How to get more scrap metal

[Sandermatt]

I am currently somewhat limited by scrap metal. During running around there is always some new to be found, but not as much as I would like. I know plane crashes can be an additional source of scrap metal, are there any more ways to get scrap metal in a more targeted way?

[Virago]

Some can also be found in locked crates. Other than that, you just need to find them in the wild.

[Thadd]

It's somewhat easier to spot scrap metal during winter.
Investing in drills reduces demand for sm.

[Sandermatt]

Originally posted by Thadd:

It's somewhat easier to spot scrap metal during winter.
Investing in drills reduces demand for sm.

How do drills reduce the demand?

[Thadd]

Originally posted by Sandermatt:

Originally posted by Thadd:

It's somewhat easier to spot scrap metal during winter.
Investing in drills reduces demand for sm.

How do drills reduce the demand?

Well, you don't need that many pickaxes...

[Blacktail]

Scrap metal isn't produced by mining drills, but it is more easily found in the Winter --- not only because it's easier to see, but also because it spawns like crazy in that season.

You'll also get lots of scrap metal from salvaging aircraft wrecks when they crash, with each section being worth 4 pieces. Be advised that you'll need the equivalent of 2 fresh pickaxes to salvage all the sections of a crashed aircraft, and that you may want to break-open the two cargo crates using an axe instead of your pickaxes.


Finally, this last point isn't relevant to your question, but it's related; avoid using pickaxes to destruction. You can recycle them for 6 units of mass each, and since you can't repair them or get any more use out of them when their health is nearly at zero, this is the best use for work-out pickaxes.

[CJBRODEY]

There was a time a few years back when you were lucky to find two or three scrap metal in a day. I actually left the game because the balance of scrap metal was terrible. But now since I've been back I see substantially more scrap metal thankfully.
But now even though the fibers are very abundant it seems like I never have enough for rope making. 100 fibers for only 9 rope makes it hard to get much building done at a time.

[cougar206]

The real answer to getting more scrap is to get better at spotting it. This is an answer that most don't want to hear but it is true. Scrap is extremely abundant in the world, if you don't have enough it is because you aren't seeing what is there.

I do expect people to disagree with me.

Is there more scrap in the winter? I see no reason to think so. It is easier to spot in most terrain. But is there more? I doubt it.

I build with lots of glass and railing and use lots of scrap, but I have tons of spare scrap.

On my second playthrough I was building a glass tower and had walkways planned that would need lots of scrap and was hindered by lack of scrap. I knew that the only solution was for me to make sure I spotted all the scrap I came across.

So I spent a day looking for nothing but scrap laying on the ground. I didn't open boxes, chop wood or do anything else at all. I found something like 12 or 14 scrap that day. Not amazing, but considering that was all from the ground and none from crates it was encouraging. So I did it again the next day and found something like 24 or so. I was starting to see little patterns or shapes in the terrain that didn't stick out to me before. So I did the same thing a third and a fourth day, The third day I found over 30 scrap solely from the ground and on the fourth it was over 40.

I have never lacked from having enough scrap again. Now do I get 40 scrap a day every day now? Of course not, I am doing other thing and not focusing on just scrap. But I will never be short of scrap again.

My point is that there is plenty of scrap in the world, we just need to get good at spotting it.

Lack of scrap is a common complaint, it is nothing new. Most players will not go to the trouble that I did to get good at spotting it. So I do think we should be able to craft it at the work bench.

We can craft nails at the work bench but it is way to expensive. In the early game when you really need nails you can't afford to craft them. Later when you can afford to craft nails you probably have hundreds or thousands of them in storage. or are dumping them in the recycler.

Something simple like 20 or 30 nails equals 1 scrap, but costs maybe 10 power and 5 mass.

We can't control if something like that will be added to the game. So in the mean time what we can do is get better at spotting it.

[CJBRODEY]

Originally posted by cougar206:

The real answer to getting more scrap is to get better at spotting it.

I agree, it does take time to be able to spot it and I can't count how many times I miss took
those #%@$ low lying ferns for scrap.
One thing I have noticed of late is there's a good chance of scrap metal near the fallen logs. Not always but usually a good chance of it.

[rubinho]

i hear a rummor....if you buy skins (and future dlc) you have better chance to find more loot..
why am i on this rummor? looting lava cave bring (sometimes) up to 18 black crystals and some people say than 30-40 is not a problem...
can not prove but at least i make my cave runs live on stream so everyone can see it

[.♥~*°("_")°*~♥.]

Originally posted by Sandermatt:

I am currently somewhat limited by scrap metal. During running around there is always some new to be found, but not as much as I would like. I know plane crashes can be an additional source of scrap metal, are there any more ways to get scrap metal in a more targeted way?

Just go spam one million times the dev Coldgames who has never really played their own game while there are plenty of flaws in his game which are visible in less than an hour of play since 2018 or less...

[minky]

Originally posted by Blacktail:

Scrap metal isn't produced by mining drills, but it is more easily found in the Winter --- not only because it's easier to see, but also because it spawns like crazy in that season.

You'll also get lots of scrap metal from salvaging aircraft wrecks when they crash, with each section being worth 4 pieces. Be advised that you'll need the equivalent of 2 fresh pickaxes to salvage all the sections of a crashed aircraft, and that you may want to break-open the two cargo crates using an axe instead of your pickaxes.


Finally, this last point isn't relevant to your question, but it's related; avoid using pickaxes to destruction. You can recycle them for 6 units of mass each, and since you can't repair them or get any more use out of them when their health is nearly at zero, this is the best use for work-out pickaxes.

You can get all six pieces of the crashed plane with one pickaxe if you use a strength boost. I usually first open the two crates with an axe then apply my strength boost,the axe breaks at the end of the sixth piece so I then use the rest of my strength boost to chop trees

[hyperion]

It seems rare at first, but honestly now, I don't always even pick it up, I have so much. Depending on how much stuff I am carrying and if I think I might find another locked crate.