Automatic Reed Farm Help

[MusicalAspirant]

Okay, so I decided to combine the capabilities of sensor blocks and pistons to create an entirely automatic reed farm (and eventually planned to apply the same concept to hemp). Basically, when the reeds reach a height of 3 blocks, a sensor block activates the piston directly underneath it and pushes 2 reeds into a current that takes it to a hopper, leaving the bottom of the plant intact and allowing for further growth. Unfortunately, I've run into an annoying issue. The reeds get pushed to rather random spots. Sometimes they are pushed over the 1 block-wide current, sometimes they simply drop onto the plant, and sometimes they land back on the extended piston, keeping the sensor block on and preventing the piston from retracting.

Here are some screenshots of my design:

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A reed landing on top of the extended piston, making it unable to retract:

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If anyone could suggest some alternative designs that would be great. All the mechanics work fine, reeds that do land in the current reach the hopper and fall into a chest, no problems. Sadly it seems like hardly 1/3 of the reeds actually land in the current. :/

[darahalian]

You could hook up the pistons to a monostable circuit, making them extend and retract quickly even if the DB was still seeing something. A monostable circuit is a circuit that breaks itself soon after receiving power, and so it only releases a quick pulse of power, no matter how long the input signal is. You can look them up on the wiki for designs and more info.

[MusicalAspirant]

Okay thanks for the fast reply I'll try that.

[BuLLZ3Y3]

You could hook up the pistons to a monostable circuit, making them extend and retract quickly even if the DB was still seeing something. A monostable circuit is a circuit that breaks itself soon after receiving power, and so it only releases a quick pulse of power, no matter how long the input signal is. You can look them up on the wiki for designs and more info.

While that would certainly solve the piston-retraction problem, I think you still might have a problem with some of the reeds falling back into the plant. Unfortunately I don't have any ideas off the top of my head as to how you could solve this.

I'll do some testing and see if I can find a way to stop it. =)

-BuLLZ3Y3

[MusicalAspirant]

You could hook up the pistons to a monostable circuit, making them extend and retract quickly even if the DB was still seeing something. A monostable circuit is a circuit that breaks itself soon after receiving power, and so it only releases a quick pulse of power, no matter how long the input signal is. You can look them up on the wiki for designs and more info.

While that would certainly solve the piston-retraction problem, I think you still might have a problem with some of the reeds falling back into the plant. Unfortunately I don't have any ideas off the top of my head as to how you could solve this.

I'll do some testing and see if I can find a way to stop it. =)

-BuLLZ3Y3

Thanks :) I appreciate the help.

[MusicalAspirant]

So I've tried the monostable circuit and it helps a lot, but I was wondering if there was a way to make it pulse twice? I've been reading the wiki as well as attempting my own ideas but haven't gotten a good mechanism for it yet. I'm wondering because when the the reed is hit by the piston, the piece above simply falls down since it wasn't the piece being hit. If I could make it pulse twice and time it I could make it hit the top as it falls down.

Thanks in advance. (Let me know if that explanation was confusing. Referring to my earlier pictures might help)

[Urian]

So I've tried the monostable circuit and it helps a lot, but I was wondering if there was a way to make it pulse twice? I've been reading the wiki as well as attempting my own ideas but haven't gotten a good mechanism for it yet. I'm wondering because when the the reed is hit by the piston, the piece above simply falls down since it wasn't the piece being hit. If I could make it pulse twice and time it I could make it hit the top as it falls down.

Thanks in advance. (Let me know if that explanation was confusing. Referring to my earlier pictures might help)

You could use two lines (split after the monostable and merge right before the pistons) and place a number of repeaters on the line for the second pulse. That way you can configure the pause between the two pulses quite effectively.

[Riveter]

I know this isn't the direct fix you were looking for, but one option to consider is using Battosay's Bio clock as a simple trigger. If you put the pistons on both levels would you still have problems with the drops getting stuck in them?

[Haniale]

I use a similar method - but with two lines of water between. I get loss from the odd ones which fling over the water and land on the bottom dirt on the other side. It's not exactly space friendly, but a dividing collection wall between the rows would stop the overfling, but this makes a 3 size gap between the reeds. It looks like you have the same overfling problem. Of course, I overcome this by accepting the loss - enough reeds make it profitable enough, especially when you aren't using reeds often and can do other things while it produces.

I've considered using a sticky piston to extend a grow surface, and place reeds via the block dispenser. Use a block detector to tell the circuit when to turn off, retracting the reed, then later the piston, which will hopefully break the top two reeds, into a bottom catcher pool. I haven't tried it yet, but maybe this would solve the "falling back into the plant" thing.

[BigShinyToys]

there is no way i know of to make it so that all the Sugar can makes its way to the Hopper. you can increase you're harvested percentage by making Two piston do the pushing at the same time . this causes all the sugar to be pushed ford at the same time. also making it so there is a "Cage" for lack of a better word around where the cane gets pushed means it will hit a wall then fall down.

