Artificer building

[Vorandril]

So I am making an artificer for the first time. I will also admit that I have never messed with the crafting rules much at all. I'm simply here looking for some pointers for how to best go about the concept of an artificing Minion-mancer.

The unfortunate limitations: All PC's in the game are level 5 right now. I can't get Craft Construct until level 6. Same for Construct Grafts.

Any suggestions for how to have the concept still fit for early levels as well, and lead into the ability to build potent effigies. I have looked through the commonly linked guide for artificers, but I haven't found how to have it help get around the level requirement (if there even is a way).

Anyway to the point, what suggestions would anyone have for making a moderately effective minionmancer artificer pre Craft Construct?

[sleepyphoenixx]

You get Craft Homunculus at level 4. Before that you can just buy a (Riding) Dog and put a point or two cross-class into Handle Animal.
You can also take the Wild Cohort feat and retrain it later.