Welder/Grinder block buff

4Peace shared this feedback ago

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Please consider buffing the welder and grinders blocks. I want to use more grids to do welding/grinding jobs instead of using engineer and elite tools. As for now, it is comparable effectiveness to elite tools, more cargo space but very uncnvenient. Hense lots of mods are being made to improve on welding/grinding experience in survival.

Increase the welding/grinding radius for blocks. Besides making it less tedius to operate it would also save on performance as we will need less of those welers and grinders when making contraptions.

Make them more effective (speed buff)

In light of new environemntal hazards, like radiation, we will need t rely more on grids to make weld/grind/mine. But we need this to be easier and more convenient than going with enginneer, also to justify engineering of making grids and contraptions.

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Replies (2)

Lance ●

I always found it strange that an elite hand grinder is more effective than a great big ship grinder. Yes, you can use multiple ship tools at the same time, but getting even two tools working on the same block is difficult at best.

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Rebot ●

perhaps they could get a buff by having a second mode?

default mode can be what we have now but with a significant boost to weld/grind speed and a larger area of effect.

and then a precision mode, which is much more focused (good for single large grid blocks), and operates much much faster by virtue of welding less blocks at the same time.

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4Peace ●

By keeping the default mode the same as it is now, we can ensure that nothing breaks in existing worlds — printers will continue to work exactly as before. The second mode could be toggled on and off, similar to how drills currently have the “terrain clear mode.”

To improve these tools even further, the welding and grinding areas in the second mode could not only be larger but also shifted forward, extending completely outside the block itself. This would prevent welders from accidentally welding new blocks behind them — a common issue that often tears apart printer heads — and would eliminate the need for protective shields in front of the welders.

For grinders, this additional offset would prevent them from physically touching the blocks they’re working on, avoiding situations where loose pieces get thrown around and create a mess of floating debris.

Ideally, there should also be visual indicators (such as light outlines or particle effects) showing the active working area. This would help engineers see their reach clearly when designing welding or grinding contraptions, and warn players when they’re within a dangerous proximity.

These changes would drastically reduce the block and PCU count needed to build effective printers or grinding pits, improving performance or allowing players to create more ambitious projects.

Finally, welding and grinding ships would become much more practical and rewarding to use — offering real convenience compared to simply flying around with a jetpack and using elite hand tools.

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