Collector's edition: 200 numbered buckets. Free US shipping over $75. Shipping details

Lunch Bucket Buddies

The Founder's Bucket

4.9 · 41 reviews

A tin lunch bucket, Issue #1 of the comic, and Kit #1 — a laser-cut balsa house frame with no instruction sheet. Ages 7 to 12.

Choose a plan

Add-ons

You pay$156.00

Charged once a year. Renews until you turn it off; cancel any time before the next year starts.

  • Free US shipping over $75
  • Cancel or pause a subscription any time before the next kit ships
  • Missing a balsa part? We replace it free
  • A sticker for the lid with every kit finished
  • Numbered collector's edition badge — first 200 buckets only

Compare all plans side by side · Buying 25 or more?

Peek at the first kits

What lands in the first year

Each kit takes a different trade and gets a little harder than the last.

  • Kit 1 · Carpentry

    House frame

    Laser-cut balsa, paint, glue, and a photo of the finished model. No instruction sheet — that's the challenge.

  • Kit 2 · Structures

    Working drawbridge

    A deck that lifts, a counterweight, and a first look at why bridges are shaped the way they are.

  • Kit 3 · Plumbing

    Under-sink run

    Real fittings at model scale. Dry-fit it, find the leak, fix the leak.

  • Kit 4 · Electrical

    Lit-up room

    Low-voltage circuit with a switch that actually works, wired to a plan you read yourself.

  • Kit 5 · Concrete

    Slab and forms

    Mix, pour, screed, and find out what happens when you add too much water.

  • Kit 6 · Landscaping

    Grading and drainage

    Slope a yard so water goes where you want it. Randy's favorite, obviously.

Kit order may shift as new builds finish testing.

Reviews

4.9

41 reviews

5 star37
4 star3
3 star1
2 star0
1 star0

He asked for the glue, not the iPad

Read the comic twice before he touched the kit. The no-instructions thing frustrated him for about ten minutes and then he had it.

Melissa R. — bought for a 7-year-old

Bought it for my grandson, ended up building it with him

I've been in framing thirty years. First toy I've seen that shows a kid what the job actually looks like instead of a plastic hammer.

Dale W. — bought for a 9-year-old

Great for our after-school club

Ran it with twelve kids in one session. Only note: order extra glue, ours went fast.

Priya N. — after-school coordinator

Reviews shown are placeholders for launch.

Shipping, returns, questions
When will my bucket ship?

First-run buckets ship as the run completes. You'll get an email with the date before your card is charged.

What's the return policy?

Thirty days. If the build wasn't a hit, email us and we'll send a label — you don't have to ship the comic back.

Do later kits come in a bucket too?

No. The bucket comes once. Each later kit arrives in a mailer with a badge for the inside of the lid.

Can I cancel a subscription?

Any time before the next kit ships, from your account or by email. Annual plans can be turned off before they renew.

Do you ship outside the US?

Not on the first run. Join the community list and we'll tell you when international shipping opens.

Is it safe for a seven-year-old?

With an adult nearby, yes: small balsa parts and wood glue. Not for children under 3. More on ages and safety.

Thirty kids instead of one?

Request a group quote
$156.00