Sandustry Kinetic Slag Press Drop Height Guide
Fix Kinetic Slag Press clogs and get reliable Gold + Spores from Burnt Slag. The pure-input filter, single-file metered feed, vertical drop height, under-press clearance, and self-clearing launcher setup players use for hands-off operation.
The core problem
Particles pile on the press instead of converting
Do this first
Filter for pure Burnt Slag and meter the feed
Place filters set to allow only Burnt Slag just above the drop zone or in the feed line. Space multiple vertical filters a couple of blocks apart to further meter the rate. Anything else loops back or is diverted.
Why: rejects raw Slag and other junk that wastes hits, and slows the flow so particles do not arrive in clumps.
Limit the input opening to 1-2 blocks of height so only a small column of material can pass. A small offset, angled opening, or single-block feed works well for single-file drops.
Why: dumping a column or using a grabber dumps too much at once. Particles that collide mid-fall reset their effective drop distance and fail to convert.
The drop and clearance
Drop straight down from enough height, with space below
Kill horizontal momentum. After the filter, spray or convey onto a short lift, staircase, or wall so particles lose sideways speed and fall vertically. Side feeds or residual launcher/conveyor momentum cause drift and misses.
Drop from well above the suggested height. Community consensus is to go higher than you first tried - players report success by going 1.5x higher or ensuring a clean long vertical path. Add walls on either side of the drop shaft so particles cannot miss the press face.
Leave at least 4-5 empty blocks under the presses. Gold and Spores must fall free. If the pile reaches the underside, new hits fail and the top clogs. Route outputs immediately with filters - Gold one way, Spores the other.
No liquids under the press. Water or lava below the press breaks conversion entirely. Keep the under-press area dry and clear.
Self-clearing
Add launchers so stuck particles recirculate
Place angled launchers along the top (green area) of the presses, aimed sideways, and/or a row at the bottom. Stuck particles get launched off to a recirculation elevator and filter loop that sends them back up for another drop.
Optional: make the press only one tile wide so excess simply falls off the sides instead of piling on top. Simpler and more forgiving for beginners.
Watch the setup
Press mechanics and filtering demo
Shows the press mechanics, filtering, and why excess particles stay on top instead of converting.
Key decisions
Choices that affect throughput
High volume or reliability?
If you have a massive early-game slag pile, prioritize filters + slow single-file feed over speed. Multiple side-by-side presses with a splitter (slanted wall above) increase throughput without clumping.
Recirculate or once-through?
Most stable setups recirculate failures. Pure once-through only works if your feed is perfectly metered and the height is generous - otherwise stuck particles have nowhere to go.
One-wide or multi-press?
One-wide is simpler and more forgiving for beginners. Multi-press needs careful splitting with a slanted wall above and more under-clearance per press.
How high to drop?
Go higher than the suggested height - players report 1.5x their first attempt working. The key is a clean, walled vertical path with no horizontal momentum, not just raw height.
Common pitfalls