Tinkagear
Tinkagear is a specialized mechanical gear material in Pokemon Pokopia produced exclusively by Tinkmaster (Tinkaton) in Sparkling Skylands. One Iron Ingot converts into three Tinkagears. It is used to craft Lift Platforms, Elevator Platforms, and the Metallic Smelting Furnace, and is also required for the Team Initiation Challenge.
Overview
Tinkagear is a specialized mechanical material in Pokemon Pokopia described in-game as "a cool gear produced by Tinkaton." It is a processed form of Iron Ingots that has been forged into precision gears and mechanical components by Tinkaton. As the final tier of metal processing in the iron refining chain (Iron Ore to Iron Ingot to Tinkagear), it represents the most advanced metalwork material in the game.
Tinkagear is used in advanced crafting recipes for utility structures such as Lift Platforms, Elevator Platforms, and the Metallic Smelting Furnace. It is also required as a submission item for the Team Initiation Challenge. Because Tinkagear production is gated behind the Sparkling Skylands storyline, players cannot access this material until reaching that region.
How to Obtain
The only way to produce Tinkagear is by giving Iron Ingots to Tinkmaster, a Tinkaton NPC located in Sparkling Skylands. You encounter Tinkmaster naturally during the main story as part of the Sparkling Skylands Walkthrough. Tinkmaster lives atop a trash tower on the second island and agrees to help rebuild the town after you meet them.

Conversion Ratio
Each Iron Ingot handed to Tinkmaster yields 3 Tinkagears. This 1:3 conversion rate makes Tinkagear one of the more efficiently produced refined materials in Pokopia. Production is time-based, so you will need to wait for Tinkmaster to finish processing before collecting your Tinkagears.
Input | Output | Processor | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
3 Tinkagear |
How to Request Production
After your initial encounter with Tinkmaster during the story, you can request additional Tinkagears at any time. Speak to Tinkmaster, select the "Look at this" option, click on the Iron Ingots in your inventory, then choose how many you want to convert. Tinkmaster will process them and hand back three Tinkagears for each Iron Ingot submitted.
First Tinkagears
Tinkmaster provides your first batch of Tinkagears for free during the story to help you build an elevator connecting the Sparkling Skylands islands. This introduces both the material and the Lift Platform recipe at the same time.
Full Iron Processing Chain
Tinkagear sits at the end of the three-step iron refining pipeline. Each step transforms a raw material into something more specialized.
Step | Material | Method |
|---|---|---|
1 | Mine from Rocky Ridges or recycle from Nonburnable Garbage | |
2 | Smelt Iron Ore at a Smelting Furnace | |
3 | Tinkagear | Give 1 Iron Ingot to Tinkmaster (yields 3) |
Crafting Recipes
Three crafting recipes currently require Tinkagear as a material. All three are utility items built at a Workbench.
Item | Tinkagear Needed | Other Materials | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
Lift Platform | 1 | 5 Concrete, 5 Iron Ingots | Transportation |
Elevator Platform | 2 | Transportation | |
Metallic Smelting Furnace | 3 | 10 Iron Ingots, 3 Pokemetal | Utilities |
Lift Platform
The Lift Platform is a vertical transportation device that lets Pokemon and the player travel between different elevation levels. In Sparkling Skylands, Lift Platforms are essential for connecting the floating islands. Tinkmaster introduces this recipe when giving you your first Tinkagears during the story. It costs only 1 Tinkagear alongside 5 Concrete and 5 Iron Ingots.
Elevator Platform
The Elevator Platform works differently from the Lift Platform. Two Elevator Platforms can be connected vertically using ladders to create a functional elevator. It requires 2 Tinkagears, 8 Glass, and 8 Concrete. This item is particularly useful for buildings and the Rebuild the Huge Building quest in Sparkling Skylands.
Metallic Smelting Furnace
The Metallic Smelting Furnace is described as "a high-performance metallic furnace that can quickly process metals and other materials." It is an upgraded version of the standard Smelting Furnace and requires 3 Tinkagears, 10 Iron Ingots, and 3 Pokemetal. This is the most Tinkagear-expensive recipe, so plan your Iron Ingot supply accordingly.
Team Initiation Challenge Requirement
The Team Initiation Challenge is a multi-stage quest that runs throughout the game. Challenge 5 requires players to submit 5 Tinkagears alongside 50 Electricity and 10 Crystal Fragments. Since each Iron Ingot produces 3 Tinkagears, you will need at least 2 Iron Ingots dedicated to this request (yielding 6 Tinkagears, with 1 left over).
Total Tinkagear Requirements
If you want to craft one of every Tinkagear recipe and complete the Team Initiation Challenge, here is the total material breakdown.
Use | Tinkagears | Iron Ingots (for Tinkagear) |
|---|---|---|
Lift Platform | 1 | 1 (yields 3, with 2 surplus) |
Elevator Platform | 2 | 1 (yields 3, with 1 surplus) |
Metallic Smelting Furnace | 3 | 1 (yields 3, exact) |
5 | 2 (yields 6, with 1 surplus) | |
Total | 11 | 4 (yields 12, with 1 surplus) |
You need a minimum of 4 Iron Ingots converted into Tinkagears (producing 12 total) to cover all known uses. Keep in mind that the Metallic Smelting Furnace recipe also needs 10 additional Iron Ingots as a separate material, and the Lift Platform recipe needs another 5 Iron Ingots. Plan your Iron Ingot supply carefully so you do not run short.
Item Properties
Property | Value |
|---|---|
Category | Tag |
Trade Value | 500 |
Favorite Trade Value | 750 |
Paintable | Yes |
Tinkagear can be traded to other Pokemon or at shops for 500 currency, or 750 if the recipient considers it a favorite item. The "Paintable" property means Tinkagear can be customized with colors before being used.
Farming Tips
Stockpile Iron Ingots first: Before visiting Tinkmaster, smelt a large batch of Iron Ingots at a Smelting Furnace. Each Ingot produces 3 Tinkagears, so even a small number of Ingots goes a long way.
Convert in bulk: When speaking to Tinkmaster, you can select how many Iron Ingots to hand over at once. Converting multiple Ingots in a single visit is more time-efficient than making repeated trips.
Do not over-convert: Several recipes (including the Lift Platform and the Metallic Smelting Furnace) need raw Iron Ingots as a separate ingredient. If you convert all your Ingots into Tinkagears, you will be short on Ingots for those recipes.
Mine Iron Ore in Rocky Ridges: The Rocky Ridges biome has the densest Iron Ore deposits. Use Rollout to break blocks quickly and bring a storage Pokemon like Swalot to carry extra materials.
Recycle for extra Iron Ore: Nonburnable Garbage can be recycled into Iron Ore, providing a supplementary source beyond mining.
Plan around the Team Initiation Challenge: Challenge 5 requires 5 Tinkagears. Set aside 2 Iron Ingots early so you are not scrambling to produce Tinkagears when the challenge comes up.
Related Materials
Material | Source | Primary Use |
|---|---|---|
Mining in Rocky Ridges, recycling Nonburnable Garbage | Raw material for smelting into Iron Ingots | |
Smelted from Iron Ore at a Smelting Furnace | Versatile crafting material; input for Tinkagear production | |
Refined from Pokemetal Fragments | Advanced metal used in Metallic Smelting Furnace recipe | |
Processed from Limestone at a Concrete Mixer | Construction material; co-ingredient in platform recipes | |
Crafted from Volcanic Ash | Transparent material; co-ingredient in Elevator Platform |