. When Thin Doesn’t Feel “In”

Tin tackers are made from thin aluminum — they are not steel-plate heavy.

If your design is oversized, or has narrow or thin sections, it can feel a little flimsy.

That’s just the physics of sheet metal — wide or skinny pieces don’t have as much structural support.

But there’s good news for anyone craving a little more heft:

We also offer thicker aluminum options for customers who want that extra “clank” factor.

5. Sun + Aluminum = Fade Happens

Your tacker will look flawless indoors, but if you hang it outside — say, on a fence, patio, or beer garden — the sun will eventually win.

Like your favorite IPA left on the patio table, UV rays fade even the best inks over time.

We use durable digital printing, but no metal sign is immortal under desert sunshine (looking at you, Arizona).

If you want your tackers to look fresh for years, hang them inside, or give them a little shade — or rotate them like seasonal brews.

6. Small Runs = Big Bucks

Here’s the deal: tin tackers are most affordable when you order in bulk.

If you only want a few dozen, the price per sign is steep — because production, setup, and printing costs are the same no matter what.

The sweet spot is right around 100 tackers.

That’s where the pricing evens out, and you’ll get the most bang (and least sting) for your buck.

Think of it like brewing — it costs about the same to fire up the tanks whether you’re brewing one barrel or ten. The more you make, the better your margins.

The Straight-Up Ugly (a.k.a. The “We’ll-Always-Tell-You” Stuff)

We’ve seen tackers come out slightly warped.
We’ve seen customers shocked at how long the first order takes.
We’ve even had people side-eye that art fee like it’s a hidden tax.

That’s why we tell you upfront — custom tin tackers are worth it, but they’re not instant or perfect.

They’re crafted metal, made in the USA, and made to last — and we don't rush the process.