Gears

Gears represent the last of the early-game materials in Timberborn and serve as a gateway to the colony's mid-game infrastructure. Produced at the Gear Workshop, each Gear requires one Plank and 120 horsepower to manufacture. This means Gears sit two steps down the wood production chain: trees must first be felled into Logs, processed into Planks at a Lumber Mill, and then shaped into Gears. A single Gear Workshop employs one worker and can keep a steady output going, but because many buildings require multiple Gears, you will often need to run two or more workshops in parallel.

The demand for Gears is substantial and grows throughout the game. They are required as a construction material for a huge range of buildings, including Water Pumps, Power Wheels, Grills, Bakeries, Gristmills, and many workshops. Practically every building beyond basic housing and paths calls for at least a few Gears, and advanced structures like the Wood Workshop (which itself costs 40 Gears) and the Centrifuge demand even more. Because of this broad demand, Gear shortages can stall your colony's expansion at every level, from food production to science.

To avoid Gear bottlenecks, it is wise to build your first Gear Workshop as soon as Planks become available and to keep it powered and staffed continuously. Gears are stored in warehouses and do not spoil, so there is no downside to maintaining a healthy stockpile. Since the Gear Workshop requires power, placing it near a Power Wheel or other energy source is important for uninterrupted production. As your colony scales, consider that every new construction project will draw from your Gear reserves, and plan your Plank output accordingly to feed both construction needs and ongoing Gear manufacturing.