Sandustry Guide: From First Sand to Automation
Begin by breaking Dirt into Sand, combine each Sand pixel with Water to make Wet Sand, and feed the mixture through a Shaker. Route Gold into a Collector so it becomes spendable, keep Residue separate, and use early research to unlock logistics before extending the line toward Burnt Residue and the Kinetic Press.
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Build the first production loop
Sand comes from destroyed Dirt and becomes two Wet Sand pixels when it contacts one Water pixel. The Shaker turns every Wet Sand pixel into Residue and has a chance to add Gold, making water access, gravity, and a clean output path the foundations of the first factory.
Bank Gold and choose research
Gold only counts as spendable currency while it sits inside a Collector. Buy the Shaker first, then prioritize Logistics for Conveyor Belts and Launchers; later choices such as Hover, Map, Filter, and Flamethrower solve movement, sorting, exploration, and residue-processing problems rather than simply adding output.
Extend without rebuilding
Leave space beside the Shaker for filtered Gold collection and a separate Residue path. Once fire handling and the Kinetic Press are available, burn Residue and press the Burnt Residue into Gold and Seed, turning an early waste stream into the next production tier.
Production chain
- resourceSand
- resourceWater
- resourceWet Sand
- machineShaker
- resourceGold + Residue
- resourceBurnt Residue
- machineKinetic Press
Troubleshooting
- Gold does not increase the research balance
Move the Gold into a Collector; loose Gold elsewhere in the factory is not counted as spendable currency.
- The Shaker output backs up
Give dense Wet Sand a clear feed path and route lower-density Residue away separately before adding more input.
- The wet-sand line stops over time
Sand consumes Water. Refill the source or plan a renewable Snow-and-Steam loop before increasing throughput.
Sources
Official references used for this field guide.