Outbound Crafting Guide
Outbound has four crafting benches and a strict tier pipeline. Skip a step and you waste hours gathering the wrong thing. This page maps the entire tree.
The four benches
Every craftable item belongs to one of four benches. Higher-tier benches consume the output of lower-tier ones — never the reverse.
| Bench | Tier | Inputs | Produces | Unlock |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saw Bench | T1 | Lumber | Planks (universal building input) | Default on van |
| Workshop T1–T3 | T1–T3 | Planks + Scrap Metal + Common Minerals + Hardened Metal | Tools, modules, storage, power | Build at base after Chapter 1 |
| Fabricator T1–T3 | T3–T5 | Hardened Metal + Strong Weave + Adamant + Rose Minerals | Insulated Cabin, Reactor Core, Communicator | Coast East Lighthouse signal tower |
| Stove | T1–T2 | Raw food + Salt | Salted Meat, Antiseptic, Cooked dishes | Workshop T1 unlocks recipes |
Refining pipeline
Outbound rewards batching. Do not Saw 1 Plank at a time — gather 20 Lumber and process in a single session. The Saw Bench halves processing time per Plank after Plank #10 thanks to the warm-blade mechanic.
Unlock order that actually works
- Saw Bench (default) → Planks for everything that follows.
- Workshop T1 → Copper Wire + Solar Panel Mk1 (ends night power crunch).
- Workshop T2 → Steel Axe / Steel Pickaxe + Evaporation Rack + Wind Turbine.
- Workshop T3 → Reinforced tools + Lift module (under-floor builds).
- Fabricator T1 → Insulated Cabin + Tidal Capacitor (mid-game power).
- Fabricator T2–T3 → Phase Lens + Reactor Core + Communicator (endgame).
Deep dives
Continue reading
Common crafting questions
What is the first bench I should build in Outbound?
The Workshop Tier 1. The Saw Bench is already on the side of your van by default — you don’t build it. Workshop T1 unlocks Solar Panel Mk1, Storage Crate and Copper Wire — the three foundations of every later build.
How do I make planks in Outbound?
Insert 2 Lumber into the Saw Bench on the driver-side of your van. Each pair produces 1 Plank. The Saw Bench is available from minute one — no unlock needed. Full step-by-step on the /how-to-make-planks/ page.
Can I deconstruct a bench to move it?
Yes — every workbench can be deconstructed for 75% of its original materials. The Workshop and Fabricator have a 30 in-game minute cooldown after deconstruct, so don't try to move them mid-craft.
Do recipes carry between saves?
No. Unlocked recipes are per-save. Blueprints you have picked up are also per-save — export/import is not supported in v1.0.