There's Farming and Farming.

[Ukase]

On 1/21/2021 at 5:10 PM, tidge said:

Thunderstrike is an Uncommon recipe, so I don't think your example is proving that it was worth consuming Rare Salvage to craft Rare recipes.

Sure it is; absolutely. Rare salvage is costing 400k now. And it's not like any farmer has to buy it. It drops freely in the missions. Perhaps not the one you need, but eventually it will. You can just craft what you can with what drops. You need never buy any salvage. 

But let's say you did buy it ...500k because it's artificially cheaper than normal now at 400k "get it now" price. 

Cost to craft:               490,400

Rare salvage:              500,000
Uncommon Salvage:     2000
Common Salvage:           500
Total:                         992,900

Converters (costs can very): 70k per converter, average 15 converters per attempt to get something decent. 
70,000 x 15 = 1,050,000 + 992,400 = 2,042,900                 

Perf shifter + end = 3M, less 10% fee = 2,700,000 = 657,100 profit

Granted, not a killing, but it's worth while especially if you're crafting and converting all your drops. And when you consider no smart farmer is buying any salvage because they all drop during the missions, it's even more profit. The only cost is the 490,400 for crafting, and the opportunity cost of converters, that you could sell for 70k each. 
            

[Wavicle]

Not arguing with you, @Ukase, just wanted to point out, for peoples information, at Sell it now prices rare salvage is now around 350k and converters are about 60k.

[Ukase]

Even cheaper still! More profit for the farmer. My point was it is indeed worth crafting every uncommon and rare recipe you get. Craft, convert & sell (or keep if you can use it).

I have been using Emp merits for converters so, other than doing courtesy buys of converters for sg folks, I haven't bought any from the AH in some time. It's so easy to make influence in this flavor of CoH once you know how.