Automated Blaze Grinder (r8)

Automated Blaze Grinder

Location
Server	PvE
Map revision	8
Coordinates	-235, -370 (nether)
Creators
Contributors	totemo
Timeline
Started	2012-6-30

Introduction

The Automated Blaze Grinder on PvE revision 8, built by totemo, is an evolutionary improvement of his Automated Blaze Grinder on PvE revision 7, Model B. (At the time of writing, the grinder is fully operational, however, the outer shell of the building is not yet complete.) Like its predecessor, this grinder uses clock-driven non-sticky pistons to push the blazes down into the crusher. As the new mob cap mechanism on PvE R8 has made slimes rarer than ever before, this design feature is even more crucial than it was in the previous revision.

The new design incorporates the following improvements:

• The funnel around the spawner has three tiers instead of 2, with a vertical spacing of 2 blocks between tiers instead of 3 blocks in the previous revision. The tiers are 7x7, 5x5 and 3x3 blocks in area, respectively, so the spawnable space is increased.
• The three phases of pushing pistons are activated in sequence from smallest (bottom) to largest (top) with a couple of seconds between phases. This maximises the interval between the phase above and the phase below, giving the blazes ample time to descend into line with the lower phase.
• Each tier of pushing pistons features a repeater at maximum delay between orthogonal sets of pistons. For example, on the top tier, the pistons that concentrate blazes on the east-west axis do so a full repeater delay after those that push them on the north-south axis. This helps to move blazes out of the corners of the spawning tier.
• The space above the gate letting blazes into the crushing chamber is more than 8 blocks below the spawner, meaning that blazes waiting to enter the crusher no longer prevent additional blazes from spawning.
• The crusher is now push-button operated and its duration is optimally timed by a monostable circuit (an RS-NOR gate and repeater chain).
• The fire shield protecting the operator from the blazes in the crusher is opened automatically when the operator steps in close to punch the blazes. Specifically, it is opened by the three stone pressure plates to the south, west and east of the etched stone block under the crusher. (These plates, like all other stone plates in the vicinity of the crusher, activate the clock circuit when it is enabled.)
  • This allows a manual mode of operation, whereby, instead of using the crusher, the operator simply leaves the gate open and bashes blazes with a sword. Note, however, that the optimal mode of operation, in terms of wear and tear on weapons, is to use the crusher and punch blazes to death.
• A water feature near the crusher is provided in case the operator catches fire. Note that the pressure plates suppress fires on the floor, as with the implementation of the device in revision 7.
• An adjustable enchanting room has been included in the facility.

Instructions for Use

With reference to the image of the controls:

1. Turn on (down) the Clock Enable lever.
2. Stand on the stone pressure plates. This ensures that you are close enough to the spawner for blazes to spawn, and also activates the clock, pushing blazes toward the centre of the funnel.
3. Open the gate and allow blazes to descend into the crushing chamber.
4. Close the gate. It is important that damaged (crushed) blazes are kept separate from undamaged ones, so that all blazes require the same number of punches to kill them.
5. Push the crusher button once, to damage the blazes.
6. Step up close to the crushing chamber so that the fire shield (glass blocks) retracts.
7. Punch all the blazes to death.
8. Optionally, if the etched stone block is on fire, push the button to the right of the crusher button. This will momentarily retract the etched stone, extinguishing the fire. It is important that you do not press that button while there are blazes in the chamber; they will escape.

Cautions

• To avoid stuck repeaters, please turn off the clock enable well before a server restart.
• Also, turn off the clock enable when leaving the facility.
• If the clock or crusher are not working, check the redstone for stuck repeaters. You can fix them by breaking the repeater (the protection will roll it back) and then restoring its timing to maximum.

Gallery

• 

  On site instructions and the control panel. The button that extinguishes flames on the etched stone (by retracting it) is on the right edge of the frame, partly cut off.

• 

  The rail station is on the other side of the water feature.

• 

  The rail to the grinder from the north west portal.

• 

  The grinder and landscaped surrounds.

• 

  The adjustable enchanting room.

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  Behind the control panel - the circuit on light blue wool determines the crusher duration.

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  Underneath the plates. Plate signal is detected on the pink wool. Light green wool is the clock. Light blue wool ANDs the plate signal and clock enable switch.

• 

  Another view of the clock circuit.