Make Stone Blocks Fast in RimWorld (1.6) | Stonecutter + Bill Tool

Vanilla 1.6.4633 rev1266 | Code-backed stonecutting

Make Stone Blocks Fast in RimWorld

Need blocks right now? Research Stonecutting, place a stonecutter's table, set Do until X, and keep a floor stockpile of chunks tight to the bench. The local game defs say each chunk becomes 20 blocks, the recipe gives no Crafting XP, and a stone wall costs 5 blocks. Jump to the quick solution.

how to make stone blocks rimworld stonecutter's table iconBench cost: 75 stuff + 30 steel how to make stone blocks rimworld stone chunk icon1 chunk = 20 blocks how to make stone blocks rimworld stone blocks iconWall = 5 blocks | Tile = 4

Quick Solution

90-second setup
  1. Unlock it: finish Stonecutting. The local research def sets baseCost = 300.
  2. Build it: place TableStonecutter from Production. The table costs 75 stuff + 30 steel and uses a 3x1 footprint.
  3. Feed it: put a floor stockpile of chunks beside the interaction side. Chunks are heavy, single-stack, and ugly, so walking is the real tax.
  4. Bill it: use Make any stone blocks or one stone type, switch to Do until X, and keep the target aligned to chunk output.
  5. Store smart: use Drop on floor when you want builders or haulers to move finished blocks later instead of forcing the cutter to do an extra storage trip.
  6. Assign smart: the recipe has workSkillLearnFactor = 0, so stonecutting gives no XP. Use a steady pawn, not your best crafter.
bill: Make any stone blocks
repeat: Do until X
count_target: 1000
pause_when_satisfied: true
unpause_at: 740
ingredient_radius: tight around local chunk pile
allowed_ingredients:
  - StoneChunks category
output: DropOnFloor
notes:
  - Workshop room avoids the 0.8 room-role penalty
  - Tool cabinets add +6% each, up to two

Useful default targets: 600 blocks for a tiny base, 1000 for a growing base, 1600+ once you are replacing wood walls and laying real floors.

Chunk Planner

Wall + floor math

This calculator uses the local defs: Wall costStuffCount = 5, every stone tile costs 4 blocks, and each chunk produces 20 blocks. Enter your project and it will tell you what your Do until X target should be.

Total blocks wanted 0 Walls + floors + reserve target
Extra blocks needed 0 After current stock is counted
Chunks to cut 0 Rounded up because 1 chunk = 20 blocks
Recommended Do until X 0 Rounded to a multiple of 20
Recommended unpause 0 75% buffer so bills restart early
Chunk gap on hand 0 How many more chunks haulers still need

From the Game Code

Local install audit
how to make stone blocks rimworld table stonecutter iconStonecutter how to make stone blocks rimworld cabinet facility iconTool cabinet how to make stone blocks rimworld drill supply iconDeep drill
  • ResearchProjectDef Stonecutting Cost 300, tech level Medieval, and it directly unlocks the stonecutter's table. File: ResearchProjects_1.xml.
  • ThingDef TableStonecutter Costs 75 stuff + 30 steel, links to ToolCabinet, wants a Workshop room role, and takes a 0.8 speed factor when not in that role. File: Buildings_Production.xml.
  • RecipeDef MakeStoneBlocksBase Uses workAmount = 1600, workSpeedStat = GeneralLaborSpeed, targetCountAdjustment = 20, and workSkillLearnFactor = 0. File: Recipes_Production.xml.
  • ThingDef ToolCabinet Adds WorkTableWorkSpeedFactor +0.06 and the facility comp allows maxSimultaneous = 2. It also needs ComplexFurniture, so it is not always an early-game option. File: Buildings_Misc.xml.
  • ThingDef Wall and stone tile defs A standard wall costs 5 stuff, while stone tile and flagstone cost 4 blocks each. Files: Buildings_Structure.xml and Terrain_Floors_StoneTile.xml.

Which Stone to Cut

Walls, floors, beauty
Code-backed myth check: every stone tile in Terrain_Floors_StoneTile.xml has Beauty = 1. Floor choice is not about hidden beauty math. It is mainly about color, supply, and how fast you can cut the blocks.
Stone Wall HP Block WorkToMake Standout trait Fast rule
Granite 510 1.30x Best wall durability from MaxHitPoints 1.7 Use for outer walls, killbox shell, and breach-facing edges.
Limestone 465 1.30x Almost-granite toughness at 1.55 HP factor Great fallback wall stone when granite is scarce.
Sandstone 420 1.10x Fastest stonecutting output Best for mass floor jobs and fast early conversion.
Slate 390 1.30x Dark tone, middling durability Use when you want the look and already have the chunks.
Marble 360 1.15x Only wall stone here with a built beauty bump Save for beauty-focused rooms, sculptures, and visible interiors.

Why the wall HP numbers are exact: wall base HP is 300, then the stone stuff factor multiplies it. That yields granite 510, limestone 465, sandstone 420, slate 390, and marble 360.

