Printing Press

The Printing Press is a knowledge-production building available to both Folktails and Iron Teeth, unlocked for 500 Science Points and constructed from 50 Logs, 30 Gears, and 30 Metal Blocks. This 4x2 powered structure employs 1 worker and requires 150 horsepower to produce Books and Punchcards from Paper. Books require 1 Paper per unit with a 1.5-hour production time, while Punchcards use 2 Paper plus 1 Plank to produce 2 Punchcards in 0.75 hours. As the flavor text notes, beavers consume each page right after reading, so good literature is always in high demand throughout your colony.

Books are a wellbeing item consumed by beavers to satisfy their intellectual needs, making the Printing Press an important contributor to colony happiness and productivity. A well-supplied Printing Press running the Book recipe can keep a sizable population content, and since happy beavers work more efficiently, the investment pays for itself through improved output across all your other buildings. Punchcards serve a different purpose, functioning as an automation resource used by Bots and mechanical systems. Internal storage holds 12 Paper and 12 Planks on the input side, with room for 12 Books and 40 Punchcards in output storage, allowing the Press to build up reserves between hauler visits.

The Printing Press requires a mature industrial base to construct: Metal Blocks come from the Smelter (processing Scrap Metal from the Scavenger Flag or Mine), Gears from the Gear Workshop, and the 150 horsepower demand requires a solid power grid. Paper is supplied by the Paper Mill, which converts Logs at a favorable 1:2 ratio. Position the Printing Press near your Paper Mill and a warehouse to minimize transportation delays. For maximum efficiency, dedicate one Press to Books for beaver wellbeing and another to Punchcards for automation needs if your colony uses Bots extensively. The Printing Press represents the cultural apex of your beaver civilization, transforming raw wood into knowledge and keeping your industrious colony both productive and fulfilled.