Just skip Bronze armor, use Troll upgraded or just tier 1 bronze armor, and only farm Bronze for the workbench/forge upgrades, boat, base decorations, comfort level raising, axe and pickaxe.

Tier 1 Wolf is better than Tier 3 Bronze

Same can be said for first Iron tier armor, just skip it completely, mine 1 silver vein and make Wolf armor. Is actually easy, use a Bonfire and Teleporter. Cause you going to die, but you farm enough wolves and drakes, by the time you find that vein, you have enough material to make the armor. Don't forget to grab onion seeds and obsidian while you are up there from the chests.

After H&H I ran naked until I had a Tier 1 set of Bronze, with Axe and Pick. Then went to 1 Swamp crypt so I could make T.P. and bonfires. Found 1 silver vein, made Tier 1 Wolf armor, dominated swamp and Mountains. Go kill Swamp Boss to mine that last 1 or 2 more silver veins and Crypt hop for that Iron. Tier 1 Wolf armor is entry level good for the Plains to get that Flax farm started for Padded Armor.

Just because you can upgrade armor, tools and weapons, doesn't mean you should. You could waste tons of hours farming and transporting material just put it all in a box for the next best thing.

I agree, need to be able to craft in bulk, plus need search option while in workbench, Forge and Cauldron.