Looking for a good Auto Maceration and Smelting Line.

[KirinDave]

Why would someone use gold cables when copper ones work? I didn't make any gold cables until I realised that I needed them for something. Is this really a common mistake?

I was nervous of BC because the early engines (apart from the pitifully weak Redstone Engine) have a tendency to explode. IC2 stuff only explodes when you progress to higher tier machines and so should know what you're doing and have the resources to replace the occasional smoking hole in your base.

TE energy transportation is too easy IMO. REC just seems like a cheat item.

The REC is necessary, but maybe is too cheap. The Energy Tesseracts are a whole different steam engine.

 

[PhilHibbs]

Now those I do like the look of. I'm not sure why I like them and not REC.

 

[Lappro]

I always make a pracitally similar automated system for the common IC2 machines (macerator, furnace, compressor, extractor)
I just use simple chests as input and then use filters/transposer to pull the items out and tube them into the different machines and using more filters/transposer to pull the product out. In case of the macerator -> furnace route you pipe the macerator produce through the furnace. This is quite easy to set up and by efficient use of covers and redstone tube you can fit this machine into about a 4x6x4 (width x length x height). I use 5 inputs: macerator, macerator -> furnace, furnace, compressor, extractor and share the output chests for those 5 input lines. With some overclockers or upgraded machines like induction furnace you get a fast set up, that is easy to build. Note: most of the machine can be hidden under the floor, only the chests need to be accessible.
It isn't the most fancy machine but it works and is easy, I can post some screenshots tomorrow if you are interested don't have access to my savegames atm.

 

[Chocorate]

That would be stealing an idea from KingLemming and make the TE machines less unique. Its like if EE3 suddenly had golems that did exactly what the TC ones do.
There are pros and cons to all system; this is a huge pro about the BC system.

When an idea is very good, it's best for other mods to adapt. Can't argue with results. I mean, unless you spam "copyright copyright copyright". That always seems to win.

 

[lolpierandom]

The REC only seem OP because of how godawful the standard pipes are in comparison.

Put slightly too much energy? Kasplosions! Using that with "vanilla" BC engines? Now they have nowhere to dump their energy, and kasplosions! Transporting your energy more than like 5 blocks? Have fun losing tons of it unless you're using a machine with an energy buffer.

They're just so bad it's a little silly- the only "advantage" I'd say they have over REC is that they have a pretty animation, but I'd forgo that for the ability to not have crappy energy transportation.

 

[PhilHibbs]

In case of the macerator -> furnace route you pipe the macerator produce through the furnace.

So how come your furnace inputs aren't blocked up with Coal Dust? And what if you want some sand, you get glass instead? Oh, I guess you have two lines, one "macerate only" and one "macerate then furnace"?

My Macerator output goes back into my sorting Enderchest and from there the different dusts go to either a furnace or an autocrafting table.

 

[Lappro]

So how come your furnace inputs aren't blocked up with Coal Dust? And what if you want some sand, you get glass instead? Oh, I guess you have two lines, one "macerate only" and one "macerate then furnace"?

My Macerator output goes back into my sorting Enderchest and from there the different dusts go to either a furnace or an autocrafting table.

I have separated them, so there is 1 route for just macerator, 1 route for just furnace and 1 route for macerator + furnace. This way you need 2 macerators and 1 furnace (those 2 routes can share the same furnace). That way you can choose what you want, so if you want copper dust and tin dust instead of them being automatically cooked like you would normally do, you just put them in the other route and get the dusts to make bronze dust.

 

[PhilHibbs]

...so if you want copper dust and tin dust instead of them being automatically cooked like you would normally do, you just put them in the other route and get the dusts to make bronze dust.

Makes sense. I have a separate Enderchest and pouch for ad-hoc processing, so I can throw some ores or bars in, set my Wireless Remote to "Macerate" and hit the button, and they disappear and dusts start appearing shortly after.