Mechanical power

The mechanical work horse is the path to prosperity.

Mechanical power can be used to mechanize some simple machines. Currently, wind power is used to automate querns for milling and helvehammers to work iron blooms or smith metal plates.

Windmill Required Materials

To create a windmill, a player needs

• Windmill rotor (1)
• Sails (4 or more)
• Wooden Axles (Varies)
• Angled Gears (Varies)

Building the Windmill

The windmill requires at least 5 blocks of vertical space between the rotor and the ground or any other solid block.

• Rotor: The rotor should be placed on a tower or the side of a tall building. When building, it may be simpler to place the first axle on the top of the block and attach the rotor to the placed axle. This placement will suspend the rotor empty blocks outside the building. This space is required to attach the sails.
• Sails: Sails are added in sets of four (one for each windmill blade). Up to four sets of sails (16 sails or 4 sets of 4) can be attached to the rotor. Each set of sails will increase the power output by 25% and require one full block clearance (per set). If the sails do not have space to move freely, they will break. Axles or angled gears can be attached to the opposite side of the windmill rotor.
• Power: The internal system construction (from the rotor to the machine) can vary depending on space, practical considerations and player ingenuity. General rules for circuits will be provided below.

One important point to know is that most circuits must be assembled in order. That is, blocks must be placed in a continuous fashion from start (rotor) to finish (machine). When the gears and axles are turning, all is well. If the assembled circuit does not accomplish the intended goal, break the gears and axles, and reassemble the circuit from the rotor to the input block.

Milling

For mechanized milling, the windmill is attached to a quern using a system of gears (turn an axle) and axles (straight line). With a full complement of sails, the quern will grind materials at wind speeds as low as 25%.

Materials required for automated milling

• Quern
• Hopper: used for material input/output.
• Chute: used to direct materials from hoppers into chests or other containers. These blocks place directionally, with the output facing away from the player.

Automated Quern Circuit

The quern must be powered by connecting the incoming axle on the Y-axis of the machine (top or bottom of the quern). The quern cannot be powered by connecting the axle to the side of the quern. For maximum efficiency, connect the power input axle to the bottom of the quern.

• Input: Placing a hopper above the quern introduces items to the input slot of the quern. (If the quern is powered from the top, input cannot be automated.) The quern will grind material and drop items on all 4 sides when the output is full.
  

• Output: Placing a stick to block the output slot will reduce grinding efficiency, but allows players to place hoppers on all 4 sides of the quern. To collect items, hoppers can be fed into chests, or into a system of chutes to direct output to one chest. Place at the level of the block supporting the quern (floor), not next to the side of the quern itself. If the hopper is placed next to the side of the quern, this placement will prevent the quern from dropping items. However, placing a solid block on any side of the quern not equipped with a hopper will prevent the quern from dropping items on that side, but also reduces grinding efficiency.

Smithing

For mechanized smithing, the windmill is attached to a helvehammer using a system of gears and axles. With a full complement of sails, the helvehammer will function (barely) at wind speeds as low as 30%.

Materials required for automated smithing

• Toggle: Connects the powered axle to the helvehammer base
• Helve hammer base: Holds the helvehammer, connects the hammer arm to the power circuit.
• Brake (optional): Placed after the helvehammer base, stops the hammer when not in use.

Automated Helvehammer Circuit

The helvehammer must be powered by connecting the incoming axle on the X-axis of the machine via the toggle (left or right side of the hammer) and cannot be powered by connecting the axle to the top or bottom of the machine.

1. The toggle (with incoming power axle or angled gears) must be placed adjacent to the helvehammer base. The toggle places sideways, be sure to orient the toggle such that the square frames abut the block intended for the helvehammer base. The input axle cannot be placed on the frameless sides of this block.
2. The helvehammer base should be placed with the long arm of the triangular support and crossbeam facing the direction the payer intends to place the hammer. (The sloped sides of the base are the back of the block, and the helvehammer will place directionally.) Place an anvil three blocks away from the base, and then add the helvehammer onto the base. When placed correctly, the helvehammer should rest on the anvil when not in use. When placed on the base, the helvehammer requires two blocks to move freely through its arc.
3. The brake (optional) can be placed on the other side of the helvehammer base.

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