Alternately i have made one where i have water falling down Past the sugar cane and the cane is pushed into the stream of water. then falls down the center of the tower to be collected at the bottom. ( also the system i use can be built with out BTW or with it )

Hope that helped.

[MusicalAspirant]

I know this isn't the direct fix you were looking for, but one option to consider is using Battosay's Bio clock as a simple trigger. If you put the pistons on both levels would you still have problems with the drops getting stuck in them?

I just watched part of his Bio Clock tutorial and I am thinking of trying it out, although I need to get mossy cobblestone first. I'm doing a strictly survival map. :) And using two pistons would probably help a lot, and I could put a detector above the reeds facing down, but I think the wiring would be really tricky so I've been reluctant to try it.

I use a similar method - but with two lines of water between. I get loss from the odd ones which fling over the water and land on the bottom dirt on the other side. It's not exactly space friendly, but a dividing collection wall between the rows would stop the overfling, but this makes a 3 size gap between the reeds. It looks like you have the same overfling problem. Of course, I overcome this by accepting the loss - enough reeds make it profitable enough, especially when you aren't using reeds often and can do other things while it produces.

I've considered using a sticky piston to extend a grow surface, and place reeds via the block dispenser. Use a block detector to tell the circuit when to turn off, retracting the reed, then later the piston, which will hopefully break the top two reeds, into a bottom catcher pool. I haven't tried it yet, but maybe this would solve the "falling back into the plant" thing.

Yes I agree that even if I got half the reeds it would be profitable. In fact while trying to find a solution I probably have a surplus already. I just want the satisfaction of having a perfect automated farm, really. :)

And your idea sounds very promising. Once again, when I get some mossy cobblestone I'll try it out.

Thanks for the replies, everyone! It's getting late here so I'm calling it for the night, though. Be back in a while.

[BuLLZ3Y3]

So I've tried the monostable circuit and it helps a lot, but I was wondering if there was a way to make it pulse twice? I've been reading the wiki as well as attempting my own ideas but haven't gotten a good mechanism for it yet. I'm wondering because when the the reed is hit by the piston, the piece above simply falls down since it wasn't the piece being hit. If I could make it pulse twice and time it I could make it hit the top as it falls down.

Thanks in advance. (Let me know if that explanation was confusing. Referring to my earlier pictures might help)

Well, if we're talking about redstone timing, you're in luck - the next block that FC is going to release is a turntable based block that can be used in redstone circuits to provide timing. You can read about it here. It's a magnificent idea, one that will forever change the way redstone circuits work in the current game.

-BuLLZ3Y3

[Gasert]

So I've tried the monostable circuit and it helps a lot, but I was wondering if there was a way to make it pulse twice? I've been reading the wiki as well as attempting my own ideas but haven't gotten a good mechanism for it yet. I'm wondering because when the the reed is hit by the piston, the piece above simply falls down since it wasn't the piece being hit. If I could make it pulse twice and time it I could make it hit the top as it falls down.

Thanks in advance. (Let me know if that explanation was confusing. Referring to my earlier pictures might help)

Well, if we're talking about redstone timing, you're in luck - the next block that FC is going to release is a turntable based block that can be used in redstone circuits to provide timing. You can read about it here. It's a magnificent idea, one that will forever change the way redstone circuits work in the current game.

-BuLLZ3Y3

Yeah,Turntable is really a great idea, but i doubt it will change redstone in "that" way. Only thing its doin',is saving space...which is really usefull,but still...

[SterlingRed]

What i would do, is place a detector block on the end of the row, rather than 1 for each plant. Run the circuit from the db to all of the pistons so that you extend all of the pistons at once. I'd drop the ceiling down 1 more block so that the reeds only grow 2 high and you're breaking off the top reed when the pistons extend. This saves resources on detectors and on pistons and simplifies the circuitry a bit. Now to fix the over shoot problem, you have a row of reeds on each side of a water channel correct? Build pistons for both sides so that the pistons face each other. Now both sides of the water channel should look like a mirror image of each other. Except one side will not have a detector. Only use one and wire it to both sets of pistons so that all the pistons will extend at the same time. Use repeaters to get the timing right. Now when the pistons extend, the reed can't overshoot since it will hit the piston that is also extended directly opposite it and all the reeds 'should' fall right into the water channel.

You could use 2 detectors, 1 for each side of the channel, if you'd like and use an and gate in order to send the signal to both sets of pistons at once.

[Battosay]

Here's my advices :
Try using a Bio block for the timing, maybe a 2 high reed clock connected to an XNOR gate, you'll get a signal every 2-3 minutes, and you'll only need 2 Detectors.
Put a 3 high wall right after your water channel, items will hit the wall and fall into the water.
Don't bother growing it 3 high, make your floor only 2 high, since it's automated you'll get way more than you need even this way.
Maybe check my vid, the Hemp farm will give you an idea of the setup I suggest, and the Bio clock for the timing :)
And have fun building your auto farm, as you can guess I'm a huge fan of automated farms :)