OSRS: Make Your Own Cannonballs at Blast Furnace for Profit and Efficiency
Introduction
Cannonballs. Those small, but vital projectiles used by dwarf multicannons have become an integral part of Old School RuneScape. Whether you’re blasting through Slayer tasks, tackling challenging bosses, or simply enjoying some efficient combat training, cannonballs are often the ammunition of choice. However, the constant demand for these metal spheres means they can be surprisingly expensive to purchase from the Grand Exchange. Furthermore, relying solely on the Grand Exchange for your cannonball needs can leave you vulnerable to price fluctuations and supply shortages. For those who crave self-sufficiency, particularly Ironmen, or simply want to save a significant amount of gold, there’s a compelling alternative: crafting your own cannonballs at the Blast Furnace.
Making cannonballs at the Blast Furnace is a profitable and efficient method for obtaining them, offering considerable cost savings, enhanced production speed, and a reliable resource stream, especially for those restricted from freely trading. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know to become a cannonball crafting master at the Blast Furnace.
The Alluring Advantages of Blast Furnace Cannonball Creation
There are compelling reasons to roll up your sleeves and forge your own cannonballs instead of relying on the Grand Exchange. Let’s delve into the advantages.
Cost Effectiveness Supreme
The Grand Exchange can be a fickle mistress. The price of cannonballs can fluctuate dramatically depending on player demand, updates to the game, and various other factors. This unpredictability can eat into your profits, especially when you’re using thousands of cannonballs for resource gathering or boss encounters. By making your own cannonballs, you eliminate the reliance on the external market and stabilize your expenses. You control the supply and the price.
The fundamental concept is simple: the cost of iron ore is typically lower than the cost of finished cannonballs. You can acquire iron ore through mining, purchasing it when prices are low, or by obtaining it as a drop from various monsters. A savvy player can often secure iron ore at a price significantly below the selling price of cannonballs. This difference represents your profit margin. Consistently turning cheap ore into valuable ammunition is the key to accumulating substantial wealth.
You can further amplify your cost savings by employing strategic techniques. One such strategy involves utilizing a coal bag, which allows you to carry more coal, reducing the number of trips you need to make to the bank. Coal can often be obtained relatively cheaply. This reduces the running cost of using the Blast Furnace, turning it into a lucrative activity.
Unleash the Speed Furnace
The Blast Furnace’s greatest asset is its sheer smelting speed. Compared to a conventional furnace, the Blast Furnace operates at an accelerated pace, allowing you to process vast quantities of iron ore in a fraction of the time. This is crucial when you need a large supply of cannonballs quickly.
Several factors contribute to the Blast Furnace’s superior smelting efficiency. The location of the furnace minimizes travel time between the bank, the ore storage, and the smelting area. It’s an assembly line designed to keep the process moving.
To further enhance your production speed, equipping ice gloves or goldsmithing gauntlets is highly recommended. Ice gloves eliminate the need to manually cool down the molten iron bars, streamlining the crafting process and preventing burns. Goldsmiting gauntlets do not prevent you from burning, but allow you to always successfully smith iron ore into bars, saving time.
Ironman’s Reliable Resource
For Ironmen, who are restricted from freely trading with other players, acquiring cannonballs can present a significant challenge. They must rely on their own gathering efforts or monster drops, which can be time-consuming and unreliable. The Blast Furnace offers a solution. It provides a consistent and sustainable means of producing cannonballs, independent of the Grand Exchange or reliance on monster drop tables.
The Blast Furnace empowers Ironmen to become self-sufficient in ammunition production, enabling them to participate in combat activities without worrying about the constant drain on their limited resources. This newfound autonomy is invaluable for progressing through the game and achieving their goals.
Bonus Smithing
While the primary purpose of making cannonballs at the Blast Furnace is to acquire ammunition, it’s worth noting that you also gain Smithing experience in the process. This experience is a welcome bonus, allowing you to passively train your Smithing skill while simultaneously building up your cannonball stockpile.
Preparing for the Blast Furnace Cannonball Crusade
Before you can embark on your cannonball production journey, you need to meet certain requirements and acquire the necessary equipment.
Essential Smithing Skill
You’ll need a minimum Smithing level of thirty-five to create cannonballs. While a higher Smithing level doesn’t impact the speed or efficiency of making cannonballs at the Blast Furnace, it does unlock other smithing methods for creating useful equipment.
