I looked for ways to get inputs really slowly, so that I wouldn't have too much work to do per tape loop.

I looked for ways to turn 28 atom bricks into 7 quintessence.

Finding both, I built a thing.  It takes 84 tape loops to make a 28 atom brick, and then gobbles it up at twice that speed.  42 loops on, 42 loops off.  Bulk transmutation.