ok did a major overhaul on the idea and have made two different vault sizes and all vaults have thier own light controls. The design is compactly and infinitley stackable until max hieght is reached. This has caused a completely new building in which i didnt consider an entryway but have some ideas on it. i still want a grand entryway that can then be easily navigated to the correct location of your vault. Maybe a grand hall with elevators to the floors and a sort of directory so you dont forget which floor you are on. the large vaults have enough room that someone could place a crafting table or additional chests or brewing stations, etc. I havent thought of a roof yet but it will likely be simple because if the furnace tower is a success then the roof would need to be rebuilt with each additional floor. The design has 2 large and two small vaults per floor. Also an OMG master vault could be easily built underneath.

I'm afraid I don't see the point... my furnace functions perfectly when I'm not in the chunk.

then maybe someone else is. usually when I leave my furnace and log off and then log back on later my lava is used and my smelts are not completed. Occasionally it will be finished and the only thing that I can think that causes it is that someone else has the chunk loaded. either way... this is a fun project and could be used in a town where lots and homes are not big enough to accommodate furnacesl. even if the furnace continues to function perfectly if the chunk in which it is contained is not active does not mean that a central furnace doesnt have a point.

I'm the same as Deimosian, however I know that my furnace works because it's in my town so there is almost always someone there to load the chunk. I still think it's a good idea for people who don't live in a busy town or area!

I am going to have to do some serious testing on this because a few days ago it wasn't working as you have described and i was so tired of losing lava withou gaining any product that i cam up with this idea. I still love this idea but if something has changed then i will keep my furnace in my hole in the ground and just build this for others.