Community Early Access data lists the Professional Smelter as a station built with 5 Iron Ingots and used for Moonrock Ingots and Quality Metal. Do not confuse its ingot inputs with raw iron ore. The comparison below separates that station from the Stone Furnace and Makeshift Smelter; confirm recipe quantities in your installed build before spending materials.
Which furnace or smelter do you need?
| Station | Community-listed build cost | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Stone Furnace | 40 Stone | Copper Ingots, Iron Ingots and Coal |
| Makeshift Smelter | 5 Scrap | Quality Metal from raw Iron and Scrap |
| Professional Smelter | 5 Iron Ingots | Moonrock Ingots; an ingot-based Quality Metal recipe |
These station names are easy to confuse when a quest asks for a processed material. Read the output name first, then find the station that offers it. Our crafting overview links the other production chains.
Check the Quality Metal input before collecting more iron
Community data lists 5 Iron plus 5 Scrap at the Makeshift Smelter, compared with 2 Iron Ingots plus 2 Scrap at the Professional Smelter. These are different inputs, so a bag of raw iron does not satisfy an ingot recipe. Read the current station recipe for fuel and other requirements.
Use the Quality Metal guide for the full material chain and equipment choices. This page is the station comparison, rather than a second list of every item that uses Quality Metal.
A better smelter will not fix the wrong mining tool
The developer has documented a misleading basic iron pickaxe tooltip: Moon Rock needs the quality iron pickaxe. If you cannot gather the ore, solve that tool requirement before troubleshooting the smelter. The Moonrock guide separates mining from processing.
Before building or replacing the station
- Identify the exact item you are trying to produce.
- Read the station name attached to that recipe.
- Check whether each input asks for raw ore or an ingot.
- Compare the construction cost with the items in your inventory.
- Confirm the recipe and its fuel requirements in your current build.
If the recipe is unavailable, check your blueprint progression before gathering another load of ore. Early Access data does not establish an identical unlock path for every later build. Keep a note of your station name and game version when asking for help.
Plan the workshop around the material you need next
Put the next recipe and its inputs on a short checklist before a gathering run. Store processed ingots separately from raw ore so you can see which step is missing. See the resources index for copper, flint and higher-tier material guides.
Reviewed October 15, 2026. Station costs and recipe comparisons are community data from build 0.44.2.4634, not a verified current in-game capture. The Moon Rock tool correction is developer-confirmed. Check current recipes for fuel and quantities. Last updated: October 15, 2026.
Sources
References and further reading for this article.
