Badwater to Extract

The Badwater to Extract recipe processes 5 units of Badwater into 1 Extract at the Centrifuge, consuming Logs as fuel in the process. Each batch takes 2 hours and requires 200 horsepower, making the Centrifuge one of the most power-demanding buildings in Timberborn. Extract is a versatile refined material that serves as an input for several important downstream recipes, including Explosives, Catalyst, and Grease. This recipe is available to all factions.

Badwater, the toxic fluid that periodically floods the map, is both a hazard and a resource. Collecting it requires Badwater-compatible pumps or storage facilities, and the Centrifuge then refines this dangerous liquid into useful Extract. The 5:1 conversion ratio means large quantities of Badwater must be stockpiled to produce meaningful amounts of Extract. Downstream, Extract feeds into the Explosives Factory (where it combines with more Badwater to create Explosives for terrain modification), the Grease Factory (Iron Teeth), and the Refinery (Folktails) for producing Catalyst.

To optimize your Centrifuge operation, build Badwater storage tanks near contamination sources to capture toxic runoff during drought cycles or Badwater floods. Since the Centrifuge requires both substantial power and a fuel supply of Logs, it is best placed within a well-developed industrial district that already has Engine power and nearby Log storage. A single Centrifuge running continuously can produce about 0.5 Extract per hour, so plan for multiple Centrifuges if you need significant quantities of Extract for Dynamite production or other advanced manufacturing. Timing your Badwater collection to coincide with contamination events can dramatically increase your raw material supply.