The Long Dark Woodworking Tools: 15 Essential Spawns to Find

You’ll want a clear plan before you start hunting for woodworking tools in The Long Dark, because they hide in predictable spots and finding them saves time and stress. Check workbenches, carpenter shops, and lumberyards initially for hand planes, chisels, and sandpaper. Search garages, barns, and toolboxes for hammers, screwdrivers, pliers, and nails.

Look in industrial rooms and storage for adjustable wrenches, crowbars, and hacksaws, and peek into fishing cabins and general stores for hand drills and tape measures. Scan pegboards, drawers, crate edges, and shelving ends; pieces often sit on loft shelves or barrel tops and can be tucked under boxes.

Keep your eyes on benches and break rooms since saw blades, utility knives, and spare screws turn up there, and keep in mind that persistence pays off whenever you’re low on supplies.

Hacksaw — Common Workshops and Garages

Grab a hacksaw and get comfortable, because finding one in common workshops and garages is easier than you could envision.

You step into a woodshop layout that feels familiar and welcome, and you’ll spot a hacksaw on workbenches, shelves, or hung with other hand tools.

You’ll want to check under boxes and near barrels, where it blends in but stays reachable.

Treat it like a shared good among friends: wipe the blade, oil the hinge, and store it where others can find it.

For rust prevention, keep it dry and off concrete floors, and use a cloth after use.

You’ll feel part of a caring group as you maintain tools this way.

Claw Hammer — Toolboxes and Sheds

A claw hammer is one of those tools you’ll reach for without deliberating whenever you need to pry a nail or tap a board into place, and you’ll usually find it tucked inside toolboxes or leaning against the walls of backyard sheds. You belong to a group that values practical skills, and this tool fits right in. You’ll learn to spot it among other gear, ignore maintenance myths, and pay attention to tool ergonomics so your hands stay steady and strong.

Crowbar — Industrial Areas and Garages

You’ll come across a crowbar mostly in industrial areas and garages, where it’s tucked alongside workbenches, leaning against shelving, or propped near loading docks; it’s the go-to tool whenever you need to pry open crates, lift floorboards, or free stuck doors.

You’ll feel welcome handling one because it’s simple, sturdy, and made for teamwork.

Learn where to look and how to care for it so it lasts.

1. Inspect spots near workbenches, shelving ends, and loading bays for metal tools and signs of use.
2. Practice lever mechanics gently, using controlled force to avoid damage to surroundings.
3. Use basic rust prevention like surface oiling and wiping after exposure to moisture.

You’ll share tips and trade finds with other players.

Adjustable Wrench — Machine Rooms and Industrial Storage

Tighten and loosen bolts with confidence using an adjustable wrench you find in machine rooms and industrial storage, where these tools hide on shelves, near valve clusters, or tucked behind crates.

You’ll notice one beside oil cans or taped to pipework. Handle it gently and it’ll fit many nut sizes, helping with industrial maintenance tasks and quick fixes. It also supports basic machine calibration whenever you need small adjustments during repairs.

You’ll feel welcome in that gritty space, like you belong to a careful crew who keeps systems running. Move slowly, check thread condition, and reuse the wrench as needed.

Share tips with others, mark good spots, and trust that finding one makes you a steady, capable member of the team.

Hand Drill — Fishing Cabins and General Stores

You’ll want to search fishing cabins and general stores methodically, checking tables, shelves, and behind crates where a hand drill often hides.

Start promptly and slow your pace so you don’t miss small nooks, and recall spawn rates are higher near workbenches or areas with stacked goods.

Once you grab one, you’ll use it for precise joinery and small fittings in safehouses, so treat it as a lasting release and prioritize it whenever you see it.

Where to Look

Whenever you head into cabins or small general stores, look low and slow because hand drills like to hide in plain sight and they’re often placed where someone would sit and work. You belong here; you know woodworking lore and you care about safehouse aesthetics, so treat each room like a shared workshop. Check seating areas, old toolboxes, and shelves near workbenches. Look under tables and behind crates. Light helps, so move slowly with a flashlight.

1. Search around benches, stools, and chairs where someone would prepare materials.
2. Inspect shelves, cabinets, and boxes at knee to waist height.
3. Scan floor corners, behind crates, and inside closed drawers where items get tucked away.

Take your time and trust your instincts; this feels like home.

Spawn Chance Tips

You already know how to check benches, shelves, and the dark corners where hand drills hide, so now let’s focus on how likely you’ll find one in fishing cabins and general stores.

You’ll feel part of a group whenever you learn small patterns that amplify your odds. Spawn timing matters: visit at different in-game days and after major zone events, since sometimes a respawn window makes tools appear.

Pay attention to loot rotation within a building: items shift between shelves, counters, and concealed crates.

Look high and low, and revisit after resting or leaving the region briefly.

Team up with friends to compare finds and times.

Be patient, take notice, and trust that steady searching will pay off.

Tool Use Cases

As you head into fishing cabins and general stores with a hand drill in your pack, you’re holding a tool that does more than start fires and make small repairs. You’ll use it to craft small fixtures that fit safehouse aesthetics and lift survival morale. It helps you feel capable, welcome, and part of a crew that cares for its shelter.

