Project Zomboid Aerosol Bomb Recipe (Build 42.19)
Vanilla Build 42.19 · Make Aerosol Bomb, timer, motion sensor, and remote trigger upgrades
Unlock the recipe (not Engineer-only)
Make Aerosol Bomb must be learned. In Build 42.19 you unlock it by either path:
- Engineer profession — starts knowing Make Aerosol Bomb (plus flame, pipe, noise, smoke, and related improvised recipes).
- Engineer Magazine 3 — Magazine: The Cheapskate's John Spiral - Homemade Explosives — teaches Make Aerosol Bomb, Make Flame Bomb, and Make Pipe Bomb.
There is no Electrical skill gate on Make Aerosol Bomb itself. You craft it from the Electrical category on any valid surface craft spot. Timer, sensor, and remote upgrades use separate Electronics magazines and Electrical levels—see below.
Engineer Mag 3
Homemade Explosives
Aerosol Bomb
crafted explosive
Materials for Make Aerosol Bomb
Gather one consumable from each input slot and keep a mortar and pestle (not destroyed; may degrade lightly).
| Input | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Aerosol can | 1 | Consumed. Vanilla cans: Hair Spray or Insect Repellent |
| Box of Sparklers | 1 | Consumed |
| Aluminum | 1 | Aluminum or Aluminum Fragments |
| Duct Tape | 1 | Consumed |
| Mortar and pestle | 1 (kept) | Mortar and Pestle or Ceramic Mortar and Pestle; tool only |
Hair Spray
or insect repellent
Insect Repellent
aerosol can option
Sparklers ×1
ignition fuel
Aluminum ×1
or fragments
Duct Tape ×1
binding
Mortar & Pestle
kept tool
- Unlock the recipe (Engineer start or read Engineer Magazine 3).
- Gather one aerosol can, sparklers, aluminum, and duct tape; keep a mortar and pestle.
- Open the crafting menu → Electrical → Make Aerosol Bomb (surface craft).
- Throw the plain bomb, or attach one upgrade type (timer, motion sensor, or remote trigger).
Blast stats (vanilla Aerosol Bomb)
| Stat | Value | Player takeaway |
|---|---|---|
| Blast power | 70 | Weaker than Pipe Bomb (90); still lethal in a packed group |
| Blast range | 6 | Listed range only; not an exact blast shape or guaranteed safe distance |
| Fire energy / chance | 20 / 10 | Chance of fire, not a guaranteed burn; still respect building risk |
| Weight | 1.5 | Same weight family as other craft bombs |
| Throw range | 10 | Equip and throw like other traps |
| Plain-bomb fuse value | 50 | Internal fuse value; do not treat it as real-time seconds |
| Timer bomb fuse | 10 | On Aerosol Bomb with Timer after placement |
| Sensor post-trip delay | 5 | On short / medium / long sensor variants |
All upgraded aerosol variants keep blast power 70, range 6, and the same fire-start values. Only placement, trigger type, and sensor range change.
Aerosol Bomb
Blast plus fire chance. Good when you want pressure and a risk of burning furniture or zombies outdoors where you can kite.
Pipe Bomb
Stronger blast (power 90, range 7) with no fire. Prefer it when you only want damage and noise. See the pipe bomb guide.
Flame Trap / Molotov
Choose these when fire is the main goal. Separate recipes and materials from Make Aerosol Bomb.
How to throw or place an aerosol bomb
- Equip the Aerosol Bomb (or upgraded variant) in your primary hand.
- Hold right mouse button to aim the throw arc.
- Left-click to throw, then retreat well beyond the listed range; do not use six tiles as a guaranteed safe boundary.
- Timer, sensor, and remote variants can also be placed—arm them, then leave the danger zone. Remote bombs need a matching remote controller.
Noise from the blast pulls more zombies. Plan an exit path that does not run through a building you just set on fire.
Upgrades: timer, motion sensor, remote
Each upgrade is a separate learned recipe. Magazines below are the Electronics series, not Engineer Magazine 3. Attach crafts need a surface, consume Electronics Scrap plus Duct Tape, and convert a plain Aerosol Bomb into a specialized item.
1. Timer → Aerosol Bomb with Timer
- Learn: Magazine: Like Clockwork (Electronics magazine 2) for Make Timer and Add Timer to Bomb. Electrical 8 can also auto-learn these paths.
- Make Timer: Electrical 1; Timer or Alarm Clock, screwdriver (kept), pliers (kept), 1 Electronics Scrap, 1 Glue → crafted timer.
- Add Timer to Bomb: 1 plain Aerosol Bomb + 1 crafted timer + 2 Electronics Scrap + 1 Duct Tape → Aerosol Bomb with Timer.
- Behavior: placeable; fixed fuse on the finished timer bomb (fuse 10). Same blast and fire stats as the base bomb.
2. Motion sensor → short / medium / long range
- Learn: Magazine: Home Security Monthly (Electronics magazine 3) for all three motion-sensor attach recipes. Auto-learn appears at Electrical 8 / 9 / 10 for short / medium / long.
- Component: one looted Motion Sensor per upgrade (attach does not craft the sensor from scrap alone).
