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[Luraien]

It finally clicked inside my head and I figured out how to make machinery, though one part of it still confuses me. I've got a three windmills, beneath each are horizontle axels. Now beneath those axels, on another lower Z level, are 3 gear assemblies. They're not connected as they would be if it were on flat land though, where am I going wrong here?

[Malicus]

Windmills send power downward (as in, down a z-level) through their center title.  There needs to be a gear assembly or a vertical axle or a screw pump (since those can take power from above) below it.  If you did not channel out this tile (such that the windmill is on stable foundation), then you'll need to place the component below the windmill after the windmill is placed, or power won't be transferred for some reason.

[Luraien]

I've redone it a little bit, having three gears underneath each windmill. They're powered but the gears directly underneath that (the 3rd pump Z level) aren't reacting at all. I tried this with vertical axels too but it doesn't seem to work.

[Luraien]

Oh crap, I meant to put 'VERTICAL' axel D:

[zchris13]

You most likely have a floor there.

[Luraien]

I do indeed, I thought it might magically seep through like the windmills do to things underneath them. I understand you can't place gears/axels over open spaces so how would I get it down a Z level to my pump?

Just so you get an image of what im trying and failing to do, it's a de-aquafier. A solo pump de-aquafier which will probably still be getting rid of all the water long after my dwarves have all died.

[CobaltKobold]

Windmills send power downward (as in, down a z-level) through their center title.  There needs to be a gear assembly or a vertical axle or a screw pump (since those can take power from above) below it.  If you did not channel out this tile (such that the windmill is on stable foundation), then you'll need to place the component below the windmill after the windmill is placed, or power won't be transferred for some reason.

Or millstone.

[Malicus]

Windmills can magically get power through floors, like I explained before, but other things can not.  You need to channel out the space where the power will pass.   When this involves screw pumps, you may want to do this over/under the unwalkable tile of the screw pump, especially if pressurized water is involved.  (Especially with pressurized magma, but that doesn't exist unless you pressurize it with a pump yourself.)

As for constructing it, you can place machine components over other machine components or where such are going to be built.

...and yes, I forgot the millstone.

And also...  you can't drain all the water from an aquifer.  Ever.  Though you can pump it quickly enough that you can build walls to stop it from leaking in...

[Luraien]

Oh right. Well that's certainly a kick in the balls. I think I know how it all works/how its meant to work now though. Thanks

[AncientEnemy]

I understand you can't place gears/axels over open space

this isn't true.

[Fossaman]

Machinery can support other machinery. So the vertical axle can go above a gear assembly without any floor in the way, but you have to have the gear assembly constructed first. Removing or disengaging that gear assembly will cause the axle to collapse as well, so if you plan on lever controlled power supply you'll need to add another gear assembly that isn't supporting anything to hook the lever to.

[Luraien]

So I have to build from bottom to top? Like.. gears, then directly above that a vertical axel, then above that gear/axel connecting to power source? I think I get it now, gonna give it another go.

[torne]

You can build from top to bottom too, machinery also supports machinery below it - as long as the thing at the top is supported by something else.

Bear in mind that gear assemblies *stop* supporting things if they are turned off with a lever, they don't just stop transmitting power: so anything being supported by a gear assembly will fall and deconstruct if you turn that gear off.