Hello,

I was trying to give tinkering a go as my brand-spanking-new character's foray into this crafting stuff, and am wondering if I just wasted a bunch of money on something that's half-released.

So I went to the place in Crossing, saw the apprentice book was for sale, so I bought it and a logbook.

The only work order handed out by Talia is toy crossbow.

So I found that page in chapter 2, and started buying tools - carving knife, draw knife, metal clamps, wood shaper.

But it says I need a few things that are not for sale anywhere in the society building - tinker's tools, woodworking oil, metalworking oil. I have no idea where these might be purchased, but I hope the answer is not "nowhere".

Also on the ingredients I see that I need lumber (I think I saw I could purchase that or maybe I could even go chop my own wood, not sure.)

I see also that I need a finished bowstring and a finished mechanism. I didn't see them for sale anywhere either, but maybe I am supposed to make them first? I didn't see anything in the book on making bowstrings, though the crate in the shop contains 'some bowstring'. Hopefully that is 'finished bowstring'? I find nothing in chapter 1 of the book on making 'finished bowstring' or anything about bowstring. I did find a page on mechanisms, that I need to find out where to get an ingot of some sort and use a gear press, so maybe that part will not be too hard.

At this point I'm wondering if I should bother with buying bowstring and trying to find lumber and ingots, if this is in a half-released state.

It would make sense for the character to be a furniture maker but I didn't see any techniques related to it on the signs in the building, so I'm assuming that's not a thing right now. So I thought I'd try tinkering.

If that's not live I guess I'll just have to take the hit on a bunch of lost coins and save up for some tailoring tools.

Thanks.

So the newbie that tries Tinkering is foiled at every turn, lured by the presence of a book but not proper tools.

I can get to Riverhaven - so the basic idea is - there's no need despite what the book says to actually use tinker's tools to make toy crossbows? And, to actually make mechanisms you need to go to Riverhaven instead, where there are actually gear presses?

Also I just found out you need 5 volume ingot to make a mechanism at the press, which the book didn't say. I learned how to buy nuggets and do smelting but I have no idea how to tell how much volume there is in the ingot. I smelted 5 tin nuggets I bought at the Forging place, here's hoping it's at least 5 volume? I tried COUNT but that does nothing. I wonder if appraise or analyze tells you - it does basically nothing for me at my skill level it would seem.

I assume one of the shops in Crossing sells a yardstick.

Also it appears from messaging you do actually need tinker's tools. If not, the messaging also suggests I need pliers. I'm curious where to get those.. I'll look around myself but it may be another 'gotcha' for a non-premie doing tinkering. I kinda wish the tinker books weren't for sale yet in the main building in Crossing if non-premie's aren't supposed to have access to everything yet.

Thanks for the replies!

>>I can get to Riverhaven - so the basic idea is - there's no need despite what the book says to actually use tinker's tools to make toy crossbows? And, to actually make mechanisms you need to go to Riverhaven instead, where there are actually gear presses?

You don't NEED the tools, but they do improve quality so if you can get someone to buy some for you from Fang Cove you should.

Like with any craft, you can choose to ignore all of the random steps to fix issues that come up and just use the primary tool to complete an item. Skipping the step, however, results in a lower quality finished product. The only things that cannot be skipped are stuff that is required each and every time such as the addition of components. E.g. a catalyst in alchemy or a table leg in shaping.

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>>Also it appears from messaging you do actually need tinker's tools. If not, the messaging also suggests I need pliers. I'm curious where to get those.. I'll look around myself but it may be another 'gotcha' for a non-premie doing tinkering. I kinda wish the tinker books weren't for sale yet in the main building in Crossing if non-premie's aren't supposed to have access to everything yet.

Thanks for the replies!<<

To get a set of tinkering tools I would suggest you ask around. i am sure someone would be happy to buy you one for a small fee. Pliers are needed also for armor forging. So they are sold at any forging society or you could ask a blacksmith to make you a pair.

Hope this helps.

I have some tinkers tools if you need some. usually in my grove out the west gate of the crossing, go trail, ne, e. The mechanisms can currently only be made in fang cove or riverhaven.

So tools you need. Pliers - forging society, clamps - engineering society, carving knife - engineering, shovel (for mechanisms and use with the press)- forging society, drawknife - engineering society, Stain - engineering society.

Mechanisms are fairly easy to make. You can set the press from 1 through 12. 1 is easy to get masterful, 12 is the hardest to get masterful. The higher the number for the mechanisms the better your item. In addition the ductile numbers on the mechanisms are important. Nickel and brass are 90 which is good on the easy to get metals. Oravir is the lowest ductile setting. Near as I can tell the higher ductile mechanisms produce more balance on the item being made. The lower (oravir) the more hitting power you get.

Also the wood will determine the weight of the item. So yeah they are a lot heavier now than they used to be.