Bench Speed Math

Recipe work = 1600

Bench-only throughput here comes straight from the local recipe and worktable stats. It does not include hauling, waiting, or bad pawn pathing.

Seconds per chunk 0 Bench-only math
Chunks per hour 0 Before hauling losses
Blocks per hour 0 Recipe output x 20
Practical blocks per hour 0 With your hauling note applied
Time for planner shortage 0 Uses the shortage from Chunk Planner
Cabinet effect 0% Up to +12% from two cabinets

Logistics + Troubleshooting

Keep bills running

Logistics that actually matter

  • Chunks on floor, not shelves: vanilla shelves cannot hold chunks, so keep a floor stockpile hugging the bench.
  • Blocks can use shelves: the finished product is normal resource stuff, so shelf your blocks if you want a clean builder zone.
  • Drop on floor saves one loop: the bill code has a dedicated DropOnFloor path that ends the job after placing product nearby.
  • Crafting work type: stonecutting uses the Crafting work type and requires Manipulation.
  • Specific stone bills: split granite and marble when aesthetics matter. Use Make any stone blocks when survival speed matters more than looks.

Copyable stockpile setup

chunk_stockpile:
  location: beside stonecutter interaction cell
  storage: floor only
  allow:
    - stone chunks
  disallow:
    - steel slag
    - mechanoid slag

block_storage:
  location: next to builders or shelves
  allow:
    - any stone blocks
  priority: Important

Common blockers and the fast fix

Symptom Likely reason Fix
Table missing from build menu Stonecutting not researched Finish the 300-cost research first.
Bill says missing materials No allowed StoneChunks in radius Move chunks closer or loosen radius enough to cover the floor stockpile.
Pawn ignores the bench Crafting priority, manipulation loss, or another higher-priority job Raise Crafting priority on one steady pawn and confirm both hands still work.
Do until X seems to jump in weird chunks targetCountAdjustment = 20 Set targets as multiples of 20 so the count aligns to recipe output.
Crafter gains no XP This is intended by the recipe Accept it and reserve your best crafter for bills that actually teach skill.

Deep Drill, Late Game, Mods

Scale without pain

The local DeepDrill def explicitly says it yields stone chunks if no resources are present. That makes it the clean vanilla answer once map chunks start running thin.

Late-game stone yard

Best pattern: deep drill nearby, floor chunk dump beside two stonecutters, shelves for finished blocks, then let haulers or mechs move block stacks to builders. Because chunks cannot use shelves, do not waste time trying to force a shelf-only layout.

Safe modded extras

Keep this separate from vanilla advice. Add one at a time and test on a non-critical save first.

Stonecutting ExtendedBulk recipes and less click-spam for large stone yards. Electric Stonecutting TableTheme-focused powered alternative if you want a high-tech stone shop.
Real upgrade path: use whatever stone you have to stop building in wood, then re-skin visible rooms later. The local 1.6-era build defs support placing new wall blueprints over old walls, so late upgrades are much less painful than they used to be.

FAQ

Short answers
Do you need research before making stone blocks?

Yes. The local install has TableStonecutter gated behind Stonecutting, and the research project itself costs 300. Once it is done, the table becomes a normal Production build.

How many blocks do you get per chunk?

Every stone chunk becomes 20 blocks. This is written both in the recipe setup and in the per-stone butcherProducts entries for chunk defs.

Is sandstone really best for floors?

Sandstone is the practical floor pick because its blocks are faster to make. The code-backed catch is that all stone tile floors have Beauty 1, so sandstone is not secretly prettier than granite or marble as a floor tile.

Why is marble still special if floor beauty is the same?

Marble matters for beauty on walls and sculptures, not because its stone tile has a hidden terrain bonus. Marble blocks also cut faster than granite or limestone, but its walls are the weakest of the five major stones.

Can I use shelves to keep the stonecutter supplied?

No for chunks, yes for finished blocks. Vanilla shelf defs explicitly rule out chunk storage, so keep a chunk floor stockpile next to the bench and reserve shelves for the block side of the loop.

Visual Refresher + Related Reads

Vanilla first

Use the video for a fast visual pass. Use the planner and code cards above when you want the exact numbers behind your bill and material decisions.

Good internal follow-ups

Stone blocks sit right at the intersection of early research, layout discipline, and defensive upgrades. These fit naturally after this page:

[[Research Roadmap: Outsmart RimWorld's Tech Tree Like This]] [[Build a RimWorld Killbox That Still Works (1.6)]] [[Base Building: Turn RimWorld Chaos Into Order]]

Fast reference card

One chunk = 20 blocks. One wall = 5 blocks. One stone tile = 4 blocks. Granite wall = 510 HP. Tool cabinet = +6% bench speed each. Stonecutting XP = zero.

Local data used for this page: RimWorld 1.6.4633 rev1266 from /game. This page pulls its key numbers from the local research, recipe, building, terrain, and thing defs instead of guessing from memory.