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[Lopezruy]

I want some obsidian floodgates to control magma-flow, but every time I assign my dwarves to make some floodgates, they make dacite gates. Any tips or tricks to stop them from making other rock floodgates or should I just keep trying til they get it?

[Facekillz058]

I think they take the rock thats closest to the workshop.

[Lopezruy]

I think they take the rock thats closest to the workshop.

So do you think that if I create a workshop with an obsidian-only stockpile, it'd work out?

[Stromko]

Yep, your chances of getting obsidian gates would improve greatly if you stockpile any amount of obsidian as near as possible to the workshop. The first gate made when the mason starts the job might be taken from wherever the mason's standing at the time, but subsequent creations should be started from the middle of the workshop and they'll look for whatever's closest.

Also make sure you've allowed them to use Obsidian for workshop jobs. Go to the overview 'z' screen, then over to Stone at the top and make sure Obsidian is green, not red like the others.

You might want to use Bauxite for the floodgates and the mechanisms if you can find some. It's proven magma-safe, and I've not heard of people using obsidian for magma-safe applications.

[Crashmaster]

keep in mind that they search for the closest stone in a cubic pattern so that a stone on the z/level above the workshop but 200 tiles away will be chosen as closer then a stone 3 tiles away horizontally from the same workshop. I prefered to use the stocks screen keep all non-obsidian stones forbidden and/ or dumped the entire time I was producing obsidian floodgates and I have produced 7500 so far.

[ExecratedDwarf]

Just create an obsidian only stockpile and set it to give to a mason's workshop. That workshop will then ONLY take from that stockpile.

[Nkosi_SW]

Just create an obsidian only stockpile and set it to give to a mason's workshop. That workshop will then ONLY take from that stockpile.

Exactly.  Easiest, surest and most flexible solution.

You might want to use Bauxite for the floodgates and the mechanisms if you can find some. It's proven magma-safe, and I've not heard of people using obsidian for magma-safe applications.

Obsidian is magma-safe.

The real question is, why do you want to use floodgates at all?  Raising bridges do the same job, and have advantages over floodgates including one-step construction, less mechanisms and links if more than one tile wide and, crucially, you won't find one jammed opened by a dropped sock as the magma torrent flows towards your central halls...

[Findulidas]

You could also assign a dump site right next to the workshop and dump loads of obsidian.

Also obsidian must be magma safe since every single volcano is surrounded by it.

[cvar]

I just forbid the stones I don't want them to use in the stocks screen.  No need to set up stockpiles or move thousands of stone next to your mason (I do that anyways, but it has nothing to do with wanting specific stone works made, just cutting down travel time).

[Sutremaine]

Also obsidian must be magma safe since every single volcano is surrounded by it.

In 40d, obsidian was not magma-safe despite surrounding magma features. Bauxite was the only magma-safe rock then.

[Callista]

Also check your stone menu to make sure obsidian isn't set as Economic.

[Itnetlolor]

May I direct you to this:


It makes good use of minecart stockpiling. Should be easy enough to interpret by looking at the image.

It's made in the most efficient manner possible and each one produces accordingly to color/type. Distances are already considered, so it all works; it's also direction-independent, and the compressor stockpile is optional. Tri-input isn't necessary, one's plenty, but if you want a buttload of productivity, it doesn't hurt to use it for colossal stockpiles.