Help Bring BuckLee to Life
Hi, I'm Joey, and I'm building something called BuckLee Designs.
BuckLee started as an idea for a character, but he's becoming something much bigger.
My goal is to turn BuckLee into a fully animated 3D character and build a social media platform around the things I'm passionate about: men's health, fixing and building things, cycling, creativity, humor, everyday life, and having real conversations about the issues affecting people today.
The idea behind BuckLee Designs is pretty simple:
Figure it out.
I've spent much of my life working with my hands, repairing things, building things and solving problems. Now I'm learning an entirely different set of toolsâ3D modeling, Blender, facial animation, AI video, character design and digital content creation.
And I'm learning it as I go.
That's part of the story I want to share.
Where I've Hit a Wall
Right now I'm creating BuckLee on an older Dell XPS 13 laptop.
It's been a great computer, but it was never designed for serious 3D character development. It relies heavily on integrated graphics, and as my Blender projects have become more complicated, I've reached the point where the computer frequently struggles or crashes.
The ideas are getting bigger than the machine I'm building them on.
I'm starting this fundraiser to help purchase a computer capable of handling Blender, 3D character modeling, animation, rendering and video production so I can continue developing BuckLee instead of constantly working around the limitations of my hardware.
I Want You to See the Journey
I'm not asking people to fund something and then disappear until it's finished.
I want to document the entire process.
I'll share the successes, the mistakes, the Blender crashes, the ridiculous-looking early animations, what I'm learning, upgrades I'm able to make, and eventually the moment BuckLee actually comes to life.
If this campaign succeeds, you'll be able to look back and see exactly where it started.
What I Want BuckLee to Become
Eventually, I want BuckLee to have his own workshop/studio where he can talk about men's health, work on bicycles and mechanical projects, tell stories, joke around with other characters, and discuss subjects that people sometimes have a hard time talking about.
It won't always be serious.
Sometimes we'll build something.
Sometimes we'll fix something.
Sometimes we'll laugh.
Sometimes we'll disagree.
But hopefully we'll always learn something.
My goal isn't to tell everyone what they're supposed to think. It's to create a place where people can talk, laugh, build things and maybe understand one another a little better.
How Your Support Helps
Money raised through this campaign will go toward building a workstation capable of handling the BuckLee project, including the computer hardware needed for 3D modeling, animation, rendering and video production.
I'll document what is purchased and show supporters exactly how those tools are being used to develop the project.
And if you can't contribute, that's completely okay.
Following, sharing the project, commenting, giving advice or simply watching BuckLee develop helps too.
I'm starting with an idea, an aging laptop, a character named BuckLee and a willingness to learn.
Let's see how far we can take it.
BuckLee Designs
FIGURE IT OUT.
Let's build something together.
What the $4,000 Goal Will Fund
My fundraising goal is $4,000.
This isn't about buying the most expensive computer available. My goal is to build or purchase a reliable workstation powerful enough to create BuckLee and continue developing this project for years to come.
The funds will primarily go toward a computer capable of handling:
Blender 3D modeling and sculpting
Character rigging and facial animation
High-quality rendering
Video editing and production
AI-assisted creative tools
Large 3D project files and textures
Future BuckLee characters, environments and animations
The workstation I'm aiming for would ideally include a powerful NVIDIA RTX graphics card, approximately 64GB of RAM, a modern high-performance processor, and fast SSD storage.
If computer prices change or I'm able to find a better deal, I'll make the best use of the funds rather than simply spending money to reach a certain price.
If the campaign exceeds the amount needed for the computer itself, additional support will go toward the tools that help turn BuckLee into a complete productionâincluding storage and backup equipment, 3D and animation resources, and other necessary production expenses.
Most importantly, I'll document the process.
I'll share the computer I choose, what the money purchased, the process of setting it up, and what happens when I finally open the BuckLee Blender project on a machine capable of handling it.
The goal isn't just to buy a computer.
The goal is to give BuckLee the tools he needs to come to life.
FIGURE IT OUT.
