Unlock the workbench and start crafting
Quick answer
The documented Early Access route spends one Duct Tape on Item Pack 1 and one on Item Workbench. Start another run after unlocking the bench; it appears beside the backpack interface.
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Earn and spend the unlock resource
Mini-bosses and bosses are documented sources of Duct Tape. Return to camp and check the one-time unlocks rather than looking for the workbench as a random world drop. The two-tape route above comes from the older community guide; read the current camp requirements before spending because later versions changed unlock costs.
Craft the item your run can support
Once the interface is available, use its recipe list to see whether you have the required ingredients. Keep your active weapon functional while collecting parts. A recipe goal should not remove your only reliable means of surviving the next stop.
Use the bench for Chicken progression
Chicken requires three different legendary crafts. Making the same legendary item repeatedly does not satisfy that distinct-item condition. Plan different recipes and preserve the needed materials instead of selling every unusual spare. The workbench is therefore both a combat upgrade system and a character-progression tool.