I realize what I've built is likely not original. I just haven't seen an example anywhere in the tons of tutorials and other Minecraft vids I've read and watched. But I thought it was cool enough to share.
This device triggers a piston when a block is pushed in the sensor area.
Build your basic piston-powered cobblestone generator, so the horizontal row of cobble is one block off "Ground Level." I used four repeaters and an inverter for timing, but it's irrelevant on this end. You can use a button or lever or whatever you like.
14 blocks away put a piston aimed back at the generator piston on top of a dirt block, and insert a torch in that dirt block facing the generator, to make it an inverter. We'll call this piston "Kickback."
12 blocks from the generator, between the generator and the Kickback, put a piston one block to the left pointing to the right at the cobble row, and level with it. Put a torch under the cobble row to the right of this piston. We'll call this piston "Diverter." It should extend over the torch if powered, potentially pushing a block out of the cobble row.
Now you have an inverter under the Kickback pointed at an upright torch, Notice that both remain lit, unaffected by the other despite proximity.
The cobble row from the generator should pass over the upright torch, then the inverter torch, then contact the Kickback piston, if everything is right.
Now, standing between the generator and the kickback piston, place a dirt block to the right of the inverter torch. Place another to its right. Put redstone on top of each. Place three dirt blocks behind this second dirt block. Now on the first two of these new dirt blocks, place a repeater. On the third dirt block, place redstone. To the left of the third block, on Ground Level, place redstone. To the left of that, place another redstone. Connecting that last redstone and the dirt block holding the Kickback, place yet another redstone.
When everything is right, placing a dirt block on the face of the Kickback will power it and extend the piston, then it should depower and retract.
I set one of these repeaters to 4th postion and one to 1st position, just for starters.
OK, if your Kickback operates properly, we're ready to move on.
Still facing the Kickback with your back to the generator, leave a space between the upright torch and place a repeater facing to the left. Connect another facing the same direction, on the next block to the right. I leave both these on the 1st position for now.
Place two redstone connecting the left side repeater to the base of the dirt block supporting the Diverter.
Place two redstone to the right of the repeaters. Place three more redstone connecting these repeaters to those going to the Kickback.
To test if everything is working, placing a dirt block on the face of the Kickback should cause the Diverter to extend and retract, then the Kickback extends and retracts. Subsequent dirt blocks placed on the Kickback piston face should build a row of dirt blocks from the Diverter. I.E. Diverter extends and retracts, then Kickback extends and retracts.
If the Kickback and Diverter are working properly, it's time to start the generator. This device operates independently of the generator, only firing when a block passes the Diverter piston to close the circuit.
If both pistons fire but not in order or too many times, you need to adjust the timing of the Kickback and/or Diverter. I find that 1st position on both Diverter repeaters works, and 4th and 1st on the Kickback. Essentially you want Diverter to extend and retract before Kickback extends and retracts.
I will post pics tomorrow.
I welcome any input anyone has. Please tell me if this write-up is impossible to follow.
^ This is basically the layout. Cobble jenny bottom right, block shunter upper left. No redstone connection - their interface is cobblestone, not redstone.
Bird's-eye view, cobblestone generator is due north on this image. You can see the enitre circuit here. The cobblestone has to intrude upon the bottom piston before the circuit is active. It's essentially a horizontal contact switch.
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Between this frame and the last frame, the cobble generator pushed out one more block. The last block in the row then covered the torch in front of Kickback, which sent a signal to Diverter to extend and retract. We adjust the timing of the repeaters to ensure that kickback doesn't extend until Diverter has retracted. Two repeaters on each give us a lot of flexibility.
Runs like a sewing machine when you have the timing of the jenny and the shunter in sync.
This device triggers a piston when a block is pushed in the sensor area.
Build your basic piston-powered cobblestone generator, so the horizontal row of cobble is one block off "Ground Level." I used four repeaters and an inverter for timing, but it's irrelevant on this end. You can use a button or lever or whatever you like.
14 blocks away put a piston aimed back at the generator piston on top of a dirt block, and insert a torch in that dirt block facing the generator, to make it an inverter. We'll call this piston "Kickback."
12 blocks from the generator, between the generator and the Kickback, put a piston one block to the left pointing to the right at the cobble row, and level with it. Put a torch under the cobble row to the right of this piston. We'll call this piston "Diverter." It should extend over the torch if powered, potentially pushing a block out of the cobble row.
Now you have an inverter under the Kickback pointed at an upright torch, Notice that both remain lit, unaffected by the other despite proximity.
The cobble row from the generator should pass over the upright torch, then the inverter torch, then contact the Kickback piston, if everything is right.
Now, standing between the generator and the kickback piston, place a dirt block to the right of the inverter torch. Place another to its right. Put redstone on top of each. Place three dirt blocks behind this second dirt block. Now on the first two of these new dirt blocks, place a repeater. On the third dirt block, place redstone. To the left of the third block, on Ground Level, place redstone. To the left of that, place another redstone. Connecting that last redstone and the dirt block holding the Kickback, place yet another redstone.
When everything is right, placing a dirt block on the face of the Kickback will power it and extend the piston, then it should depower and retract.
I set one of these repeaters to 4th postion and one to 1st position, just for starters.
OK, if your Kickback operates properly, we're ready to move on.
Still facing the Kickback with your back to the generator, leave a space between the upright torch and place a repeater facing to the left. Connect another facing the same direction, on the next block to the right. I leave both these on the 1st position for now.
Place two redstone connecting the left side repeater to the base of the dirt block supporting the Diverter.
Place two redstone to the right of the repeaters. Place three more redstone connecting these repeaters to those going to the Kickback.
To test if everything is working, placing a dirt block on the face of the Kickback should cause the Diverter to extend and retract, then the Kickback extends and retracts. Subsequent dirt blocks placed on the Kickback piston face should build a row of dirt blocks from the Diverter. I.E. Diverter extends and retracts, then Kickback extends and retracts.
If the Kickback and Diverter are working properly, it's time to start the generator. This device operates independently of the generator, only firing when a block passes the Diverter piston to close the circuit.
If both pistons fire but not in order or too many times, you need to adjust the timing of the Kickback and/or Diverter. I find that 1st position on both Diverter repeaters works, and 4th and 1st on the Kickback. Essentially you want Diverter to extend and retract before Kickback extends and retracts.
I will post pics tomorrow.
I welcome any input anyone has. Please tell me if this write-up is impossible to follow.
Imageshack, sorry. Although, they let me do this and only ask for a byline link at the bottom, so that's cool.
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^ This is basically the layout. Cobble jenny bottom right, block shunter upper left. No redstone connection - their interface is cobblestone, not redstone.
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^ Front end view from the generator. Loop controlling the Diverter in foreground, Kickback loop in background. Cobblestone generator to my back.
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Bird's-eye view, cobblestone generator is due north on this image. You can see the enitre circuit here. The cobblestone has to intrude upon the bottom piston before the circuit is active. It's essentially a horizontal contact switch.
Here are three cycles of the cobble generator:
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Between this frame and the last frame, the cobble generator pushed out one more block. The last block in the row then covered the torch in front of Kickback, which sent a signal to Diverter to extend and retract. We adjust the timing of the repeaters to ensure that kickback doesn't extend until Diverter has retracted. Two repeaters on each give us a lot of flexibility.
Runs like a sewing machine when you have the timing of the jenny and the shunter in sync.
I'm going to make a whole chain of these, running cobblestone around my map
I have to believe the same circuit can be done vertically, either up or down, but I'd be interested to see what other people have.