We recommend Railyard's train cars and Cielo Sereno Observatory for Epoxy Buckets, then Almatera Station's upstairs shelves for Hand Drills. Save 3 Epoxy Buckets, 3 Hand Drills, and 35 Planks for your third Outpost room.

Best Locations: Choose by Your Missing Material

We checked both item entries against ARCTracker's version 2.01 listings. The useful distinction is container eligibility: buckets appear in more container types than drills.

Use this table to choose your first stop.

Skip Fallen Emperor if Hand Drills are your only missing material.

Sources: Epoxy Bucket database, Hand Drill database, and TheGamer's location guide.

Railyard: Check the Seats Before Moving On

If you only open luggage, you miss eligible loose-loot spots. We would clear each train completely rather than bounce between cars.

1. Find the short trains beneath the overhang near Controlled Receiving Facility.

2. Inspect seats, tables, cabin surfaces, and corners.

3. Open suitcases and eligible industrial containers.

4. Finish one car before entering the next.

TheGamer also identifies the eastern office building as a bucket-search option. If the trains are already stripped, we would check that building only when the approach remains safe.

No fixed spawn. A productive location can still produce an empty run.

Observatory: Add the Maintenance Tunnels

Searching only the main rooms leaves part of the Observatory unchecked. TheGamer identifies maintenance tunnels with breachable containers, toolboxes, and black crates as a bucket-search area.

We would prioritize:

1. Industrial crates, lockers, and tool trolleys when you need both items.

2. Shelves, tables, and other exposed surfaces.

3. Additional eligible cabinets and containers when buckets remain missing.

Here is the catch: not every container is a drill target. Kitchen cabinets and suitcases appear in the bucket entry but not the checked Hand Drill entry.

Almatera Station: Search Upstairs for Drills

If drills are blocking your upgrade, we recommend the upstairs shelf area described in the supplied gameplay account.

1. Enter the main station building.

2. Find the escalator on the northern side.

3. Go upstairs and inspect every shelf level.

4. Check nearby exposed surfaces before leaving.

We checked an important detail in ARCTracker: Almatera Station is listed for Hand Drills through loose loot, unlike the Observatory and Railyard, which also list industrial containers.

Why empty every drawer when your target is on the shelves?

Search Eligible Containers, Not Every Container

We compared the two container lists directly: Epoxy Buckets have 15 listed container types, while Hand Drills have four. That gives us a practical way to cut a drill-only search short.

These are the useful differences.

For drills, prioritize industrial containers and visible loot; do not clear residential containers solely for that item.

These are database listings, not measured drop percentages. Likewise, ARCTracker's Heavy loot label describes relative container loot quantity—not a guaranteed bucket yield.

Adjust the Route to Your Spawn

If you spawn near the trains, we would search Railyard first. If the Observatory is closer, start there instead of crossing the map to follow a fixed circuit.

• Need both items? Favor Railyard or Observatory.
• Need only drills? Consider Almatera's upstairs shelves.
• Already carrying your final material? Extract rather than add another stop.

We treat Storm Huts during Flash Freeze as optional opportunities. Their event-dependent access and competition make them a poor foundation for a repeatable route.

Keep the Third-Room Materials Before Selling Extras

We checked the Outpost room-cost listing: the recipe is for Room 3, not a generic workshop-level upgrade.

Reserve these quantities.

Keep the full recipe before selling materials you would otherwise need to replace.

Three buckets and three drills weigh 3 kg combined, excluding Planks. Each item type fits within one stack.

For spare buckets, we verified that recycling produces 8 Chemicals, while salvaging produces 4. ARCTracker values the recycling output at 400 coins, compared with a 1,000-coin sale, so we would sell surplus buckets unless you specifically need Chemicals.

Where is the best place to find Epoxy Buckets?

Railyard and Cielo Sereno Observatory are our first choices for Epoxy Buckets. Choose the closer location, then inspect both exposed surfaces and eligible containers.

Where can you find Hand Drills?

Hand Drills are listed at Cielo Sereno Observatory, Railyard, and Almatera Station. We recommend industrial containers at the first two locations and upstairs loose loot at the station.

Are Epoxy Buckets guaranteed to spawn?

No guaranteed Epoxy Bucket spawn is established by the checked sources. We treat train seats, lockers, and suitcases as search opportunities, not fixed item placements.

Does nighttime improve bucket or drill drop rates?

We found no verified item-specific nighttime drop bonus. Choose nighttime for the raid conditions, not an assumed increase in Epoxy Bucket or Hand Drill spawns.