1. Drill holes for hanging nets and lines in cabins, so gear stays tidy and usable.
2. Repair window frames and make shutter pegs to keep warmth in and wind out.
3. Fashion simple pegs, shelves, and lamp mounts to personalize your safe space.

These uses link practicality with comfort, so your shelter feels both useful and truly yours.

Wood Glue — Office Buildings and Dresser Drawers

Finding wood glue in office buildings and dresser drawers can feel like a small victory whilst you’re hunting for crafting supplies in-game. You’ll feel part of a team when you spot bottles labeled like antique adhesive or jars of homemade resin tucked among papers. You hold the glue and picture fixing a warped shelf or sealing a custom chest.

Look in filing cabinets, behind loose drawers, and under desk clutter. Office rooms and bedrooms share common hiding spots, so check both once you search one area. You’ll learn patterns: small containers on shelves, sticky smudges on drawer bottoms, and tucked vials beside stationary.

These finds help you personalize safehouses and build with care, and they make the world feel more welcoming.

Screwdriver Set — Workbenches and Tool Chests

You’ll want to check workbenches initially, since screwdriver sets often sit on the edge of a bench or tucked into small tool trays where you can spot them quickly.

In case a workbench comes up empty, scan nearby tool chests and wooden cabinets — those chests commonly hold a set and often sit close to benches for quick access.

Move slowly and use good lighting, because these spawns hide in corners and stacked gear, but once you find one you’ll feel that satisfying click of progress.

Workbench Locations

In safehouses and out in the field, workbenches serve as the heart of your screwdriver set upgrades and repair routines, so you’ll want to know where they hide and how to reach them. You’ll spot them via pondering about safehouse layout and crafting stations. They sit against walls, in basements, and near windows where light helps you work. You’ll feel welcomed using them; they make your shelter feel like ours.

1. Indoor benches: garages, basements, main rooms often host a sturdy bench near storage.
2. Outdoor shelters: sheds and porches give simple benches that still open repairs.
3. Vertical sites: industrial buildings hide benches on upper floors after careful climbing.

Follow paths that connect these spots and you’ll find steady work areas.

Tool Chest Spawns

Consider of tool chests as reliable pit stops where your screwdriver set shows up again and again, often tucked under workbenches, inside garage cabinets, or leaning near shelves in basements.

You’ll feel welcome finding these chests because they often sit in familiar spots like canneries or miner cabins. Look for concealed compartments beneath false floors or behind stacked crates. Open every drawer gently and keep an eye on rust prevention by grabbing cloth or oil found nearby.

You’ll share a quiet victory whenever the set appears, and you’ll keep tools useful by storing them inside safe, dry chests. Move slowly, listen for wildlife, and use a light to scan higher shelves. These steps help you claim and protect your screwdriver set.

Pliers — Mechanics’ Garages and Industrial Shelters

Grab a sturdy pair of pliers as you enter mechanics garages and industrial shelters, because they’re one of the most useful tools you’ll find for small repairs and quick improvisation. You’ll spot them in mechanic hideouts where salvage tactics matter, often near benches or on shelves. They fit your hands, steady your confidence, and help you feel part of the crew.

1. Use pliers to pull nails, bend metal, and strip wires with care.
2. Keep them clean and oiled to avoid rust after rainy raids.
3. Pair them with a flashlight and duct tape for better field fixes.

You’ll learn their weight and balance. You’ll trade tips with others and build trust while you scavenge.

Chisel — Carpenter Shops and Lumberyards

You’ll find a chisel sitting ready on a dusty workbench in carpenter shops and lumberyards, and it’ll feel like a small promise that you can shape wood the way you envision.

You walk in and it greets you, simple and honest. You’ll use it for delicate cuts, dovetails, and fits where traditional joinery matters most.

You’ll notice grain selection techniques as you lift boards, and you’ll learn to follow the lines the wood offers.

The shop smells like sawdust and shared effort, so you’ll ask for tips and someone will show you a safer stroke. You’ll practice making consistent passes, keeping the blade sharp and steady.

You’ll belong here, shaping useful pieces with patient hands.

Tape Measure — Hardware Stores and Construction Sites

When you search hardware stores and construction sites for a tape measure, start via scanning shelves, pegboards, and workbenches where small hand tools are usually grouped.

Take the time to inspect edges of toolboxes, inside open drawers, and on top of stacked lumber, for tape measures often hide in plain sight or get tossed onto nearby surfaces.

Provided something looks promising, pick it up, check for the metal tape and belt clip, and shine a light into dark corners so you don’t miss a tucked-away find.

Where to Look

A tape measure is one of those simple tools that makes a big difference while you’re hunting for woodworking gear in hardware stores and construction sites, and you’ll want to know where to look and what to look for. You care about safehouse aesthetics and you follow scavenging routes that keep you close to shelter. Walk aisles slowly. Check shelves near nails and fasteners. Look inside display bins.

