How to Upgrade Tools in My Time at Sandrock | Guide & Tips

Every Builder begins their journey with a set of basic tools, but eventually, better tools are needed to deal with tougher minerals and woods. Here is how to upgrade tools in My Time at Sandrock.

How to craft and upgrade tools in My Time at Sandrock

You begin your journey at Sandrock with a basic Pickhammer and Stone Axe. Pickhammers are used to break down metal scrap and minerals, while axes are used for chopping wood into usable pieces. Both tools are essential to your progression as a Builder.

You should have no problem breaking down basic scrap piles with your starting tools, but eventually you’ll run into some tougher materials that are too sturdy for your current tool set. If you see a material with a small yellow arrow pointing up, that means it requires a stronger tool.

Tools can be crafted at a Worktable. Approach the nearest Worktable, select the equipment tab, and choose the tool you want to craft. Each tool recipe requires different materials, so check the recipe to see what you need. New recipes can be purchased from the Commerce Guild Store, or received as rewards for completing missions.

Upgrading to better tools can be done by simply crafting the newer tools. Unlike other farming simulators like Stardew Valley, you don’t upgrade your existing tools per se, you just craft new ones. Old tools can be sold, gifted to certain villagers, or donated to Catori’s museum.

The Bronze Pickhammer and Bronze Axe are the earliest upgrade recipes you can get. These two recipes require refined items made from your machines, like the Forge and Grinder. Keep in mind that a common tool upgrade material, the Sharpening Stone, can only be bought from Hugo’s Hammer Time shop.

If you haven’t got one yet, we have an article teaching you how to get a horse in My Time at Sandrock – check it out!

Which tool should you upgrade first in My Time at Sandrock?

It is recommended to upgrade your Pickhammer first. The reason for this is that the better tools often require the higher tier ingots, which need ores and minerals from the deeper levels of the Eufaula Salvage Abandoned Ruins.

If you haven’t been to the Abandoned Ruins yet, it’s basically a randomly generated cave full of precious ores and other treasures. Each room is mostly filled with dirt and sand, so a strong Pickhammer is necessary to break through it all. The better your Pickhammer, the less stamina you have to use for digging, which means more ores to mine.

Not to mention, the stronger ores require equally strong Pickhammers to mine successfully. You won’t be using your axes at all inside the Abandoned Ruins, so getting the better Pickhammers first is the way to go.

Alternatively, if you don’t want to go spelunking for the ores you need, many necessary upgrade materials can be bought directly from Hammer Time. Keep in mind, however, that the high-end tools must be crafted, as the rarer ores can only be found inside the Abandoned Ruins.

We hope that answers all your tool upgrading questions. Let us know in the comments below if you have any other questions, and don’t forget to check out our dedicated guide section for My Time at Sandrock for more tips and tricks.