Vortex Gaming

· Metalworking is a skill similar to carpentry, used to create items and construct structures with metal materials.
· With this skill, you can craft containers with better storage capacity, powerful weapons, armor, and sturdy structures.
· It is also used to obtain some materials required for blacksmithing.
· In Build 42, leveling up the metalworking skill has become more difficult than before.
· This guide details the necessary materials and tools, craftable items and structures, and efficient leveling methods.

· Various tools and materials are required for metalworking, primarily found in warehouses, factories, hardware stores, etc.

Category	Details	Main Acquisition Locations & Notes
Tools	Welding Torch, Welding Mask/Goggles, Hammer, Saw, Pliers, Metal Shears, Wrench, Metal Punch, Hand Drill, Scissors, Needle, Regular Punch, File	Warehouses, Factories, Hardware Stores, Garages, Basements, Sheds Some can be crafted with Blacksmithing skill
Materials	Propane, Welding Rods, Metal Sheets (Small/Large), Various Sized Metal Bars, Metal Ingots, Metal Scraps, Wires, Metal Pipes, Hinges, Handles, Cloth Scraps, Leather Scraps, Thread, Buckles, Nuts, Bolts, Nails, Circular Saw Blades, Gold/Silver/Copper/Aluminum Items	Common Metal Materials: Warehouses, Factories, Hardware Stores, Garages, Basements, Sheds Disassembly Materials: Burnt vehicles, grates, ovens, refrigerators, and other metal furniture/structures (Metal Sheets, Scraps, Pipes, Bars, Wires, Nuts, Bolts) Cloth/Leather Scraps: Ripping clothes (Leather requires scissors) Hinges/Handles: Factories, warehouses, or disassembling doors/gates Buckles: Cutting belts/bandoliers Precious Metals: Houses, jewelers, zombie loot Propane: Gas cylinders (warehouses, factories) or disassembling gas barbecues (restaurants, house patios)

· To craft items, you must be near a flat surface (table, desk, etc.), require a light source, and for some items, you need to know the recipe (magazine or specific skill level).
· You can craft them in the 'Crafting' tab under the 'Metalworking' or 'Weapons' section of the crafting menu.

Level	Craftable Items	Notes
0	Obtain various metal scraps Cut bars/ingots into small bars/blocks/pieces Cut metal sheets, circular saw blades, iron bands, metal bats Cut aluminum scraps into aluminum pieces Convert regular wire to barbed wire, and barbed wire to regular wire	Metal scraps are used in blacksmithing Aluminum pieces are used in electronics
1	Cut metal bars/blocks with a welding torch Metal Hammer	Gain experience when using a welding torch Metal hammer is heavy and performs poorly
2	Cut metal ingots into metal blocks Scrap Knife
3	Saw Blade Axe	Decent weapon
4	Cut metal sheets, circular saw blades, iron bands with a welding torch Craft large metal sheets from small metal sheets Armor Gloves, Mask, Scrap Axe
5	Other armor parts except for breastplate Various long-range weapons like axes, blunt weapons, scrap machetes	Armor is not recommended due to movement speed penalty
6+	Scrap Breastplate Various heavy weapons	Poor performance except for the Metal Bat Axe

· To construct structures, a light source is required, and you must read metalworking magazines to learn the recipes.
· You can craft them in the 'Construction' tab under the 'Metalworking' section of the construction menu.

Level	Craftable Structures	Notes
0	Metal Floor
2	Metal Wall Frame	Theoretically sturdier, but no wall health increase in the current build
3	Tall/Short Pipe and Wire Fences Metal Wall, Basic Window/Door Frames Basic Metal Furniture (Containers) Metal Barricades for Doors/Windows	Slightly better than crafted wooden fences/walls Slightly better than crafted wooden walls Metal crates have good storage capacity, similar to crafted wooden crates Metal bar barricades allow for visibility
5	Metal Barrel Oven Double Pipe/Wire Door Crafted Metal Wall, Window/Door Frames Small Metal Locker	For cooking Better resistance than double wooden doors Much sturdier than crafted wooden walls, but weaker than stone walls Not recommended due to poor storage capacity
7	Crafted Metal Crate	Best container in the game (80 capacity), cost-effective to craft
8	Crafted Metal Counter/Corner Counter	For aesthetics, low practicality
9	Crafted Metal Shelf, Small Metal Locker	For aesthetics, small lockers are good for weapon storage
10	Crafted Large Metal Locker	Low practicality

· Structures and furniture crafted with metalworking are divided into two qualities: 'Basic' and 'Crafted'.
· Furniture Quality: Higher quality increases experience gained during crafting, aesthetics, and maximum storage capacity.
· Structure Quality: Higher quality increases experience gained during crafting, aesthetics, and the structure's health based on your metalworking level, making it sturdier.
· Vehicle Maintenance: Metalworking skill is essential for vehicle repair and is needed alongside mechanics skill.

Metalworking Level	Repairable Parts
1	Hood, Trunk Lid
3	Trunk, Doors, Fuel Tank

· In Build 42, construction skill experience gain has been significantly nerfed, and disassembling metal furniture/structures no longer grants experience.
· In Apocalypse mode, you can only gain experience up to Level 3 from VHS tapes or TV programs.
· The best leveling methods are as follows.

Level Range	XP Multiplier
1-2	x16
2-3	x12
3-4	x8
4-5	x4
5+	x2

· Step 1: Read Skill Books
· First, read skill books for the corresponding level range to secure the experience multiplier.
· Step 2: Disassemble Burnt Vehicles
· Disassembling burnt vehicles on main roads or in junkyards grants 3-7 experience per vehicle.
· Each vehicle consumes 10 units of propane torch usage, so a lot of propane is needed, but you also acquire many materials simultaneously.
· Step 3: Metal Sheet Conversion (Level 4+)
· After reading 4 metalworking magazines, repeatedly convert one large metal sheet into four small metal sheets, and then convert four small metal sheets back into one large metal sheet.
· This method consumes 2 propane per operation, grants 6.3 experience, and has minimal material loss.
· Step 4: Choose a Profession (Optional)
· Choosing the 'Metalworker' profession grants +3 metalworking levels and a 6.64 learning boost.
· However, this profession is generally not recommended as it doesn't significantly aid survival.