1. Check hardware stores for low shelves, tool racks, and counter drawers where staff stash small items.
2. Search construction sites around toolboxes, portable benches, and inside trailers where tradespeople pack gear at day end.
3. Inspect work areas, vans, and storage crates near entrances and staging zones where a tape measure is easy to grab.

How to Inspect

Before reaching for the tape measure, take a steady breath and envision where tradespeople hide their gear, because confident, calm searching finds more than frantic rushing.

You move through hardware stores and construction sites with purpose. Look low on shelves, on pegboards, and inside open toolboxes. Lift dusty boxes gently. Inspecting joinery tells you a lot about how a tape was used. Run your fingers along dadoes and mortises to spot careful work.

Next, try evaluating finishes on wooden samples nearby. A smooth varnish or rough plane mark hints at regular carpentry traffic. Ask workers kindly should you be allowed to look; they’ll often share tips.

Keep the tape close, check its case for wear, and trust your steady, patient search to reward you.

Utility Knife — Break Rooms and Household Drawers

You’ll often find a utility knife tucked into break rooms and household drawers, and it feels good to realize exactly where to look so you don’t fumble whenever you need it most. You’ll spot them near coffee supplies or inside organizer trays, where drawer organizing meets simple maintenance kits. You belong to a group that shares small victories, and finding this tool feels like a quiet win.

1. Look low: under counters and on shelves where multi tools and maintenance kits get stored.
2. Check trays: pen cups, junk trays, and utensil dividers hide blades.
3. Scan surfaces: atop cabinets, beside initial aid, and near labeled storage.

You’ll move with confidence, aware others do the same.

Sandpaper — Workshops and Construction Materials Caches

You’ll want to choose the right grit for the job, since coarse grits remove material fast while fine grits smooth without scratches.

Start your search in workshops, on benches, and in construction material caches where rolls and sheets often sit with tools and spare lumber.

As you look, keep grit ranges in mind and compare what you find so you don’t waste time grabbing the wrong paper.

Grit Types Overview

In case you want smooth, clean results whilst working with wood, you’ll find that sandpaper grit matters more than you might suppose.

You’ll learn grit selection through considering what you’re removing and what finish you want.

Coarse grits take fast material off, medium grits shape and blend, and fine grits polish.

Choose grits that match the job and your patience, and you’ll protect abrasive longevity through not overworking a single sheet.

1. 40–60 coarse for heavy shaping and repair
2. 80–120 medium for smoothing rough cuts and joints
3. 150–400 fine for finishing and preparing for stain or paint

You’re part of a hands-on group.

Share tips, swap grit combos, and help each other find the right balance.

Where to Search

Where should you look while you need sandpaper for woodworking projects in workshops and construction material caches? You’ll often find sandpaper laid on workbenches, shelves, and in small metal boxes near construction materials.

Walk every corner of a workshop and check under tarps and next to paint cans.

Construction caches hide supplies in crates, on pallets, and inside tool racks.

Move slowly and tidy clutter; sandpaper hides in stacked boxes.

Use safehouse layout knowledge to predict where supplies would be stored and make searching faster.

Should a spawn seem missing, try spawn troubleshooting upon revisiting after a reload or checking higher shelves and barrels.

Stay patient and share tips with others so everyone feels included whilst you hunt.

Saw Blade — Workshops and Sheds

Step into a dusty workshop and you’ll spot the saw blade before you notice most other tools, gleaming or rusting on a bench or hanging from a pegboard. You feel at home here. Workshop layout matters, so look along benches, shelves, and low cabinets where a saw blade rests near clamps or spare wood. Follow safety protocols and handle the blade like a promise to yourself and others.

1. Check benches, pegboards, and shelves for blades.
2. Inspect behind cabinets, under tarps, and on barrels.
3. Look in small sheds, worktables, and toolboxes.

You’ll move calmly, scan methodically, and share tips with others. That shared knowledge makes searching warmer and easier.

Nails and Screws — Hardware Bins and Junk Piles

You probably grabbed a saw blade from a bench and felt that spark of readiness, and now you need the small parts that make a project hold together.

You search hardware bins and junk piles for nails and screws, feeling like part of a quiet crew.

You learn a simple hardware taxonomy so you can tell framing nails from finishing nails, and wood screws from machine screws.

You respect salvage etiquette through leaving obvious stashes for others and taking only what you need.

You sort by size and head type, pack loose boxes gently, and keep small parts in labeled jars.

You trade tips with nearby survivors, offer a spare screw, and build trust while you build a chair.

Hand Plane — Carpenter Workbenches and Barns

Slide your hand plane across the worn bench and feel the grain whisper under the blade; finding one on carpenter workbenches or in barns gives you a quiet power over rough boards.

You’ll want to check barrel tops, peg rails, and dusty shelves where someone left a tool and a story.

You belong here, and you’ll shape wood with care, choosing wood finish and watching grain orientation guide each pass.

1. Look where carpenters worked: benches, tool racks, barn lofts.
2. Check near lumber piles and discarded projects for lone planes.
3. Bring a light and patience; the plane might be tucked away.

You’ll keep the plane, learn its weight, and make your safehouse feel like home.