AFK SMITHING ECONOMICS
OSRS Cannonball Calculator
Convert steel bars into cannonballs with the mould that you actually own, then see Smithing XP, production time, break-even price and the cost of loading your cannon.
Steel bar to cannonball planWorked example: choose the mould by the jobAt the default 10,000 bars, a 450 GP steel bar and a 210 GP cannonball quote, the standard mould makes 40,000 balls. Their 8.4m gross sale value loses 160,000 GP to the per-ball tax, leaving 8.24m; after the 4.5m bar purchase, the modeled margin is 3.74m before time and order-fill risk. The batch grants 256,000 Smithing XP and takes about 18.5 hours at an illustrative 540 bars per hour.
When the standard mould fits
Use it when you are building an ordinary cannonball stock or checking whether an existing steel-bar supply covers a Slayer block. Break-even is driven by net sale proceeds per ball multiplied by the mould yield; a positive number does not mean you can sell the whole batch at one quote.
When the double mould changes the plan
It consumes two bars for eight cannonballs per action: the same four balls and 25.6 XP per bar. Its benefit is processing more bars in the same time, not extra profit from each bar. Select your mould and enter your measured bar throughput; changing the mould alone does not invent an hourly rate. The time estimate includes only the activities covered by your measured rate.
For a fair alternative, compare the modeled margin per hour with the GP or XP you could earn during the same time. Use Smithing training methods for the XP comparison and live GE prices for quotes. Neither comparison can predict whether your buy and sell offers fill.
Read the economics correctlyOutput drives the break-even
With the standard mould, one bar becomes four balls. The break-even sale price is therefore roughly one quarter of the bar cost before tax and time. Both moulds have the same per-ball material break-even. The double mould improves throughput, while its unlock time and account requirements belong in your decision.
XP is attached to bars, not balls
Smithing XP is awarded for the bar conversion. A double-mould action consumes two bars and awards 51.2 XP; the XP per bar stays 25.6. Use the Smithing Calculator when comparing cannonballs with Blast Furnace or Giants' Foundry.
Price the time separately
A positive material margin can still be a poor use of your account if you could earn more GP elsewhere. Compare the live inputs on GE Prices, then decide whether the AFK value is worth the lower XP rate.
Supply planning
Multiply the cannonballs you need for a Slayer or boss block by the actual cannon usage per kill. Keeping a buffer is sensible because the GE limit and market spread can make a last-minute restock expensive.
Cannonball FAQHow many cannonballs does one steel bar make?
The standard mould makes four cannonballs per steel bar. The double ammo mould consumes two steel bars for eight cannonballs per action. Both moulds produce four cannonballs per bar; the double mould increases processing speed.
Does cannonball Smithing make money?
Profit depends on steel bar and cannonball prices, your real hourly production and GE tax. The calculator reports a price snapshot scenario; it does not guarantee a GE fill.
Is cannonball XP good for Smithing?
Cannonballs are slow Smithing XP compared with active methods. They are useful when you value AFK production, cannon supply or a long Slayer block more than peak XP per hour.
Model inputs: 25.6 Smithing XP and four cannonballs per steel bar. Standard actions consume one bar; double-mould actions consume two. GE tax is 2% of each item's sale price, rounded down and capped at 5m per item; buy limits, spreads and world travel are excluded. Mould mechanics: double ammo mould reference. Verify current rules on the OSRS Wiki.