Here are two alpine stonebows. Both use Birch (80), one uses a 6 press setting nickel mechanisms, and the other uses 5 setting oravir mechanisms (both 6-7 second load time):

>analyze my stonebow (Nickel mechanisms 6 press setting)
You analyze every aspect of the alpine stonebow and nod as your understanding grows.
This appears to be a type of finished stonebow that is masterfully-crafted.
The stonebow is a somewhat challenging piece to make.
It was made by someone with abilities close to your own skill.
About 9 pieces of lumber were used in this item's construction.
You find it impossible to identify who crafted this item.
Roundtime: 9 sec.
R>appraise my stonebow careful
A birch alpine stonebow is a light crossbow type weapon.
A birch alpine stonebow trains the crossbow skill.

The alpine stonebow is soundly designed for improving the force of your attacks.

You are certain that the stonebow is reasonably balanced and is reasonably suited for adding attack power from its draw strength.

You are certain that the alpine stonebow is very delicate and easily damaged, and is in pristine condition.

You are certain that the wood in the alpine stonebow has a quality of 97, placing it at 'nearly perfect' on the official Trader's Scale.
You are certain that the wood in the alpine stonebow has a durability of 30, placing it at 'poor durability' on the official Trader's Scale.
You are certain that the wood in the alpine stonebow has a workability of 75, placing it at 'rather easy to work with' on the official Trader's Scale.
You are certain that the wood in the alpine stonebow has a hardness of 50, placing it at 'medium hard' on the official Trader's Scale.
You are certain that the wood in the alpine stonebow has an stiffness of 54, placing it at 'moderately stiff' on the official Trader's Scale.
You are certain that the wood in the alpine stonebow has a physical resistance of 42, placing it at 'somewhat good at resisting rupture' on the official Trader's Scale.
You are certain that the wood in the alpine stonebow has an affinity of 50, placing it at 'moderate affinity for making shortbows and arbalests' on the official

Trader's Scale.
You are certain that the wood in the alpine stonebow has an affinity of 50, placing it at 'moderate affinity for making long bows and heavy crossbows' on the official

Trader's Scale.
You are certain that the wood in the alpine stonebow has an affinity of 80, placing it at 'exceptional affinity for making composite bows and light crossbows' on the

official Trader's Scale.
It appears that the alpine stonebow can be slung over one shoulder.
You are certain that the alpine stonebow weighs exactly 113 stones.
You are certain that the alpine stonebow is worth exactly 4900 Kronars.
Roundtime: 16 seconds.


>analyze my stonebow (oravir mechanisms 5 press setting)
You analyze every aspect of the alpine stonebow and nod as your understanding grows.
This appears to be a type of finished stonebow that is masterfully-crafted.
The stonebow is a somewhat challenging piece to make.
It was made by someone with abilities close to your own skill.
About 9 pieces of lumber were used in this item's construction.
You find it impossible to identify who crafted this item.
Roundtime: 9 sec.
R>appraise my stonebow careful
A birch alpine stonebow is a light crossbow type weapon.
A birch alpine stonebow trains the crossbow skill.

The alpine stonebow is soundly designed for improving the force of your attacks.

You are certain that the stonebow is decently balanced and is reasonably suited for adding attack power from its draw strength.

You are certain that the alpine stonebow is very delicate and easily damaged, and is in pristine condition.

You are certain that the wood in the alpine stonebow has a quality of 97, placing it at 'nearly perfect' on the official Trader's Scale.
You are certain that the wood in the alpine stonebow has a durability of 30, placing it at 'poor durability' on the official Trader's Scale.
You are certain that the wood in the alpine stonebow has a workability of 75, placing it at 'rather easy to work with' on the official Trader's Scale.
You are certain that the wood in the alpine stonebow has a hardness of 50, placing it at 'medium hard' on the official Trader's Scale.
You are certain that the wood in the alpine stonebow has an stiffness of 54, placing it at 'moderately stiff' on the official Trader's Scale.
You are certain that the wood in the alpine stonebow has a physical resistance of 42, placing it at 'somewhat good at resisting rupture' on the official Trader's Scale.
You are certain that the wood in the alpine stonebow has an affinity of 50, placing it at 'moderate affinity for making shortbows and arbalests' on the official

Trader's Scale.
You are certain that the wood in the alpine stonebow has an affinity of 50, placing it at 'moderate affinity for making long bows and heavy crossbows' on the official

Trader's Scale.
You are certain that the wood in the alpine stonebow has an affinity of 80, placing it at 'exceptional affinity for making composite bows and light crossbows' on the

official Trader's Scale.
It appears that the alpine stonebow can be slung over one shoulder.
You are certain that the alpine stonebow weighs exactly 113 stones.
You are certain that the alpine stonebow is worth exactly 4900 Kronars.
Roundtime: 16 seconds.