Water Mine

Requires Water Mining

(from T3) A Water Mine is a large corkscrew-shaped contraption designed to siphon gems and cuttable gems from the water. Made primarily of glass, it is built near water and is wound by hand.

A Water Mine can still be built if it is too close to an existing Water Mine, but only the one most recently wound will produce gems. Listening to the pipe of the nonfunctional one returns the message "Aside from the unwinding of the spring in the collar, you hear nothing." If the interfering mine is running when you try to build, you'll get a warning. Presumably, you'll also get a warning if it isn't running. [If you can confirm that there is a build warning when the interfering mine is not running, please update the preceding sentences and remove this one.] It is suggested no closer than about 21 coordinates.

   Beware! This building doesn't have a build window, it will be built as soon as you click water mine, unless another water mine is in interference range.

To build: Construction costs:

• 24 Glass Pipes
• 1 Large Gear
• 4 Copper Straps
• 12 Pulleys

Built: Outside, by water (projects menu)

Skill/Tech required: Water Mining

Running a Water Mine

Once a Water Mine is started, it will run on its own for 2 teppy-hours. During the first 5 teppy-minutes, no gems will be produced, but afterwards, it may randomly dispense gems extracted from the sediment. These appear in the hopper to be picked up. The appearance of a gem is signaled by a loud "gurgling" sound effect heard by those within 64 coordinates (which is the same as the visual range. i.e. if you can see it, you can hear it). A gem will only stay in the hopper for 1 teppy-minute, after which it disappears.

The type of gem dispensed by a Water Mine is random. Usually it is one of the types of cuttable gems, but ordinary gems can also appear. These can be of any size, just like those produced by regular mines. (Yes, this CAN include Huge, but it's not at all common.)

To use a watermine: You just turn it on and wait. Yes, it is that simple. If you have not gotten any gems after 30 minutes things you can try are:

   * Be sure you have building sounds turned on by clicking on yourself-Utilities-Audio. Max it if you have any doubts. (Check your computer sound too to be sure it is on.)
   * Change the pitch of it. Some pitches give little results. Individual mines vary, try it for a couple hours (well at least half an hour) and if you don't like what you're getting, change it.
   * Be sure there are no other mines running within 21 coordinates. (Listen to the pipe.) 

Pitch Angle

Not much has been recorded here about Pitch Angle and how it affects gem acquisition. From what I've been told, the optimum pitch angle is different for each Water Mine, and each must been individually calibrated through trial and error.

Pitch may affect what types of gems a watermine gives you. Cuttables are probably the most vaulable output, since those can't be gotten anywhere else *except* from a watermine. However if you are get a Huge gemstone that's way better! (Larges are great too.)

Once again, if you aren't getting anything out of the mine after 30 minutes, try changing the pitch.

Notes

   Out of curiosity, we built two water mines next to each other. The last mine wound is the only one that will yield gems. Listening to the pipe of the nonfunctional one
 returns the message "Aside from the unwinding of the spring in the collar, you hear nothing." --Spatulus