Alchemy Factory Quicklime Guide
Quicklime starts showing up right when your factory begins to stretch its legs. Stone backs up, furnaces stall, and suddenly progress slows for no obvious reason. That slowdown is usually Quicklime related.
This guide explains how to make Quicklime, how to automate it cleanly, and how to keep it running without constant fixes.
How To Make Quicklime
Quicklime is created by burning stone inside a crucible using a steady fuel source. The most reliable method uses wood to generate charcoal, then uses that charcoal to fuel the same crucible that processes the stone.
Once this loop is stable, Quicklime production becomes fully hands off.
What You Need Before Building
This setup assumes you already understand basic automation and vertical movement. You do not need late game tech, but you do need consistent belts and lifts.
You will need the following.
Crucible
Wood Cutter
Grinder
Stone Crusher
Belts
Splitters
Lifts
Storage Box
If vertical movement is still locked, it is better to wait before attempting full automation.
How The Automation Loop Works
The system works because fuel feeds itself forward. Wood is processed into charcoal, charcoal is refined into charcoal dust, and that dust fuels the crucible. Stone is then burned inside the crucible and exits as Quicklime.
As long as wood keeps flowing, the entire system stays alive without manual input.
Setting Up The Fuel Flow
Wood should be split into two paths early. One path exists purely to create charcoal, while the other helps the system start up if fuel ever runs dry.
Charcoal must enter the crucible from the front input. This matters because hot charcoal burns more efficiently, which keeps the crucible from stalling under load.
Grinding charcoal before burning increases its fuel value and smooths out production over time.
Feeding Stone Into The Crucible
Stone should be processed through a Stone Crusher and lifted into the same layer as the crucible input. Only a steady stream is needed here. Sending too much stone too fast will starve the fire and shut the system down.
Slow and consistent stone input beats fast throughput every time.
Handling Output And Storage
Quicklime should exit the crucible and go straight into a Storage Box. It should not loop back into the system or be consumed immediately downstream.
Storage buffers prevent stalls when other parts of the factory pause or reroute materials.
Scaling Quicklime Production
When you need more Quicklime, copy the entire setup instead of overloading a single crucible. One crucible per production unit stays stable and predictable.
Vertical copies work especially well and keep your floor space clean.
Common Issues And Easy Fixes
Most Quicklime failures come from fuel problems, not stone problems. Always check fuel flow first if production stops.
Charcoal is skipping the grinder
Fuel is entering the wrong crucible input
Stone flow is faster than fuel flow
Fire fixes everything, but only if it is fed properly.
Using The Same Setup For Plant Ash
This exact design also works for plant ash. Swap stone for plant material and remove grinders if refinement is not required. The fuel logic stays the same, which saves both space and setup time.
Final Blurb
Quicklime feels frustrating until fuel becomes part of the design instead of an afterthought. Once wood feeds charcoal and charcoal feeds fire, the whole system settles down and just runs.
If the setup feels slightly overbuilt, that is a good thing. It means you will not need to touch it again for a long while.
FAQ
Why Does My Crucible Keep Turning Off
Fuel is not entering the correct input or charcoal is skipping the grinder stage.
Can I Use Coal Instead Of Charcoal
Yes, but charcoal is cheaper early and easier to scale without stressing money flow.
Should I Store Quicklime Or Send It Directly
Store it first. Later demand spikes are easier to handle with buffers.
Can I Burn Multiple Stones At Once
You can try, but it often breaks fuel balance and causes downtime.
Is This Setup Efficient
It is stable, compact, and easy to duplicate. Consistent uptime matters more than peak output.
