Nether Fortress grinder

[Boss Llama]

Howdy all -

Wanted to let folks know that I've built an automated grinder in a Nether Fortress out near my place. If you ride/follow the rail to my place, follow the tunnel that leads from the end of the rail line. I've done my best to sign everything, so follow the signs, When you reach the fortress, head down the stairs (follow signs) to the AFK/collection spot.

To operate:

1) Flip the indicated lever to the down position to turn on.
2) If you're going to AFK, do so in the small marked cell (to avoid potential mob wanderers)
3) The grinder will kill everything but Wither Skeletons and small magma cubes. Those will be trapped and easily killed through the slot for XP/loot. All loot will go to the chest.
4) When you leave or log off, please turn off the grinder and wait for around 30 seconds to let it reset! This is important.
5) Please do not go in to the maintenance areas, indicated by signs. Even a block placed incorrectly can break the entire thing and require reconstructing significant portions of it.

It's not a super fast grinder or anything, but it's safe and effective. I've collected around two dozen wither skulls in the last day or so without using a looting sword.

[Flash]

You are a machine!

[Boss Llama]

Lol, I'm tryin'!

Right now I'm trying to figure out a decent way to (relatively) safely grind the withers themselves. First try was a no-go - I believe I mixed up a FTB design with a Vanilla one - so I'm making another attempt I shall report when/if I get one working that isn't simply a matter of taking a bunch of potions and using top level armor and weapons to beat them to death.

[M's]

As for the Wither skellies. How about using an arrow dispenser to dispatch them.

[John Doe]

I'm not sure what would trigger them Mlite, that would still allow the heads to fall into the hoppers?

[M's]

Was thinking maybe a trip wire for when they fall onto the hoppers. Or if you're active a lever or switch. Just throwing ideas out there.
And something that would not require a whole lot of redesigning.

[Boss Llama]

I'd actually left them un-killed for two reasons:

1) The experience points for manual kills
2) More importantly, the ability to use a looting sword for the skulls. It massively increases the output

If one simply wants to kill the withers automatically, the easiest way would be to add a second crusher layer above the first, to catch their heads. We could make that one manually triggered, so you can choose between the looting/XP kill system, or the flick a switch and profit system. If you'd like, I think I could do that without too much trouble.

[John Doe]

I totally forgot about looting, I will try to drop off a looting sword at the grinder for those that dont have one to use.


JD