Steelmaking Expanded is a Vintage Story mod by fallenstar. Steelmaking Expanded adds blast-furnace ironmaking, hot-blast stoves, molten canals and Bessemer steel refining to Vintage Story.
Why this mod is worth installing
This mod is for players who want a large industrial production chain beyond the vanilla cementation furnace. It suits builders who enjoy planning multiblock machinery, gas routing and gravity-fed molten metal networks.
What Steelmaking Expanded adds
Steelmaking Expanded builds a two-stage route to steel. First, a tall refractory-brick blast furnace smelts iron in bulk, using hoppers, tuyeres, exhaust outlets and separate taps for iron and slag. Its operation depends on a steady supply of blast and careful control of the furnace door, temperature and molten reservoir.
A cowper stove recovers heat from furnace exhaust and transfers it to pressurised air. Two stoves can alternate between charging and supplying hot blast, allowing the furnace to reach the high temperatures needed for industrial ironmaking.
The second stage uses a Bessemer converter. It consumes molten iron, mechanical power and blast to remove carbon and produce steel, so it belongs at the end of an established production line rather than as an early-game machine.
Molten metal travels through canals instead of ordinary pipes. Start blocks, straight sections, bends and junctions connect furnace taps to barrels, large molds or the converter; keep the route short and warm because cooled metal can solidify inside the network.
Stage I — blast furnace and hot blast
The tall blast furnace is assembled from refractory bricks and dedicated control, loading, exhaust and tapping blocks. Its cowper stove recovers exhaust heat and turns pressurised air into the hot blast required for operation.
A cowper stove stores heat from furnace exhaust and releases it into a separate pressurised-air line. Pairing two stoves lets one regenerate while the other supplies hot blast.
Stage II — the Bessemer converter
The Bessemer converter refines molten iron by blowing blast through it, removing carbon and producing steel. It is a demanding multiblock that requires both mechanical power and an established blast supply.
Molten network and casting
Molten canals carry iron or slag from furnace taps to barrels, large molds or the converter. The network uses a start block with straight, curved and junction sections, and the metal must remain hot while travelling.
Starter iron setup
A compact starter arrangement shows the basic furnace, hot-blast and molten-metal equipment needed to begin the industrial ironmaking chain.
Advanced steel setup
A larger production layout connects the blast furnace, heat-regeneration equipment, molten canals and Bessemer converter into a complete steelmaking line.
The troubleshooting view highlights common operating problems: a furnace near 1400°C needs hot blast, while separate exhaust and air routes prevent cowper failures. Keeping the door closed during firing and avoiding an overflowing reservoir also matters.
Showcase
This foundry build demonstrates how the blast furnace and Bessemer converter can be integrated into a detailed industrial structure while keeping the machinery accessible.
Showcase roadmap
A roadmap-style overview presents planned directions for the mod and its industrial systems.
Where to download Steelmaking Expanded
The official Vintage Story Mod DB page is the right place to get the current release through the in-game mod manager.
Download the Steelmaking Expanded mod on mods.vintagestory.at