The Recycler is an IndustrialCraft2 machine that can recycle almost any block or item, destroying the block or item in the process. After each operation, it has a 12.5% (1 in 8) chance of producing Scrap. If you use a handsaw to break apart blocks into slabs, panels, or covers, you can produce more scrap using less materials, but, depending on the tier of the saw, the gain in scrap may be outweighed by the cost of the saw. There are three uses for scrap. The first use is to craft a Scrap Box. Right clicking while holding the Scrap Box will transform the Scrap Box into another random item. The second use is to increase the efficiency of a Mass Fabricator when fabricating UU-Matter. Scrap placed in the Mass Fabricator reduces the energy intake one sixth when producing one UU-Matter . The third use is in the crafting of the Fertilizer, either by combining it with existing fertilizer or Bone Meal.
Recipe
| Raw Materials | ||
|---|---|---|
| 11 |
|
Refined Iron |
| 6 | 
|
Rubber |
| 6 | 
|
Stone |
| 3 |
|
Dirt |
| 3 | 
|
Copper |
| 2 | 
|
Redstone |
| 1 |
|
Glowstone Dust |
Usage
Any material can be placed into the top slot of the Recycler. Each item recycled has a 12.5% chance of producing Scrap, with some exceptions, which can be used in the Mass Fabricator. In order to pump out scrap, you need Pipes or Pneumatic Tubes on any the horizontal sides of the Recycler.
The Recycler, with no overclockers, completes an operation in exactly 2.25 seconds. It takes 4 Recyclers to keep pace with a fully powered quarry.
Maximum Input: The Recycler is a low voltage machine and accepts a max of 32 EU/packet before exploding. Use a Transformer Upgrade if you want to use it with Medium Voltage (128 EU/t).
Power usage: 1 EU/t while processing an item.
Blacklist
Blacklisted items will be consumed in process but won't produce any Scrap, as specified in the IC2.cfg config file:
Energy
| EU | |
|---|---|
| Input | 1 EU/t |
| Output | - |
| Storage | 45 |
Maximum Voltage: 32 EU/packet before exploding.
Automation
A recycler connected to two cobblestone generators.
A condenser hooked up to collectors, relays and a pipe can create infinite amounts of a resource like cobblestone, which can then be pumped into the recycler, with any produced scrap pumped out into another chest. Alternatively, a cobblestone generator automated with Block Breakers can do the same job without the need for complex machines.
Efficiency
A simple and cheap way to produce extra scrap is to split a material into Micro Blocks with a Handsaw, which can boost the output of a recycling operation 32-fold. This can be automated and is ridiculously efficient, and input can be condensed into Dirt or something for even more efficiency, making the scrap output 32 times the item's EMC value. For the maximum single block efficiency blocks should be cut into slabs, then panels, then covers and finally cover corners. The handsaw can also be repaired for free using a Talisman of Repair in an Alchemy Bag or Alchemical Chest.
Using Upgrades
The four slots on the right are used to place upgrades in the machine. The three upgrades that are available are the Overclocker Upgrade, the Transformer Upgrade and the Energy Storage Upgrade. You can stack upgrades, but there is no use having more than 4 transformer upgrades or 10 overclocker upgrades. Powering the machine with more than 8 overclockers requires an energy storage upgrade.
The following table shows the exact time in ticks required per operation to number of overclockers and the required EU/t to power the macerator. Note that in-game, processing time is rounded to the nearest tick and EU/t is rounded down to the nearest whole number, from each of their formulas to calculate their respective values. And finally, the operations per second column is derived from the exact time values of the seconds per operation column, where ~ indicates a rounded down approximation while = indicates a value that happens to be the exact number shown.
| No. of Overclockers | EU/t Required | Seconds per Operation | Operations per Second |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 1 | 2.25 | ~0.4444 |
| 1 | 1 | 1.55 | ~0.6451 |
| 2 | 2 | 1.10 | ~0.9090 |
| 3 | 4 | 0.75 | ~1.3333 |
| 4 | 6 | 0.55 | ~1.8181 |
| 5 | 10 | 0.40 | 2.5000 |
| 6 | 16 | 0.25 | 4.0000 |
| 7 | 26 | 0.20 | 5.0000 |
| 8 | 42 | 0.15 | ~6.6666 |
| 9 | 68 | 0.10 | 10.0000 |
| 10 | 109 | 0.05 | 20.0000 |
