How To Craft in Outbound – Find The Workbench

Crafting is one of the core mechanics in Outbound. Nearly everything in the game depends on crafting, including tools, vehicle upgrades, workstations, farming equipment, and building parts.

If you are confused about how crafting works or where to find the workbench, this guide explains everything beginners need to know.

How Crafting Works in Outbound

To craft items in Outbound, you need:

• Blueprints
• Resources
• Access to the Workbench

Once you have all three, you can start crafting tools and upgrades for your vehicle.

Step 1: Unlock Blueprints

Before you can craft anything, you first need blueprints.

Blueprints are unlocked from Signal Towers located throughout the map.

How To Unlock Blueprints

1. Find a Signal Tower
2. Interact with the terminal
3. Select:

Check Downloads

4. Download the blueprint

Once downloaded, the recipe becomes permanently available.

Where To Find Signal Towers

Signal Towers are commonly found:

• Near campsites
• Along roads
• Near major landmarks
• In exploration areas

The first Signal Tower appears very early in the tutorial area.

Step 2: Gather Crafting Materials

After unlocking a blueprint, you need the required materials.

Common Early Resources

Resource	Used For
Scrap Metal	Tools and upgrades
Wood	Building and crafting
Fibre	Clothing and crafting
Rocks	Basic crafting recipes

How To Find Scrap Metal

Scrap metal is one of the most important early-game materials.

You can find it:

• Near Signal Towers
• Inside containers
• Around campsites
• Scattered across roads

You will need a huge amount later, so collect everything you see.

Step 3: Find The Workbench

The Workbench is located inside your vehicle.

Depending on your vehicle type, it is usually found:

• In the trunk
• At the rear storage area
• Inside the camper section

Approach the workbench and interact with it.

How To Open The Workbench

Walk up to the workbench and press:

E

This opens the crafting menu.

How To Craft Items

Inside the workbench:

1. Select a blueprint
2. Check the required materials
3. Press Craft

If you have enough resources, crafting will begin immediately.

The Crafting Minigame Explained

Crafting includes a small timing minigame.

You must:

• Press the work button
• Time your input while the marker is inside the green zone

Successfully hitting the green area speeds up crafting.

First Tool You Craft

Most players craft the Wrench first.

Wrench Uses

The wrench is required for:

• Repairing gates
• Fixing structures
• Progressing through the tutorial

Important Early Crafting Recipes

Item	Purpose
Wrench	Repairs
Build Hammer	Base building
Axe	Chop large logs
Pickaxe	Mine ores
Sickle	Harvest crops
Homing Boots	Faster travel

Why Crafting Is Important

Crafting unlocks progression across the entire game.

You need crafted items for:

• Vehicle upgrades
• Better farming
• Building larger bases
• Unlocking new areas
• Repairing bridges and elevators
• Resource gathering

Beginner Crafting Tips

Always Collect Resources

Even basic materials become important later.

Prioritize Tools First

Crafting tools should always come before decorations.

Deposit Resources Frequently

Your backpack fills up quickly early on.

Upgrade Your Vehicle Storage

Storage upgrades make resource farming much easier.

Keep Revisiting Signal Towers

More towers means more recipes and stronger equipment.

What Happens If You Lack Materials?

If you cannot craft something:

• Check missing materials in the recipe
• Explore nearby areas
• Farm resources
• Return later after upgrading tools

Final Thoughts

Crafting is the foundation of progression in Outbound. Once you unlock blueprints from Signal Towers and start gathering resources consistently, the game opens up massively.

The early gameplay loop is simple:

• Explore
• Gather resources
• Unlock blueprints
• Craft better tools
• Expand your vehicle

Once you understand the crafting system, progression becomes much smoother.