Plasma Tools Reference
The eight plasma parts that define mid-game Scrap Mechanic, with build tips and power requirements.
What plasma tools are
Plasma tools are a family of functional blocks unlocked exclusively through Schematics scanned at the Schematicbot. They share a common visual language — blue plasma coils, orange heat vents, and a persistent hum when powered — and they represent the mid-game power spike in Scrap Mechanic Survival Mode. Before plasma tools, you mine with basic drills and process ore by hand. After plasma tools, you run automated mining rigs, industrial farms, and off-grid power stations.
This page covers all eight plasma tools currently in the 1.0 chapter. For the Schematics that unlock them, see the Schematics reference. For bench placement, see the crafting bench chain.
Power requirements
Every plasma tool draws power from the nearest Battery or Battery Generator. Standard batteries drain quickly under plasma load — a single Plasma Drill empties a basic Battery in under two minutes of continuous use. Plan for either:
- A Battery Generator wired to a renewable fuel source (wood posts, crop waste).
- Multiple batteries swapped on a timer.
- A Gas Engine driving a generator array for mobile rigs.
The community rule of thumb: one Battery Generator supports two Plasma Drills or one Plasma Saw plus one Ore Crusher.
Plasma Drill
The Plasma Drill is the first plasma tool most players craft. It attaches to any bearing or fixed mount and carves through ore veins three times faster than the basic Drill. Key stats:
- Power draw: High
- Mount: Bearing or static frame
- Best use: Mining rig front array, stationary vein stripper
Mount the Plasma Drill slightly below chassis level so it contacts the ore vein directly. Pair it with a Conveyor belt behind the drill head to catch drops automatically. The embedded video above shows a complete early-game mining drill setup using this part.
Plasma Saw
The Plasma Saw is the plasma equivalent of a circular saw. It cuts wood, metal, and stone blocks in a horizontal arc. Unlike the Drill, it does not collect drops — it destroys blocks and leaves resources on the ground.
- Power draw: Medium
- Mount: Bearing (for spinning saw blades) or fixed (for gate traps)
- Best use: Automated tree farms, raid defense blades, Sawbot arms
Wire a Motion sensor to a bearing-mounted Plasma Saw for a classic raid trap. Haybots that walk into the arc take continuous damage until they break or retreat.
Turret Seat
The Turret Seat is a controllable seat that rotates independently of the vehicle or platform it is mounted on. It does not fire weapons by itself — you mount a Spud Gun, Spud Shotgun, or Connad launcher on the seat’s weapon mount.
- Power draw: Low (seat rotation only)
- Mount: Any flat surface or bearing tower
- Best use: Base defense towers, warehouse clear turrets, farm perimeter guns
The Turret Seat is the bridge between manual combat and automated defense. Wire its rotation bearing to a Motion sensor for semi-automatic turrets, or sit in it yourself during a raid for manual aim.
Sawbot
The Sawbot is not a single part — it is a chassis recipe unlocked by Schematic that combines a Plasma Saw, bearings, wheels, and a Controller into a mobile cutting unit. Once crafted, the Sawbot drives itself along a GPS path and cuts every block in its path.
- Power draw: High (saw plus locomotion)
- Components: Plasma Saw, 4 wheels, Gas Engine, GPS receiver
- Best use: Automated tree harvesting, path clearing, strip mining prep
Sawbots are fragile. Keep them inside fenced routes and away from Haybot patrol paths.
Ore Crusher
The Ore Crusher is an underground-only bench that processes raw ore into refined metal faster than the Refinery Bot. It requires a Schematic found in the titanium vein chamber.
- Power draw: Medium (continuous when fed)
- Mount: Static, within 5 blocks of a Conveyor input
- Best use: Central processing hub at base, underground outpost smelter
Feed the Ore Crusher with a Conveyor belt from your mining rig’s storage chest. Wire a Motion sensor on the chest to pause the Crusher when empty — this prevents power waste.
Ore Prospector
The Ore Prospector is a handheld-style scanner block that reveals ore vein locations on your map when activated. It does not mine — it only scans.
- Power draw: Low (single pulse per scan)
- Mount: Handheld via Connect Tool, or fixed scanner tower
- Best use: Finding underground veins before building mining rigs
Activate the Ore Prospector at the edge of a biome. Veins appear as orange markers on the compass for 30 in-game seconds. Scan from high ground for maximum radius.
Battery Generator
The Battery Generator converts fuel items into battery charge for nearby blocks. It is the backbone of off-grid bases that cannot run power lines back to the Mechanic Station.
- Power draw: None (it generates power)
- Fuel: Wood posts, scrap wood, crop waste
- Best use: Remote mining outposts, automated farm power, raid defense batteries
Place one Battery Generator per 10-block radius of plasma tools. Wire it directly to the batteries that feed your drills and saws.
UV Grow Bed
The UV Grow Bed is a powered soil tile that grows crops without natural sunlight or water buckets. It is the capstone plasma farming tool.
- Power draw: Low (continuous)
- Mount: Static, flat surface
- Best use: Indoor automated farms, underground crop rooms, desert biome farming
Each UV Grow Bed holds one crop. Chain multiple beds with Vacuum Pumps and Conveyor belts for a fully enclosed gantry farm. See the automated farming guide for wiring patterns.
Recommended unlock order
- Plasma Drill — unlocks mining rigs.
- Ore Prospector — finds veins for those rigs.
- Battery Generator — powers the rigs off-grid.
- Ore Crusher — processes ore at base automatically.
- Plasma Saw + Sawbot — clears paths and harvests wood.
- Turret Seat — defends the operation.
- UV Grow Bed — feeds the crew without surface farming.
Common plasma tool mistakes
- Undersizing batteries. Plasma tools stall mid-operation and can damage bearings.
- Mounting the Plasma Drill too high. It must touch the vein; a one-block gap means zero output.
- Running an Ore Crusher without input automation. Manual feeding defeats the purpose.
- Placing UV Grow Beds outdoors in rain biomes. They work, but power draw doubles in wet weather.
Watch the community walkthrough for this guide:
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the most common questions.
Can I craft plasma tools without Schematics?
No. Every plasma tool recipe is locked behind a Schematic scan. There is no Creative Mode bypass in Survival.
Do plasma tools work underwater?
The Plasma Drill and Ore Prospector work underwater. The Plasma Saw and UV Grow Bed short-circuit and stop functioning until dried.
How many Battery Generators do I need for a mining rig?
One generator supports a rig with two Plasma Drills and one Conveyor belt. Add a second generator if you mount a third drill or an Ore Crusher at the rig site.