I am haveing some trouble following what you are saying but i will try my best
FenixR proposed having tools that ran off bio/coal fuelcells in order to make those you need a compressor and an extractor to make the fuelcell. basically what you would use a lower tier machine for is exactly the same as what you would use a higher tier machine for.
not all maps have convenient rubber and redstone (and if you play superflat then there is no rubber or redstone at all)
a low tier mining drill that makes dust while its high tech replacement can't makes NO SENSE! but since we thankfully just established uses for compressors and extractors a macerator would fit right in and the low tier mining drill can stick to breaking blocks now all we need is a low tier canning machine(call it the bottling machine perhaps?).
also if you look at my idea a low tier coal fired macerator could be made with just cobble, flint, and iron. perfect for throwing together in the middle of a mining run.