Gear Workshop

The Gear Workshop is a vital manufacturing building available to both Folktails and Iron Teeth, unlocked for 250 Science Points and constructed from 15 Logs and 25 Planks. This 3x2 powered structure employs 1 worker and requires 120 horsepower to convert Planks into Gears, one of the most essential intermediate resources in Timberborn. Each production cycle takes 1 Plank and transforms it into 1 Gear over 3 hours, with internal storage holding 10 Planks and 10 Gears. Gears are required for constructing a wide range of buildings, from Gristmills and Tapper's Shacks to Smelters and advanced structures, making the Gear Workshop a critical early-game priority.

The 3-hour production time per Gear means output is relatively slow compared to the demand, especially during expansion phases when you are constructing multiple buildings that require Gears. A single Gear Workshop running continuously produces roughly 5 Gears per in-game day, which can quickly become a bottleneck if you are building Gristmills (20 Gears each), Wood Workshops (40 Gears each), or Smelters (20 Gears each). The wiki recommends building your first Gear Workshop immediately after your first Lumber Mill, then constructing a Medium Warehouse nearby to stockpile Gears for future construction projects. Planning ahead and maintaining a Gear surplus prevents frustrating delays when you need to build something urgently.

The 120 horsepower requirement is significant for an early-game building, often consuming a large portion of your initial power budget from Water Wheels or Power Wheels. Position the Gear Workshop on your power shaft network close to the Lumber Mill that supplies its Planks, and near warehouses where finished Gears can be stockpiled. As your colony matures, you may need 2 to 3 Gear Workshops running simultaneously to support ongoing construction and to supply buildings that consume Gears during operation. The Gear Workshop, alongside the Lumber Mill and Wood Workshop, forms the core of your wood processing pipeline, turning raw Logs into the refined components that make advanced civilization possible.