Talk:Hellevator/@comment-4246239-20110903021635/@comment-4246239-20110910030830

Maybe so, but I tend to build my Hellevator as a vertical shaft that's sealed off from the outside by walls. That way, I won't have to worry about getting attacked while building my Hellevator, even during the early-game (except if Fire Imps or Bone Serpents show up). All that'll stop me at this point on is if I come across Hellstone without a Nightmare Pickaxe in hand.

Once you do get a Nightmare Pickaxe, then you could just mine out enough Hellstone to upgrade straight to Molten-tier equipment. (You'll need about 420 for Molten Armor, 140 for a Fiery Greatsword, and 100 for a Molten Fury.) I found that the safest place to mine for Hellstone is deep in the bottom layers of hell, where enemies aren't likely to attack you. You'll still need to do some exploring to find a Hellforge though.