- Every attach: bomb + Motion Sensor + Electronics Scrap + 1 Duct Tape.
| Recipe | Electrical required | Extra scrap | Result | Sensor range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Add Short-Range Motion Sensor | 2 | 2 | Aerosol Bomb with Short-Range Sensor | 3 |
| Add Medium-Range Motion Sensor | 4 | 3 | Aerosol Bomb with Medium-Range Sensor | 4 |
| Add Long-Range Motion Sensor | 6 | 4 | Aerosol Bomb with Long-Range Sensor | 6 |
Sensor bombs are placeable and detonate shortly after the sensor trips (delay 5). Blast range remains 6 tiles—do not stand inside the sensor bubble when arming.
3. Remote trigger → Remote Aerosol Bomb
- Learn: Magazine: Zapper! (Electronics magazine 1) for remote controllers, crafted trigger, and Add Remote Trigger to Bomb.
- Make Remote Trigger: Electrical 2; Receiver, Radio Receiver, or Cordless Phone plus tools, 2 Electronics Scrap, and 2 Glue → crafted trigger.
- Add Remote Trigger to Bomb: Electrical 2; Aerosol Bomb + crafted trigger + 2 Electronics Scrap + 1 Duct Tape → Remote Aerosol Bomb.
- Controller: craft Short / Medium / Long-Range Remote Controller (Electrical 2 / 4 / 6) from a Remote, Cordless Phone, or Pager plus scrap and glue. Match controller range to how far you stand when you detonate.
Timer - Crafted
Timed fuse bomb
Motion Sensor
Booby-trap component
Crafted Trigger
Remote bomb part
With Timer
placeable fuse bomb
Short Sensor
sensor range 3
Remote
detonate with controller
| Goal | Magazine | Key skill | Attach extras (beyond bomb + device) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Timer bomb | Like Clockwork (Electronics Mag 2) | Make Timer: Elec 1; attach: learn / auto Elec 8 | 2 Electronics Scrap + 1 Duct Tape |
| Motion sensor bomb | Home Security Monthly (Electronics Mag 3) | Elec 2 / 4 / 6 by range tier | 2–4 Electronics Scrap + 1 Duct Tape |
| Remote bomb | Zapper! (Electronics Mag 1) | Elec 2 for trigger + attach | 2 Electronics Scrap + 1 Duct Tape; plus a remote controller |
When to use aerosol bombs
- Mixed blast and fire risk — outdoor packs where a chance of ignition helps and you can kite away from spreading flames.
- Chokepoint traps — timer or sensor bombs on approaches; remote bombs when you want deliberate detonation after zombies bunch up.
- Not a pure fire tool — fire chance is only 10. If you need reliable fire, craft Flame Trap or use a Molotov instead.
- Noise and pull — explosions are loud; plan for extra walkers after the blast. See the zombie attraction guide.
Common mistakes
| Mistake | Correct Build 42.19 fact |
|---|---|
| “Only Engineers can make aerosol bombs” | Engineer starts with the recipe; anyone who reads Engineer Magazine 3 can craft them. |
| “It explodes in a 9×9 area” | The bomb lists blast range 6, but that is not an exact blast shape or safe distance. Stand well farther away. |
| “Just level Electrical to attach upgrades” | You need the matching Electronics magazine recipes (or high auto-learn levels), components, scrap, and Duct Tape—not Electrical alone. |
| Using random cans or scrap as “aerosol / aluminum” | Only Hair Spray or Insect Repellent count as the aerosol can; only Aluminum or Aluminum Fragments fill the aluminum slot. |
| Standing next to a placed sensor bomb | Sensor ranges are 3 / 4 / 6 tiles; explosion still reaches 6. Arm and leave. |
| Remote bomb without a controller | You need both the remote-configured bomb and a crafted remote controller of suitable range. |
| Expecting guaranteed fire | Fire chance is 10 with energy 20—possible ignition, not a Molotov substitute. |
FAQ
Do I need Electrical skill to craft the base aerosol bomb?
No skill requirement is listed on Make Aerosol Bomb. You only need to know the recipe and have the materials plus a mortar and pestle. Electrical skill matters for making timers, remote parts, and attaching sensors at higher tiers.
Which spray cans work?
In current vanilla, Hair Spray and Insect Repellent. Other cans only work if they are treated as aerosol cans in your build or mod pack.
Can I use aluminum fragments instead of a full aluminum piece?
Yes. Both Aluminum and Aluminum Fragments fill the same recipe slot.
Is the blast really smaller than a pipe bomb?
Yes. Aerosol Bomb: power 70, range 6, with fire chance. Pipe Bomb: power 90, range 7, no fire. Both can take the same style of timer / sensor / remote upgrades once those recipes are known.
Where do motion sensors come from?
They are a loot component used with known sensor recipes and Electrical skill. The attach recipes consume one Motion Sensor each; they do not create the sensor from scrap alone.
Will this burn my base down?
It can. Fire chance is modest, but indoors that still risks furniture, walls, and blocked exits. Prefer outdoor use or dedicated fire tools only when you accept the burn risk.
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