Quest for the Forge
Access to the Blast Furnace requires completion of “The Giant Dwarf” quest. This quest unlocks the Keldagrim underground city and grants you permission to use the Blast Furnace.
The Essential Ensemble
Proper gear is crucial for efficient cannonball production. Ice gloves or goldsmithing gauntlets are non-negotiable. They allow you to handle hot iron bars without taking damage. Weight-reducing clothing is also beneficial for stamina purposes, allowing you to make multiple trips. Finally, consider bringing some energy potions to stave off fatigue and maintain a high production rate.
Load the Inventory
Optimizing your inventory setup is key to maximizing your output. A typical inventory setup would consist of a full inventory of iron ore, your trusty ice gloves, a coal bag if you intend on using a coal run, stamina potions, and a small amount of cash for furnace usage.
The Cannonball Creation Dance: A Step-by-Step Guide
With your requirements met and your equipment in hand, it’s time to embark on the cannonball creation process.
Destination Keldagrim
The Blast Furnace is located in Keldagrim, a subterranean city accessible via the Dwarven Mine. Navigate your way to the Blast Furnace entrance.
Paying the Piper
Before you can use the Blast Furnace, you need to pay a fee. The fee is paid every ten minutes of use. Make sure you have enough coins to cover your desired smelting session.
Fuel the Fire
Load your iron ore into the furnace. This will initiate the smelting process, transforming the ore into iron bars.
Shaping the Ammunition
Once the iron bars are smelted, you can begin crafting the cannonballs. Right-click the iron bars in your inventory and select the “smith” option. Then, select the cannonball mould from the smithing interface. This will convert your iron bars into cannonballs.
Banking or Use
Once you have a full inventory of cannonballs, you can either deposit them in the bank for later use or start employing them to take down your desired targets.
Following the Blast Furnace Flow
Many players prefer to use world three hundred fifty-eight for Blast Furnace activities. It’s a community-driven world where players coordinate their efforts to optimize the smelting process. This collaborative effort can significantly increase your production rate.
Unlocking Peak Efficiency: Cannonball Crafting Pro Tips
Mastering a few key techniques can dramatically boost your cannonball production efficiency.
Perfecting the Ore Cycle
Refine your movement and clicking patterns to minimize downtime between ore loading, smelting, and cannonball crafting. The quicker and more fluid your actions, the more cannonballs you’ll produce per hour.
Leveraging the Community Spirit
On world three hundred fifty-eight, coordinate with other players to optimize the ore loading and cooling process. Many players take on designated roles to ensure a smooth and continuous workflow.
Mitigating the Lag Monster
Network lag can significantly impact your production rate. Try to minimize your network latency by using a stable internet connection and closing unnecessary programs.
Moderate Effort Required
Making cannonballs at the Blast Furnace does require some attention, especially when loading ore or crafting the cannonballs. However, during the smelting process, there are brief periods where you can step away and perform other tasks.
The Bottom Line: Is Cannonball Crafting Profitable?
To determine whether making cannonballs at the Blast Furnace is a worthwhile endeavor, it’s essential to analyze the profitability.
Resource Investment
Calculate the total cost of your resources, including the price of iron ore and the Blast Furnace usage fees.
Market Value
Determine the current selling price of cannonballs on the Grand Exchange.
Profit Calculation
Subtract the cost of resources from the selling price of the cannonballs. The resulting value represents your gross profit.
Hourly Earnings
Calculate your hourly production rate and multiply it by your gross profit per cannonball. This will provide an estimate of your potential hourly earnings. Keep in mind, Grand Exchange prices are subject to change.
Conclusion: Embrace the Cannonball Forge
Making your own cannonballs at the Blast Furnace is a viable and often profitable alternative to relying on the Grand Exchange. It offers several advantages, including cost savings, increased production speed, and self-sufficiency, especially for those who are restricted from trading. This method is particularly well-suited for Ironmen who need a reliable source of ammunition, or any player who wishes to save money and exert more control over their resources. With the right preparation, equipment, and techniques, you can become a cannonball crafting master and reap the rewards of your efforts.
What are your experiences with making cannonballs at the Blast Furnace? Share your tips and tricks in the comments below!
