Probably Stolen Furnace: Smelting and Junk Guide
The Furnace is an overnight production machine that turns metal inputs into Metal Ingots. A valid batch needs power, two matching inputs, and room for the output. The quality of the input and any Flux determine how valuable the finished ingot can be.
Quick answer
Power the Furnace, load two Scrap Metal or two Metal Ore, confirm that the output space is available, and end the day. Metal Ore produces a higher-purity ingot than Scrap Metal. Add an appropriate Flux Smelting Agent when you want to improve the batch.
How to get a Furnace
Dr. Jackson supplies or sells the Furnace during early progression on common tutorial routes. The timing and cost depend on your scenario and setup. Rock Bottom and other specialized starts may need to wait for stock and purchase the machine themselves, so there is no universal “free Furnace on Day 6” rule.
Before buying one, make sure you can also provide power and obtain enough metal for complete batches. An unpowered Furnace does not create value merely by occupying shop space.
How to smelt Metal Ingots
- Place the Furnace where you can access its inputs and output.
- Install an Energy Cell or connect valid electrical power.
- Load two matching metal inputs supported by the current handbook.
- Add Flux if the batch needs a purity improvement.
- Confirm the output area is not blocked.
- Sleep to resolve the overnight process.
- Collect and inspect the Metal Ingot the next morning.
Do not assume mixed inputs form a valid recipe unless your current game explicitly lists that combination.
Scrap Metal versus Metal Ore
Two Scrap Metal create a lower-purity Metal Ingot. Scrap is often easier to obtain, especially when scavenging or processing Junk, but the lower purity affects the result's value and usefulness.
Two Metal Ore create a higher-purity ingot. Use Ore when the buyer, production chain, or profit margin justifies the more valuable input. The best choice depends on what you paid for the material and who will buy the output.
Improving ingot purity with Flux
Flux Smelting Agents improve the smelting batch. Check the item description before using one: reusable and single-use Flux items are not interchangeable. Exact purity changes can vary by item and version, so use the current machine panel rather than a Demo-era table.
Higher purity does not automatically mean higher profit if the improved batch consumes an expensive input that your customer will not pay for. Calculate the whole trade, not just the ingot label.
Junk Processing Module
The Junk Processing Module gives the Furnace a secondary job: on a night without a normal smelting task, it converts 6 Junk into 4 Scrap Metal.
Normal smelting has priority. The Furnace does not process Junk and smelt a metal batch in parallel on the same night. If you need Scrap, leave the machine free of a normal smelting recipe and make sure the module can access the Junk.
Why the Furnace produced nothing
Check the following:
- The Furnace had no charged Energy Cell or grid power.
- Fewer than two valid inputs were loaded.
- The two inputs did not form a supported recipe.
- The output space was blocked.
- A normal smelting task prevented Junk Processing from running.
- You expected daytime processing even though the machine resolves overnight.
Plan conversion and smelting on separate nights
Junk Processing prepares a resource used by normal smelting; it does not skip directly to an ingot. When the installed module converts six Junk into four Scrap Metal, you have finished the conversion stage. A later eligible smelting night can use Scrap Metal in the normal recipe.
This distinction matters when diagnosing a missing output. If you loaded a normal metal batch and Junk together, normal smelting takes priority. Receiving an ingot without new Scrap does not mean the Junk module is broken; it means the higher-priority job used that night's processing opportunity.
Decide whether better purity justifies the input
Compare the actual input cost with the purpose of the finished ingot. Ore gives higher purity than Scrap, but it also has its own acquisition cost and availability. A purity improvement is useful only when the next buyer or production step makes it worthwhile.
Read the Flux description before adding it. The supplied research distinguishes reusable and single-use versions, so do not assume they have the same cost per batch. An old fixed profit example cannot establish the best current input choice across all settings.
Check an unexpected morning result
Separate three questions: did the machine run, did it perform the intended job, and did quality match the input? No output directs attention to power, the recipe, and space. An unexpected job directs attention to priority, while lower purity directs attention to input and Flux choices.
待确认 (Pending confirmation): module prices, sizes, upgraded performance limits, and the full Rare Metal Ore/Flux purity matrix. This guide therefore does not promise a particular number of upgraded batches per night or a fixed demonstration-video margin.
FAQ
Should I use Scrap Metal or Metal Ore?
Ore gives higher purity, while Scrap is usually easier and cheaper to obtain. Choose based on the required output and actual margin.
Does the Furnace need power?
Yes. It needs valid power for the overnight process.
What does the Junk Processing Module do?
On a night without normal smelting, it converts 6 Junk into 4 Scrap Metal.
Where can I buy a Furnace?
Dr. Jackson is the usual early source, but availability and whether it is provided or purchased depend on the scenario.