In total there are 7 weapons you can make with schematics found in the wasteland. Not only can you make traditional weapons, but also special grenades and landmines. Select the weapon you wish to make and after a few clinking noises a note should pop up on the upper left corner of the screen stating you have created that weapon. Once you have all the necessary components, simply approach a workbench, activate it, and a menu will pop up with a list of weapons you know how to build.

You also can go to a workbench and select the weapon you want to build, and the game will tell you what you have and what you're missing to construct the weapon. Not only do they show you what parts make up the weapon, but they briefly describe how the weapon works and what it fires as well. Schematics contain information on how to build a custom-made weapon derived from junk parts that can be obtained throughout in the wasteland. These can be picked up and read from your Pip-Boy from the Notes category in the Data section. Scattered throughout the wasteland are notes called schematics.