[–] vaelroth 0 points 2 points 2 points (+2|-0) ago
Eyes at 12 (feet at 11, as you do currently).
Dig a main tunnel (in both directions from where you drop your shaft! if we're going efficient, we should maximize pathing as well!)
Dig branches off the main shaft every 4th block, leaving 3 blocks between each branch. I generally mine each branch between 100 and 150m, depends on how I'm feeling that day. If you're really anal, you can go 160m for each branch to cover 10 chunks worth of distance.
This will reveal almost every diamond cluster between layers 10-13. The only ones you miss will be the 1x1 and 1x2 clusters that might spawn in between the branches of your mine.
Mining Engineer here: I do a standard room-n-pillar setup.
When creating tunnels, I usually get some TNT (or Industrial TNT preferably in a mod), and dig two in, place TNT, ignite TNT, place block in front. It blasts out a 3x3x3 in standard rock.
That branch mining method would work well with creating main tunnels to expand operations and increase access and navigation.
To be maximally time efficient, branch mine and put a branch every 6 to 7 blocks. Your main tunnel will look something like: http://www.minecraft101.net/reference/images/branch-mine-hallway.jpg
I usually do every 5, on the 5. For example, x=100, x=105, x=110. That's because I run my branches out about 150 to 200 blocks, turn 5 blocks, and mine back. That means I always hit some cave or something and it's easier to figure out where to make the return branch.
The hardest thing about this is you have to get over the fact that you WILL miss some diamonds. The way to get over this is to remember that within 2000 blocks of you, there are more diamonds than you can reasonably use. It doesn't matter if you miss some of them. You want to find more of the large clusters per unit time spent mining and spreading your branches out will let you do that.
Other little tips:
[–] timholt 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago
Here’s an important point many people fail to realize: given the size of the Minecraft world, the time you spend mining is far more valuable than actually getting every single diamond vein. Knowing this, you will want to avoid any chance of redundant tunnels searching the same chunk for diamonds you’ve already found. You don’t want to walk too far between your mine’s branches either, so spacing them too widely is no go.
I branch mine. I figure around ~5 blocks between branches is good, but not on the same level. When I start a mine, I just stay on one level (feet at y=11), with a branch every 10 blocks. My main tunnel is usually 2×2, but it’s kinda personal preference. I make my branches 100 long—the round number makes it easy to watch my coords to know when the end is coming. I also like to cap each tunnel with a fence gate to stop any mobs from caves wandering into the main corridor. If I find I start to have to walk too far to get to the next unfinished tunnel, I’ll start to do tunnels between and 2 block up. I just plop a single ladder at eye level for each one in the main tunnel.
I prefer jack-o-lanterns in the floor for lighting, and I like to place them frequently enough so no mobs spawn. Depending on how you play, glowstone may eventually be even cheaper (and you can place them over air). In either case, they’re water proof and you won’t accidentally knock them off the wall.
cobblestone slabs are great for bridging gaps and lava.
When I have a beacon and enough iron, I just do the haste II efficiency V diamond pickaxe thing and clear out big swathes. I like my efficiency V pickaxe to have silk touch so I get mountains of smooth stone, and don’t accidentally mine any ores with a non-fortune pickaxe.
[–] Venimus 0 points 7 points 7 points (+7|-0) ago
Branch mining by far.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Az4KihqqRGk
[–] BlowJobOfTheMind 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago
Yep, I also end up doing this diagonaly