What effect do tools have when used?

[bogeyman]

I am trying to determine what effect tools have when building blueprints. I know how to se them and know that they have different actions. I believe that I have notices, at least for the Alchemist tool that the only thing that happens is that the affected blocks are blown up but not counted. I am trying to observe the results of using other tools but my strategy will need to change if the blocks blown up are essentially considered as not having been there. I have tried searching the site for other questions like this but I cannot find any.

[theconfuzed1]

Read this.

[bahorel]

I think I have the same question as bogeyman, which the FAQ doesn't answer--if you use Dreameater or Alchemist, are the blocks destroyed added to your resources, or do they simply vanish?