# Why the Sawmill loop
Community Knowledge Veterans repeatedly point new players at the Library’s Sawmill Silver article rather than a custom spreadsheet. In the September 2026 new-player thread, u/StatSquared calls Sawmill Silver and the perk pages “extremely helpful to follow word for word” — comment permalink.
Community Knowledge Early building-cost threads explain that many core buildings have fixed base prices, while animals and crop rows scale up — which is why temporary silver shortages feel worse than they look (thread 1smei9k).
# Setup checklist
- Open Library → Sawmill Silver and treat it as the route sheet. Version-sensitive Titles and craft lists can change with patches; trust the live Library over old screenshots.
- Upgrade Sawmill capacity so daily wood/boards are not capped idle wealth.
- Craft passive wood into shields (Wooden → Sturdy as iron unlocks) rather than leaving the Sawmill full. Recommendation
- Defer luxury buildings such as early Bank / Wine Cellar when the farm, Sawmill, and orchard still need investment (thread 1v0rbgz).
- If you overspent on trees (e.g. accidental lemon bulk buy), community recovery advice is still “lean on Sawmill shields,” not fire-sale quest mats (thread 1w0b12g).
# What not to sell for silver
This FAQ is about the Sawmill engine, not the full HoardRPG list. For jade, Gold Leaves, Antlers, and Runestones, see the sibling FAQ Jade & Gold Leaves and the hub hoarding section.
Recommendation Prefer the Sawmill Silver loop over selling scarce exploration drops when you are short on cash.
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